New to Flying squirrels, what next...

[fireflyer]

Glad I finally found this place. Been working off too little info. So the story... I love all critters and tend to have to rescue a lot of little animals one way or another around here because of living in a wooded area + the over abundance of stray cats living around here and their homicidal tendencies towards birds, lizards, rodents etc.. Some times all it takes was a little recoup time, some just setting back in nests, some I bring to a rehabbers and some I have raised. Not to offend anyone here but the 3 squirrels babies I have brought to my local rehabbers all ended up passing on. So the next time I found a helpless case I decided to do my best myself. One cold day Mid October while walking my dog in the rain came upon neighbors cat standing over something... a baby flying flying squirrel. I honestly assumed it was dead. Brought it in to be sure, dried it off wrapped it up and set it under a heat lamp. Luckily after a bit it opened it's eyes and squirmed around... I estimated he was between 4-5 weeks. In the past I have raised baby mice on fresh goats milk straight from my own dairy goats so I decided to go this route and hope for the best, with the other squirrel babys that had not made it at the rehabbers still in the back of my mind. {from reading some here I wrealize his diet needs/needed improving! Good to learn} Cut to a few months later... A happy healthy squirrel bounding around, bringing joy to whoever is watching, eating like a champ and looking nothing like the little bedraggled dead thing I found at first. Now I come to a point where I am wondering about the next step.
Yes obviously I am attached, :Love_Icon I have honestly always wanted a pet squirrel and realize the responsibilities involved ... But I do realize living a normal life in the wild wold only be fair to him if he must. But a few issues... One of the problems being the daily gift of dead rodents I receive from not only my couple of cats but the nieghbors' and about half a dozen strays making this area a hell for little furry ones. Also he has gotten used to my friendly dog which I see now I really shouldn't have done (she loves other animals and sort of found him so I let her visit with him). Anyway, I will wait here now for whatever advice I may receive... as I have not been able to ask anyone around here as he is technically "illegal".

Oh and some Pics! So this is Kip :D Pardon the size not sure how they will turn out...
http://media-cache-ec1.pinterest.com/550/bd/cf/49/bdcf4954f21ef046712e416cd9e76c75.jpg
ithttp://assets7.pinimg.com/upload/348395721143590071_xocddV4E_c.jpg
http://http://assets7.pinimg.com/upload/348395721143590086_Ey9wlt56_c.jpg
http://media-cache-lt0.pinterest.com/550/6e/4f/02/6e4f02f0eaaeb79fa6031e2f0d95f835.jpg
http://http://media-cache-ec1.pinterest.com/550/bd/cf/49/bdcf4954f21ef046712e416cd9e76c75.jpg

[Pnerissa]

Welcome Fireflyer and Kip! :wave123 I see you have succumbed to the spell of the flyer and are now owned by one. Awesomeness!!! You've definitely come to the right place and there are lots of Flyer owners (oops, I meant Humans Owned by Flyers i.e., HOFs) on here that can help answer any questions you might have. I might warn you though, Flyers are a bit like potato chips... you can't own (be owned by) just one. I started with one little rescue. Now I have 4. They have their own room, college funds, every toy known to flyers. It's sad really how they've trained me to cater to their every whim. I don't know what happened... I think it was right after I looked directly into their eyes...

Bev
HOF to Benji, Nibbles, Opie & Amelia Earhart

[CritterMom]

LOL. What a cutie. Flyers present a bit of a problem when releasing - you can't just turn a single one loose - they live in colonies and really should be released with a bunch of others. Which means that you should become an HOF or if you genuinely want to release, let us help you find a rehabber who can do it properly. I can tell you that if I ever get my hot little hands on one of these cuties I will hang on!

[gs1]

Hi:

welcome to you and kip (adorable!!! :Love_Icon )

i'm glad that you didn't keep using rehabbers that lost the last 3 babies... unfortunately they're doing something wrong .... we have lots of rehabbers on this board but they're not losing babies easily unless the squirrels are badly injured.

i'm so glad that you've improved his diet already .... but i still want to share info .. just in case.:D


following is a pm that mrs skul sent me to share ages ago. And also is the link to the flyer forum diet page:

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37700


I have several obsessions when it comes to flyers - diet : they need protein more than any other squirrel .... and accidents the most common one are drownings in toilets .... we've lost so many last year... it's tragic.

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30728

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=396

I'm sorry in advance to be a worry wart :D & :Welcome

ps: also we've had several members whose dogs ate their baby squirrel ...even though they'd been friendly .... so just be careful and don't let the dog/cats around the flyer, unless you're holding on to him with both hands.... also .... if the flyer is to be released ... he can't be thinking cats/dogs are friendly. (people too).




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

[Anne]

What a healthy happy little flyer! :Welcome To the board.:D
Here is the link to our flyer section:http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=93
It should explain what you need to know to keep him in top shape. If he should become ill, we are all just a question away! We love to help anyway that we can. Look forward to seeing more pictures and hearing from you on a regular schedule. When you have been on here long enough to receive all your privileges I will PM (private message) you some very helpful phone numbers for flyers.

[IrishHarps]

Cute flyer!!

If it helps (or maybe it doesn't, but...) flyers aren't like regular ground squirrels - they domesticate very easily and are usually quite happy indoors, being waited on hand and foot. So if you want to keep him, don't feel guilty as far as that is concerned :)