Shiloh our Flying Squirrel Only Poops on Us!

[sherbarb]

Help Needed!!! Shiloh, our southern flying squirrel, is around 3 and 1/2 months old. We have had her since she was 14 weeks old. She never poops in her cage. She only poops or pees on us in her mesh tent every night when we play with her. Is this normal? I worry because there has been a couple of times when we can’t play at night with her (twice in fact). And she holds her pee and poop sometimes for two days. She is still in a smaller square cage that’s around 2 feet wide on all sides. The breeder said she wouldn’t be ready for her big cage until she is six months old. Could it be that her cage is too small and she feels more comfortable pooping and peeing in a bigger tent? Or is it because she doesn’t like us?

She hasn’t seemed to bond well with us. There are three of us that hold her in her pouch during the day and play with her at night. During the day she only wants to be in her pouch or cage. She doesn’t come to our hands. And it seems like when we try to hold her in our hands to bond with her she try’s even harder not to be held. She doesn’t bite me but will sometimes bite my girls when they try to hold her. And at night in the tent she is playful but not near as much as when we first got her. Is the pooping and peeing on us a sign that she hasn’t bonded? And why is she getting less playful? We’ve introduced more toys in the tent and her cage and she likes them but something seems off. I thought by now she would be used to us and our hands and trust us more not less.

What could we do to keep her from pooping and peeing on us? And what could we be doing to help her bond with us more? Was it because we got her when she was too old? I’ve seen reports that you are supposed to get them younger. Also note that the poop and pee is small and manageable if this behavior is normal. But if it can be prevented some that would be great.

Also how should we be playing with her in the tent? My two older girls get on opposite sides of the tent and encourage her to jump. She does but mostly just explores them now and jumps less.

Anyway, sorry for all the questions. I worry we are doing something way wrong! Please be gentile! Thanks!!!

[lovesquirrels1]

My southern flyer is a little younger than yours, 10 weeks, but I see a lot of poop in his cage every day. It's easier to see on some substrates than others but I can't imagine a flying squirrel going a day without pooping. I get pooped and peed on too, I just chalk it up to part of the job. My interpretation is when they first wake up and start becoming active that they pee and poop a lot. I wear an old thin jacket (the material is pretty much just like fleece) which helps with claws, too. I wash it often and do an extra rinse. A hat might be a good idea, too. I recently interacted with two larger flying squirrels in a tent, and they also pooped and peed on me, so I think this is pretty normal except they should also be peeing and pooping in their cage, too.