2 growing flyers

[RoyalBlueGirl]

Hi everyone! on 4-10-11 2 baby flyers came into my life :) Their eyes and ears were still closed, so for the last 3 weeks I have been taking care of them. They are now very active and thriving on Fox Valley.

I estimate them to be 6 weeks? old now. They are a joy to have, but I would like some help with feeding amounts. I have gotten them up to 2 1/4 cc's 4 times a day. I made them blocks using supplies from Henrys. They have pieces of block to nibble on free choice, which they do. Should they be getting more formula?

I don't want to overfeed, but I do want them to have the proper amount. Also, what else should I be giving them besides the blocks. I didn't want them to get used to other foods before they started liking the blocks. What vegetables/friuts would be good starters for them?

I'm not entirely sure of gender, although I do think one, possibly both are girls. I have looked at pictures, but I guess I will just wait a while.


My husband is going to build them a big cage on our sunporch after they get bigger, right now they are in a small birdcage that is inside of a bigger birdcage so the cat can't reach them:poke

I will post pictures soon, I would love some help on the "pink or blue" issue :)

[RoyalBlueGirl]

Also, one of them has white toes, does anyone else have a flyer with different markings?

[Skul]

Welcome to the dark side.:D
Your age guess is probably right.
Hope you have two girls.
They get along a bit better than two boys.
Yes, pictures are a must.

Two of ours have slight white tips on their tails.

[maga n yaya]

:Welcome :Welcome RoyalBlueGirl -TSB has a continuum of endless information on flyers. I had no idea they were so prevalent. [flyers, not the members..:D ] - There are numerous, dedicated 'flyer' members here, who will assist you in keeping your babes running on 'high octane'... for optimum FLYER performance and reciprocal LOVE. :Love_Icon :Love_Icon

Welcome to the Squirrel Board. :wave123

[RoyalBlueGirl]

Thank you :) I have been reading tons of threads on here for awhile now. Lots of good information!

I had them on a different formula that was given to me, but they were not doing very well on it. I was afraid I was going to lose the smaller one. He looked bad and I was fighting diarrhea. After some research, I decided on Fox Valley. I didn't like the negative reviews about Esbilac. I made the right choice, no more diarrhea and they are thriving :)

My brother-in-law was amazed that they were running all over me but they weren't running away :D I told him they had no reason to go anywhere, I have the food! I think they are bonded to me, they are sweet little critters.

[Ronda]

Hi and welcome! Flyers are just adorable...I hope you will post pics soon!

[Mrs Skul]

:wave123 RoyalBlueGirl
I just sent you a PM with my number. If you have any question please feel free to call any time. Christal
We also love to see Pictures! Pictures! Pictures!

PS
Remember The Flying Squirrels Need!
Lots of High Calcium Vegatables, and Protean! :thumbsup3
Wax Worms, Meal worms,Chicken Bones cut in half.
Freeze Dried Chicken, Chicken Chip and Chicken Poppers. Scrambled eggs and the shell.
Calcium mineral chews. They look like Ice Cream cones.
This is going to be a stable part of the diet.

[RoyalBlueGirl]

:thankyou Mrs. Skul, I will definitely keep you in mind:D I am going to try to get some pictures uploaded. I have a new Blackberry that has a mind of it's own though, so wish me luck !

[RoyalBlueGirl]

pictures of my babies

[RoyalBlueGirl]

sorry they are so huge

[ZipsMom11]

how did u post your pics?? i been wanting to post pics of Zippy (flyer) and cant figure it out!!

[RoyalBlueGirl]

I clicked on Post Reply, and at the bottom of that it says Manage Attachments. Click on that and it will let you browse your computer for your pictures. I have no clue how to make them smaller though...I need some help with that one :)

[RoyalBlueGirl]

And we have---- Pink!!!
Yep, 2 little girls :Love_Icon



And Their Names Are......


Sugar and Spice!

[Jimani96]

I have about 10 flyers right now...some have white feet and some dont. Some have white spots on their heads, too.

[RoyalBlueGirl]

That's interesting. I was wondering if it was an uncommon thing for them to have white toes. I haven't noticed any in all the pictures I have looked at on here. How big are the white spots on their heads?

[muffinsquirrel]

I have about 10 flyers right now...some have white feet and some dont. Some have white spots on their heads, too.

How old are they? I've had a young flyer with a white spot and a baby flyer with a white edging all around his tail - both of grew up and lost their white markings - much to my dismay. I have quite a few with white tips on their tails, but they don't appear to breed true. Guess I'll just keep on trying, and maybe someday come up with something. Flyer genetics is such an uncharted area - it's really exciting when baby season comes around down here.

muffinsquirrel

[RoyalBlueGirl]

Hi all :) I have now had S&S for a month and a day! They are growing and doing very well on FV. They are hooked on their blocks :)

They have different personalities. Sugar (white toes) is dominant. Bigger, more hyper and tends to nibble :) Spice is a little sweetie, more laidback, likes to thoroughly lick my fingers, but not bite.
Both of them seem to like to be petted and enjoy time with me.

They sleep together in a fleece pouch but I am making a trip to petsmart next week for nestboxes and bedding. Any particular kind of bedding? I have heard of people using Carefresh...

[gs1]

:thumbsup

just think of them as carnivores.... the hhb blocks are terrific but most talk of nutrition on this board is for grey squirrels .....flyers need very high amounts of protein compared to greys..... similar animals but different nutrition requirements....

mrs skul/muffin are amazing people to talk to ....:thumbsup

[RoyalBlueGirl]

I have offered them plain chicken that I ground up and cooked, but they weren't interested. I plan on scrambling them an egg and trying that in the next day or so. I'll keep trying the chicken.

[pappy1264]

Jett would not eat chicken when she was that young. Get some waxworms and try offering them. She won't eat eggs unless I put a tiny amount of cheddar cheese (very tiny) on them.....lol They are still young, keep that formula going as long as you can (Jett is over 8 mos now and still will take it from a syringe, but also will lick from a dish).

[Jester]

Hi and welcome! :wave123
I became a new flyer mommy too a couple months ago. It's such an amazing experience raising a flyer (or being raised by one). Good luck with your two little girls!
:Welcome

[RoyalBlueGirl]

Thanks Jester :) your little guy is adorable.. Umm, yeah about the worms-that's a little terrifying lol. I don't think I could ever touch one. I will see about buying them some next week, but waxworms and mealworms are pretty much revolting to me.

[RoyalBlueGirl]

Hi all, I am definitely in love with S and S. :D I bought them some yo baby yogurt, and they LOVE it. I had to break up a squirrel fight...

I am leaving Friday night to go to the beach for a week, and my mom is going to watch them for me. I don't want to leave them, I'm afraid they won't remember me or we will lose our bond :( is this a possibility or am I just paranoid?

I got them a wheel today, and they have kind of played around on it, but nothing much yet...

[astra]

Hi all, I am definitely in love with S and S. :D I bought them some yo baby yogurt, and they LOVE it. I had to break up a squirrel fight...

I am leaving Friday night to go to the beach for a week, and my mom is going to watch them for me. I don't want to leave them, I'm afraid they won't remember me or we will lose our bond :( is this a possibility or am I just paranoid?

I got them a wheel today, and they have kind of played around on it, but nothing much yet...
:Welcome
they will remember you, if not right away, but they will (it might sometimes depend on how long they've known you before you leave). Nothing to worry.

The other thing I'd like to mention... hmmm... not spelling gloom and doom, but...:peace
there have been quite a few situations here (esp. recently), when people would go away and leave their animal, flyers in particular, with another caretaker who didn't take the proper care. Some of these situations resulted in the death of the animal.
So, just make sure you leave very specific instructions for your Mom to avoid any possible accidents, foodwise and otherwise (in addition to really paying attention to doors, toilet being covered, looking before sitting down etc). I am sure you know all this, but I just felt the need to reiterate it because tragedies have been happening often.

[RoyalBlueGirl]

Finally have my babies back!! I missed them so much. My mom did an unbelievable job iof taking care of them. They look beautiful, fat and shiny and healthy. They have grown so much!

They remember me, Spice recognized me immediately, she climbed on me and started licking me all over lol. Sugar hid from me at first, but once she smelled me she knew who I was :)

I printed out the healthy food list from Henry's website and left it with my mom. She said they loved green beans and asparagus, and she also gave them a little strawberry, and a deer antler to chew on.

[RoyalBlueGirl]

Today I ordered them some canned mealworms, freeze dried chicken, and a gram scale. I'm not too confident in my conversion skills for the blocks lol. I am assuming the canned worms are okay? I intend on feeding them live ones eventually, but I thought if I eased into it with dead ones it wouldn't be so gross. :)

Sugar refuses the syringe, Spice will still take a couple cc's. I mix their formula with yogurt and they eat it out of a dish. So here is a question, can I just mix the dry formula with their yogurt, or do I have to actually make the formula and then mix it with yogurt. How much yogurt/formula should they be getting every day now?

I am really paranoid about them getting the right food.

[lizharrell1]

My flyers Jack and Tippy wouldn't TOUCH the canned mealworms (once you open the can and SMELL them, you will see why....kinda like really bad cat food). I offered mine boiled egg and everyone said they would only eat the white part...not mine, they only ate the yolk, I offered chicken ON THE BONE, such as a chicken drummette baked....they would polish the meat off the bone and then actually DRILL the marrow out (strangest thing I have ever seen). I offered chicken several nights a week, egg several times a week and fresh squirmy meal or wax worms several times per week. Offered a protein every day, just gave them some variety. I also, on several occasions, managed to catch a moth in my house and I put the live moth in their cage....they stalked it and pounced and ate it! Protein is VITAL in their diets, and they would be eating bugs o' plenty in the wild. Veggies and fruits also. 4Swerlz makes a flyer block, but I was not successful in getting mine to eat it. They just picked the nuts out of it. I offered full fat yogurt DAILY as well as a small dish of FV, even though they didn't want the formula anymore. My babies are now 10 months old and living in the flyer habitat, aka NIRVANA, at Jackie in Tampa's. good luck with your babies!!! Flyers are simply something special!!!!

[RoyalBlueGirl]

Thanks for sharing your experiences and advice, It is really helpful to hear firsthand what people are successfully feeding their flyers. :)

Sugar ate some scrambled egg this evening, Spice wasn't the least bit interested. I also bought them some of the ice cream calcium/mineral treats Mrs Skul mentioned.. I hope they like the canned worms, but if not I'll try live ones.

I make their blocks, it seemed a little more cost effective, and I don't mind making them. Fortunately, the girls seem to enjoy them..