Flying Squirrel invasion

[retiredinsaline]

Well, we seem to have flying squirrels between out basement ceiling and first floor, in the walls, the chimney, in the furnace room. I've got a teeny tiny live trap coming tomorrow. But. There's more than one. So. When do they breed? I have no desire to allow babies to die without mom.

We have pet mice and let tree frogs overwinter in a terrarium and rehab baby rabbits so....but I'd prefer not to raise squirrels.

They seem to be well behaved at any rate. Photos:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/jgQji7TRgD3cwRkm7

https://photos.app.goo.gl/CFrqm5Lh89CDep3t9

[RockyPops]

Wow! Any idea how many you have?

[Rhapsody]

Breeding Season depends on where you live.......

NFS breed 1x a year - March to May
SFS breed 2x a year - Jan to April (and) June to August

Please keep in mind the warming it is the longer SFS may mate.
Gestation Period is 40 days with 2-6 young.

[SammysMom]

Waiting until it is warm enough for them to be released outdoors would be my suggestion. Maybe once it warms up, a one way door out would work.

[TomahawkFlyers]

Boy, does this sound familiar! We used a few of the very small live traps (look like single stack saltine cracker tins) baited with attractant and peanut butter and eventually wound up with 18 of the little guys. They are overwintering with us in a very large cage and will be set free after the last cold weather has passed and we can find and close off the entry(ies).As we trapped them, we never left the traps open and ready when we weren't around. We'd heard that the squirrels are really high strung and that spending any time at all in a trap brings a horrible death. We actually put one of those really cheap Wyze cameras pointing at the doors of the traps and set it to message us when the critters came by. Nobody spent more than a few minutes wondering what the heck had just happened to them.

We have found them to be so personable that we are designing a portal from their cage to the outside so they can come and go as they wish. We are also building several small (one mom and her babies sized) nest boxes to hang in the cage. We understand that moms will separate themselves from the rest of the colony to give birth to and raise her babies. Folks say the moms get pretty grouchy and aggressive when the kids show up. "Box Sharks" has been mentioned around here more than once.

Check above in this area for our posts under TomahawkFlyers. We had a lot of questions about habitat, nutrition, how to release, when to release, etc. We received a lot of help in the form of detailed and accurate information, as well as friendly support and encouragement.

By the way, yours look like Southern Flyers. Nice pictures. If you are patient, you'll get all of them. It does take awhile. Just when you think you have everybody, one more shows up. Have fun with it. It is an adventure and you'll learn a lot about the coolest little creatures that most humans never get to see.

Jamie

[retiredinsaline]

Breeding Season depends on where you live.......

NFS breed 1x a year - March to May
SFS breed 2x a year - Jan to April (and) June to August

Please keep in mind the warming it is the longer SFS may mate.
Gestation Period is 40 days with 2-6 young.

Ruh-oh. Threy're southerns so I expect if I don't catch them very soon I can expect babies since they're in a nice toasty environment. I'm sure there are two (sounds like they're playing soccer with acorns) and I've seen one and heard the other at the same time.

Looks like I have guests until springtime. The wife is drawing up chores for them. More photos to follow.

[TomahawkFlyers]

I'm sure there are two (sounds like they're playing soccer with acorns) and I've seen one and heard the other at the same time.


The woman who helped us get set up to catch our critters warned us to "Take the number you THINK you have and multiply by 10 and you'll be closer to what you REALLY have." She was pretty close to correct. 18~20.

[retiredinsaline]

The woman who helped us get set up to catch our critters warned us to "Take the number you THINK you have and multiply by 10 and you'll be closer to what you REALLY have." She was pretty close to correct. 18~20.

Well, the trap should be there when I get home. Stopping at local pet shop for a ferret/pocket pet cage and some vitamin food for them. Might as well set up a webcam too.

:sigh:

[HRT4SQRLS]

Make sure the cage has 1/2 bar space or less or they will slip right through the bars.

[Chirps]

Well, the trap should be there when I get home. Stopping at local pet shop for a ferret/pocket pet cage and some vitamin food for them. Might as well set up a webcam too.

:sigh:
Vitamin food? You might want to check out the recommendations for appropriate food in the Squirrel Nutrition or Flyer sections before spending the money. If it's one of those seed mixes that looks like bird food that's a no go. If they have one of the rodent block brands that would be better. Kaytee? Not the best according to the experts here but better than a seed mix until you can get a better one, but I think that's usually the brand the pet shops carry. Since you're hitting a pet shop mealworms would be good too.

[retiredinsaline]

Well the trap is set with peanut butter and crackers for the first round of the flying squirrel gathering jamboree.

Our local pet shop raises sugar gliders so they are up to speed. For the time being (depending how many are loitering in the house), I've got our old bird cage out and at the ready.

The vita-rat food does have calcium and the other nutrients but the pet shop has the correct food regardless. Not planning on keeping them past spring "at this point." The good news is here in Michigan, there isn't any real issue unless it's a game animal.

[HRT4SQRLS]

The proper food would be rodent block. Don’t let them sell you sugar glider food or a nut/corn/seed mix. This is a very bad food choice for flyers or squirrels. They would also eat veggies, mealworms, mushrooms and a little bit of fruit.

Thanks for helping them. Between you and Tomahawkflyers, you two are going to be wild flyer experts. :grin2

[retiredinsaline]

The proper food would be rodent block. Don’t let them sell you sugar glider food or a nut/corn/seed mix. This is a very bad food choice for flyers or squirrels. They would also eat veggies, mealworms, mushrooms and a little bit of fruit.

Thanks for helping them. Between you and Tomahawkflyers, you two are going to be wild flyer experts. :grin2

Somebody has to help them. It's not their fault some clown built a bunch of condos in their forest. Besides, they're cute.

Well, here's the latest. Took me less than 10 minutes to catch the first one. Dragged out an old bird cage with narrow openings. Opened the trap, he flew into the cage and quick as a wink slipped right through the bars. Recaptured overnight. Sadly, the glider cage the pet shop has isn't going to work since the bars are the same width.

Going to big box store to get roll of hardware cloth 1/2 x 1/2 , 25 feet long and build a cage. I had a morning dove and built his cage out of it so the experience is paying off. Pretty easy to do. Just make 4 bends, tie with screws, cut square for top, cut door out and attach hinge. Big thing will be bottom frame and tray. Non-galvanized of course. End product will be 4 foot x 4 foot x 4 foot x 4 foot tall.

[HRT4SQRLS]

Somebody has to help them. It's not their fault some clown built a bunch of condos in their forest. Besides, they're cute.

Thank you for caring. :grouphug It is so nice to encounter someone that really does want to help. I think you will discover like Tomahawkflyers did that they are curious, friendly little critters that are just trying to live. Wildlife face an increasingly difficult time surviving in the face of habitat loss.

Yes, the 1/2 wire hardware cloth will work.

:grin2 They ARE cute, aren’t they!

[retiredinsaline]

Okay, 120 dollars later. Kaytee exotic animal cage with shelves, bowls and slides. I suppose it's worth the money. If I built one it would have wound up costing the same. I can see that I could remove the top and add another one on top. If you get one, zip tie all the corners in place. Photos of the cute little flying squirrel whose name is.....

Rocket J Squirrel

And yes, there's more running around in the walls and ceiling. Had one around the chimney a little while ago.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/vZZmybAyFrK9NeY69
https://photos.app.goo.gl/TZQDzJMEPrzrwYCX9

[HRT4SQRLS]

I see that you are ‘full in’ now. Naming them is just the start. :grin3

:rofl4 Oh you’re just getting started. :grin2

They need a small nest box in the cage to hide in. You can with build one or the cheap parrot boxes at PetSmart will work. Of course, you should add fleece to make them comfy.
You can throw a blanket over the top and 1-2 sides of the cage. It will make them feel secure and keep urine off of your walls. Yeah, they pee out of the cage. :rotfl

[retiredinsaline]

I see that you are ‘full in’ now. Naming them is just the start. :grin3

:rofl4 Oh you’re just getting started. :grin2

They need a small nest box in the cage to hide in. You can with build one or the cheap parrot boxes at PetSmart will work. Of course, you should add fleece to make them comfy.
You can throw a blanket over the top and 1-2 sides of the cage. It will make them feel secure and keep urine off of your walls. Yeah, they pee out of the cage. :rotfl

It's all fun and games until the squirrels show up. Already have a nice genuine native american blanket over the cage. At least we have wild tree frogs wintering with us and the mouse so we're used to it. It's pretty weird around here. The mouse rolls around in her ball and chases the cats around the house.

[HRT4SQRLS]

It's all fun and games until the squirrels show up. Already have a nice genuine native american blanket over the cage. At least we have wild tree frogs wintering with us and the mouse so we're used to it. It's pretty weird around here. The mouse rolls around in her ball and chases the cats around the house.


:laugh2 Well, there you go! :peace

Make sure that Native American blanket isn’t an heirloom or anything like that. They can be a little destructive if they decide to be. ;)

[retiredinsaline]

And the wife says "you'll probably have a stupid webcam for it too."

http://rocketjsquirrel.zapto.org:8080/video

[HRT4SQRLS]

And the wife says "you'll probably have a stupid webcam for it too."

http://rocketjsquirrel.zapto.org:8080/video

THAT is hysterical. :rofl4

[retiredinsaline]

THAT is hysterical. :rofl4

The backstory is that we ran a very popular webcam several years ago that won a top 10 in the world award so EVERYTHING has a webcam. Old cell phones come in handy as wireless webcams. Besides, I can tell when the trap is occupied.

I did hear at least one more running around this morning so I expect a customer tonight.

[Mel1959]

LOL! You might have MANY customers. I think tomahawkflyer managed to trap 18! They are very cute, curious and FAST! Yep, it all starts with a name...and then you’re touched by squirrel magic! :Love_Icon

Thank you for helping them....your life may never be the same.....in a very good way! :hug

[retiredinsaline]

Oh boy! We're watching webcam and the next customer was RIGHT there sticking little paws through the screen and almost went inside. Had to do some reconfiguring the bait. This is exciting!

[Mel1959]

LOL! I’m glad you have a webcam set up so these little guys aren’t left in the trap longer than necessary. :hug

[retiredinsaline]

LOL! I’m glad you have a webcam set up so these little guys aren’t left in the trap longer than necessary. :hug

That's the idea. And you guys can watch too. No idea how much traffic will crash it tho. If you look at the top of the trap, there's a little hoop with a rod through it, the rod holds the door open. If it's tripped the rod will be gone. The white wall is where they climb down.

[RockyPops]

"If you get one, zip tie all the corners in place. "

A word of caution retiredinsaline...these little sharp toothed rascals can gnaw right through those zip ties in case you're relying on them for security.

Thanks for taking care of them!

[retiredinsaline]

"If you get one, zip tie all the corners in place. "

A word of caution retiredinsaline...these little sharp toothed rascals can gnaw right through those zip ties in case you're relying on them for security.

Thanks for taking care of them!

As I say, we have a wide variety of domestic and homeless wild pocket animals. We take our dominion over animals seriously.

Figured as much with the plastic ties. Waiting for my enameled craft wire to replace them - the zip ties let me put the wire in place without stretching the wire.

Caught the first one sitting in the food bowl munching some veggies.

Made a nice little hammock for them using flannel pajama pants.

Picking up some Apple branches at work tomorrow for climbing. For the mouse, I use wood discs we use at work, drill a hole in the middle and use them for the base.

[retiredinsaline]

Well, number 2 has been captured at 4:30 am. Less than 5 minutes in the trap. No doubt it's friend already in the cage was happy to have company!

[Chirps]

And the wife says "you'll probably have a stupid webcam for it too."

http://rocketjsquirrel.zapto.org:8080/video

WAAAAAH! When I click it says "This site can't be reached."

[retiredinsaline]

WAAAAAH! When I click it says "This site can't be reached."

Yeah, it's offline. Will be back up at 6:00pm est, 2/17. We'll move it to the cage once all are moved and put it on youtube.

[retiredinsaline]

WAAAAAH! When I click it says "This site can't be reached."

The webcam is back online, trap is ready for next customer.

[retiredinsaline]

The webcam is back online, trap is ready for next customer.

Rebaited trap with fresh peanut butter. There's at least one more rolling around in the walls but sounds like it's smaller.

Last night the first two ran laps around the cage walls waking the whole house up.

[TomahawkFlyers]

I like your free food sign.

Jamie

[retiredinsaline]

Number 3 is in the house. Started trouble as soon as it saw the other two.

I think that's all of them. I hope.

[Chirps]

The webcam is back online, trap is ready for next customer.

Sigh. Work computer won't let me go there. Will have to wait until I get home.

[TomahawkFlyers]

Number 3 is in the house. Started trouble as soon as it saw the other two.

I think that's all of them. I hope.

Trouble?

[retiredinsaline]

Sigh. Work computer won't let me go there. Will have to wait until I get home.

No worries! I haven't set the trap/webcam back up because the last one has been caught however.....

Super no worries, I'll toss the webcam on the cage with a nice little nightlight so everyone can watch their antics.

Ultra super no worries, looks like two females and one male.


Trouble?

Running around chattering, chasing each other in circles, climbing the cage, general shenanigans. Luckily, the cats translated for me:

"Where have you two been? I turned around and you were gone!"
"Hey, we tried to send you a note but that giant bald guy refused!"
"A likely story, I send out for acorns and I find you shacked up with that hussy!"

[retiredinsaline]

I was wrong. After two days of quiet, there's another one skittering around in the walls and ceiling. The squirrelcam is back in operation. Drat.

http://rocketjsquirrel.zapto.org:8080/video

[retiredinsaline]

Well, I finally caught number 4 who proceeded to completely throw the squirrel cage into turmoil until I had to make a second nesting box.

This one was going up and down the heating ducts, through the walls, in the ceiling until it decided to check out the furnace room and noticed the nice peanut butter snack in the live trap.

I think that's all of them. I hope.

Going to get a LED night light and put the webcam in the cage so they can chew it up and throw it around.

[HRT4SQRLS]

I think that's all of them. I hope.
.

You said that before. :grin2