# Why Do Squirrels Put Their Paw On Their Chest?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-squirrels-put-their-paw-on-their-chest/724299>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 5, 2015, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-squirrels-put-their-paw-on-their-chest/724299 "2015-07-05T07:26:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2015, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-squirrels-put-their-paw-on-their-chest/724299/21 "2015-07-07T12:46:47Z")

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**Why do squirrels put their paw on their chest?**

Because it’s so fucking cute. [It’s all an act](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/d2/76/65/d276654d21a535762a89330e39fba714.jpg).

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**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2015, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-squirrels-put-their-paw-on-their-chest/724299/22 "2015-07-07T13:44:18Z")

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> [@Hampshire](#):
>
> Dramatic paws

> [@Aquadementia](#):
>
> It’s been over 24 hours. The tension is palpable.,

…pation.

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**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2015, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-squirrels-put-their-paw-on-their-chest/724299/23 "2015-07-08T00:18:58Z")

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> [@billfish678](#):
>
> The American ones are pledging allegiance (patriotic little buggers). The French ones are surrendering.

I wish I’d said that. 😃

As a matter of fact, I will!

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**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2015, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-squirrels-put-their-paw-on-their-chest/724299/24 "2015-07-08T00:20:29Z")

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> [@salinqmind](#):
>
> Bats are not rodents. They are classified as ‘chiroptera’, a separate category.

Yes, but, aren’t squirrels also chiroptera?

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**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2015, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-squirrels-put-their-paw-on-their-chest/724299/25 "2015-07-08T15:45:04Z")

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> [@handsomeharry](#):
>
> Yes, but, aren’t squirrels also chiroptera?

No, squirrels are rodents. Rodents are not bats, and bats are not rodents. Yes, they’re all mammals. No, not all mammals have the ability to transmit rabies to humans.

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