Introducing Spock

[spocks mom]

so glad i found this squirrel board. I am now a proud parent of Spock the flyer. I have only had Spock for just over a month, and still trying him on new fruits and veggies. He seems to be really picky unlike my last flyer Cricket. And is a real biter! Any wise words of wisdom on how to stop his biting. We bought him when he was 10 weeks old and the breeder said he didn't bite, but he bites often.

[MiriamS]

:Welcome Spock's Mom and you certainly came to the right place for information and help. Also check out the National Flying Squirrel Association website. You could also post this in the "non-emergency help needed" section because there are flyer experts that will have good ideas but don't always look at the "intro" threads. Please feel free to start a thread in the "flying squirrel" section.

You've got the perfect window with Spock to train and adjust any bad habits. From what I've learned, ALL flyers are picky eaters. The two important questions to ask are:

1. What are you offering him to eat?
2. When is he biting?

And obviously we will all want to see pictures :D

[JakesLittlePrincess]

:Welcome :Welcome :Welcome Glad to have you with us!

[spocks mom]

i have tried several veggies and fruits, he just eats the sweet potatoes mostly, and apples, he wont eat peanuts, but will eat cashews occ. I purchased some "flying squirrel" food from Briskey exotic animal foods and he ate it once and doesnt seem to have eaten any of it since. He bites about any time you try to pick him up. In fact we can only pick him up if he is asleep in his favorite sock (and you pick him up sock and all). If he is in his pouch and you try to get him out of it he bites, and if you try to pet him or touch him in this cage he goes wild and runs away from you. If you offer him food he takes it from your hand, he has never bitten us when we offered food. My last flyer was so different,but i found him when he was about 5 weeks old. I was also wondering if it is to late for Spock to bond with us.

[SquirrelLove]

I have 2 flyers. The first *Gidget* was a wild squirrel someone gave me so she wasn't tame at all. I would have put her back into the wild had I known she was an adult but had to do research to figure this out since they are all so small. She bit too, but every day and very often I would talk to her, carry her around in a cloth bag and put my hand in there (Yes I got bitten) and pet her. Now she will climb on me and is excited to see me.

Flyers love wax worms, they are nasty worms that you can find at a place that sell reptiles usually. Of course they still need their veggies. Mine doesn't care for the sweet tater much. She loves avocado and once in awhile a nugget of captain crunch as a treat only.

My 2nd flyer was never loved by humans or even spoken to. The guy only had him to breed with his girls and he never did the dirty deed so after he was a year and a half old he gave him to me. It's been a struggle and now after talking to him and trying to pet him he doesn't run away as fast. Still no love though lol. He's a tough guy to get any kind of affection from! I wont give up tho!

Joanne in Jax
They like raspberries in small doses too. Offer a variety of goodies untl you find what they like

[MiriamS]

Okay, this is good information. You were really lucky to get Cricket so young. Usually 8 weeks is the weaning week. You may have missed the window of getting Spock comfortable with begin held and picked up. Don't worry, I did too! I still have wonderful flying squirrels but they are a bit more independent-minded. They're still bonded to me but if I try to restrain one, I get bitten too. And for sure if I stick my hand in their pouch. Imagine someone fondling you under the covers at night when you're not expecting it!

Muffinsquirrel or others may have suggestions on how to get Spock slowly accustomed to being picked up. Remember that to have a hand coming towards them, feels to a flyer like they're about to be plucked up by an owl. A scary feeling I'd imagine!

Regarding diet, I'm not kidding when I say that I spend more time preparing dinner for my babies than I do myself. Cocoa and Chip get a variety of fruits, veggies, wild goodies like rosehips and maple seed pods, and waxworms/mealworms/chicken every night. It's really important they are offered a variety of options, including a calcium source, and they will eat what their little bodies need. They have the eating habits of a toddler. One night I'll spend all this time preparing a salad (tiny pieces) for them and the next morning it looks like they didn't touch it. Next night they eat and scatter the salad everywhere.

It's best to give nuts as treats IN SHELL so Spock will keep his teeth healthy. You can get in shell pecans, almonds, walnuts and pine nuts at nutsonline.com

The only "flyer food" TSB has vetted and recommends is "Henry's Healthy Blocks" and it's still a block food that acts as a supplement to naturals. There's diet information somewhere on this board but I didn't see it when I just checked the general flying section. I'd still recommend starting a thread there and we can direct the flyer experts to that thread to answer your questions in more detail.
http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=93

What bonding methods have you been using? Whenever possible, lure Spock into your shirt in the morning (place a cashew in your sleeve) and let Spock sleep in your shirt all day. Best bonding method I know of.

[MiriamS]

Joanne, you are a most dedicated and patient flyer guardian. And it is amazing how they steal our hearts.

[SquirrelLove]

Lol at Miriam.

I love my Flyers, and you are so right about scaring them with a big smelly hand coming down and getting them. I just laughed out loud when I read to imagine someone sneaking their hand under the covers and petting me! My goodness, I'd freak out too! Gidget has warmed up to me and is sweet. I can't carry her all around the house as she is still skittish but I can let her loose in her bedroom and she'll run up and down my arm and she loves to play Gitcha Gitcha where I sneak my finger around the side of the cage and she runs and tackles it. If I quit playing before she is done she'll let me know. She also lets me stroke her silky fur and pet her now. Gadget, the boy is such a stubborn old man. But at least he'll come to the front of the cage and say hi, but not if I stick my hand in the cage. He'll let me put food in the cage though, that's totally different! As long as I worship they are happy lol!

[spocks mom]

i usually carries spock in his pouch when i can, and he has made real improvement since we brought him home, but i guess i just compare him to Cricket to much. I will give him as much time as he needs to adjust to our household. I know they can live a long time so i figure he has 10-12 years to love me or learn to live with me. Ha. I did get him a can of mealworms yesterday @ the petstore i only put 1 in his cage last night. I didnt see it in the cage this morning so i guess he ate it,YUK! I wasnt sure how many he should eat a night, i printed a healthy diet off one of the forums this squirrel board/members are so helpful.... soooo glad i found you guys.

[MiriamS]

Gidget and Gadget, I love it! Glad I could make you laugh. I just came up with that under the covers analogy.

I would still recommend carrying Spock in your shirt, or in between two shirts you're wearing. He'll get your scent more that way and you can practice putting your hand in your shirt and petting him. He'll be less likely to bite during the day since he should be groggy. It could work magic for you guys. Three or four mealworms would be good nightly. I personally find waxworms less wiggly-creepy but they're more fatty so I'd say only two until you make sure it does't give Spock the runs.

[Skul]

The diet appears to be a bit off.
No more peanuts or cashews.
Think a bit more natural in regards to diet.
The worms as others have mentioned are important.
Good standbys are bits of cooked chicken, cooked chicken bone and cooked egg.
Your little one is a bit past prime for bonding, but, you can still do that with attention.
Allow the squirrel to come to you.
Reaching into the nest pouch might cause undue stress, thus, the nips.

[spocks mom]

well i boiled Spock an egg last night, and he loved it. And i wont give him any more peanuts or cashews. :thankyou

[Skul]

Don't forget to offer a little bit of vegetables.
Variety is best.
Ours love cucumber, brocolli, squash(just a little bit), kale, apple, pear, blueberries, etc.
Mushrooms, they love mushrooms.

[Skul]

BTW, a peanut or cashew as an occasional treat is OK.:)

[spocks mom]

i think i need to make a grocery list just for spock :)