Flying Squirrel As Pet? Pros and Cons of Keeping Them as Pets
Flying squirrels are kind of wild and can sometimes go wild but in some places, they are domesticated to be pets. They are really not house-worthy so they can sometimes be illegal in some countries. So you should probably check if this creature is legal just to be safe.[acf field=”Schema”]
The squirrels are very active with pointy teeth. You will see them very energetic at night. It has a pink nose which is very cute, they have huge eyes and a very long bushy tail.
These are not very common in the names of the rodents so they can be kept as pets but in some countries, they are illegal so you need to get a permit to make it legal.
I think you should probably consider the pros and cons of these majestic flying creatures before you plan to bring them home.
How Are They Like?
You can easily tell by the name that they can fly but this is because they use their patagium. It is a membrane that gets stretched when they extend their arms, this can make them look like wearing wingsuits.
These creatures have their different kinds, one is Northern, and the other is Southern. The northern flying squirrels have grey colors and sometimes brown with grey abdomens.
They can grow up to 10 to 12 inches long in their length. The southern flying squirrels have kind of a brownish-gray body with a white abdomen.
Flying Squirrel As Pet?
There are two types of flying squirrels, Native and North American. They actually are the northern and southern flying squirrels.
The southern flying squirrels have white bellies and grey hair and are the smallest flying squirrels. While the northern flying squirrel has greyed belly and has grey-brown hair. They can be very affectionate pets if you can take good care of them.
In the first week you must feed it on a daily purpose this can increase your relationship with the creature. Due to their ability to fly they are very exotic.
They are banned from many states because they are trapped in their natural habitats and even illegally traded to different countries. They are still being smuggled even though they are illegal.
To get a flying squirrel as your pet I think it would be best for you to do some research to legally get one. It may take some time to be tamed but can be good companions for us humans.
The flying squirrels are very cute and intelligent pets and like to be with their owner once they get to like you.
They have a very sensitive body structure so be careful. If you ever want a flying squirrel you should better check if they are legal in your country and if you have to do any paperwork to get one.
Purchasing A Flying Squirrel:
It depends upon the age of the squirrels or any kind of pet you want to keep. Most of the flying squirrels are bought by the breeder as babies. They can’t eat anything as they are babies and so are bottle-fed for a few weeks.
Then the owner has to wear a pouch made from fabric and keep the flying squirrels in it. They can either wear this under their shirt or on their neck so can get to know your scent.
All of this process helps our baby to get to know us and have a strong relationship with us. It’s a good thing that it has started bonding with you at such a young age. Before bringing your flying squirrel home you better check if you have these things.
Problems With Pet Flying Squirrels:
You knew some things before you have one as a pet. They like to be surrounded by the company; they are kind of attention seekers.
When you are at home it is okay but get lonely when you’re out. They will be playful but be careful they have very sharp teeth. If they bite you, you could start bleeding badly.
They are domesticated but like other animals, they might attack you if they get angry. The squirrels need owners who can constantly feed them, groom them, and play with them.
You need to spend a lot of time with these creatures to keep them happy. You should not keep them lonely or give them to another person.
There is even a dangerous flying squirrel smuggling ring. If this keeps up then this creature could go extinct or even be unsafe for them to keep as pets. They could even feel threatened and always attack humans when seen or even run away.
Benefits of Flying Squirrels As Pets:
The flying squirrels are really very intelligent and active. They love flying and jumping all the time. Other than this if they recognize their owners very well and are really very possessive about them.
They make friends very soon, you can find them loving and playing with other small animals and believe me it really looks so nice!
Moreover, they just love humans but for that, they take a little time. Soon they make a very strong bond with its owner and show affection towards them.
So collectively you will love them as a pet because they are very gentle and loving in nature.
Cons of Flying Squirrels As Pets:
Okay! There are some of the problems you may face while having them at your home as pets let’s look at them;
They will actually destroy your things because they have the habit of chewing things. So it would be good if you can save your things from them.
The Health of Flying Squirrels:
Mainly they do not have any kind of disease usually. But, at times when their body lacks calcium, they may suffer various diseases, such as paralysis, arthritis, etc.
If you are planning to keep them as pets then you must take care of few things. These little creatures need more care and you have to do it if you are concerned with their health.
To maintain a good calcium level in your lovely squirrels you need to feed those things like; oranges, calcium powder, etc. these will fill up the calcium deficiencies and save them from other problems.
Moreover, some of the flying squirrels do not catch up with the calcium deficiencies rather they came across some serious rodent’s diseases. Now, this is again a very big thing to deal with.
In this case, you should look for a good vet who must be specialized to deal with such cases. This will definitely help you while having the lovely flying squirrels as pets. And if you take care of them they may stay with you for a long time.
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Flying Squirrel Care
It would be better if you can get it a really big cage so that it can move or fly freely in it. You should get some branches from the pet store so it can climb it and nest it. But be sure to get it from a pet shop so it’s pesticides and parasites-free.
Some owners have used big parrot cages and made them work if the bars are not too close to each other so that they can move using them. You also use the cages of the sugar gliders. But they do enjoy a lot of time outside their cage in the house.
But be very careful they could chew your house things like sofa or couch so it would be a good idea to buy large cages so it can fly freely.
Like many other rodents, they need to chew on something so their teeth saree strong and healthy. They are very funny and amusing. They can be great pets if they like you but you need to be very cautious about giving them to small kids.
Flying Squirrel Diet
The flying squirrel is a rodent and many rodents are omnivores and so are they; they eat many minerals, nutrients, and vegetables. They like to eat mealworms, fungi, nuts; seeds, fruits, lichens, etc. are a part of their daily routine eats.
Some flying squirrel owners use parrot seed in a mixture of different proteins. Flying squirrels lack calcium so you should probably feed them food full of calcium. They need vitamins and calcium D3 supplements to keep them healthy.
You should keep the calcium supply limited because calcium is good for their growing teeth’s and the bigger the teeth the harder and deeper the bite. You should also keep phosphorous limited as it can stop calcium absorption.
There needs to be some calcium in your Northern flying squirrel diet. You can easily find suitable flying squirrels feed online but are expensive. But can also have different expenses on the number of nutrients.
For a newborn, goat’s milk is the best esbilac but giving them cow milk isn’t the best idea as it is poisonous for them. They like to eat oranges and also cut up apples, different seeds and another food maid especially for flying squirrels.
When they grow up they can eat vegetables, fruits, and insects. They can eat apples, oranges, peaches, grapes, and pears. Vegetables like corn, mushroom, and sweet potatoes.
Insects like canned insects that you can buy in pet shops, crickets, waxworm, and mealworms. They can also eat walnuts, hard-boiled eggs, and pea cons.
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Different behaviors of flying squirrels:
Pets need attention, care, and love. If you are fond of keeping pets and especially squirrels then you have to be more concerned with their behaviors and habits. You should know each and everything about them.
These little squirrels are very much loveable and affectionate to their owners. But the important point about them is that they do not get closer to you in a short time. They need to know you and spend time with you to get comfortable with you.
Almost they take six to nine weeks to get comfortable with you. You just need to stay with them, show your love, and spend more and more time with them, instead of making a strong bond.
Furthermore, you should handle them softy and gently and feed them with their favorite food. The best thing you can do with them is to keep them with you all the time. You can even put them in your shirt’s pocket so that they will stay with you and know you well.
For Extra Reading: Red Squirrel
Make A Perfect House For Them:
It is important to choose the best house to keep them in. it should have some small gaps between the bars of the house or cage whatever you say. This will prevent them from getting out or escape from the cage.
Importantly if you have baby flying squirrels in your house then duty becomes even tough. The baby flying squirrels will definitely try to escape and get out of the cage to learn flying and all.
Another thing that can bother you even is that if the flying squirrels get attached to you then they surely would not leave you alone. You have to keep them in a good cave else they will make a big mess for you.
Owners with cages that have a lot of space between bars can wake up to their squirrels, while they are sleeping with them. Some squirrels try to go back to their cages but are only able to get a body part in the cage.
This can cause sad news of flying squirrels getting trapped. The height of the cage should be more than the space of the cage so they can climb up and fly freely. Big bird cages are many times used for a house flying squirrel.
For Extra Reading: Can Squirrel Eat Trash
Conclusion:
You should get a metal cage so it is much difficult for the little flying squirrel to chew through it. For different birds, there can be different cages with different prices. You can use chicken wire to cover the bars of the cage.
Moreover, use the best material in making up their house or cage because the bad material can harm them in either way. Many of them try to escape and for that, they start nibbling the cage material. So, it can be harmful to them.
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