Would a Squirrel Be a Great Pet?
Squirrels are definitely cute animals. The big bushytailed. The reddish-brown hair. The way they scurry around, hopping everywhere they go. They truly are adorable.

Some would even consider them to be great pets. There are a great number of people out there who enjoy exotic pets. Many have such things as tarantulas, cobra snakes, and even a few have tigers or alligators. If a person can have animals like that, then why shouldn’t you be able to have a squirrel?

Commonsense Time Out There
If you are a person who is thinking about capturing the squirrel in your yard to make as a pet let us caution you right now. Please don’t do this!

The truth is that squirrels may be cute, but they are wild animals. Wild animals pose a number of risks to you. It starts with the fact that these critters are not team. They have instincts, and those instincts are to get away from you.

If a squirrel feels cornered, it may try to attack you. It can scratch you, bite you, claw you. Anyone of these can create a serious injury.

Even if you have had your squirrel for a while, you still have to be concerned about this. Your squirrel may be perfectly content to be around you for weeks, maybe even months. Then, something happens to it that startles it and its natural instincts kick into effect. This can lead the animal to attack you or a member of your family. It just isn’t safe option.

The Carriers of Diseases
If this isn’t enough to dissuade you from getting a squirrel, consider that these animals are often the carriers of a number of diseases and parasites that pose a risk to you and your family. You don’t even have to be scratched or bitten by a squirrel to get infected. If you are in close proximity to their urine or feces you can be infected by particles in the air or simply by touching it.

Some of these pathogens are quite dangerous. They can cause you to become sick and maybe even threaten your life. On top of that, if a squirrel were to scratch you and you were infected by one of these pathogens, it could speed up the process of you becoming ill. It truly isn’t worth the risk.

But I Really Want One
If you are hell-bent on getting a squirrel, then at least be smart and don’t choose one out of your yard. Look around for businesses that offer squirrels for sale. There are some out there. This way you know that the animal has been treated and will arrive at your door without any pathogens or risk of passing a disease onto you or your family.

You still have to worry about the wild behavior of the squirrel, however. These animals are not tame. So, take every precaution possible. Handle the animal with gloves and always supervise if your children are around it. It pays to be smart.