Sciurophobia: Fear of Squirrels
Sciurophobia is the term that describes a fear of squirrels. Is there really such a thing? Well, there is if you suffer from it, and you know who you are!
What Is Sciurophobia?
It can be disconcerting to think you have an uncontrollable fear of these hairy little buggers, yet it really isn’t all that unusual. We have all heard of acrophobia (fear of heights), arachnaphobia (fear of spiders), agoraphobia (fear of leaving the house), and other more common documented phobias. There are, however, scores of lesser known fears as well. There is a fear of running water (potamophobia) and – of all things – nosebleeds (epistaxiophobia )! Sciurophobia seems almost tame in comparison! So do understand that sciurophobia isn’t all that odd or unusual, and let’s get this one out into the light.
What To Do About A Squirrel Phobia
A fear of squirrels can present itself in many ways. Some people experience an increase in heart rate, sweating palms, rapid breathing, and knots in the stomach. These symptoms can be present in varying degrees.
One of the best ways of coping with your fear of squirrels is to know the facts.
- Intelligence: Although squirrels are definitely clever and can outsmart a good deal of thetraps and repellents that we employ to rid ourselves of them, they still have pea-size brains! When they look at you with those beady little eyes, what you’re seeing isn’t an analytical or thoughtful contemplation of how to out-smart you, but simply anticipation of where the next nuts or seeds are coming from.
- Capability: Squirrels are natural acrobats…they can climb, jump, tumble and run like crazy. What then can’t do is open doors, out run you, or leap from the ground to sink their teeth into your throat! (Unless, perhaps, you’re wearing a walnut and sunflower seed necklace – just kidding!) Squirrel damage doesn’t typically refer to their effect on humans!
- Emotion: Sometimes squirrels appear to be like hyper-active 6-year olds. Are they really upset when you hear them scolding you from a nearby tree? Hard to say…but squirrels do care for their young, and are rather territorial. If you catch them in a trap, they definitely appear to be angry, and their tail twitches constantly. But if you think they are having evil thoughts about you and are plotting revenge because you installed a squirrel-proof bird feeder, now may be a good time to think about addressing your irrational fear.
No matter how irrational a fear may be, it’s real if it’s yours! It can help to do more research and learn about what squirrels are all about…they’re really pretty harmless and certainly don’t deserve the time and effort your fear provides them. Be sure to browse our site for more information on squirrels and other rodents, and maybe you’ll find repellents that will free your living space of these little guys!
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