When Squirrels Attack!

[momophile]

We were at the park earlier today getting family pictures taken. We were standing next to some large rocks. I was holding my 14-month old daughter. A goddamn frackin' squirrel came up a rock and bit my daughter on the hand! What the frack? :wtf:

After rushing to the ER, we found out that 1) outside of bats, we don't really have rabies here in CO, and 2) squirrels don't carry rabies anyways. All good news, but still :wtf:

Stay away from my baby, you damn baby-bitin' furry devil!

The End

[fizzgig]

1. i hope your daughter is ok

i have never heard of a squirrel doing that before. i also did not know that they didn't carry rabies, that's a useful bit of information.

:hug: for the little one

[snacker]

2. Oh my, what a horrible experience...

for your daughter. I don't like squirrels, but never realized that they'd bite like that...yet another reason to dislike them, I guess. Hope your daughter is doing better...poor thing.

[texanwitch]

3. I am glad you little girl is OK.

I had been keeping bird bread on the front porch, one day I looked out 3 squirrels (Mother and children) were helping themselves to the bread.

I came out and they just kept on eating, didn't run away. Then my dog flew around the side of the house and the squirrels had to run for their lives. I now have moved the bread.

[petronius]

4. That's not entirely true about squirrels and rabies...

According to the CDC, it's highly unlikely but not completely impossible for a squirrel to carry the virus:

Small rodents (such as squirrels, rats, mice, hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils, and chipmunks, ) and lagomorphs (such as rabbits and hares) are almost never found to be infected with rabies and have not been known to cause rabies among humans in the United States. Bites by these animals are usually not considered a risk of rabies unless the animal was sick or behaving in any unusual manner and rabies is widespread in your area. However, from 1985 through 1994, woodchucks accounted for 86% of the 368 cases of rabies among rodents reported to CDC. Woodchucks or groundhogs (Marmota monax) are the only rodents that may be frequently submitted to state health department because of a suspicion of rabies. In all cases involving rodents, the state or local health department should be consulted before a decision is made to initiate postexposure prophylaxis (PEP).

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/rabies/Ques&Ans/q&a.htm#What%20animals%20get%20rabies

Sorry about the vile sneak-attack on your daughter - it may be time for the human-squirrel Cold War to escalate to something more final...