doing back flips

[spocks mom]

my sfs Spock is constantly up on the top level of his cage doing back flips, he makes himself so dizzy his head bobs up and down and he sometimes falls to the bottom of his cage. I have read that it is a good thing, and i have read that they are bored or dont have a big enough cage. Spock has a big 3 level sugar glider cage so he has plenty of room, to play and jump on his branches and toys etc. He has a wheel but never gets in it. any suggestions

[Rhapsody]

My Marven does this when he is BORED and wants out of his cage...... I would suggest that you give your little guy some OUT OF CAGE TIME!! --Can you do that?

[spocks mom]

he is a wild little guy i have only had him 1 month, i take him out of his cage but he hides in his sock the whole time and only peeks his head out occasionally. I did get him a big hamster ball yesterday but I havent put him in it yet.

[Rhapsody]

he is a wild little guy i have only had him 1 month, i take him out of his cage but he hides in his sock the whole time and only peeks his head out occasionally.
I did get him a big hamster ball yesterday but I havent put him in it yet.Ok - so you plan on releasing him when he is old enough to go FREE? (between 4 & 5 months old).
Some squirrels will take to the wheel and use it while others will not - so you got a 50/50 chance of him liking it.

[spocks mom]

"wild" as in wild and crazy biter ha, i purchased him from a breeder in Ohio for a pet. When we first got him he wouldnt come out of his igloo, or pouch if we were anywhere around, now at least he pokes his head out to look at us during the day when he hears us, and doesnt mind running all over his cage when we are in the same room. But he still doesnt want to be held unless he is in his sock. And in the last 2 weeks he lets us pet his head when he is in his sock.

[Rhapsody]

"wild" as in wild and crazy biter ha, i purchased him from a breeder in Ohio for a pet. Oh OK - Gotcha..... so is this a Flying Squirrel by any chance? :D

[spocks mom]

yes he is a flyer, i got the wheel that has slots in it, do you think he needs them with no slot just solid wheel? i looked @ the pet store last week and they only had the metal slotted kind i couldnt find any solid kind

[pappy1264]

This is the best wheel for a flyer...stealth. You can get it here;

www.atticworx.com

Anita is a member here, (although not on often), and is very nice. They are more expensive, but worth it! I know you may be tempted to get the junior, but trust me, the magnum wheel is the way to go!!! (you can even choose your colors from the colors she has!)

Yes, back flipping is usually a sign they are bored. What size cage is he in? Do you have any other toys in with him to play with? You can put him in a bonding bag and carry him inside the bag inside your shirt during the day (don't leave the house or go outside!) He will get more used to you--your scent, sound, movements, etc, and then you can set up a small tent (make sure it has a good amount of mesh, as they have a harder time with climbing the nylon...but NEVER leave unattended, even for a second, as they can chew through mesh in a split second if no one is watching to stop them!) Bring toys in (the little people houses and things like that are great, they love to climb in/on them...you can find them at yard sales really cheap!) Another good toys is a cat teaser (make sure it does not have catnip on it)....they seem to go crazy over feathers! Most baby toys are safe (always supervise).

[spocks mom]

he has a large 3 story flyer cage on wheels it is BIG! and he has alot of toys,perches, etc that i rotate thinking he is bored with the same toys, but he flips alot! i even bought a couple of hammock and put them together so he wouldnt fall all the way to the bottom of the cage when he gets dizzy. Sound like the stealth wheel is a must.

[Rhapsody]

Since he is fairly NEW to YOU --I would suggest that you give him some time to get to know you and maybe even look into getting a pop up tent to do some out of cage bonding time in with him (and) IF all else fails look into getting him a cage mate to keep him company while you are away or to busy to give him the extra attention he needs..... IMO - 2 SFS are just as Easy to Care for as 1 (and) 2 can Bond just as Easily as 1 no matter what you are told.

[Mrs Skul]

I have not read the whole thread yet. I have a few Question for you? :thinking
How big is his cage? Do you have a Stealth wheel for him to run in? Do you give him out of the cage time?
Does he get Fresh Oak Tree Limbs (Sticks) to chew on? They can be Apple tree or almost any kind Tree. You can cut them into 2 to 3 inch long.
Also Put some BIG tree branches in the cage for him to play, climb, and pick the leaf off. He will also strip the bark.
While doing this, he will eat leaf buds and the leaf. He will get Nutrition from this. :thumbsup5. How is his eating habits? (What is his diet like?)
Does he have toys to play with? How long do you play with him a day?:dono Oh! How old is he? :D
Doing Back flips is not normal. They are usually Board, Hungry, or just wont's Attention. Some will do Back Flipping a little. (That is a few times a day.) But what you are describing is not Normal or Healthy. Give him something to do and Play with him. :D

PS
I am going to send you my Phone number.
If I can help or you need anything just call.:thumbsup3

[Mrs Skul]

No No Hold off on getting a cage mate until we find the problem. :D
Can you post a Picture of the cage? What are the dimensions of the cage. (Size) Can you post what his diet is like? What all do you feed him? How old is little Spock? Have you tried tucking in your shirt? Then put a jacket on over it. Then put him inside your shirt? This will give him time to bond with you. Learn your sent, and know you will not hurt him. Now you will be peed and Pooh on. :D You can take the sock with him in it. Safety pen it on the inside of your shirt. (Over your chest area.) Keep the shirt tucked in. Cary him around for a few hours. Keep putting your hand inside petting and holding him.
Let him fall asleep in your hand if he will. ""If you are afraid he might get away. You can do all of this in a Flyer Proof Room or Bathroom.""
He will start coming out of the sock to investigate you and the shirt. Eventually you will need a jacket over the shirt so he can play without clawing up your back. :D Worked for me all the time. :thumbsup3 Then when they are scared they will run to you and Shirt Dive! Between the boobs, in the bra. :D
You need to start this bonding session now. If you wait to long he will get set in his ways and hard to change him. If he is running like a bullet that is what a flyer does. Now the Wheel needs to be completely open all around. The Slits can hurt him! He can brake his back when coming off it, when it is rolling. When you first got Spock was he still on formula? :thinking If so what kind. We use FoxVally. We suggest keeping them on a little of this for life! :thumbsup3 You can mix 1 TBS of Full Fat Vanilla Yogurt To 1 tsp of FoxVally. (This needs to be fed every day!) If he will take it from a syringe that will make him come to you for it. If not just put some in a bottle cap and let him eat it with his Fresh veg. Are you feeding any Protean? :dono This is a must Do For Life every day. If you start handing him a WaxWorm he has to come to you. Get him coming out for the goodies. You can feed Chicken. It can be fresh cooked,also give him the bones cut in half. I will suggest you buy some Freeze Dried chicken Chunks, made by Prim Bite. Their is Chicken Chips and Chicken Poppers. These are made by VitaLife. PetsMart Carries them. ("I can't remember the website where you can order Chicken Chips By VitaLife. Maybe some one can post the cite for you.") :thinking They are a dog treat. This is the only dog anything you will feed your Flyer. Please do not get the Chicken Chips with Veg in them. That has to many additives. You wont plain Chicken. You can also leave them in the cage for days and the stay good as long as he does not pee on them.:rotfl If you get a chance to stop in and read about our Squirrel Nutrition I think that will be helpful.
Pappy is right about the Stealth wheel. Hear are a few cites you might find handy when ordering supply's.
Good luck with your Little Flyer Spock. Hope this will help you out. Christal:thumbsup3
http://www.squirrelsandmore.com/
http://henryspets.com
http://foxvalleynutrition.com/main/prod.asp

PS I sent you a PM with my Phone number. Call if you need anytime.
Spock needs to be on some kind of Rodent Block or Squirrel Block.

[muffinsquirrel]

None of my flyers has ever taken to the hamster ball at all. I don't even try with them anymore.

Almost all of my flyers that I have raised from babies went through a 'back flipping' age. I think that in a cage, it is an easy way to build muscle tone and practice their jumps. A few will still do it after they are grown, but most seem to out grow it. They seem to enjoy it, it's lots of fun to watch, and I've never seen it become a problem, so I just let them do their thing. As long as they have out-of-cage time, a stealth wheel, and plenty of other toys, I think it's just a part of growing up.

Enjoy your flyer - they are a very special creature and can (and will) steal your heart before you even know it. Just make sure you listen to what he is doing when he trains you, and it should be smooth sailing.

muffinsquirrel

[spocks mom]

christal - just got your message. i am just got to work i will try you later this evening when i get home. i didnt get Spock until he was 11 or so weeks old, I am going to order him a stealth wheel. And i ordered some blocks from Henrypets.com .

[Mrs Skul]

Call the cell number I will be out of town for a few days. I leave to day. Christal.

[Jester]

My flyer has never done backflips, he would do something else. He would run around in circles while hanging from the top of the cage, just circle upside down repeatedly for really long periods. The strange thing is, most of the times when he would do it his cage door was wide open. (I have a very strict "if I'm home, he's free" policy :D.) But he would often go into his cage all on his own and start doing it. Eventually he just stopped doing it. Maybe Muffinsquirrel is right, it's just a phase some of them go through. I would definitely still try letting him out more though, he can't really bond to you as well if he's in his cage most of the time. If he likes being in his sock, then just keep him in there and just hold it close to you for several hours every day. Tuck it in your shirt even. The first several weeks after I got my little guy, I kept him in a bonding pouch or inside my shirt for several hours a day and when he did want run around, I let him run around in the bathroom because it was small and forced him to interact with me. It'll take some time but being loved by a flyer is one of the most rewarding feelings. :Love_Icon

[spocks mom]

Spock does that to, he hangs upside down and does circles around the top of his cage (and he doesnt come out of his cage when the door is open). But i think that is because he is afraid of us. I am hoping i didnt get him to late, because i am soooo attached to the sweet little guy already that i could never get rid of him even if he ate my arm off. I hope the flipping is a faze. I carry him around with me in his sock or having him setting on my lap (in his sock) most of the evening, and on weekends. I ordered him a stealth wheel today, maybe that will entertain him some.

[spocks mom]

got home an had spock out of his cage (in his pouch) after a while he actually jumped out of his pouch and ran onto my back. I let him hang out there for a while then backed up to his cage and he jumped back into the cage. Later for the first time he came out of his pouch and stood on my hand! omg i was so excited even if he was only there for about 20 secs. Progress! And he ate a fresh grasshopper we caught outside for him. Later i plan on taking him into the bathroom to see if he will play.... wish me luck!

[Jester]

So glad you're making progress with him! :) Another thing I did was get him a big bag of pumpkin seeds as bonding treats, since they're small enough that he can have quite a few each day and he can finish them pretty quickly and come back for more. I would hold one behind my hand so that he'd have to climb on my hand to get to it. After a while he started climbing on my hand every time I'd hold it up to him even without a seed. :D

[pappy1264]

You have to be very careful grabbing bugs from outside, as you have no way of knowing if they have come into contact with pesticides. If you go to Petsmart or Petco, you can pick up small containers of waxworms. Most flyers LOVE them, and you can hand feed them (or tweezers if they give you the heebie jeebies....lol) Glad to hear you are making progress. When he is in his cage, push some tissue through the bars, most like to shred em' up and take them into their beds!

[spocks mom]

i did buy a can of mealworms put he doesnt seem to like them, he just leaves them lying around his cage, i have only seen him eat part of one but i continue to leave 2 in his cage daily just incase Spock changes his mind. One day he like something the next day he wont touch it. But he does like pumpkin seeds. He did when i finally was able to get him out of his cage in the bathroom last night, he loved the shirts i hung over the towel rack for him.

[spocks mom]

well I have now given up my 1/2 bath to Spock for "out of cage time" he pretty much just hangs out on the towel rack... but i have made progress with him, he even jump on me several times and peed on me. Nothing like being excited over being peed on. His Steath Wheel arrived 3 days ago but he still seems afraid to go close to it. I am hoping he will get used to it and that will stop his back flipping. Thanks so much for suggesting getting that type of wheel i am willing to try anything.

[JLM27]

Also, bathrooms and flyers. . .can be lethal due to drowning in the toilet. Make a little ladder like this for each toilet out of materials from the hardware store or home depot. It is easily washed and disinfected with the rest of the toilet when you clean.

146654

PM me if you need me to mail you some hardcloth, but what I have is not coated. You can get coated stuff that I think might be more sanitary.

[spocks mom]

great idea, my husband is pretty handy i will have him make one. I have a big heavy wooden block of wood sitting on the lid now because i was afraid Spock might try to get under the lid to hide or something.

[pappy1264]

If he likes a certain treat....put it in the wheel, so he has to go in it to get it....yes, he will be scared at first, but will soon realize he is ok in it. Now, now all flyers use wheels (3 of my 5 do) but I got one that didn't used to use it to use it by doing the treat in it...every day, one nut in the wheel. And then each day slowly moving it with my hand while they were in it. Now the little bugger when you give her a nut, she jumps in her wheel, runs with it in her mouth, stops and eats and then starts running again!! lol

[Mrs Skul]

Hi Spocks mom! :wave123 You said you bought a can of Mealworms? Were they dead? They like the Live ones!!!:D Mine will take the WaxWorms over a Meal worm any day.:D I am glad you have made some progress with Spock. Just make sure you put something inside the bath tub for a soft landing, encase he falls. When Spock is on the towel rack. Pat your chest once or twice. Tell him to Jump. Watch him bob his head. On the third bob he should jump. Make it a game. Some of my Flyers will do figure 8 on top of the cage. Once in a while they hang upside down like a bat. Then they run the curtain, Then jump to me for a ride. Then down the hall to the door. Spanky will jump 2 or 3 times. Then it is back to me to another room. Another Curtain down and Back Down and back. Then Hop Hop Hop Run down. Hop Hop Hop Run Back. He did this same thing every night when he was younger. Over and Over again. Now he has Darla, PigLet, Bucky, and Abby to Play with. If I inter fear. It is Bit Bit Run like the wind. :eek: With me on his tail. :D Silly Smart Little Flyers. :rotfl
If you pen the sock to the inside of your shirt. When he is done exploring you and under your shirt. He should go back in to the sock or any pocket you have handy. You also can tuck in the back part of your shirt. That makes for a wonderful hammock.
Running up and down your sleeve and peeking out of the neck line is such fun for them.
Good Luck with your little Spock. :thumbsup3
i did buy a can of mealworms put he doesn't seem to like them, he just leaves them lying around his cage, i have only seen him eat part of one but i continue to leave 2 in his cage daily just Incas Spock changes his mind. One day he like something the next day he wont touch it. But he does like pumpkin seeds. He did when i finally was able to get him out of his cage in the bathroom last night, he loved the shirts i hung over the towel rack for him.

[spocks mom]

yeah the mealworms were dead, i finally threw the can away because Spock refused to eat them. He is sooo picky but he like the henrys blocks sometimes.

[Jester]

yeah the mealworms were dead, i finally threw the can away because Spock refused to eat them. He is sooo picky but he like the henrys blocks sometimes.
In case you decide to try them, most Pet Stores keep the live buggies refrigerated in the back somewhere, you've usually just gotta ask someone to get them for you but most stores have them. I'll admit, its a bit gross to watch lol, but its a really important part of their diet. Its mostly what they eat in the wild. If you're willing to try live bugs I'd recommend the Waxworms because they're a bit less gross looking than the mealworms... I can actually pick those ones up and hand them to him.. they turn into moths so they're kinda like caterpillars, right? That's what I keep telling myself.. :D