Ground squirrels have the plague

[Subway]

I was just reading about this seems to be most prevalent in new Mexico colorado and utah but I'm sure it's found its way to other states. Make sure you where bug spray and wash your hands. Bubonic plague is no joke neither is the hantavirus.

[rami939]

Avoid their fleas at all cost .
If the squirrel is infected and carries the disease, their fleas are infected as well .
Stay away from the burrows, get your pants taped at ankles , and long sleeves are recommended, for what I've read .
This might happens only if the nutter is infected, which is anybody's guess .
If not infected, we're fine .

[Subway]

Yup. Long clothes and use a good spray. It's smelly so u have to hunt the wind tho

[BenjiHunter]

They have found squirrels with plague in San Diego county.

[johninthecamper]

Yosemite too

[nielsenammo]

Those diseases are a major factor the State of California does not allow trapped animals to be relocated. As a licensed trapper my company must euthanize all animals we trap. All my trappers use PCP guns to put down raccoon, skunks, squirrels, etc.

If you relocate animals and they are diseased you start to spread those diseases all over the state. The mountain community I live in lost most of the grey squirrels from disease. They are slowly coming back.

Often times when government agencies respond to plague outbreaks they will, as part of the response, treat for fleas. Fleas need a host to survive so picking up dead animals can be a risk of you being a new host.

[PBguns]

I was just reading about this seems to be most prevalent in new Mexico colorado and utah but I'm sure it's found its way to other states. Make sure you where bug spray and wash your hands. Bubonic plague is no joke neither is the hantavirus.

When I lived in Northern AZ in the late 90s....I ran across (at the time) the only known survivor of hantavirus. Older gentleman in his 60s (tough old guy as you would have guessed). Sat & talked for awhile....interesting guy/stories.

[Martis 1]

In my younger days I worked in a couple State Park campgrounds in the Sierras.  We were instructed to collect any dead ground squirrels that were reported and given plastic bags for collection.  We were to document the date, time, location, and circumstances.  The critters were collected by the state for testing.  We were advised that if any of the animals tested positive, we would have to close our entire campground, or at least the loop in which the infected animal was found.  Funny, the couple years we were notified of infected animals, it was almost the exact date we were scheduled to close anyway.

At the time, I was told that the plague is always around, and to avoid handling ground squirrels and also to take steps to avoid their flees. 

I haven't heard of any outbreaks in my area for many years, but I'm careful non the less.  All of our campgrounds are absolutely infested with the Golden Mantle Ground Squirrels.  The darn things are nearly as thick as the yellow jackets when you're trying to eat or prepare food in a campground.

Ron.

[LDP]

Thats why I exterminate over populated ground squirrel areas with extreme prejudice Its surprising how many people do not know that ground squirrels and their flees carry the plague. There are some people that would love to see ground squirrels running all over the place including their back yard where their young children and animals play with out ever thinking about the possibility of some carrying the plague. They found ground squirrels near Boise Idaho that were infected this year. I dont think they have found any in Montana but I do my part to control the numbers

[AlanB]

let me ask? If the little critters can carry the plague then would that apply to the Coyotes, Puma, deer, elk etc, anything with blood can be a flea host?? right??

I shoot little critters to get coyote in closer...never wanted to eat the rabbit we have around here as I am told they carry worms...P.Dogs, same thing...

[nielsenammo]

One of the reasons ground squirrels have the plague is they are communal animals living together in close quarters. They easily spread disease to each other.

More solitary animals are less likely to spread disease to one another. Again this is why we should not relocate animals and ones you shoot should be buried.

[john]

Are we to infer that TREE squirrels rarely carry plague?

[nielsenammo]

When they report plague outbreaks in our area it seems to be associated  with ground squirrels.

However, I live in the mountains in So Cal at 7000 feet and we lost most of our tree squirrels to disease. The California grey squirrel is coming back but it's numbers are coming back pretty slow. Not sure what disease they had because I have heard several theories, one of which was the plague. Ground squirrel numbers in the forest are also lower.

[LDP]

Are we to infer that TREE squirrels rarely carry plague?

I dont know the answer to that but I notice they always seem to only talk about ground squirrels in the articles I have read. it doesnt mean thats the only type of animal that can be infected but it does seem strange they dont include many other animals that live right in ground squirrel colonies that could be hosts for fleas.

[Subway]

let me ask? If the little critters can carry the plague then would that apply to the Coyotes, Puma, deer, elk etc, anything with blood can be a flea host?? right??

I shoot little critters to get coyote in closer...never wanted to eat the rabbit we have around here as I am told they carry worms...P.Dogs, same thing...

In hot months they have wourbles also called bot Flys I don't eat rabbit or squirrel till after a good solid heavy frost.

[Tater]

One of the reasons ground squirrels have the plague is they are communal animals living together in close quarters. They easily spread disease to each other.

More solitary animals are less likely to spread disease to one another. Again this is why we should not relocate animals and ones you shoot should be buried.

What if a coyote eats a ground squirrel, can it get the plague from that?