I'm new; any help appreciated

[Craig]

I had a quick concern. Tyrant seems fine now, but while we were playing and he was jumping to the chair, he began squeaking as he ran around to the chair's back. I didn't want to move him in case he was injured. I took a quick video so I could post it here. He stopped squeaking shortly after and I carefully removed his claws from the chair, placing him back in his cage.

He didn't display any unusual behavior and seems fine now. He's back on me now, though I'm going to let the jumping rest for tonight. Hoping to get some information on what caused it.

https://youtube.com/shorts/MPn0AgxOp...G7GS2H0XmbvVlv

[TomahawkFlyers]

Hi Craig - sorry for the late reply. It has been crazy around here - getting all the outdoor stuff finished (as much as possible) and buttoned up before the snow flies. The Tomahawk Flyers colony is starting to show up in their winter digs in our flyer room. Some old faces, some new - glad to have them all. They are wild and free to come and go, but as it gets really cold they mostly come and not so much go. Block production will increase!

Tyrant is not squeaking. He is chirping. It is a way for flyers to alert their colony mates that there is something new there or happening and everyone needs to know about it to be safe. Gliding is so new to Tyrant, and he is undoubtedly having a great time and pleased with himself over this new activity, that his "wild" got tickled and he chirped. Absolutely normal. No harm done.

Thanks so much for the previous videos. We are so delighted to be able to be part of Tyrant's growing up and into his deep, deep relationship with you. If you think about it, your relationship with Tyrant is a small and ever-so-real taste of what it is to be a father with a son who means everything to you. We could hear it in your voice when you were worried that Tyrant had hurt himself.

Nothing on the 2025 Gathering yet. We usually hear something after the new year.

Keep at it, Craig. You are a natural!

Jamie

[Craig]

That is a relief! I showed one of my friends the video and he said he thought Tyrant was vocalizing excitement. Glad to know it's normal and not of concern. No worries about any late replies! I completely understand being busy or not being able to get around to it.

If you don't mind me asking, are all of your flyers free to come and go? I was under the impression you had some flyers completely in your care. I was just curious as I enjoy telling my parents about you guys.

I think you're right about having Tyrant being a small taste of fatherhood. I recall explaining to my friend one time how I felt responsible for caring for Tyrant and was anxious to see him do well, worried about any suffering he might endure if I failed. He responded and said that it seemed as if my paternal instinct was kicking in.

As far as diet goes, I want to ensure I'm using the proper amounts. If blocks are 40% diet, would that be calculated by weight? Should I pick an assortment of vegetables and weigh them to be the other 60% of diet or more-or-less offer vegetables to Tyrant throughout the day as well as leave some in his cage at night? He's mostly just eaten block and lettuce so far; he doesn't seem to want celery. I've given him two crumb-sized bits of apple but don't really know how much or often fruits can be given to flyers.

[TomahawkFlyers]

What a glorious thing it is to have a joyful little friend!

Regarding coming and going as they please, we have three groups of flyers, plus one mouse.

• Group 1 includes our three non-release kids. Ollie is a rescued cat-caught who has been so terrified of anything that moves that we've kept her indoors where she can learn that something like the cat trauma will never happen again. That has worked well, since she is becoming less timid and will actually approach us and jump on us when she gets the chance, She has become "domesticated" and would not survive in the wild. Jet is a rescue from a hurricane in Florida. The family that found him (an astoundingly loving and large family) kept him safe until he had grown out of infancy. They were going to hand him off to a rehabber. We were concerned that he had been around humans for awhile, had a LOT of interactions with parents and 10(!) kids. He was likely to scurry over to a hawk in the wild to make friends and become lunch. We flew down to get him and we drove back in a rental car that was far too nice for what we paid. Franky came rushing in to the house from the attic one day a few months ago. Something had to have been chasing him - he cowered in a corner in the bathroom for several hours. We eventually tried to pick him up and he let us. That is unheard of in a wild flyer. He was literally frozen in fear. We quarantined him, fed and watered him, and then let him interact with Jet. Those two have become inseparable partners in crime, so we have made room for Franky. Mys, our mouse, was a tiny, eyes-still-closed baby when we found him on our basement stairs. I picked him up, raised him on the baby squirrel protocol, and now he is the healthiest and luckiest mouse in Wisconsin. He lives in a mansion, interacts marginally with us, and eats a diet that should give him life well beyond that given most little guys like him. Each of these kids is a full member of our family.
• Groups 2 and 3 include our "Attic" and backyard/lake Squirrels. Early in the construction of this house, we checked on some rustling in the batt insulation in the attic and discovered that a colony of 18 had made their home up there. The DNR told us the flyers would freeze to death if we removed them and looked away while we overwintered them that winter. We kept them in a four story Critter Nation cage, and 18 became 26. In the spring, I drilled a hole in the outside wall of an upstairs porch room and placed a PVC pipe from the cage, through the wall, and into an outdoor nest box on the side of the house. we opened that tube in the spring and some of the kids left to become group 3 and some circled back to the attic. Most have come and gone as they please, and the females make full use of the "maternity wards" built into the giant cage to carry, give birth to, and raise their babies while protecting them from male flyers. When we closed up the soffits that spring, we left a small hole for any flyers who wanted to come and go through the attic. That has become a well-traveled route and we provide food and water every night where they come down into the house from the attic. We love our little creatures, and we think the feeling is returned. No animal is ever turned away from here, or turned out if they choose to stay. At present, the total count including the non-release crew is between ten and twelve. We experience new generations every spring and fall. It is a gift like no other and the experience has profoundly affected our lives.

Regarding diet, I wouldn't worry so much about percentages as I would about adhering to the shape of the triangle. Mostly block, then somewhat less vegetables, then somewhat less protein and very carefully picked over food from the wild (no acorns, ever!) and then treats like fruit and nuts. No junk food. He'll eventually try to guilt you into sharing a bite of candy or a chip - don't succumb. Sugar and salt are really hard on his tiny body. A good rule of thumb for fruit/nut treats is to provide them after the block and vegetables have been consumed. He'll enjoy the treat, but only eat until he is full. He'll leave some of the treat behind or try to stash it. Take it away when he has finished eating it.

Thanks for keeping us in the loop on your journey with Tyrant. It is a bright spot every time we hear from you.

Jamie

[Craig]

Wow! Thank you so much for sharing that! I've read it aloud to my mom, I plan to read it to my dad later today.

As far as diet goes, how much variation or different types of produce would you recommend I mix into his diet a day? And would a little bit of fruit/nuts every day be okay or should it be spaced out more such as every 2-3 days?

[TomahawkFlyers]

I'm glad you enjoyed that, Craig.

Regarding varieties of food, the pyramid is your (and Tyrant's!) friend. Whatever you feed him, be sure it is in proportions shown on the pyramid and that it is on the list of known good foods. Variety is a good (great!) thing, and unlike human toddlers who often fuss at new foods, flyers will sniff it and then, provided they're hungry, almost always dig in. Fruit, nuts, and other treats are fine every day - as long as the amount you provide matches the pyramid. Remember, it's a treat - not a meal, and you and Tyrant will be fine. In wouldn't hurt to get some powdered calcium citrate, put the proposed nuts in a bag with a tablespoon of the calcium, and shake it up before giving Tyrant a piece.

Take Good Care, Craig!

Jamie

[Craig]

It's been a while since I've given an update. I actually had a short list of things I wanted to mention, but it can wait for now as I can't seem to get this one thing off my mind. Tyrant seems to be developing more of a personality, and some of that seems to include more independence, which is fine. Though he does seem to vocalize his distaste when I go to grab him when he is seemingly not wanting to be grabbed.

I encountered it again today when he was in his cage for a short time and I went to grab him again for feeding. I put him back in his cage a little while after and did some homework with him in his cage for a few minutes before going to grab him again while recording. Here is that video.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/im9N-40PXIg

Is this normal behavior? Was I wrong to continue picking him up when he was wanting to be left alone? Should I leave him be when he does this and wait for him to willingly come to me? Is this the result of him not being handled enough? He is with me for most of my waking day, though he is mostly in his pouch, my shirt, or my pocket. I've never had him make those noises when I pick him up out of my pocket or shirt, he has done it before in his pouch, typically if he has food he is protecting. I play with him at night, though some nights I can only play for a bit because I am tired by the time he is awake. Just wondering if there is anything I can do so prevent this behavior if possible. Thank you!

[TomahawkFlyers]

Craig! It is terrific to hear from you and to know that Tyrant is growing normally and doing well. Let's discuss Tyrant's new sound. First, close your eyes and imagine you are at Walmart. Are you there? Good! Now, do you see that little 2 year-old kid standing in the cereal aisle holding onto that box of Count Chocula? The one labeled "New and improved! Now with extra sugar!" Mom, who has three other kids with her, is trying to take that cereal away from the kid. The kid starts screaming as if the Devil himself is right there, pulling the kid feet first into the blast ovens of Hell. Mom is reaching for her almost empty bottle of Valium. Can you hear that kid's screams? Now, open your eyes and compare that to the sound on the recording you made. Through a Universal Translator, that little kid and Tyrant are making exactly the same sound, with the same pent-up juvenile rage behind it. Displeasure? Expressed!

There isn't a thing you can or should do in response to that noise, other than to give Tyrant a little more space as he grows through his youth into adulthood. Unless he's a Democrat, his childish protestations will level out. You had it right as you slowly put your hand in his hut. You went too far when you picked him up. He is now of an age when communing with you sometimes needs to be his idea. He doesn't love you any less. He is just developing independence. Don't force him - he'll come to you. It's all good!

Jamie

[Craig]

Thank you for the quick response! I couldn't help but laugh out loud at your comment on his childish protestations! Let's hope he isn't one!! LOL

I will adjust my behavior accordingly. I certainly don't want to intrude on his personal space. I will hopefully make a longer response tomorrow to address other things I've wanted to write about. For now, here are some closer-up and clearer videos I took of him running on his wheel!

https://youtube.com/shorts/b1YzvmFxo...8-eLUxGvURYiYj

https://youtu.be/47degb1FhmM?si=durgb6Pi8Bo1U9wn

[Craig]

I know you said not to worry much about weight changes as even activity like running on the wheel can cause weight change, but I did want to address the situation just to be certain. Tyrant is now about 5 grams lower than he was at his biggest weight a week ago. In this last week, he has been nearly steadily losing weight. He still takes formula, sometimes taking around 3 mL, sometimes stopping shortly after 1 mL. There is typically small amounts of veggies left in his cage when I wake up but I wonder if he is not eating enough.

[TomahawkFlyers]

Is he eating all his block? As pollsters like to say, "These numbers are within the margin of error." That is an excellent neighborhood for Tyrant's weight.

[TomahawkFlyers]

Hi Craig - check your PM?

Jamie

[Craig]

I added another block in his diet. He left nothing but crumbs this morning (Unless there are caches I haven't found) ! Weight is already increased from 56.69 grams yesterday to 58.53 grams today. He must just have quite the appetite.

[TomahawkFlyers]

He's a growing boy!

Safe travels to you and your dad. If you stop for lunch at a Steak and Shake, be sure to order extra cheese for your fries. Say "Hi" to Angel and Obi for me, and please remember to thank them both for the rescue and the care they have given Roofus. No doubt that after they get to know one another, Tyrant and Roofus will become inseparable. And Craig, good on you for giving a good portion of your life to these to beautiful creatures. As you have already learned, they pay back the kindness in spades.

Pictures! Please!

Jamie

[Craig]

Thank you! I will be sure to thank them for all the incredible work they've done! I am both anxious and excited to finally meet Roofus.

I had ordered some more Fox Valley in anticipation of Roofus, but I've noticed when the package arrived there is a small puncture hole in the side of the bag, likely caused by the way it was shipped.

Is this Fox Valley still considered safe or no? I still have some left from my previous bag so no worries if I need to order another. I've already called in and was given a refund for it by Amazon. It can't be returned since it is a consumable.

[TomahawkFlyers]

Call me old fashioned or call me fussy - I would not take the chance. Remember, your boy (soon to be boys) trust you unconditionally. You earn that trust everyday; in this case, by safeguarding them from the odd chance that there might be contamination involved. I recommend that you exchange it.

Check your PM - Pam is sending you a note.

Jamie

[Craig]

I have been so busy I haven't had the time to make an update post on the public forum. I can make this one now.

I brought Roofus home on Halloween night, October 31. He was a bit timid at first but as the days have passed, he has started to show more of his true energetic yet very lovable personality.

He is still partially separated from Tyrant as I work towards ensuring they can play together safely without a mesh barrier between them. He'd had a bit of digestive issues and milk scald, but both seem to be healing up nicely and quickly!