At five weeks, the pups are fully developed, and their flying skills are perfected by two and a half months.Īt that point, they would build a nest comfortably in a tree. There they will have two to seven per litter per season.
Twice a year, flying squirrels will nest down to have their litter of pups around February and March. Flying Squirrels eat seeds, nuts, tree sap, fruit, flowers, fungi, insects, and sometimes eggs. With their highly developed sense of smell, they come out at night to forage for food. Oh, and these furry critters are both omnivorous and nocturnal. Their lifespan is around five years long. The flying squirrel grows from 3 inches to 2 feet long, and they weigh between 3.5 and 5.5 pounds. What’s more, the squirrel can control their direction and get to the next safe landing spot by dipping its hand or foot like an airplane’s wings. Then when stretched, it forms that square so the squirrel can glide high away from predators.
Most importantly, the Patagium is a flap of fur-covered skin stretching from tiny wrist to tiny ankle. They are long-limbed critters with large eyes and bushy tails. The flying squirrel is a brownish-gray squirrel. Keep reading to learn more about the flying squirrel. They will use rock crevices, tree cavities, woodpecker holes, snags, nest boxes, and abandoned nests for homes. If you do happen to go looking for the flying squirrel, they live in deciduous and coniferous forests and woodland areas. And let’s face it, that doesn’t happen all too often. And, when they are flying, you may be able to catch the pink hue they fluoresce… but you would need to have a UV light with you. You see, the flying squirrel has what is called a patagium that extends in the shape of a square, acting like its wings or a parachute, more accurately. However, these highfliers do not fly instead, they glide. In fact, one single flight can span 150 to 500 feet. Acrobatic for sure, these squirrels can soar at great lengths from tree to tree. The tiny flying squirrel is a nocturnal rodent that is very playful. It is best not to go that route but to call for Wildlife Removal. Warning: Killing flying squirrels may be illegal in your area.
At that point, you will want to know how to get rid of flying squirrels… and fast! So, you can consider yourself lucky if you have ever seen a flying squirrel in nature.Īnd yes, they are adorable… until they are screeching through your home. With its body parachuting through the sky, you would probably be excited to see the feat of nature that is the flying squirrel. The flying squirrel looks much like a ground or tree squirrel they have a small round face, large eyes, big ears, and long fluffy tails. But in the home, a wild flying squirrel can be a real problem.įlying squirrels are actually very cute. Some folks do keep flying squirrels as pets.