History Main / ScrewballSquirrel

* ''VideoGame/PokemonSwordAndShield'': Skwovet and Greedent are a line of greedy squirrels who make trouble by stealing and hoarding food and berries. There's a minor sidequest in the game with a Skwovet making trouble in a hotel.

Bonus points if they have [[AttentionDeficitOohShiny very short attention spans, too]], even in a {{Sadistic}} way.

Squirrels (and their close relatives, chipmunks) are, however, mostly seen as hyperactive animals who either love to [[ThePrankster play pranks and mess around with people]], are just [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} off-the-walls crazy]], or are animal-hurting {{Sadist}}s. They will run around stealing [[StockAnimalDiet nuts]] from people -- and then [[CoconutMeetsCranium drop these nuts on people's heads]], driving them [[JustForPun nuts]]. They also have the bad habit of [[SquirrelsInMyPants crawling into people's clothing]], and are [[DogsHateSquirrels among the arch-enemies of dogs]], often because the dogs are fed up with their antics. If the HeroicDog is chasing the squirrel, the squirrel is [[YouDirtyRat a villain]]; when a RightHandAttackDog is chasing it, the squirrel is considered [[NiceMice a hero]].

Bonus points if they have [[AttentionDeficitOohShiny very short attention spans, too]].

Note: Just because a character is a squirrel or chipmunk, it does not mean they automatically qualify for this trope. The example also needs to describe how the character is a troublemaker and/or a {{cloudcuckoolander}}.

Squirrels (and their close relatives, chipmunks) are, however, mostly seen as hyperactive animals who either love to [[ThePrankster play pranks and mess around with people]], or are just [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} off-the-walls crazy]]. They will run around stealing [[StockAnimalDiet nuts]] from people -- and then [[CoconutMeetsCranium drop these nuts on people's heads]], driving them [[JustForPun nuts]]. They also have the bad habit of [[SquirrelsInMyPants crawling into people's clothing]], and are [[DogsHateSquirrels among the arch-enemies of dogs]], often because the dogs are fed up with their antics. If the HeroicDog is chasing the squirrel, the squirrel is [[YouDirtyRat a villain]]; when a RightHandAttackDog is chasing it, the squirrel is considered [[NiceMice a hero]].

Squirrels (and their close relatives, chipmunks) are, however, mostly seen as hyperactive animals who either love to [[ThePrankster play pranks and mess around with people]], or are just [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} off-the-walls crazy]]. They will run around stealing [[StockAnimalDiet nuts]] from people -- and then [[CoconutMeetsCranium drop these nuts on people's heads]], driving them [[JustForPun nuts]]. They also have the bad habit of [[SquirrelsInMyPants crawling into people's clothing]], and are [[DogsHateSquirrels among the arch-enemies of dogs]], often because the dogs are fed up with their antics. Bonus points if they have [[AttentionDeficitOohShiny very short attention spans, too]].

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]

* ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'': In the episode "Comet Kermillian", Suzy Johnson throws a nut into Candace's pants, grabbing the attention of two hungry squirrels. As Candace jumps around to get rid of the squirrels in her pants, she creates an AccidentalDanceCraze that is the TropeNamer for SquirrelsInMyPants.

It's easy to see why these furry critters have such traits associated with them: squirrels and chipmunks are ''very'' jittery animals in real life, moving about in short, twitching movements, and taking off to the nearest tree at the slightest sign of danger. Their recognizable constant chattering heard in media also gives the impression of [[TheHyena manic cackling]], as if they just pulled another prank on some hapless bloke. They also tend to cache food and then forget about it, which fuels the "short attention span" stereotype.

Subtrope of AnimalStereotypes. Also compare RascallyRabbit, another small, furry animal that's often a trickster and prankster. The TropeNamer is the Creator/TexAvery cartoon ''WesternAnimation/ScrewballSquirrel''.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}'': Slappy Squirrel is a [[ScrewPolitenessImASenior grouchy, elderly]] squirrel who whacks people with her purse. In her youth, she was a gender-flipped {{Expy}} of Screwy Squirrel, a hyperactive prankster ([[IWasQuiteALooker and quite a looker at the time]]). Her age slowed her down, but she never lost her malice. Her nephew Skippy is the exact opposite, hyperactive but [[ChildrenAreInnocent naive and innocent]].

Note: Just because a character is a squirrel or chipmunk, it does not mean it automatically qualifies for this trope. The example also needs to describe how the character is a troublemaker and/or a {{cloudcuckoolander}}.

It's easy to see why these furry critters have such traits associated with them: Squirrels and chipmunks are ''very'' jittery animals in real life, moving about in short, twitching movements, and taking off to the nearest tree at the slightest sign of danger. Their recognizable constant chattering heard in media also gives the impression of [[TheHyena manic cackling]], as if they just pulled another prank on some hapless bloke. They also tend to cache food and then forget about it, which fuels the "short attention span" stereotype.

* ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'': Dawn's Pachirisu, an electric-type Pokemon based on a chipmunk, has a very playful and hyperactive personality, running around with boundless energy. Dawn had a difficult time controlling it at first.

* ''Franchise/AlvinAndTheChipmunks'': The chipmunks often act like mischievous children, getting on the nerves of their manager / surrogate father Dave Seville. Alvin their trouble-making leader, whereas the nerdy Simon and naive Theodore usually only make trouble by following Alvin. In their [[Music/AlvinAndTheChipmunks original music act]], they mess up the recording at the end by demanding to do the song again and quarreling with Dave and making a mess. The characterization is carried over to the [[WesternAnimation/TheAlvinShow various]] [[WesternAnimation/AlvinAndTheChipmunks animated]] and [[Film/AlvinAndTheChipmunks live-action]] adaptations.

* ''VideoGame/PokemonSwordAndShield'': Skwovet and Greedent are a line of greedy squirrels who make trouble by stealing and hoarding food and berries. There's a minor quest in the game with a Skwovet making trouble in a hotel.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}'': Slappy Squirrel is a [[ScrewPolitenessImASenior grouchy, elderly]] squirrel who whacks people with her purse. In her youth, she was a gender-flipped {{Expy}} of Screwy Squirrel, a hyperactive prankster ([[IWasQuiteALooker and quite a looker at the time]]). Her age slowed her down but she never lost her malice. Her nephew, Skippy is the exact opposite, hyperactive but [[ChildrenAreInnocent naive and innocent]].

* ''WesternAnimation/ClassicDisneyShorts'': WesternAnimation/ChipAndDale are a duo of chipmunks who often get into an EscalatingWar with WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck. Who starts the fight [[DependingOnTheWriter depends on the cartoon]]: sometimes they respond to Donald's {{jerkass}} behaviour, but sometimes they just start messing with him for no apparent reason. Averted with their ''WesternAnimation/ChipAndDaleRescueRangers'' version, who are crime-fighting heroes.

Squirrels (and their close relatives, chipmunks) are, however, mostly seen as hyperactive animals who either love to [[ThePrankster play pranks and mess around with people]], or are just [[CloudCuckoolander off-the-walls crazy]]. They will run around stealing [[StockAnimalDiet nuts]] from people -- and then [[CoconutMeetsCranium drop these nuts on people's heads]], driving them [[JustForPun nuts]]. They also have the bad habit of [[SquirrelsInMyPants crawling into people's clothing]], and are [[DogsHateSquirrels among the arch-enemies of dogs]], often because the dogs are fed up with their antics. Bonus points if they have [[AttentionDeficitOohShiny very short attention spans, too]].

** Nutty the bright green squirrel is pretty much [[CloudCuckoolander as insane as you'd expect]] with a name like that, further accentuated by his hyperactiveness, a MadEye, and a vocabulary consisting entirely of [[TheHyena manic laughter]]. His signature trait is his love [[SweetTooth for anything made out of sugar]], which he sometimes outright places before common sense (resulting in gruesome CruelAndUnusualDeath{{s}}... [[DeathIsCheap plural]]).

!!Examples

[[AC:Anime]]

[[AC:Comic Strips]]

[[AC:Film -- Animated]]

[[AC:Film -- Live Action]]

[[AC:Literature]]

[[AC:Music]]

[[AC:Video Games]]

[[AC:Webcomics]]
* ''Webcomic/SequentialArt'': Among the main cast of characters is Scarlet, an anthropomorphic red squirrel with a CloudCuckoolander demeanor, [[AttentionDeficitOohShiny an extremely short attention span]], and a [[GeniusDitz surprising talent for gadgetry]]. Her sisters aren't that much different, either.

[[AC:Web Original]]
* ''WesternAnimation/HappyTreeFriends'':

[[AC:Western Animation]]

Squirrels (and their close relatives, chipmunks) are, however, mostly seen as hyperactive animals who either love to [[ThePrankster play pranks and mess around with people]], or are just [[CloudCuckoolander off-the-walls crazy]]. They will run around stealing [[StockAnimalDiet nuts]] from people - and then [[CoconutMeetsCranium drop these nuts on people's heads]], driving them [[JustForPun nuts]]. They also have the bad habit of [[SquirrelsInMyPants crawling into people's clothing]], and are [[DogsHateSquirrels among the arch-enemies of dogs]], often because the dogs are fed up with their antics. Bonus points if they have [[AttentionDeficitOohShiny very short attention spans, too]].

* Bip and Bop from ''ComicStrip/{{Mutts}}'' are a duo of mischief-making squirrels who enjoy bonking people in the head with acorns.
[[AC:Film - Animated]]
* In the ''WesternAnimation/IceAge'' movies, Scrat is a prehistoric squirrel whose nuttiness mostly manifests in a single-minded obsession with an acorn that he [[TheChewToy keeps losing due to all sorts of crazy circumstances]]. Scratte, his DistaffCounterpart from ''WesternAnimation/IceAge3DawnOfTheDinosaurs'', fits the "screwy" part of this trope better, flirting with Scrat just to screw him over and steal his acorn.

* In Disney's ''WesternAnimation/TheSwordInTheStone'', when Wart and Merlin temporarily transform themselves into squirrels, they encounter two ''extremely'' flirtatious and pushy females who [[StalkingIsFunnyIfItIsFemaleAfterMale just won't stop despite their protests]]. As Wart flees from the girl squirrel they wake up [[NonHumanSidekick Archimedes]], who derides them as "You screwy squirrels!"

* Inverted in one of Uncle Borgel's fables in ''Literature/{{Borgel}}'', "The Tale of the Moose and Squirrel." The fable features mischievous animals, but the story pulls a StereotypeFlip between this trope and MooseAreIdiots, thus the moose is TheTrickster who tries to steal the squirrel's acorns, while the squirrel is a simple-minded StraightMan who doesn't want any trouble.
[[AC:Film - Live Action]]
* Pip from ''Film/{{Enchanted}}'' is a chipmunk with [[HotBlooded a big temper]] who serves as Giselle's NonHumanSidekick. His SpeechImpairedAnimal status in the real world, combined with his eagerness to communicate with humans, is the source of much comedy.

* The chipmunks from ''Franchise/AlvinAndTheChipmunks'' often act like mischievous children, getting on the nerves of their manager / surrogate father Dave Seville. Alvin their trouble-making leader, whereas the nerdy Simon and naive Theodore usually only make trouble by following Alvin. In their [[Music/AlvinAndTheChipmunks original music act]], they mess up the recording at the end by demanding to do the song again and quarreling with Dave and making a mess. The characterization is carried over to the [[WesternAnimation/TheAlvinShow various]] [[WesternAnimation/AlvinAndTheChipmunks animated]] and [[Film/AlvinAndTheChipmunks live-action]] adaptations.

* ''VideoGame/ConkersBadFurDay'': Conker himself zigzags this trope. He's alcoholic, greedy and violent, but he's also the OnlySaneMan in his own game, which kinda downplays the notion that his troublesome personality comes from the fact that's he's a squirrel (instead of a natural result of dealing with a CrapsackWorld).

[[AC:Web Comics]]

* ''WesternAnimation/HappyTreeFriends'': Nutty the bright green squirrel is pretty much [[CloudCuckoolander as insane as you'd expect]] with a name like that, further accentuated by his hyperactiveness, a MadEye, and a vocabulary consisting entirely of [[TheHyena manic laughter]]. His signature trait is his love [[SweetTooth for anything made out of sugar]], which he sometimes outright places before common sense (resulting in gruesome CruelAndUnusualDeath{{s}}... [[DeathIsCheap plural]]).

* Slappy Squirrel from ''WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}'' is a [[ScrewPolitenessImASenior grouchy, elderly]] squirrel who whacks people with her purse. In her youth, she was a gender-flipped {{Expy}} of Screwy Squirrel, a hyperactive prankster ([[IWasQuiteALooker and quite a looker at the time]]). Her age slowed her down but she never lost her malice. Her nephew, Skippy is the exact opposite, hyperactive but [[ChildrenAreInnocent naive and innocent]].
* WesternAnimation/ChipAndDale from the WesternAnimation/ClassicDisneyShorts are a duo of chipmunks who often get into an EscalatingWar with WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck. Who starts the fight [[DependingOnTheWriter depends on the cartoon]]: sometimes they respond to Donald's {{jerkass}} behaviour, but sometimes they just start messing with him for no apparent reason. Averted with their ''WesternAnimation/ChipAndDaleRescueRangers'' version, who are crime-fighting heroes.
* ''WesternAnimation/BigBuckBunny'' has a trio of squirrels who start playing mean-spirited pranks on the eponymous GentleGiant rabbit and then get their comeuppance when said rabbit [[LetsGetDangerous gets dangerous]].

* ''VideoGame/ConkersBadFurDay'': Conker himself zigzags this trope. He's alcoholic, greedy and violent, but he's also the OnlySaneMan in his own game, which kinda downplays the notion that his troublesome personality comes from the fact that's he's a squirrel.

* ''VideoGame/ConkersBadFurDay'': Conker himself zigzags this trope. He's alcoholic, greedy and violent, but he's also the OnlySaneMan in his own game, which downplays his otherwise troublesome personality.

Subtrope of AnimalStereotypes. Also compare RascallyRabbit, another small, furry animal that's often a trickster and prankster. Not to be confused with ScrewySquirrel, though the TropeNamer in the Creator/TexAvery cartoon ''WesternAnimation/ScrewballSquirrel'' is [[WesternAnimation/ScrewySquirrel named just that]].

Subtrope of AnimalStereotypes. Also compare RascallyRabbit, another small, furry animal that's often a trickster and prankster. Not to be confused with ScrewySquirrel, though the TropeNamer is the Creator/TexAvery cartoon ''WesternAnimation/ScrewballSquirrel''.

Subtrope of AnimalStereotypes. Also compare RascallyRabbit, another small, furry animal that's often a trickster and prankster. The TropeNamer is the Creator/TexAvery cartoon ''WesternAnimation/ScrewballSquirrel''.

Subtrope of AnimalStereotypes. Also compare RascallyRabbit, another small, furry animal that's often a trickster and prankster. The TropeNamer is the Creator/TexAvery cartoon ''WesternAnimation/ScrewballSquirrel''. Not to be confused with the CharacterArchetype called ScrewySquirrel on this wiki.

Subtrope of AnimalStereotypes. Also compare RascallyRabbit, another small, furry animal that's often a trickster and prankster. The TropeNamer is the Creator/TexAvery cartoon ''WesternAnimation/ScrewballSquirrel''.

* WesternAnimation/ScrewySquirrel, a recurring character in Creator/TexAvery's cartoons introduced in ''WesternAnimation/ScrewballSquirrel'', is a prankster who messes with innocent people for no good reason.

Subtrope of AnimalStereotypes. The TropeNamer is the Creator/TexAvery cartoon ''WesternAnimation/ScrewballSquirrel''.

Subtrope of AnimalStereotypes.

During Trope Repair Shop cleanup of ScrewySquirrel, it came up that a trope about actual squirrels being crazy screwballs is a tropable AnimalStereotype. I am aware that there was a trope called NuttySquirrel that got cut because it ended up as a chairs-y "squirrels exist" trope.
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