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Thread: Flying Squirrel invasion

  1. #1
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    Default Flying Squirrel invasion

    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

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  3. #2
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    Default Re: Flying Squirrel invasion

    Wow! Any idea how many you have?

  4. #3
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    Default Re: Flying Squirrel invasion

    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.

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  6. #4
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    Default Re: Flying Squirrel invasion

    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.
    Squirrels, squirrels and more squirrels....
    Prayers for the people who make this a better world...
    savesquirrels@sbcglobal.net



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  8. #5
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    Default Re: Flying Squirrel invasion

    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

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  10. #6
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    Default Re: Flying Squirrel invasion

    Quote Originally Posted by Rhapsody View Post
    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.

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  12. #7
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    Default Re: Flying Squirrel invasion

    Quote Originally Posted by retiredinsaline View Post
    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.

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  14. #8
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    Default Re: Flying Squirrel invasion

    Quote Originally Posted by TomahawkFlyers View Post
    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:

  15. #9
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    Default Re: Flying Squirrel invasion

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

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  17. #10
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    Default Re: Flying Squirrel invasion

    Quote Originally Posted by retiredinsaline View Post
    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.

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  19. #11
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    Default Re: Flying Squirrel invasion

    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.

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  21. #12
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    Default Re: Flying Squirrel invasion

    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.

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  23. #13
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    Default Re: Flying Squirrel invasion

    Quote Originally Posted by HRT4SQRLS View Post
    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.
    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.

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  25. #14
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    Default Re: Flying Squirrel invasion

    Quote Originally Posted by retiredinsaline View Post
    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. 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.

    They ARE cute, aren’t they!

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  27. #15
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    Default Re: Flying Squirrel invasion

    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

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  29. #16
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    Default Re: Flying Squirrel invasion

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

    Oh you’re just getting started.

    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.

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  31. #17
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    Default Re: Flying Squirrel invasion

    Quote Originally Posted by HRT4SQRLS View Post
    I see that you are ‘full in’ now. Naming them is just the start.

    Oh you’re just getting started.

    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.
    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.

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  33. #18
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    Default Re: Flying Squirrel invasion

    Quote Originally Posted by retiredinsaline View Post
    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.

    Well, there you go!

    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.

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  35. #19
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    Default Re: Flying Squirrel invasion

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

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

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  37. #20
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    Default Re: Flying Squirrel invasion

    Quote Originally Posted by retiredinsaline View Post
    And the wife says "you'll probably have a stupid webcam for it too."

    http://rocketjsquirrel.zapto.org:8080/video
    THAT is hysterical.

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