Technically they can carry it, but it is extremely rare, since the animals that commonly carry rabies have about zero chance of catching and biting a squirrel.
That’s what the vet told me when I was bitten and scratched by a skunk I had caught. So I had his bags squeezed and kept Pepe as a pet.
I have no knowledge or expertise in this area, but this squirrel’s behavior does not sound normal. If it isn’t rabies causing the bizarre behavior of “jumping on people” and biting them, then maybe it’s on bath salts or sumpin’. I am assuming the victims were not attempting to corner the thing.
Our Weimaraners, we’ve had over the years, all chased squirrels. The female we had was patient and stalked them, even if it took 30 minutes...and she caught a lot of squirrels. The male Weims we’ve had all think they can just run after them and catch them, and of course they hardly ever catch a squirrel. One time the female didn’t grab the squirrel quite right and it fought back, the dog had a bite and a pretty scratched up face.
I called the vet, just wondering about infection. My vet said due to a squirrel’s diet, they are very low on causing infection from a bite, or scratch, due to their diet. I hadn’t thought of the reason they don’t usually get rabies until you presented it. I learn something new every day :)
And if by chance the squirrel is bitten, it will likely be the meal..........