I'm new; any help appreciated

[Craig]

I do think peach fuzz is starting to grow in. Wanted to show progress as well as just share photos/videos.

https://youtube.com/shorts/4GELAoUiV...FdwgjE33V3Dmwu

https://youtube.com/shorts/c5PEXc_Kn...QX3Zqp0VUiE3e1

https://youtube.com/shorts/c0abS2Nlp...LmVqyUpnONhAGk

https://youtube.com/shorts/0ULuq3T1J...k-9UC184-38H9d

[TomahawkFlyers]

Right on schedule! It does not look irritated at all. It'll be furred out before you know it.

We DO appreciate the pictures and videos. Tyrant is a beautiful boy. (You can tell him "handsome.")

Video 1 - Cute beyond words. He is at genuine play with you. Bonded!
Video 2 - "How come there's no milk coming out of this giant nipple???!!!
Video 3 - What a yawn! Time to play!
Video 4 - "Nope! Nope! Nooooope!!! Last time anything like this happened, I got a BATH! I'm outa here!"

Jamie

[Craig]

Lol he is a very handsome boy!

I am making the squirrel block now. Just wanted to make sure these is about the right consistency for the ground nuts. I was hesitant to grind them more as they seemed like nut butter was their next step.

The two cups in the big bowl are walnuts and in the mixing cup is pecans. I found the walnuts were able to be ground just a bit easier than the pecans. I used a pulse method of grinding them for a few seconds at a time to try and prevent them from turning to butter.

[Craig]

Finished making it. Took a bit longer than anticipated but I have the time. Going to bake it now!

[TomahawkFlyers]

Looking good!!!!! I can't wait to hear how Tyrant likes them. I hope you have a dishwasher - it does make a lot of dishes! Pam

[Craig]

Haha! Yeah, my sink was full of dishes after! I gave him a cube and he started eating it without any problem! I'm watching him eat it now as I write this. He seems to love it!

How many cubes would he need a day by the way? And is there anything I should do to help wean him off or will he do that all on his own? Any specific time I should feed him as well? I gave it to him now as I intended to drop formula on it if he didn't want it. I suppose I will wait until he finishes it before offering formula.

https://youtube.com/shorts/0Je86zSWm...ayy2NYBcy4ocvw

https://youtube.com/shorts/s7ZJteqMj...JwNlm2Dl2brYdt

[TomahawkFlyers]

Thank you SO much for the pictures and the videos. Wow! He took right to it! I hope your family members were there to witness this momentous occasion. Regarding quantity. Flyers are self-regulating. Unlike humans, who will eat until we make ourselves sick, flyers know when enough is enough. You can put three blocks out for him each evening. He'll have his dinner with the first one or two, and will have a wee-hour snack while you're sound asleep. You can offer him formula after he eats his dinner, and just before you go to bed. Don't be surprised when he starts turning away from the formula. Given the eagerness of his block eating, I suspect he'll wean quickly.

Important! Place daily fresh water in a non-tip bowl next to his blocks. He'll need that for hydration as he weans from formula. Don't forget his in-shell nuts for his teeth. Hazelnuts are a good starter - he'll have to work at it awhile to get at the nut inside. If you're lucky, you'll be around when he finally gets at it. He will be delighted and so will you! Keep up the extraordinary work, Craig. You are doing so very well.

Jamie

[Craig]

Of course! And yes, my mom and brother were there anyways, and they thought it was really cool.

He ate nearly the whole block, but held the rest in his mouth as he jumped onto me. He kept crawling onto the chair and over me with it, eventually crawling into his pouch. He was in there for but a second and when he came out, what was left of the block was gone. I guess he was trying to cache it as I looked in and found it shortly after.

I offered him formula after and he took 1.1 mL, refusing more. Should I still offer formula to him every 4 hours?

I have two ceramic water bowls in his cage, one on the top tray and one on the bottom level. He seems to use both. Would I put his food on the bottom or top level? Also with him on solid foods, should I remove the heating pad/ start teaching him to glide or would I wait until he is fully on solids and off the formula?

I think he really liked his food. He is sleeping sound in his pouch now. I will put the rest of the one he didn't finish along with 2 more in his cage for him to enjoy later.

[TomahawkFlyers]

GO Tyrant!

Answers first, then a hint.

He has a solid start on blocks, and there is no longer a need to feed him formula every four hours. He's awake all night, so he will visit his "dining room Uupper lever, please, Garcon!) for block and water when he gets hungry. Your breakfast time and dinner time are about right for formula now, and Tyrant will soon turn his head away from the offer. This is good - he is weaning and turning into a "toddler."

Flyers instinctively know that they are sought after by predators. The higher they can be, the better. Eating and drinking are particularly vulnerable times in nature, so they avoid low areas and the ground as much as possible. Their natural habitat is stands of trees where leaves and branches hide them and prevent straight line attacks from airborne predators. So, feed and sleep as high in the cage as possible - Tyrant will be calmer and happier.

Gliding. To be safe, I've always waited until formula intake has completely stopped to begin with very gentle and protective gliding "lessons." When he reaches this stage, he is well on the way to becoming extraordinarily resilient. When he's a teenager, he'll glide from here to there, sometimes landing hard enough to convince you that he must have hurt himself. The thing is that he develops the ability to use his entire body as a heavy duty shock absorber. The action is so fast that we can barely see it. A naturalist took som stop action photos of this maneuver. Look below to see how these kids perform safe landing after safe landing. They must figure out how to do this - and they will - but they need baby steps toward this goal.

Hint: Yes, indeed. He did stash that piece of block. He will soon learn to place it under something he considers safe and then pat everything down as if he was packing sand on the beach. You will learn to hear that sound and know that when he is coming to you every minute or so trying to make you think he hasn't eaten in a week, he's grabbing what you offer and stashing it "for later." Unlike ground squirrels, flyers remember where they bury stuff. In addition to recognizing you as "Mom," he will conclude that you make a nifty tree and a wonderful place to stash things. You'll stand up and a nugget of something or another will fall from under your shirt onto the floor. Just another thing that will further endear the boy to you.

Why Flyers Appear to Crash Hard but Really Don't:

From right:

1. Using patagia (flaps between arms and legs) as a parachute to slow down.
2. Creating a loaded spring out of the entire body.
3. After landing, moving on to the opposite side of the tree without missing a step.

Interesting fact - in one fluid motion that includes the landing, these guys will run as fast as they can to the opposite side of the tree whether they need to or not to avoid being killed by an airborne predator who might be chasing.

Later!

[island rehabber]

Excellent pix & info, Jamie. This makes me miss my Avia, the one and only flyer I ever rehabbed. And released.

[TomahawkFlyers]

Excellent pix & info, Jamie. This makes me miss my Avia, the one and only flyer I ever rehabbed. And released.

Maura, there is just something about flyers. They steal your heart and never give it back.

Of course, they could be creatures from a distant galaxy who send our hearts to their home planet because that is all their civilization can eat. "Heartthrob Cafe" "There's More Where That Came From."

Jamie

[Craig]

Tyrant's wheel came in today! I've just finished wiping it down with soap, then water, then RESCUE disinfectant and then another wet rag with only water to wipe that up. I was careful to avoid any mechanical or moving parts. I am letting it sit now to evaporate any remaining disinfectant. It is just about ready to be put in his cage, I just need to put the trim trax onto it. I haven't looked into how to install the trim trax but upon first glance at the bag's contents, it seems pretty straightforward. I hope I'm right about that.

He has been decreasing his intake on formula, sometimes only having little more than 1 mL, sometimes making it past 2, and rarely but sometimes still takes 3 mL or even his upper limit of 7% his body weight. I've been feeding him formula twice a day now, around breakfast and dinner time as recommended, and he has continued to show weight gain, weighing the most he ever has this morning at his most recent weigh-in, weighing 46.97 grams. I did notice a small 0.16 gram drop the day after I stopped feeding him formula every 4 hours. He has not had any other recent weight decreases. I suspect the drop I saw was the result of his belly no longer being full of both formula and block, as I had continued to feed him every 4 hours for the first day he had block in his cage before I was instructed to decrease feedings. This morning, he almost entirely denied the formula. I offered it to him about 5-7 times before giving up. He mostly ran away from it. At one point, he tasted a drop before denying it. I will offer him formula again around 5-6 when I put 3 more pieces of squirrel block into his cage.

I'm not sure if I should let him eat in his cage or on me, so if I think I will be moving around a bit, I put him in his cage when I give him the blocks, as I don't want him choking by me moving him around while he's eating. Sometimes he will hold the block in his mouth and jump from his cage onto me, crawling into the pouch to eat it. I will let him if I'm going to sit down, so often I do let him.

How many times should he deny the formula until I should stop offering it to him and consider him weaned? Also, should I wait to install the wheel until he is fully weaned as it is for flying lessons?

I ordered in the in-shell hazlenuts for his teeth. I ordered them online for convenience, but the lowest amount they had available was a 4 lb bag, which is a rather large bag. I imagine it'd last years if they never went bad. When should I offer him one of those? Also, they seem rather big, hopefully not too big for him.

Lastly, I've stored the nuts I plan to use for his future squirrel blocks in the freezer as I understand this keeps them fresh the longest. I've stored the vitamins and protien powder in a drawer (not in cold storage, only dry storage) as the package recommends. Are these storage methods accurate? Also, would I want to store the in-shell hazlenuts in the freezer as well?

I've mentioned a lot of points, hopefully it isn't too much of a pain to scroll back and forth as you write your response. Cheers!

[TomahawkFlyers]

Craig! So good to hear from you. What a great list of activities and questions. For the record and ever more, I am never frustrated by or too busy to answer questions. Ever. Let's see, now ...

1. It sounds as if Tyrant is pretty much weaned. It is that turning of the head, turning/running away that is your signal to call it a day with the formula. The boy is getting every last nutrient he needs from the blocks. For old times' sake, give him another go tonight and in the morning. My guess that without coaxing he won't take more than a few ml. He might just say "No thanks, blocks please! Squeak squeak!" Make sure you actually see him drinking water before you put the formula aside for your next flyer. His food and water bowls should be in the cage is the same place every day. He is about at that age where he is doing what squirrels naturally do. This includes running and jumping from place to place with food in his mouth. You can't stop him. It's ok, it is what he is meant to do.

2. Trim Trax. Easy peasy. It's good that you are installing them before first use of the wheel - Tyrant won't have to get used to two different things at two different times. To him, it will be one big discovery party. If you listen close enough, you'll be able to hear the "Wheeeee!" as he runs a mile a minute, throws his legs out from under him, plops belly down onto the spinning wheel as he pretends he's gliding.

3. Wheel? Gliding practice? Tyrant is 15 grams away from earning his "big boy pants." You can start with this really fun stuff now. Just remember gliding practice happens over the bed onto a pillow or over a chair where if he misses the back he lands on the seat cushion.

4. Hazelnuts. 4#. That is hilarious! Well, Halloween and Thanksgiving are coming around soon enough. Offer your mom 3 pounds to put out on the coffee table along with a nut cracker and a dish for shells. Sorry - I can't stop laughing. 4#! You do know that most grocery stores carry unshelled nuts in the produce department? Either in 1# bags or in bushel baskets from which you scoop and weigh your own. OK, I'll stop picking on ya.

5. Back to the wheel for a second - the sterilization procedure is not necessary for that or for most things. The cage you bought housed other critters, undoubtedly almost as cool as Tyrant. With those critters came a possibility of bacteria, virus, or other stuff that could have harmed Tyrant. That cage was really the only target for the sterilization. I should have been more specific. Sorry. If you're planning to rob a bank, do it now while your fingerprints are gone.

6. Block ingredient storage - you are correct on all counts. Rule of thumb: Shelled nuts, up to six months in the freezer. Unshelled nuts, two to three months in the produce drawer of the fridge. Freezing unshelled nuts worries me - and it is a personal and unproven fear. When a nut is frozen in its shell, its moisture freezes and expands. When it thaws, the nut contracts and leaves the moisture on the surface of the meat of the nut. The shell, while microporous, doesn't seem (to me) to allow timely dissipation of the moisture. Moisture+air+microporosity=(to me!) spoiled nuts. Spoiled nuts=aflatoxins. Aflatoxins+pet squirrels=death. Wild squirrels won't eat bad nuts. Pet squirrels see owners as "Mom!" They completely trust mom to put safe things on their plate. This is also why there should be no acorns, ever.

7. Weight loss and weight gain. Craig, don't drive yourself crazy. Tyrant will be a different weight in the morning and at night, before he's pooped and peed and afterwards, before he eats and after. Keep in mind we're talking grams and not pounds. A little heads up before Tyrant is introduced to his wheel. He might lose a little weight from all the exercise. Nothing to be worried about. Also, once he gets used to the wheel, there will be some nights when he will be running when you go to bed and he'll still be running when you wake up. He'll also grab a block or a hazelnut and run in the wheel like someone or something is going to catch him and take it away. All part of squirrelhood. No worries.

Ha! I hope there is enough info here for you to read without dozing off. Ha Ha! A new nickname is rattling around - Craig "Four Pound" Brown. "4#" for short. Tell your mom - she'll be thrilled! Pictures/video of Tyrant's first foray in the wheel?

Jamie

[Craig]

Thank you for the response! Regarding point 3, just to be clear, are you saying I can put the wheel in his cage and begin to teach him to glide now, or should I wait until he is 15 grams heavier? I just don't want to have misread your reply and start too early.

Also, yeah, the 4 lb bag is kind of nuts (pun intended). I asked my mom if she thought the store might have them and she said no and suggested I buy some online, but I guess I shouldn't always take what other say as 100% accurate. I'm sure I can find something to do with my surplus of shelled hazelnuts.

No worries about the misunderstanding regarding the disinfectant. I was sure to use thick gardening gloves to hopefully keep it off my fingers. I guess I will have to find out if it worked tomorrow. Though I will be sure to make note of that from now on and not go crazy disinfecting everything. Should soap and water be enough to clean what I need to if I bought more perches at the store?

Also, I might have just missed it, but should I give Tyrant his first shelled hazelnut to crack open now or wait until he is a big bigger?

[TomahawkFlyers]

Hey there 4#,

You and Tyrant are cleared for takeoff. You can begin both activities now. Be super gentle with the gliding. If you are buying things that are packaged and have not been used by other critters, there is no need to even wash with soap and water. It is use by other critters that presents risk to Tyrant. If something has been exposed to other critters, then sterilize. Tyrant is chowing down on block. He can have a hazelnut in the shell (so he has to chew through the shell to get at the nut) now. Two things. The hazelnut will be approximately the size of his head. Hilarity will ensue when he moves around with it in his mouth. Also, he will need days or weeks to get through that shell. When he does, he will have made a perfectly round hole the size of the nut and the nut will be gone. The event is kind of like an honorary Bar Mitzvah (doesn't matter whether Tyrant is Jewish) and that shell should become a keepsake for the two of you.

Jamie

[TomahawkFlyers]

https://henryspets.com/fresh-hazelnu...hoCEJYQAvD_BwE

https://www.amazon.com/Nuts-com-Haze...zcF9tdGY&psc=1

https://www.anuts.com/nuts/hazelnuts...BoCIkQQAvD_BwE Low price - not sure about shipping. They have in the shell walnuts and almonds.

[Craig]

Wow, I could've sworn I looked all over Amazon. Good to know now at least.

I've installed the wheel after a wee bit of trouble. I put Tyrant on it but he hasn't seemed too interested in running and keeps trying to chew on the trim trax. It's a work in progress. I'll be sure to send videos once he figures out how to use it. And I'll give him a shelled hazelnut here soon.

[Craig]

I meant to update sooner but I've been quite busy with school lately. He seems to like his wheel a lot but it's hard to get video of it as I usually hear him running on it after I put him in his cage while I'm going to bed, so the footage I have is from a distance away from him, and isn't the best quality.

He is still taking formula, sometimes 1 mL, sometimes 3 mL, so I've continued to offer it to him. After re-reading your reply now though, I may have misjudged in continuing with the formula.

Also should I start incorporating other foods into his diet soon? I was going to wait until he was off formula but didn't think he'd continue to take it for so long.

Him eating: https://youtube.com/shorts/_afvs42lv...tzNGLR3AYiZyoD

https://youtube.com/shorts/Xz__kLG-M...YrQOqeWrl8VqOW

Wheel: https://youtube.com/shorts/3d2Z1JBLZ...UyKBDhqpcTzxxy

https://youtube.com/shorts/G5O1ROXCx...E0FjQzGA_VUvjV

[TomahawkFlyers]

Oh, man! Craig, Tyrant is truly one of the most precious flyers I've ever encountered. These photos and videos fill an already happy life with such great joy. You are an amazing flyer dad. You two deserve each other in the very best way. Wow. Just wow.

By all means, keep providing the formula until he turns away from it. At this point, Tyrant can eat anything at all from the good/safe foods list. Just keep in mind the pyramid. Blocks at the foundation, supplemental foods in the middle, and treats at the top. Most, less, least; and, as you know already, always fresh clean water. Keep it up, Craig - you are both doing so very well!

We both hope school is going well for you and that prospects for life after school are shaping up. We both hope to meet you, perhaps at the 2025 Gathering of the Nuts.

Jamie

[Craig]

Thank you so much! He is still taking the formula, he took 2 mL at this morning's feeding. I offered him lettuce yesterday and he ate some; he seemed to really like it. As far as quantity goes, how often /how much should he be able to eat of fruit? I make sure his water bowl is full of clean water every day, and I put his food blocks next to his water in his cage. Should I invest in a small food dish/bowl? I imagine that may make it easier for him to know what to look for when going to get his food. Sometimes when I put his block in the cage and leave him in there with it for a bit, I notice he hasn't moved it or tried to hide it, but when I put him in front of it and hold it up for him, he takes it and eats it or runs off with it without any problem.

I hope to meet you both as well! Is the Gathering of the Nuts event always held in the same place? I'd love to go, but Virginia is quite the drive away, and I worry I won't be able to find the time for the trip. Do you have a link to a forum post with more information regarding the 2025 Gathering of the Nuts? I've tried to look for information regarding the event but have been unsuccessful.

Also, I was combing through various videos I took of Tyrant that I thought would be nice to share here, and finally found the time to sit through them all and upload the ones I thought were best. Most of these videos were taken around the same time I took the other videos that I had shared one comment earlier. I've also noticed a bit ago that he seems to have a white end to his tail. About 1/3 or maybe more of his tail seems to be white actually. I think you can see it clearest in the first video I've linked and in the last link of him playing with the fleece blanket (3rd from the last link overall). I've looked it up and it seems to be a recessive genetic trait some squirrels possess. I just thought it was neat and wanted to share.

General:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/3Xxa1VB7-os

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/eIsQq4ldBI4

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/x-lzGltL7QI

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/F5dUZR6J-Wk

Playing with a piece of fleece blanket

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/A9QHMN65jg8

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/qZ-BOCm1eps

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4Mxe1qkEvc0

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/_fY2i1bjUxk

Eating

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/3DQ7FKduf6k

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/MYBBP95oY3M