Originally Posted by
BlazingPedals
I think squirrels are hard-wired to run zig-zags. Either that or they're too stupid to decide which tree to run to. I had one run right between my wheels once, but luckily never IN a wheel.
I suspect that might be the case. It would make sense as a defense against hawks who are much faster, but can't make hard adjustments on an attack run. So the squirrel's only method of escape is to find a small space to hide in, or to constantly change direction.