What does my flying squirrel need?

[Chippergray]

I have a new flying squirrel. She is about 5 weeks old and weighs somewhere between 25-28 grams. I have got her drinking formula, but she is ready for some real foods. I gave her a tiny piece of watermelon. She is working on it at this moment.

I have raised many greys but this is my first flying squirrel. I know flyers diet is somewhat different than greys. What do I need to start her on? What is something that she needs every day? I want to make sure she is getting all the nutrition she would be getting in the wild.

[Mel1959]

As with grays start her on a good quality rodent block. Harlan Teklad is a free feeding block that can be purchased online. I know flyer folks that use it. Henry’s is a supplemental block that can be purchased online at Henry’s Healthy Pets. I know flyer folks that use it. They make a block that has higher protein than their regular blocks, but my guy doesn’t like it as well as their other blocks. Picky and hazelnut blocks are favorites. Henry’s blocks are to be fed with veggies from the healthy squirrel food pyramid. The only thing that flyers must have that grays don’t is a protein source. I feed my guy little mealworms or wax worms dusted with powdered calcium. You can also give chicken, cheese, eggs or yogurt. I limit the mealworms to a couple every other day.

[Chippergray]

As with grays start her on a good quality rodent block. Harlan Teklad is a free feeding block that can be purchased online. I know flyer folks that use it. Henry’s is a supplemental block that can be purchased online at Henry’s Healthy Pets. I know flyer folks that use it. They make a block that has higher protein than their regular blocks, but my guy doesn’t like it as well as their other blocks. Picky and hazelnut blocks are favorites. Henry’s blocks are to be fed with veggies from the healthy squirrel food pyramid. The only thing that flyers must have that grays don’t is a protein source. I feed my guy little mealworms or wax worms dusted with powdered calcium. You can also give chicken, cheese, eggs or yogurt. I limit the mealworms to a couple every other day.

Do you do the live mealworms or freeze dried?

[Mel1959]

I do live, only the tiny ones. I put powdered calcium right into their container and shake it around. When you purchase them at the pet store they are in some type of sawdust looking bedding. You store them in the fridge because it causes them to sleep at the cooler temperature and they last longer.

To the best of my knowledge, wax worms only come in one size. I do live ones of them, too.