View Full Version : General questions for potential pregnant female flyer(s)
retiredinsaline
02-21-2020, 03:57 PM
I've caught all the flyers living in the walls (apparently two females, one male) so I suspect before it's warm enough to buy them luggage and send them on their way, we'll have babies. Given a mixed population, what should I be feeding them to bring a successful pregnancy should that particular situation happen?
I'm trying to make sure they get both enough calcium and protein in their diet but I'm new to this squirrel thing.
I've made several nesting boxes and tried them all out but the most popular is (believe it or not) an empty kitchen trash bag box.
I'm wiping out their cage and surfaces with Lysol wipes followed by tap water every day.
The current diet:
Fortified rat/mouse/gerbil mix fortified with calcium (no corn, sunflower seeds, millet seeds, veggie pellets)
Chicken (cooked) - they love it, steak too!
I gave them various veggies which they promptly threw at me.
TomahawkFlyers
02-21-2020, 04:16 PM
"I gave them various veggies which they promptly threw at me."
Don't take any guff. They need their veggies - some fruit too but not too much. Mine started by eating almost all the broccoli, mushrooms, kale, and sugar snap peas in the pods that I gave them. Broccoli has fallen out of favor (smart squirrels) and mushrooms are now a "Meh." I'll try some Shiitake mushrooms to see if that goes over any better. Kale and sugar snap peas continue to be a hit.
You wrote that you think you have two females and one male. How did you get close enough to tell?
Jamie
retiredinsaline
02-21-2020, 06:24 PM
"I gave them various veggies which they promptly threw at me."
Don't take any guff. They need their veggies - some fruit too but not too much. Mine started by eating almost all the broccoli, mushrooms, kale, and sugar snap peas in the pods that I gave them. Broccoli has fallen out of favor (smart squirrels) and mushrooms are now a "Meh." I'll try some Shiitake mushrooms to see if that goes over any better. Kale and sugar snap peas continue to be a hit.
You wrote that you think you have two females and one male. How did you get close enough to tell?
Jamie
Climbing on the cage about 3 inches from my snout, two of them have no pee-pee. I like to think I can uh...recognize the difference at this point in my life. :skwredup
They go up and down and all around the cage all night long. And as it turns out, after two days of quiet, another one is skittering around in the wall, so the trap is back out with the squirrelcam back in operation.
TomahawkFlyers
02-21-2020, 06:53 PM
Mine are friendly enough, but entirely wild in habit. They no longer head for the hills when I am around, but they do make themselves scarce if I try to get close enough to see such things. For their own sakes, while my heart wants to befriend them, my brain tells me that the more they see me as a predator/something to steer clear of, the better chance there is that they won't become complacent and easy targets when they're released.
After the initial rush, ours trickled in until we hit 18. We wonder how many are really in your colony. 10? 15?? 20???
Jamie and Pam
retiredinsaline
02-24-2020, 03:30 PM
Well, the wife caught them in the act last night so now I have more questions:
Do I need to remove the female to her own cage?
Will the males be okay around the babies?
What sort of material should I use for the nest. Currently using packing paper and tissue paper.
Off topic, I have a large piece of cardboard (corrugated box) around two sides and cut a square in the side at the top of the cage to watch them. All 3 line up in the opening and watch us at night. Horribly cute.
TomahawkFlyers
02-24-2020, 04:02 PM
"Off topic, I have a large piece of cardboard (corrugated box) around two sides and cut a square in the side at the top of the cage to watch them. All 3 line up in the opening and watch us at night. Horribly cute."
They're sizing you up for dinner. "I want a drumstick!" "Now, now, there's enough of everything for everyone." "When the time is right, peek through the hole and look cute. The members of the colony who haven't been trapped will take care of the rest. Just don't look once it starts - you'll get daymares."
Sorry - day off. Nothing to occupy my mind.
Jamie
retiredinsaline
02-24-2020, 04:27 PM
"Off topic, I have a large piece of cardboard (corrugated box) around two sides and cut a square in the side at the top of the cage to watch them. All 3 line up in the opening and watch us at night. Horribly cute."
They're sizing you up for dinner. "I want a drumstick!" "Now, now, there's enough of everything for everyone." "When the time is right, peek through the hole and look cute. The members of the colony who haven't been trapped will take care of the rest. Just don't look once it starts - you'll get daymares."
Sorry - day off. Nothing to occupy my mind.
Jamie
That's funny Jamie, was thinking the same thing. And they fly across the cage and bang there they are. :grin2
set up a second nesting box. I'll post pics.
TomahawkFlyers
02-24-2020, 04:37 PM
Got this lead from HRT4SQRLS:
https://www.amazon.com/SunGrow-Cocon...en&sr=1-1&th=1
Sleeps 2-3?
Jamie
retiredinsaline
02-25-2020, 03:25 AM
Got this lead from HRT4SQRLS:
https://www.amazon.com/SunGrow-Cocon...en&sr=1-1&th=1
Sleeps 2-3?
Jamie
"sorry we couldn't fine that page"
The really super nice box I made them with the cute round hole in the end that they promptly threw around in disgust, I took that one and put a weight on the top to keep them from moving it, filled it with paper towel strips and volia' mom moved in a half hour later.
TomahawkFlyers
02-25-2020, 10:12 AM
"sorry we couldn't fine that page"
The really super nice box I made them with the cute round hole in the end that they promptly threw around in disgust, I took that one and put a weight on the top to keep them from moving it, filled it with paper towel strips and volia' mom moved in a half hour later.
Oops - try this:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QMTKTF6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1
Jamie
Chirps
02-25-2020, 02:28 PM
I am having so much fun following your discussions about your little friends. :popcorn
retiredinsaline
02-25-2020, 03:25 PM
Oops - try this:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QMTKTF6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1
Jamie
"Adventure Hut?" She says no thanks, had enough "adventures" thank you.
And guess when she's due? That's right on my birthday, the day I retire. :imp
TomahawkFlyers
02-25-2020, 03:46 PM
I am having so much fun following your discussions about your little friends. :popcorn
I think is OK to speak for both of us ... We’re having fun too! Thanks for your nice note.
TomahawkFlyers
02-25-2020, 03:49 PM
"Adventure Hut?" She says no thanks, had enough "adventures" thank you.
And guess when she's due? That's right on my birthday, the day I retire. :imp
Well that’s a bummer. When family members share a birthday or when a birthday falls on or near one of the big holidays, everyone seems to get a smaller gift. Selflessly speaking.
retiredinsaline
02-26-2020, 03:24 AM
Well that’s a bummer. When family members share a birthday or when a birthday falls on or near one of the big holidays, everyone seems to get a smaller gift. Selflessly speaking.
Actual conversation:
ME: She's due on my birthday. Go figure.
WIFE: Good, now I don't have to get you anything.
Now all three of them are in the nesting box. I've also noticed something I see in the wild - they're not active every single day. They were super active until the night of the "event" wherein they haven't been out for three nights.
retiredinsaline
02-27-2020, 05:08 PM
So this morning I'm checking on their activities by looking in the little window in the carboard and there's this skittering sound on the cardboard and a little head appears and reaches through the bars. That right there is called cute. And the cats are fuming because they've been outcuted so now it's "dad, dad look, look at me dad!" while they're rolling on their backs.
TomahawkFlyers
02-27-2020, 10:56 PM
That Adventure Hut showed up today. Holy Moley! I hung it up at 2:30, walked past at 3 and already there was a face in the opening enjoying the swinging back and forth. That's 3 p.m. - full daylight. Since dusk it has been mobbed. At times they seem to be checking to see how many can fit in at one time. 20 minutes ago Chewy destroyed the hanging rope it came with and it dropped to the bottom of the cage. Everyone is OK. I went down and rehung it with wire and everyone is back at it as if nothing had happened.
Best $7.xx I've spent on these guys so far. C'mon! Get your kids a hut!
Three nights with no activity? As in they slept for 72 hours straight? Hmmm ... I hope they're OK. Maybe they're sneaking out after you go to bed and coming back in through their bedroom window before you wake up? You don't know what kind of parenting they had before you came along ...
Jamie
retiredinsaline
02-28-2020, 03:20 PM
That Adventure Hut showed up today. Holy Moley! I hung it up at 2:30, walked past at 3 and already there was a face in the opening enjoying the swinging back and forth. That's 3 p.m. - full daylight. Since dusk it has been mobbed. At times they seem to be checking to see how many can fit in at one time. 20 minutes ago Chewy destroyed the hanging rope it came with and it dropped to the bottom of the cage. Everyone is OK. I went down and rehung it with wire and everyone is back at it as if nothing had happened.
Best $7.xx I've spent on these guys so far. C'mon! Get your kids a hut!
Three nights with no activity? As in they slept for 72 hours straight? Hmmm ... I hope they're OK. Maybe they're sneaking out after you go to bed and coming back in through their bedroom window before you wake up? You don't know what kind of parenting they had before you came along ...
Jamie
Well Jamie, I've noticed over the years that your normal squirrels have a few days at a time where they don't do a lot of activity and this seems the same. They drank all the water and chicken but weren't running around like idiots. Last night they were up to the usual antics so I suspect they were either having a baby shower or picking out paint for the nursery.
I have noticed that Rocket J Squirrel and Rocket P Squirrel are more active than Rocket S Squirrel, the apparent mother to be. Of course she can't get a moment of peace and quiet because after moving into her very own nesting box, the other two nitwits pulled all of the material out of the other box, stuffed it in hers and moved in with her. Unbelievable. I think the cats are a bad influence on them.
TomahawkFlyers
02-28-2020, 04:51 PM
I think you have very cool squirrels.
HRT4SQRLS
02-28-2020, 05:57 PM
Well Jamie, I've noticed over the years that your normal squirrels have a few days at a time where they don't do a lot of activity and this seems the same. They drank all the water and chicken but weren't running around like idiots. Last night they were up to the usual antics so I suspect they were either having a baby shower or picking out paint for the nursery.
I have noticed that Rocket J Squirrel and Rocket P Squirrel are more active than Rocket S Squirrel, the apparent mother to be. Of course she can't get a moment of peace and quiet because after moving into her very own nesting box, the other two nitwits pulled all of the material out of the other box, stuffed it in hers and moved in with her. Unbelievable. I think the cats are a bad influence on them.
Not to worry... I’m pretty sure when she is ready to deliver she will send them packing, very aggressively. :grin2
retiredinsaline
02-28-2020, 06:24 PM
Now that I've sent my own thread so far off topic, here's tonight's photos of the events so far.
I've discovered that they don't like the LED on the phone when taking photos. Thus, I took a piece of white paper and taped it over the LED. Now they don't mind it. This will come in handy for when I set up the webcam...er....squirrelcam.
Pizza crust about to go away. Note the way cool nesting box made from an envelope box.
313671
Climbing the cage to see what the heck dad is doing NOW.
313672
Going back to the nesting box
313673
Taken from other side of room. Peeking out the window.
313674
retiredinsaline
02-28-2020, 07:36 PM
Family portrait. One of them is pregnant.
313677
Mel1959
02-29-2020, 06:21 AM
You’ve heard no more in the walls? Or attic?
retiredinsaline
02-29-2020, 10:34 AM
You’ve heard no more in the walls? Or attic?
Yeah, there's one more running around in the ceiling. The trap is set, change the peanut butter every few days and the awsome webam is still observing. Nothing yet.
retiredinsaline
02-29-2020, 10:36 AM
Link for the cam:
http://rocketjsquirrel.zapto.org:8080/video
HRT4SQRLS
02-29-2020, 11:06 AM
I’ve got to remember to come back tonight when flyers rock and roll.
retiredinsaline
02-29-2020, 11:34 AM
I’ve got to remember to come back tonight when flyers rock and roll.
And this thing flies back and forth up there. Just a matter of time until it discovers the furnace room and the long term food storage area.
RockyPops
02-29-2020, 01:10 PM
Ahhh! I see what the problem may be.... you misspelled free...:grin3
retiredinsaline
02-29-2020, 01:57 PM
Ahhh! I see what the problem may be.... you misspelled free...:grin3
The cats are in charge of this operation. I will mention that Little Bird's best friend is miss Marie the fat mouse. I write children's books about them. Once they built a potato cannon to shoot at grey squirrels because they hide their nuts and have fuzzy tails. And that's how the space station got a dent in it. Honest. Here they are posing for something or other.
Chirps
03-01-2020, 10:19 PM
Well Jamie, I've noticed over the years that your normal squirrels have a few days at a time where they don't do a lot of activity and this seems the same.
Hmmm. That's an interesting observation. I notice the same to some extent but just chalked it up to them foraging elsewhere when I happen to be around or assumed they had been zipping around before I got out there and were taking a siesta or whatever, but maybe they ARE just less active some days.
They drank all the water and chicken but weren't running around like idiots. Last night they were up to the usual antics so I suspect they were either having a baby shower or picking out paint for the nursery.
I have noticed that Rocket J Squirrel and Rocket P Squirrel are more active than Rocket S Squirrel, the apparent mother to be. Of course she can't get a moment of peace and quiet because after moving into her very own nesting box, the other two nitwits pulled all of the material out of the other box, stuffed it in hers and moved in with her. Unbelievable. I think the cats are a bad influence on them.
That just cracked me up for some reason. Hopefully she is as amused.
"... Having a baby shower or picking out paint for the nursery . . ." :rotfl
Chirps
03-01-2020, 10:25 PM
Sigh. The squirrelcam does not work for me.
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