Do Southern flying squirrels make good pets?

If cared for properly, flying squirrels can be affectionate pets. The first few weeks after bringing them home is the most important. Hand feeding and daily handling will help them bond with you. Due to flying squirrels’ exotic status, they are illegal to own in 10 states.

How do you take care of a southern flying squirrel?

Diet. Be sure to keep fresh, clean water available at all times. Water can be placed in a water bottle or a small dish, and either needs to be washed each time water is refilled. Offer commercial squirrel or hamster food daily, as well as fresh fruits, nuts and seed.

Are flying squirrels hard to take care of?

Northern flying squirrels require similar care to that of sugar gliders and even pet birds, but they do have their own unique requirements. Even though they are high-energy, nocturnal rodents who love to climb and glide, as pets they also require many hours of hands-on attention and socializing with their owner.

What do you feed a southern flying squirrel?

They eat a variety of foods, including seeds, nuts, fungi, fruit, and insects. Southern flying squirrels are considered one of the most carnivorous squirrels because they supplement their diet with eggs, birds, and carrion.

Do flying squirrels bite humans?

Flying squirrels do not pose severe problems to humans, although they will build bothersome nests in home attics. They can damage the floors, attics and walls of the home as they build their nests and search for foods. They do not frequently bite unless they think a hand smells like food or if they feel threatened.

Are flying squirrels aggressive?

Are they dangerous? Flying squirrels are not dangerous and pose no health hazard. They’re not aggressive but they do have sharp teeth. If you have flying squirrels denning in your attic or wall voids, call a Summit Environmental Solutions wildlife professional that is licensed and trained in nuisance wildlife work.

How long do Southern flying squirrels live?

Flying squirrels can live up to 10 years in captivity or about half that in the wild. Flying squirrels are common rodents in many parts of the country, but because they are nocturnal, few people ever see them.

Do flying squirrels carry diseases?

What Diseases Do Flying Squirrels Carry? Though rabies is strongly associated with wildlife pests, flying squirrels are not known to transmit the virus. In fact, the northern species of the pest doesn’t harbor any known diseases that can be passed on to humans.

What are flying squirrels favorite food?

Flying squirrels are omnivores. They eat a variety of foods, including seeds, nuts, fungi, fruit, and insects. Southern flying squirrels are considered one of the most carnivorous squirrels because they supplement their diet with eggs, birds, and carrion.

How tall does a southern flying squirrel need to be?

Southern flying squirrels are excellent chewers, so make sure they cannot chew their way out of their cage (wire or metal is preferred). The floor space of two feet by two feet is adequate. The minimum height should be 3 feet tall, but 5 or 6 feet tall is better. Provide branches in the cage for climbing and chewing.

How to take care of a baby flying squirrel?

Infant flying squirrels younger than 5 weeks, do not produce their own body heat, they need a heating pad, set on LOW setting. Place a bath towel, folded to make about a 1 to 1 1/2 inch thickness and put it on the heating pad. Now, place a box on top of the towel.

When is the breeding season for southern flying squirrels?

Their major nocturnal predators are owls and snakes, particularly rat and corn snakes in the Southeast. Raccoons also like to make prey of flying squirrels. The peak breeding seasons for southern flying squirrels are February through March and August through October.

Are there flying squirrels in the United States?

There’s the Northern Flying Squirrel in Canada and the upper parts of the United States, the Southern Flying Squirrel in the American Southeast, and the Humboldt’s Flying Squirrel which was identified as a species in 2017 and much is still unknown about it, including its natural habitat. 10. They’ve adapted well to suburban areas