Releasing a wild flyer

[mjl121]

I have recently trapped a wild adult flyer in my home. There is another, but haven't captured that one yet. My question is..Will it be okay to release him in winter? I'm worried that if it's used to living indoors and having easy access to food, that he won't survive outside. Right now he is in a cage with nuts, water, bedding, and a towel over it. I just don't want him to get stressed. I know I have to release him far away, and I plan to release the other(s) in the same spot. Just want to do the right thing..don't want him to suffer.

[astra]

Hi and Welcome,:Welcome

I do not know much about flyers.

But if this were a grey squirrel, relocating to release during winter is not recommended:
1) they have to assert themselves in the new area, often fighting with the local squirrels;
2) all good and warm tree holes are taken, and they will be left with some abandoned dreys at best - so no good winter-appropriate home
3) they have NO food stashes in the new place - so winter starvation
4) in despair they might end up making their way under someone else's roof, who might trap and kill them
5) all of the above + the sheer stress of the "new" will result in an extremely stressed out weakened immune system which will lead to illnesses, such as mange etc and getting sick in the winter is pretty much a death sentence.

So, releasing grey squirrels at this time of the year, especially, in a new area is not done, usually.

I do not know if that is the same with flyers. I'd assume that it must be very similar.
Moreover, flyers live in colonies, as far as I know, and it might be very difficult for the newcomers to be accepted and integrated into a new colony during winter, when all food and shelter resources are very sarce.

So, this is my two cents, for whatever it's worth.

Please keep checking back often - flyer experts will be here soon with their expert advice.

[astra]

i've contacted a few flyer experts.
So, someone will be here soon - keep checking:grouphug

[mjl121]

Thank you, I'm worried about the little guy :)

[astra]

Thank you, I'm worried about the little guy :)
in the meantime, may I ask why you would like to release him far away?...
is it so that he does not come back to your house?...
is it possible to close whatever "entrances" they might be using in your house, instead of relocating him?...

Usually, relocation should be done as the last resort for the reasons i described above.
Although, summer relocations are bit easier, they are still very, very stressful.

Relocating just one flyer (even two, but you might not even catch the other one) - is not a good idea, because, as I said before, they are social animals, they live in colonies and a relocated loner might end up an outcast in the new area, which equals to low survival chances.

So, if there is a way to seal the entrances to the house, that might be a better solution.

But do wait for the experts' opinion.


EDIT: just something else I thought of (as I am thinking about your little guy :) ) - if there are entrances through which this one and the other one got inside, others may follow. You will relocate these, but there will be new flyers getting inside, esp. right now when it's winter.
During mating baby seasons, mothers might end up nesting in your house, too.

So, the best permanent solution might be to seal all entrances and holes and squirrel-proof your house.;)

[gs1]

hi: i'm sorry i really don't have any idea what to do .....

i totally agree with astra that relocating in the winter is going to be close to killing them ....

unless a warm, happy place for them can be located nearby ... (so they still have their territory)

and i agree that being used to a warm house is going to make it harder for them to survive without the warmth....

i hope that someone like mrs skul will come on soon and she can help you better.....

as for diet for this little guy i can help you with that ... meat is a very strong part of their diet (the healthy squirrel diet is more geared to greys/reds) ... so i'll come back soon with mrs skul diet information.....

(these guys being wild i'd assume they'd prefer live food to cooked chicken breast etc... so i'm thinking wax worms/meal worms/etc...i think you can buy them at pet stores.... also you'll have to find out the laws in your state regarding holding wildlife - even if only for a few days ... so don't let anyone know that you have them for now....)

[mjl121]

I wouldn't mind them being in the yard at all....we have many gray squirrels who visit us:) However, we live in a log cabin and I have a feeling there are MANY ways into this house, lol.

We just moved here in July and it had been vacant for 2years!! I'm sure I woyld need an expert to come out and seal holes. Which would take time and money....neither of which I have at the moment, I have a boken arm and having surgery.

They started getting into all of our kitchen cabinets, my mom was NOT happy, so I figured I'd save them before she did something harsh.

Everything is illegal in this state, so I was afraid to make too many calls and have someone else take them away:(

[gs1]

even though this refers to pet flyers it can give you some idea of what to feed this little captive flyer and (i hope) friends...

question ... is it a southern flyer or a northern flyer? (lol... hard to tell....) but the two should never be mixed cause one has a virus/disease that is fatal to the other ... (not sure which is which). (just in case someone decides that it would be a good idea to house them together .... i have no idea if it will happen just wanted to put this out there)....


***********************


this is from mrs skul.... she sent to me to share... because of her dyslexia she prefers to talk to flyer people... her cell phone number is available and she's up all night cause she's nocturnal....

I've bolded and underlined some items to make it easier to read



:wave123
:fireworks congratulation!!!:goofwe
Welcome to the World of Being OWNED By The Flying Squirrel. :D


If you feed a High Protein diet WaxWorms MealWorms ""Even when they turn in to Millers they love them."" Freeze Dried Chicken or Fresh.
PetsMart carries Prim Bites & PetCo Carries PureBites FDChicken., VitaLife makes Chicken Chips and Chicken Poppers. PetsMart use to carrie them.
The Chicken chips you can find on line. This is a Dog treat. All you wont is Chicken nothing else added. You can try Scrambled, Boiled, Poached egg, Fried is usually to greasy.


You also need to pick up Some CuddelBone for Birds and put 1 in the cage. They make a Calcium Mineral Chew that is the shape of a Ice Cream cone. You can find at both Pet stores. They will be in the Rodent and the Rabbit/ Chinchilla/Ferret sections. " Just ask some one and they will help you find them if you cant." I have 1 hanging inside & outside the big cage, and 1 in every cage I have. I hang them so they don't fall to the bottom and get Peeeeeed on.:D :rotfl {"Just 4to5 inch of dental floss. Hanging By the plat form they feed on. When done it just drops and it hangs."} The Flyers will eat on the Cuddle bone and then the C/M Cone. They switch around. Some times it can be in the Cage for a year or so be for they use them. If they are not lacking Calcium they will not eat them. When needed, they Devour it. :shark


I feed my Flyer HHB and Fresh Vegatables. Protean and a Little FV every Day.

Some like the FV by a Syringe and Some like FV Yogurt By a Syringe or in a Bottle Cap. "They like to pick it up and like it like IceCream. Happy, Healthy Little Monsters. :D


Flyers Make their own Vitim D and Eating Mushroom every day Helps.

They like Sugar Snap Peas, Broccoli&the Leafs, ButterNut Squash& Acorn Squash. {"I will wash/dry the seed and feed them on the side.""}Asparagus, Bell Peppers and The Seeds, {"The BP Seeds need to be feed right a way or they turn black. I cut the seeds/skin holding them and feed as group."} Fresh Cranberries/ or frozen, Cherry Tomatoes cut in half. :Love_Icon Mine Love Cucumber&Avocado :Love_Icon like crazy, and I mix up a green salad with Romain, Brock Choy, Ediva & Godiva Lettuce, Any of the Lettuce,Cabbage.
"Ice Burg Lettuce has nothing in it for them. I never feed it." You can buy the Ready Mixed Salad's with all kinds of Romain and Letta's.


Now the Fruits. You do not wont them filling up on the Fruit. So just a little each time. Chunk of Apple or a Pare, the size of a Nickel.
BlueBerries {3or 4} Depending how big. :D RasBerry or Black Berry. :Love_Icon Mine love the ComCouts.:Love_Icon I usually hold the strawberry and let them eaton it. Just not much. Cherry, Fig, Prickly Pare Cactus Fruit." Oh and Sweet Potato not to much. :nono They Have a large SWEET TOOTH and will steal it right out of your mouth if they can. :rotfl " Darla found a small piece of dark chocolate. Can you imagine a flyer on Speed. :eek: I thought she would die."


Just be careful. I am going to PM My number. If you have question or need help just call me any time day or night."

PS

Just follow the Nutrition for Squirrels and add The Protean :thumbsup3

I give Black Oil Sunflower seeds, The Squash Seeds,Pumpkin,Cantaloupe, Watermelon Seeds as a treat.
"Usually 4 or 5. It depends on how the Veg eating has gone that day."
I always give a nut for them to stash or keep. And if/when they open it. It's theirs free treat. :thumbsup5

Please call me some time.
I will give you a little info of what to be looking for if and when he gets sick.
Remember The Flyers will not show hardly any sines of being sick until it it to late.
So watch, and Know Him like the palm of your hand.
If he normally plays all the time. Then starts sleeping and Playing, and sleeping. Loss of wt.2 gm or more.
These are sines to watch for.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx cell
Good Luck [/

[gs1]

omg ...they're getting into your house....no wonder your mother is freaked....

so the problem is that the house needs to be sealed otherwise just removing these guys will cause others to move in.....

and not just small things like flyers but larger things like large squirrels/racoons etc...

you can't remove all the animals in the area to stop them coming into your house.....

do you have any birds/rodents/rabbits etc... i've heard that the rodent repellents that emit a loud beeping sound can help with mice/rats etc... and also other animals like rabbits/and i'm assuming flyers .... but if you did have pets then you could end up harming/killing them from the stress of that sound.....

we're going to have to ask for more help......:grouphug

[mjl121]

They are Southern flyers. Thanks for the nutrition info. :) I will get an estimate on the cost to seal the openings, but for now I didn't want to be doing more harm than good by keeing him captive. Someone told me to release him asap because they stress and die easily when captured, so I was worried. We did have a couple of mice, but the cat killed them in the basement, haven't seen any since..

This first one was easy to catch, I tricked him by putting food in a cage inside the cabinet they're destroying, when I heard him chewing I closed the door! The second one is more evasive and much smarter, doesn't eat on the spot, but makes sure noone is looking, takes the food and runs!!! So I ordered a havahart trap, should be here any day now.

No other wildlife that I'm aware of except the squirrels. Oh and a rabbit

[Mrs Skul]

:wave123 Hi MJL121
Living in the Attic and walls, they are use to your smells and most of the noises. Just don't handel them. How big of a cage do you have them in? Do you have a Small Bird House, "You would need to make the hole bigger." Pouch, CrownRoail Bag, Old Sock that you can hang in the cage with some cotton Balls for them to nest in? Their is probably more then 1 left. They can have as many as 20 or more to a Sleeping Colony. If you have seen and heard the 1 you might be dealing with a Mom and Babies from Fall. Can you take a few Pictures of them and Post it? :thinking That might explain why these 2 were so easily caught. :thinking I would just release them and wait till spring to seal the wholes. Relocating them far away this late will be a death sentence. No food stored up. New colony to Battle with. No warm tree holes or nesting cites available. One good thing is they eat a lot of bugs, and Termites. :D Hear is my E-Mail address Please send me your Location and a Phone Number I will see who is close to you. Then I will try calling you. cmsokla@nctv.com
PS
How long have you had these 2 caged? Do you still Hear or See the other one?
If You or your HB would Build some Flying Squirrel Nest Boxes They will eventually move to them while out hunting food at night.
I believe this Winter is going to be a Very Cold and Hard one. :shakehead A lot of Flyers have been found in the Attics of Homes.

[pappy1264]

Please contact me either by pm, or by email which is pappy1264@yahoo.com No, you cannot release in MA in winter, they will not make it. I know someone wintering over a bunch of flyers, can contact them and see if she can take these two (or at least the one you have already). Flyers around here, when outside, usually are in groups of up to 30 flyers in one colony. They will break up in the spring and go on their own. The fact they are in your house, they don't have to have many to keep warm. At this point, releasing is very risky because they will not have been part of a colony already, they will be chased off. When you contact me, let me know exactly where you are.

[mjl121]

Thank you MrsSkul!! Pappy is helping me as she lives in my state :).
I have a little cage now, but am going to buy a bigger one today, I dont mind keeping them all winter and releasing in the spring, I just wanted to make sure they would be ok in a cage after being wild. Someone told me they stress and die easily...

I do have animal knowledge, and have done some vet tech work, so my love for animals is huge!! I used to bottle and tube feed kittens, up to 30 at a time LOL , So I will definitely make sure these little guys get the best possible care :)

[Mrs Skul]

Hi MJL121 :wave123
Do you feed the Birds outside? If you put a little sunflower seed out and a few nuts. That might detour them from coming into the Kitchen.
You also could Put food inside a cage in the attic. They would Sleep, Pee, and Eat inside the cage.
(If it was big enough, with a nice Warm Nest box with Cotton Balls. :D ) Then you could clean it as needed.
That might keep them from coming into the Kitchen. Then again you might have House guest all winter long as it gets colder and
harder to find shelter and food. :thinking By the way. If you keep them caged through the winter they would need a large release cage for the Spring.
This would let them build up their mussels and work on Gliding Skills. :thumbsup3 Thanks Pappy for helping out.:thumbsup5
Good Luck MJL121 With Your Little House Guests. :D

[mjl121]

I have set the trap to capture the second flyer. Assuming they were nesting together in my walls, will they remember each other when put together, ? Or will I have to reintroduce them slowly so they don't fight? It's been about a week.

[gs1]

well it's complicated ... :)

if they're male/female they shouldn't fight...

if there's only the two of them they shouldn't fight....

but if you've got like 5 or 6 etc...at some point you'll have a good chance of getting two males together .... and they could fight... but they probably won't cause they're flyers and they're used to each other etc....

sorry i can't be more clear ...mrs skul will know....:D

[mjl121]

Thank you! I did put thr cages side by side for the night, with plenty of materials for the new one to make a nest in. I think there is only one more left to catch. (Hopefully, lol) The newest one is larger than the first. Don't know what their sexes are because I cannot handle them. I leave food in the same cabinet every night so they stop destroying the rest of the kitchen, lol. Is one sex generally smaller than the other? Guess it would be hard to tell if I don't know their ages. It's too late to call anyone tonight, I will do more research in the am. Just dont know how territorial the first guy is about his hammock...maybe I should get another one or box, just dont want to crowd their cage too much :)

Or how long I should wait to introduce them. I used to hear them allrunning together, all night long, but I know being in captivity could be different. Once I have them all, I believe I found someone who can take them to overwinter them so they'll all be together.

[gs1]

no they won't forget each other and probably the second guy has been visiting if he's been able to get near the cage....

i really hope you only have 2 ... maybe mother and baby/ies???

i'm not sure how big a difference there is in sizes between the genders....

if you have an emergency you could call mrs skul... shes up at night....

i'm so glad someone will overwinter them for you ....

[mjl121]

There is a third....heard him last night crunching away. Really hope I don't have too many more...

[pappy1264]

They should be fine together. If they are all in there, they will be used to each other as even indoors, they will colonize. Will call you today. Did you hear from Lisa? Oh, and no, size wise, males and females are pretty much the same size. Only way you can tell, if they are on the front of the cage, look for fursicles....lol Course, at different times of year it is harder to see them on the males, too. Wish you were closer to me. How is the first one eating? Has he tried any of the new foods?

[mjl121]

I've tried a bunch of new foods, but so far he only likes peanuts and almonds...the new guy ate a sugar snap pea and peanuts. I will keep offering :)

I have not heard from Lisa yet. Figured maybe she is busy for the holidays. Good news is I don't need shoulder surgery so I'm more mobile than I thought I'd be !!! Yey!

They are cute little fellas and they like it when I stick tissues in the bars so they can pull the through, ha ha ha. They try to pull the cover through too :D

[pappy1264]

Not surprising, wilds can be a little harder (will call Mrs. Skul and see what she suggests to get them to eat more healthy! lol) I will try to call Lisa, too. Good on the surgery! So, that said, do you think you would rather just let them winter over with your, and release when it starts to warm up more?

[mjl121]

I don't know if I'm experienced enough to take them through the releasing proceedures?! I guess it depends on how many I actually catch...

[Rescue04]

wish you lived closer...i already have six flyers...they all get along well. i have the males and females in seperate cages...but right next to each other. watch out. they are quick and escape easily. so i have learned. i think i am working on my own colony here....{sigh} oh the life when you are owned by flyers....never dull.

[rocky63]

Hi mjl121,
I'm read this thread today for the first time. I live in ma also and have some experience with flyers. If you need a place to over winter I can help. :wave123

[mjl121]

I just put the two of them in the same cage :) they are fine and happy. If my friend can build me a bigger cage, I could try and overwinter them here. However, where are you in Ma? If I get overwhelmed with numbers I might need help.

[astra]

so, there is a third one?...
maybe, that's their way of making it inside and spending this cold winter in deluxe condition with breakfast in bed and full room service;-).
I hope, you won't end up overwintering all of your outside fuzzers, bringing them in one by one (it's a conspiracy) :D

[mjl121]

Lol no kidding right?? I think the ones inside have been inside for awhile, and I'm wondering if when we got our pellet stove in oct. they got sealed in when they did work on the chimney. Either way, I have plenty of food outside for the grays, and birds....can't they eat that instead of getting into my ramen noodles?? LOL:dono

[mjl121]

I have three of the wild flyers caught now. They all get along great! Problem is they hardly seem to be eating anything !!?? I've tried eveyone's food suggestions on here...and thought they were eating some of the almonds, cheerios, and peanuts, but found they were storing most of them under their bedding. Every kind of fruit and veggie has been a no go...they weren't this picky when foraging through my kitchen!! Lol

I'm sure they're scared, I try not to mess with them too much. Any suggestions on something that is maybe a favorite? The avacado and broccoli just get wilted :(

[rocky63]

I'm sure they are scared.:hidechair They will eat once they get hungry. Have you tried boiled chicken? and some pecans as a treat. :poke

[mjl121]

I haven't tried the chicken in a couple of days, I will try that again tonight. I will try some pecans when I go to the store tomorrow. Thanks.

[pappy1264]

Did you end up getting the bigger cage? Being wild, might be a little tougher to get them to eat...have you tried waxworms? Flyers do stash quite a bit, so that is pretty normal behaviour.

[mjl121]

I have them in a bigger cage, but my friend is building me one that is bigger. 4'H x 3' L x2' W.
I keep offering the worms. Hopefully they will eat when they're hungry. They were pretty FAT when I caught them! Thanks for everyones ideas.

[pappy1264]

Have you heard from Lisa?

[mjl121]

Pappy, I did have a missed call that I didn't recognize yesterday, so it could have been her. But I think I will try and overwinter them here. I have lots of land to release on.
I know I can come here for advice, everyone has been so extremely nice and very helpful!! I have four now, they all love each other, so far..... eating good food is the biggest issue, I just need to keep offering different things I guess, until they settle in.
Number "4" I only know was there because he disconnected (or chewed) through the water hose that leads to the ice maker on our fridge. Water came bursting out EVERYWHERE. Through the kitchen, floors, and into the basement. Took me forever to find the shut off valve, and when I came up, there he was, soaking wet!! Grooming himself in the middle of the kitchen floor. I threw a towel over him and caught him :) let him dry off near the heat in the little cage for a bit. I don't make this stuff up!! It was like a comedy act. But WAIT til my stepdad sees the basement !!! I'm gonna have to lie!!! Lol I hope he's the last one, I've been chasing him for 3 days and I know he was la:D ughing at me.

[astra]

FOUR?????!!!!!!!!....:eek:
I am telling you, it's a conspiracy!:D :poke

but seriously, you might have more, indeed.
usually, squirrels know ALL housing opportunities in their area, and they know who occupies which one.
I am sure, they know of your house and they know who lives there, when they stop seeing those residents around, they will go and check if the place became vacant.
So, when Spring comes, it will be important to check your house and seal all possible entries.

Poor little thing, I can imagine the scene : a tiny little thing, soaking wet, is sitting there, grooming itself...:)

[mjl121]

He was soaked. Funniest thing wad, as soon as I put him in the cage he started drinking water. LOL

[pappy1264]

FOUR....omg! Well, maybe he WANTED to be with his family, so he 'announced himself'....lol Keep offering, keep rodent block in the cage, too. They won't starve themselves and if they have good food to choose from they will eat good.

[mjl121]

Thank you everyone!! I have some rodent blocks jin there, as well as the rest of the grocery store,lol. He/she definitely missed his family. He made his way down to the bottom of the pile in the hammock :) snug as a bug...smaller than the rest. Maybe a baby. Seems bolder and more curious than the others.

[pappy1264]

Most likely a baby, as I have found with my wilds the smaller ones let me almost touch them when I go out to feed them at night! Got to get pics!!

[Skul]

Now I'm laughing.:rotfl

Try this.
When you cut up their food for their feeding, make them a bit smaller.
Count the number of each item that you place inside.
Now, when you go back, it's easy to tell what and how much they eat.
Remember, if they have a stash, they may be eating on that instead.

[gs1]

i'm wondering if they'll eat rodent blocks maybe they'll eat only what they're used to ...so wild foods and whatever was in your cupboards??? cheerios???

omg... your poor house... water in the basement omg... you're lucky your parents aren't going to go crazy

[mjl121]

Update, lol now there are 5 !! All doing well in a much larger cage now :) Eating different nuts, seeds, and chewed on the rodent blocks a little. I always refresh their mushrooms, chicken, and veggies every night, just to give them the option. I wonder how many more I will find........:-0

[pappy1264]

5....well, just based on being flyers, they sometimes have colonies of up to 30 or even more....but hopefully this is it!! lol Good to hear they are eating. If you can, put a cuttlebone in the cage for them.

[astra]

so, now it's five!!!!!!!....lol I am telling you...

once when I had to keep a wild over winter, I put rodent block and BooBall in the morning, and the other stuff in the afternoon, after he ate the morning block/BooBall. It worked most of the time ;)

since you have nocturnal flyers - give them blocks and BooBalls whenever their morning is, when they are the hungriest. That will increase the chances of them eating the blocks

[mjl121]

Thanks astra, will do. I do have a cuttle bone in there, they haven't noticed it yet.

If there are 30 I'm going to need more room.Lol I couldn't even imagine...:-0

[pappy1264]

Just wondering how these guys are doing. Any updates?

[mjl121]

They are all doing great! They love their new nest box and have gotten better about eating. They all sleep in a pile with no arguing, lol. I am glad they found me as the weather has been brutally cold here. So far no other activity in my house :-) I have seen one or two of them drinking water out of the bowl. They are really shy but I can hear them come out while I'm watching t.v., and by morning all their new kleenex are usually shredded. Lol

[Mrs Skul]

:morning MJL121
:D 5 Wild Flyers! :wahoo
I just hope The BIG RED FLASHING SINE READING
VACKANCY!
Is not lite up anymore.:rotfl I am glad they are eating some for you.

[pappy1264]

I have to tell you, with how cold it got suddenly, I did think of them and how very lucky they are to have chosen your house to invade! I'm glad to hear they are doing well. Are you all set on a cage?

[mjl121]

Yes thank you! My friend built me a 4'H x 3'W x2'L cage. It's very nice, but for some reason I can't upload pics to here from this phone. If I can get to my mom's computer, I will :)

[pappy1264]

Awesome! So glad they found themselves in your house.....someone that wanted to help them, not just 'get them out'.

[mjl121]

Finally got to upload some pics. This is their new cage before I finished "decorating" it.160616

the night I trapped #5, STILL holding his peanut buttered cracker..160617160618160619

[mjl121]

this is blurry, sorry, but you can see him on the arm of the chair. Five minutes before I caught him. He was not afraid of me being there. LOL160620

[Jackie in Tampa]

where have I been..
I totally missed this thread..
and it's too funny..
hello
hello hello hello hello
5 surprise hello's...
hilarious..
you so rock for taking them in...
hilarious!!
nice cage too!

[astra]

this is blurry, sorry, but you can see him on the arm of the chair. Five minutes before I caught him. He was not afraid of me being there. LOL160620
that's because it was a conspiracy, I told you... they did it intentionally ;)

[mjl121]

Yeah well now we have a teenie weenie mouse in the house....LOL!!!!! Guess that "vacancy" sign is still on :D

[pappy1264]

Great job!!! I sent you a pm.

[pappy1264]

Made this for Michelle for the five flyers to go in their new cage. I hope they like it, will be in the mail this weekend. Cube is 12"x12". Also a double bridge, a stash and hide wall and a fleece vine. There are 11 pics in total. Hope you like it, Michelle!

[pappy1264]

last one...

[SugarBlossoms]

:D Awww!!! That is SO adorable!!!

[mjl121]

WOW all of this stuff is amazing!! You've gone above and beyond Pappy :-) I'm sure they're going to love it!! They're going to be so spoiled living in their resort paradise that when I release them they're going to be like HEY...where's our comfy stuff?? LOL
YOU ROCK!!

[gs1]

WOW all of this stuff is amazing!! You've gone above and beyond Pappy :-) I'm sure they're going to love it!! They're going to be so spoiled living in their resort paradise that when I release them they're going to be like HEY...where's our comfy stuff?? LOL
YOU ROCK!!

:D

yep..pappy you rock....:thumbsup