Help: Flying Squirrel Puberty???

[Blue Fantasy]

Hi all. Sorry it's been a long time (if you remember me), but my computer crashed. I'm using my inlaw's computer right now. If you'll recall, we had a baby flying squirrel we adopted and named Icarus. He's doing great now. He's healthy, drinks his water, and has started gliding. He's not wild, doesn't bite, etc. He's in a small hamster cage now because we haven't had the time to build a bigger one or the funds to buy a bigger one, but we let him out to run around and play every night. But now there's a problem!

Icraus has started humping everything! Especially us, and sometimes violently. I reached in his cage to replace his water the other night, and he attacked my hand, scratched and bit to drew blood, and then went at it. He's definitely a boy; he's had a distinct penis since we got him, and his testicles are starting to develop. I was told he was 6-7 weeks when we got him in September, so now he should be almost five months old or so right? It's a bad thing, because we can't really let him out because he gets, er, liquid all over everything. Not to mention the attacking stuff. I've done a websearch and found another person with this problem. They were told it was probably hormonal and that it wasn't bad, but the biting should be corrected. I don't know what could be causing it though. Is this normal for his age? Are we feeding him something that's messing up his hormones? He gets a parrot feed mixture, some pecans, pinecones, acorns all just in his cage when he wants them, and a dab of yogurt every day. The yogurt has strawberries (an aphrodesiac) so could that be it? Or (BEWARE, POSSIBLE TMI) could he be getting phermones from my period? Or maybe my dog is in heat (she's not acting like it)? Even if he starts on it gently, he won't let go if you try to push or shake him off. That's caused me some bad scratches on my arm.

I don't want to have to leave him in his cage because 1) it's small and 2) I don't want him to get wild. Even in his cage he'll start going at it if we get too close. Please help! I don't know what to do! My husband says we should get him a girlfriend, but I'm not sure that's a good idea...

[muffinsquirrel]

It's all very normal, so don't worry about it. DO try to correct the biting habit - when he starts to bite, a sharp, fairly loud 'aaach' sound may help, or just a loud no. If that doesn't stop him, put him back in his cage for a 5 min. 'time out', then get him out again and just continue until he gets the message that biting is not allowed.

The humping is due to two things - 1. he is becoming a grown flyer, and 2. humping is a form of dominance. You see it among flyers of all ages and sex. He won't outgrow it, but it should become less of a problem - not as frequent. The small cage may have something to do with it - he needs to be able to get a lot of exercise to use up some of his energy! So as soon as possible, build or buy him a much larger cage, and lots of toys for it. A large wheel to run in is great, and most of them will use it constantly. But for the immediate future, go buy him a couple of little stuffy toys that are 'size appropriate' for him (not the ones with beads in them, and remove any button eyes, etc, so that they won't be dangerous if (when) he chews on them) and he should, with any luck at all, transfer his affections to his stuffy. Just leave one in his cage for him, and you might want to have another for when he is outside his cage.

Good luck with him, and welcome to the world of being owned by a flyer!!!

muffinsquirrel

[Charles Chuckles]

:rotfl ok that was mean..Well for one yes he is way to confined and you are going to have to get him his own room if you do not plan on setting him free, has he been injured because if not then a rehabber can tell you how to go about that, also the food someone here should be able to help you. Does he have any fur buddy toys?? Get him a stuffed animal his size right away he needs a friend. And I am not kidding when I say he needs a ROOM, flyers like my sugar gliders need the room to glide and bounce around...well so do grey squirrels too. How long has he been caged up, he will get mean if you just keep him in there and sorry but that makes me sad:poke I say set him free or make provisions for him, and also do you plan on playing with him through the night or do you plan on sleeping because they are nite guys and he will want company they can live a long life even 15 years but it would be very lonly if he is by himself all the time. Sorry I guess I didn't give you the good news you wanted but you really need to look into the future of the little guy he is still young enough to be set free (I think a rehabber would have to tell you that) too much longer and no...and if not and you can't afford to give him the accomadations he will need maybe you should find a person who can. Good luck with the little guy:thumbsup

[TinyPaws]

Timothy does that to me all the time, though he doesn't always finish...I think it's funny and find myself laughing and singing him the hanky panky song...:rotfl He likes to grab my finger with his mouth but never bites hard, more of a mating bite....But I agree with MS, he needs a bigger cage to get better exercise and release some of his pent up frustration...Marshall's sells nice big cages for very reasonable prices...

You could try blowing in his face when he bites, that's how I got Timothy to be gentle....The only time he "attacks" me is when I am messing with his stuff and even then he never breaks skin..it's just more like a scolding....

[muffinsquirrel]

He gets a parrot feed mixture, some pecans, pinecones, acorns all just in his cage when he wants them, and a dab of yogurt every day. The yogurt has strawberries (an aphrodesiac) so could that be it? Or (BEWARE, POSSIBLE TMI) could he be getting phermones from my period? Or maybe my dog is in heat (she's not acting like it)? Even if he starts on it gently, he won't let go if you try to push or shake him off. That's caused me some bad scratches on my arm.

I don't want to have to leave him in his cage because 1) it's small and 2) I don't want him to get wild. Even in his cage he'll start going at it if we get too close. Please help! I don't know what to do! My husband says we should get him a girlfriend, but I'm not sure that's a good idea...


OK, I forgot half on my post! His diet is not a very good one. He needs lots of fresh veggies every day. Mine get a choice of 4 or 5 veggies and maybe 1 or 2 fruits each night. I keep in-shell nuts - pecans, walnuts, hickory nuts, hazel nuts, etc. - in their cages for them to chew on to help keep their teeth trimmed. I also give them a cuttle bone (available in the bird dept. of any pet store, most grocery stores, walmart, etc. They are very inexpensive, and a good source of calcium. They will chew on it as they need it. And I keep tree branches in for them to chew on, and sometimes antlers. They get yogurt 3 or 4 times a week. Make sure it is regular yogurt, not Lite, and that it doesn't have any artificial sweeteners, but that it DOES have the live cultures in it. Mine get 1/2 of an out-of-shell nut fed by hand as a treat every night - no more. Mine also are fed 4S's wonderful Squirrel Blocks every day, and I strongly reccomend you get them - they will make sure that he's getting the correct nutrition to keep him healthy. I give my flyers 1/4 of a block each night, and they just love them! You can find them here on TSB - just look under 'nutrition'. You should also find a list of good veggies there to give him.

Anyhow, see if any of these suggestions help, and if you have any more questions, feel free to post them and we'll do our best to help!

muffinsquirrel

[TinyPaws]

Just to add another note.....If he is confined to the small cage, he will not learn properly how to climb and glide and could end up hurting himself...so please look into that ASAP....