What to feed baby flying squirrels

Flying Squirrel Information - Exotic Nutrition

SOUTHERN FLYING SQUIRRELS (Provided by Steve Patterson)

Description and History

Glaucomys Volans, the Southern Flying Squirrel, is found in Southern & Eastern United States. The smallest of the tree squirrels, its body color is gray to chestnut with a white belly. A flap of skin connects the back leg to the front wrist. This squirrel has very large eyes, which aid its nocturnal vision. You will rarely see one in the wild since they are very shy. It has a body length of 5 to 6 inches. Flying Squirrels can live in captivity for up to 15 years.

What kind of pet does Flying Squirrel make? A flying squirrel that has established a bond with its owner will make an amazing pet. The squirrel will want to be with you at all times. Your pet will learn the sound of your voice and, when he or she hears it, will come out of his nest box to greet you, dashing up and down your body as if you were a big tree. Your pet will soon feel safest sleeping in your pockets or under your clothes.

Breeding Flying Squirrels

Breeding pairs should be provided with two nest boxes. The female and male will stay together just before she births. A few days prior to to birth, she will take up housing in a vacant nest. Gestation is about 40 days and babies number 3-4. Babies are born with eyes closed and hairless. They have the gliding membranes from birth. They open their eyes at about 4 weeks of age and wean at about 8 weeks. Flying squirrels will breed up to twice a year in the wild and 3 times a year in captivity.

What do I look for in choosing a Flying Squirrel? The best age at which to purchase a Flying Squirrel is 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 weeks. At this age they are sure to bond to you. As the squirrel gets older, it will become less likely to bond to a human; for this reason, adult flying squirrels sold in pet stores will not make good pets.

How do they bond to you? Your six-week old flying squirrel won't quite be weaned from its mother's milk, so you will have to feed them Goat milk three times a day, which will aid in the bonding. Further bonding is accomplished by carrying your pet close to your body in a pouch or pocket for at least three hours a day (the longer the better). The squirrel will sleep happily while you carry on with your day. You can check the Nursing Department for related products.

Housing

The bigger the better as far as cages go. The mesh size should not exceed 1"x 1/2". Sugar Glider Cages are ideal. Cage furniture should include a Nest Box, branches, a salt spool, a calcium block, food, and a water dish.

Feeding

We suggest flying squirrels be fed a complete pellet based food formulated specifically for squirrels. Exotic Nutrition's Squirrel Complete is highly recommended. It not only contains the nutritionally complete pellets, but also incorporates a variety of dried fruit and nuts in with the pellets. Each Squirrel will eat 5 -10 grams of the food daily. Your squirrel will also love pecans, but these are particularly fattening and should only be given as occasional treats. You may also supplement their diet with mealworms or other dried or canned insects.

Are they clean animals? Flying squirrels have no odor. Their droppings are dry. They will use one or two places in their cage for their toilet.

Do they need a companion? Flying squirrels are social animals. If you give your squirrel a lot of attention, it will be very happy. If you decide you want more than one squirrel in your home, do not house the two pets together at first, as they will bond to each other. Bond to each one individually for several months, then you can put them in the same cage.

Are they prone to any health problems? Flying squirrels are susceptible to calcium deficiency problems. Hanging a calcium block or giving a supplement like Squirrel-Cal in addition to feeding a complete pellet diet will help prevent such problems. Flying squirrels do not need any routine vaccinations.

How will they get along with other animals? A squirrel introduced at a young age to the family dog or cat should not have a problem co-existing with these animals, provided they respect his small size. Larger animals should be supervised when your squirrel is out of his cage.

Who should own a Flying Squirrel? Flying squirrels need owners who are dedicated. The whole bonding experience is a real joy to go through: feeding the squirrel milk and carrying it around in its bonding pouch is a delight for a child (age 10 and up) or adult, but it does take a commitment. Once a flying squirrel bonds to his or her owner, continued attention must be given each day. If your lifestyle calls for you to be out of town often, a flying squirrel will not be the ideal pet for you. And remember, once your squirrel bonds to you, it is not easy to place the animal in another household.

Although considered arboreal animals, flying squirrels do spend a small percentage of time on the ground, foraging for food such as fungi, insects and ground-level-fruiting berries. They also store nuts in shallow holes dug into the ground. It is at this time when they are most vulnerable to predation by land carnivores such as bobcat, coyote, wolf, house cat, etc.

Most foraging is done in the relative safety of the trees and shrubs in the animals' home range. Ground foraging is performed within "safe scamper distance" from a tree trunk. Males generally have a larger home range than females, however, any home range, where foraging is concerned, is dependent upon available food supplies. If there is a paucity of food in any given area, a flying squirrels' range will be increased. The reverse is true if there is an abundance of food at hand.

Flying squirrels, as a rule, are scatter-hoarders, although southern flying squirrels have been known to stash large quantities of beech nuts in "larder cavities" (large natural cavities in trees). Northern flying squirrels are much less likely to larder hoard. In fact, there is no documentation regarding larder hoarding activity in northerns. Flying squirrels, once they have located a food item, will either eat it right on the spot, or find a suitable location to store it, for, it is hoped, retrieval at a later time. Areas where a flying squirrel may store its find can be notches and crevices in tree branches, natural cavities, shallow digs under the forest floor leaf litter, and under logs. They will press the food into the storage spot by banging it down with their incisors. Depending upon location and time of year, one can often hear the rapid "bonk bonk bonk bonk bonk" sound of hard mast being stashed by a flying squirrel on a windless night in the forest. Sometimes they will "finish off" the storing ritual with a few pats of the forepaws.

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What Do Flying Squirrels Eat? 13 Foods for This Cute Rodent

What Does a Flying Squirrel Eat?

A flying squirrel eats bugs, seeds, fruit, nuts, fungi, and more. Primarily omnivores, they can survive off of lichen and sap during leaner months in their local environments as well.

Some types of this particular squirrel are more carnivorous than others, and their diets are adapted to eat more protein-rich foods. This can include bird eggs and even other small rodents such as moles.

According to the Northwestern Naturalist, some squirrels may even eat nicer than we do: they have a penchant for consuming truffles in the Pacific Northwest! These voracious eaters aren’t shy about consuming a wide variety of things.

A Complete List of 13 Foods Flying Squirrels Eat

Flying squirrels have been known to eat the following variety of foods:

Seeds
Nuts
Pinecones
Mushrooms
Acorns
Truffles
Various plant matter
Lichen
Fruit
Eggs
Small birds
Small rodents
Decaying animals

It may surprise you to hear that some species of squirrel eat more meat than others, including the meat of other types of rodents. Flying squirrels are hoarders and scavengers, capable of consuming decaying animals as well as live ones.

According to The American Midland Naturalist, flying squirrels have a relatively low metabolic rate compared to other types of squirrels, and have been known to survive on a diet of acorns alone.

However, depending on the specific species and the region in which the flying squirrel is living, their diet can drastically differ. While fruiting trees and trees with nuts or seeds are a squirrel’s favorite, some flying squirrels resort to eating bird eggs right from the nest.

A flying squirrel eats bugs, seeds, fruit, nuts, fungi, and more.

©Ken Thomas – Public Domain

How Much Does a Flying Squirrel Eat?

A flying squirrel eats 10-30 grams of food daily, depending on the species and types of food available. Wild flying squirrels often need to eat more than pet squirrels, as they are on the move far more often.

However, wild flying squirrels often have more limited resources. This is one of the main reasons why this animal hoards food, especially in preparation for the winter. That’s one thing to know about flying squirrels: they are master foragers and hoarders!

The American Midland Naturalist mentions that flying squirrels have been observed eating acorns the moment they find them, but stashing away hickory nuts to eat during cold winter months. They are truly capable of maximizing their seasonal resources.

It is important to feed your flying squirrel closer to 10 grams of food per day should you have one as a pet. Their diet should be varied, much like the diet of wild flying squirrels. But more on that later!

Do Flying Squirrels Have Any Predators?

A flying squirrel eats 10-30 grams of food daily, depending on the species and types of food available.

©Laura Fiorillo/Shutterstock.com

Flying squirrels have many predators, including the following:

House cats
Raccoons
Snakes
Owls
Hawks
Weasels
Bobcats

Given their small stature and status as a rodent, flying squirrels are no doubt victims to many predators. However, their ability to glide away, as far as 50 meters, can help them avoid getting eaten!

It is important to note that flying squirrels can’t actually fly. They don’t have any wings to flap, but they can glide from branch to branch using their connective skin folds. It stretches from their front legs to their hind legs, and allows flying squirrels to perform feats that only look like flying.

Humans are also considered a predator of the flying squirrel, but not for eating. Humankind is responsible for destroying many flying squirrel’s natural habitats, and potentially harming them in the process of bringing them to exotic pet stores.

What to Feed Flying Squirrels as a Pet

You can feed flying squirrel pets the same things that wild flying squirrels eat. You can also consider feeding them the following treats:

Pecans
Sunflower seeds
Bird seed blends
Mealworms
Fresh vegetables
Fresh fruit
Butternut squash
Pine nuts

Given that flying squirrels love to hoard their food and forage for it, you can treat your flying squirrel to some special hiding spots. Find clean and dry locations throughout your flying squirrel enclosure and hide various nuts and seeds there.

Depending on the species of flying squirrel, you could even feed it small pieces of chicken or high quality cat food. These are not picky eaters, which is why you should make sure not to overfeed them.

What Do Babies of Flying Squirrels Eat?

Flying squirrels are master foragers and hoarders!

©Ken Thomas – Public Domain

Flying squirrel babies eat milk until they are 5 weeks old. After that, they are free to have any foraged food, including hard nuts and seeds. In fact, baby flying squirrels need to eat solid food in order to keep their teeth filed down!

Should you ever come across an abandoned baby flying squirrel, you should try to feed it dog or cat milk substitutes, such as Esbilac. This is a standard puppy milk replacement formula, and many baby squirrels can handle its contents.

Make sure to warm the milk thoroughly, and many baby flying squirrels prefer to be warm in their enclosure too. It is always better to underfeed than overfeed a baby flying squirrel, as they are prone to bloating.

However, most baby squirrels live best on their mother’s milk, not a formula substitute- there are many enzymes that they can get naturally. Once they are four or five weeks old, they are free to do as they please- and eat as many acorns as they want!

description, what they eat, how long they live, habitat

Flying squirrel or flying squirrel is a small-sized rodent that belongs to the Squirrel family and the Mammals class. In our time, this rodent is the only representative of this family that lives on our territory.

Contents

1 Flying squirrel: description
- 1.1 Appearance
- 1.2 Lifestyle
- 1.3 How long do flying squirrels live
- 1.4 Habitat
- 1.5 that eat
- 1.6 Enemies
- 1.7 Pending and offspring
2 Population and the status of the type
3 COME

LETYAG protein: Description

by our time, about a dozen main features of this gryzin were preserved , the differences of which are associated with the main color of the coat, as well as sizes, but only 8 of them are found on the territory of our country.

Appearance

The flying squirrel is similar in appearance to the common squirrel. The only difference is that this animal has a characteristic skin fold covered with hair between the front and hind limbs. This fold helps the flying squirrel to glide through the trees. The front of the membrane is supported by a long, sickle-shaped bone that is located between the wrist and forearm. The tail of the flying squirrel is long and covered with thick hair. It acts as a steering wheel as well as a brake.

Interesting to know! Compared to other subspecies, the common flying squirrel lacks a flight membrane between the base of the tail and the hind limbs.

Adult flying squirrels grow to a maximum length of 23 cm, with a tail that is half the length of the body, or even more. The length of the foot is in the range of 3-4 cm, and the average body weight is about 165 grams. This mammal has a rounded and blunt head. The eyes are large and bulging, black in color, which is associated with its activity at night. The shape of the ears is rounded, without tassels. The legs of all representatives of this family are quite short, although the hind legs are somewhat longer. The paws are armed with rather short and rather curved, as well as sharp and tenacious claws.

The coat of the flying squirrel is quite thick, but soft, with a pronounced silkiness, while the ordinary squirrel's fur is not so thick and delicate. The upper part of the body of the animal is distinguished by a silvery-grayish color, while blotches of brownish and ocher shades are possible. The lower part of the body is lighter, with the presence of a characteristic fawn coating. The eyes have a black border. The tail also has a lighter color, while being very fluffy. In winter, the coat of the flying squirrel is especially fluffy and especially delicate, colored in various shades of grayish. Animals shed twice a year.

Lifestyle

The flying squirrel is active throughout the year, but it prefers to lead a nocturnal or twilight lifestyle. Females who are busy feeding their offspring can actively behave during the day. As a rule, these animals spend most of their time looking for food. To arrange a nest for itself, the flying squirrel uses the hollows of old but powerful trees, as well as abandoned nests of common squirrels and woodpecker nests. In fact, this animal is quite picky about choosing a place for a nest, so it does not build nests anywhere. There are times when a mammal's nest is found in rock crevices, as well as near human habitation, including birdhouses.

The flying squirrel's nest is distinguished by a rounded shape, while for its construction the animal uses soft lichen and moss, including various dry grasses. In nests, squirrels can live in pairs, since these mammals are quite social and do not show aggression towards each other. The only moment when the female becomes aggressive is when she has offspring. Flying squirrels do not have individual foraging areas as compared to other mammal species, although they always follow the same feeding routes.

An interesting moment! The presence of a flying squirrel can be identified by peculiar heaps of droppings, reminiscent of ant eggs, but of a bright yellow hue.

Like ordinary squirrels, flying squirrels spend almost their entire lives on trees and try not to fall to the ground without special need. The membrane, which is located between the front and hind limbs, plays the role of a parachute, so the animal easily moves from tree to tree, covering a distance of more than fifty meters at a time, while some species are able to cover distances of more than a hundred meters. To make such long jumps, the animal climbs to the top of the tree. The flight is carried out due to the fact that the squirrel spreads its front legs wide, and the hind legs at this moment are pressed against the tail. A squirrel can easily change its flight direction up to 90 degrees. The tail also takes part in this process, as well as in the braking process.

The process of landing on a tree is quite interesting, because the animal takes a vertical position, clinging to the tree trunk with all its paws. Having landed, the squirrel immediately moves to the back of the tree so as not to draw the attention of various natural enemies.

The flying squirrel, like other varieties of squirrels, moves quite dexterously and quickly in the crowns of trees, jumping from branch to branch. Therefore, it is quite difficult to notice this small animal among the branches of trees. The animal also has a unique coloring that allows the animal to disguise itself against the background of trees. With the onset of dusk, in the forest you can hear the voice of a flying squirrel, which resembles something like a chirp, and not too loud.

How long do flying squirrels live

Thanks to the found remains, it was possible to determine that flying squirrels lived in the Miocene period. Inhabited in the wild, the average life expectancy of this animal is about 6 years. Being in captivity, when proper care and quality nutrition is provided for the animal, the flying squirrel can live 2 times longer.

Flying squirrels

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Habitat

The natural habitats of the flying squirrel are associated with deciduous green spaces, where there are aspens, as well as birch and alder forests. These animals prefer to live in places located near swamps or rivers, where alder predominates. In forest zones, with a predominance of coniferous trees, these animals are found, but very rarely.

Common flying squirrel living in Siberia prefers to settle in deciduous forests with a predominance of tall and strong trees. In the west of Siberia, its habitual habitats extend to ribbon pine forests, as well as birch pegs. Closer to the northern territories, the mammal is found in thickets of floodplain vegetation. The flying squirrel is also found high in the mountains, where tall trees with a dense crown grow.

What they eat

The basis of the diet of the flying squirrel is the buds of various deciduous trees, as well as the tops of young shoots, young needles and seeds of coniferous trees such as pine and larch. In the summer, her diet expands due to the ripening of berries on plants and mushrooms. In addition, flying squirrels feed on the thin and young bark of trees such as willow, aspen, birch and maple.

An interesting moment! The flying squirrel does not hibernate in winter, but in very cold, frosty periods it prefers to sit in its nest, eating its food reserves.

The most preferred food is alder or birch “catkins”, which the animal collects and folds inside the hollow, thus providing itself with food for the winter. There is an opinion that the rodent is able to eat the eggs of various birds, including the newborn offspring of these birds. This is only evidence that the diet of the animal depends on the living conditions and the availability of food supply.

Natural Enemies

This cute, nimble, small animal has a lot of natural enemies. Despite its capabilities, the flying squirrel still cannot avoid the attack of such predators as lynx, weasel, marten, ferret, solongoy, owl, falcon and others.

Reproduction and offspring

This process has not yet been fully studied, due to the great secrecy of the animal, as well as its nocturnal lifestyle. It is known that the female feeds her offspring 2 times a year, and each time from 2 to 4 cubs are born. It is also known that the female bears her offspring for one month.

An important point! According to the observations of specialists, it was possible to find out that 50 days after birth, young individuals already know how to plan, moving from tree to tree. Therefore, they become absolutely independent, because they know how to get food for themselves.

The first offspring appear already in April/May, and the second at the end of June/beginning of July. The offspring that was born is absolutely helpless, as it is naked and blind. After a couple of weeks, they begin to see, and after a month and a half they are ready to leave the parental nest.

Population and species status

The number of this animal in nature is quite small. In this regard, hunting for these representatives of this family is very limited. In addition, the fur is not considered valuable enough, despite the fact that the fur is quite soft and attractive. It has a very thin and fragile mezdra, which is the reason why the fur of these animals is not used so actively.

Although flying squirrels do not do well in captivity because they need a lot of space for their jumps, this animal is constantly captured for home keeping, which causes serious damage to flying squirrel populations.

Other factors also influence the total number of these animals, so their numbers are constantly declining in some regions. In connection with this fact, the flying squirrel is listed in the Red Book, as well as in the Red Books of some republics.

In conclusion

Recently it has become fashionable to keep an exotic pet in a house or apartment. This is not so much about loving and caring for animals, but about showing others that they are different from others. Naturally, what happens in life is that there is simply no choice, since you have to pick up the cubs of various animals, and then keep them in the house, nursing and fattening them. Unfortunately, recently the keeping of unusual animals has been practiced, and the flying squirrel is no exception. To keep such an animal at home, you must be a great animal lover, since this animal requires special living conditions. After all, this is a flying squirrel and it will not sit in a cage, because it constantly needs to move, and for this it uses various hills. You need to be prepared for the fact that she will definitely break something, etc. If such an animal is kept in a cage, then this can only be called a mockery of the animal, which, unfortunately, many do.

We can safely say that the main enemy for many animals is man, since he absolutely thoughtlessly interferes in the living space of mammals, and not only. What are its constant expansions of its living space, which leads to the disappearance of the natural habitats of many living creatures, and the flying squirrel is no exception.

Flying squirrel interesting facts

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where they live, how long they live, interesting facts

The flying squirrel is a small, agile animal that is almost impossible to meet in its natural habitat. Fans of exotic animals often get them as pets, because the squirrel is unpretentious in maintenance and, with proper socialization, it can be quickly tamed.

Information about the lifestyle of flying squirrels will help the owner to ensure comfortable conditions for keeping this animal at home.

Description and characteristics of type

In flying squirrels, the front and hind legs are connected by a wide, overgrown with hair, leather membrane. It imitates a soft wing, with which the animal plans and descends from the trees. Other species of this subfamily have the same fold between the hind legs and tail, but it is absent in common flying squirrels.

The body is completed by a well-furred tail, which is covered with a long and dense pile.

In size, the animal is slightly inferior to forest squirrels:

body length - from 12 to 23 cm;
tail - about 13 cm;
weight - 170 g;
rounded lugs without traditional tassels;
large eyes outlined by dark "glasses";
hind legs longer than front, with curved and sharp claws;
according to the features of coloring, experts distinguish up to 10 subspecies.

The flying squirrel has a soft, thick and silky coat. It is much nicer to the touch than the coat of an ordinary squirrel. On the back and sides is a silvery color, and the abdomen of the animal is covered with a light fawn pile. The tail is strongly pubescent, with a small parting in the middle.

This is interesting! Flying squirrels molt twice a year. Winter "clothing" is very lush and thick, and summer wool is more modest and inconspicuous.

Where the flying squirrels live

Deciduous tracts have become a traditional place of life for flying squirrels. They can also be found in mixed forests, where coniferous trees alternate with birch, oak, aspen and alder.

The main location for the settlement are river banks, floodplain thickets, swampy areas - here flying squirrels live at a height of up to 12 m. Most often, animals occupy natural tree hollows, but they can also adapt old nests of other squirrels or birds for life. Sometimes flying squirrels are placed in crevices of rocky rocks.

This is interesting! Flying squirrels almost do not conflict with each other. Often several animals live in one nest, and their food supply is located on a common territory.

Lifestyle of the flying squirrel

Animals hunt mainly at night, although young animals and lactating females come out in search of food during the day. The rest of the time the flying squirrels spend in the nest or in the trees. The animal descends to the ground extremely rarely.

Flying squirrels move by leaps up to 90 meters. To do this, the animal climbs to the top of the tree and glides from it along a downward trajectory to the chosen place. The leather membrane between the front and hind legs allows the flying squirrel to correct the jump, change its direction almost at a right angle.

During the flight, the front legs of the squirrel are widely spaced to the sides, while the hind legs are extended and pressed close to the tail. In this case, the silhouette of the animal takes the form of a triangular wing, and the head tilts in the direction of movement, reducing the area of resistance to the flow of oncoming air.

Luxurious squirrel tail acts as a brake and corrects the movement at the final stage of the jump. At the moment of landing, the animal turns its body vertically and clings to a tree trunk with sharp claws of all 4 paws. Immediately after "landing", he is able to run across to the other side of the tree. This technique often saves the flying squirrel during flight from birds of prey that prey on squirrels and pose the main threat to their lives.

Protecting the squirrel from enemies

The flying squirrel is agile and nimble, it quickly moves through the trees. Birds of prey (owls and hawks) pose a traditional threat to it, and on the ground the animal is hunted mainly by foxes and cats.

In the northern regions and in the Far East, their main enemies are martens, in Asia - sables. But these predators do not have a significant impact on the lifespan of flying squirrels. Much worse for the population are periodic seasonal epizootics (territorial spread of infections), ticks, worms and fleas.

What do flying squirrels eat

The basis of nutrition for the animal is the buds of trees. Like ordinary squirrels, flying squirrels prefer young needles. Also in the course is the bark of hardwoods (birch, aspen), shoots and seeds. In the summer, the menu is replenished with mushrooms and berries, but for this you need to descend from the trees to the ground, which flying squirrels do not like to do.

Contrary to the widespread opinion about the preparation of mushrooms for the winter, flying squirrels pay more attention to birch and alder catkins. They bring them to the nest and store them for a long time, until the onset of the cold season.

The diet of the animal largely depends on the habitat. For example, Siberian flying squirrels use only larch buds as winter food.

Hunger is much stronger than natural enemies and diseases, affects the size of the population of the animal. Even if the flying squirrel hid enough supplies in summer and autumn, it quickly forgets about them and later, quite by accident, finds its own warehouses.

In winter, the squirrel often descends to the ground, where it can profit from fallen cones or seeds under the snow. Sometimes the animal finds a supply of food made by mice, chipmunks and other animals.

Important! Under natural conditions, the flying squirrel lives no more than 3-4 years. At home, with the right content, its life expectancy reaches 9-13 years.

Reproduction of the flying squirrel

The mechanism of reproduction in flying squirrels is poorly understood due to the small number of the subfamily. It is known that one female gives birth to 2-4 cubs per year. Blind newborn squirrels open their eyes at 2 weeks of age.

Even after 20-25 days they leave the parental nest for the first time, and at 6-7 weeks they already make coordinated jumps. By 2 months, squirrels already know how to fly and plan. At the same time, the animals begin an independent life.

Interesting fact! The development and maturation of small flying squirrels is much faster than that of ordinary squirrels. There, the cubs leave their mother for the first time at the age of 3 months.

Features of keeping a flying squirrel at home

From infancy, a captive flying squirrel becomes accustomed to the hands and voice of a human who feeds and cares for it. It is recommended to take babies at the age of 5 weeks, when they are no longer dependent on their mother and can eat on their own.

Housing for a domestic flying squirrel

Since flying squirrels prefer to live in trees in the wild, an artificial house must be suitable for them. For the animal, it is best to equip a spacious aviary in which you can put several tree trunks.

In outdoor conditions, it is not recommended to save space, it is necessary to allow the flying squirrel to make long jumps.

For one squirrel in a cell, it is necessary to allocate a zone with a size of at least 1 m ² .

It is very important to prepare shelves, purchase a running wheel, create other conditions for movement - if the flying squirrel cannot exhaust the supply of natural energy, it becomes lethargic and passive.

Separately, it is necessary to provide places where the squirrel will hide supplies - this instinct is preserved even in a well-fed animal.

The cage must have bedding made of granulated wood or shavings - it will have to be changed daily.

When kept in a cage, the flying squirrel needs to be “walked”. This can be done even in a pre-prepared room. On the street, a squirrel will definitely run away to a tree, and it will not be possible to return it home. Even if in a cage the animal reacts to a nickname, in conditions of freedom it will instantly forget about it. Therefore, walking is organized only on a strong long harness, for which the pet can be returned to the owner's hands.

With decent maintenance, flying squirrels can live up to 13 years.

Feeding flying squirrels at home

Protein diet should be as close as possible in composition to natural components. Flying squirrels eat young shoots of deciduous trees, buds and seeds with pleasure.

Protein food is compensated by the presence of larvae, worms and beetles in the menu of the animal (they can be purchased at specialized pet stores). Of the foods that proteins do not know in their natural environment, you can give apples, carrots, pumpkins, zucchini or bananas.

You will need a separate portable drinker for water.

Flying squirrels do not tend to be clean, so after each feeding (or at least daily) the cage will have to be cleaned of food debris.

See also: “How to make a comfortable squirrel feeder“.

Interesting facts about flying squirrels

Keeping the flying squirrel is associated with many subtleties. Experienced owners know how many problems exist that can complicate the life of both the pet and its owner: