Let me start this by saying I did not take any of these pictures. I don’t have the right equipment but hope to get some. In the meantime, these are pictures from various habitat sites.
Owen had a friend over today who was quite the expert on flying squirrels. He said not only do we have two kinds of flying squirrels in Massachusetts, but we have three. Except that the black one only lives in the far western part of the state.
Which is actually only 75 miles from here because Massachusetts is a small state. Not as small as neighboring Rhode Island or Deleware, but small. You can drive from Boston to the far western border of Massachusetts in about 4 hours. Less if you put your pedal to the metal.
So when I said the far western part of the state, it’s not all that far from here. It just seems that the black flying squirrels prefer fir trees to oak trees and there are more conifers there than here.
He also pointed out that flying squirrels are extremely friendly and make great pets. My brain went into overdrive. I had a mental image of The Duke trying to chase down a flying squirrel and the wreckage which could result from this combination. Or, maybe he would fall madly in love with flying squirrels. I know I’m madly in love with flying squirrels. They are incredibly cute and I was wondering how you catch a flying squirrel so you can tame it.
Owen went online and confirmed it. There are many articles about how tameable flying squirrels are. I went into “How can I catch one?”
Owen and Garry immediately went into “No, Marilyn, you cannot have a flying squirrel.”
“How about two flying squirrels?” I asked. “They could glide together around the house. And feeding them is easy. They love bird seed, especially black sunflower seeds. Of which we have pounds.”
Men always band together. These two were clearly against my developing a relationship with one or more flying squirrels. Owen said it was a bad idea. Garry nodded, but I think he’d really love having a flying squirrel. I think it would be tons of fun and I’m still trying to figure out how to catch one. I simply won’t tell anyone until I have acquired one of my own.
Who could refuse if I brought a couple home?
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Categories: Flying squirrels, Gallery, Humor, Marilyn Armstrong, Pets, Squirrel, Wildlife
I think it’s a wonderful idea! Especially since they are nocturnal, and the noise Duke would make chasing it around the house all night would help soothe you to sleep…
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Oh, like when Bonnie soothes me to sleep by barking continuously for four or five hours starting around 3:30 in the morning? I am so tired I’m falling over my own feet.
I think the lamps would be the first to go and all the pottery with go immediately afterward. It would look like the cops tossed the place.
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I thought this was just an inside joke!!! 😉 I never knew they really existed! That’s hilarious.
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Apparently we have three kinds of them in this state but only two in this valley.
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They definitely do have cute faces — but I agree with your concerns about having them fly around the house!
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I’m not even sure they could fly in the house. They glide rather than fly. I think you’d have to let them outside to get some gliding time in. And I have long-standing objections to making wild creatures into pets. But I gather they are very friendly and cuddly.
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These guys are cute but NOT welcome as pets. They’d drive the dogs completely nuts.
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But you gotta admit, it would be hilarious.
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I can’t imagine how you could keep one indoors unless you could clear a room where they could zoom around without breaking things and where squirrel pee would not matter. A shed perhaps.
I don’t really think keeping wild animals is fair to them either but they are so cute. I can see why you’d want one. I used to meet a few people who looked after orphaned wildlife in Geeveston, they kept them till they were old enough to go free and they got to cuddle them. Of course, feeding a baby animal is a big commitment too. They were up several times at night to feed them and when they went out baby went too. Maybe you could become a flying squirrel carer.
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I don’t think they would be happy inside all the time. They would have to live outside and come to visit.
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As long as you keep feeding them they will.
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I wish you luck! lol truly would be interesting, that’s for sure!
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Wild creatures don’t do well when kept indoors. So I can want them, but I don’t think I should have them.
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This is true! At least you get to interact with them, and that’s a good thing.
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I don’t know if you could housebreak a flying squirrel (or any squirrel for that matter) unless you kept them caged and changed out the sawdust. And caging the flying squirrel would defeat the whole purpose, wouldn’t it? Maybe you could design (and market at a large profit margin) some weensy Depends ™ type squirrel diapers? 😉 😛
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I think you would have to let them out at night. They need to fly. I also have serious issues with keeping wild animals as pets.
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I think I would need a MUCH bigger house.
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I hope Garry doesn’t read the blog 😉 Hmm, he does write in it, so… My family had one, but I was in diapers and don’t remember it.
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Apparently they are very friendly, but I have never liked the idea of keeping wild things in a house. They need to fly and how could they do that in the house?
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I agree about the wild animals – they should not be pets. I have heard about people having flying squirrels, but I was wrong, it wasn’t us – the little animals we had that I don’t remember were chinchillas. I think I was 2 or 3 at the time.
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I remember an event about a flying squirrel. It was many years ago and there was an animal programme on the TV. The presenter wanted to show a flying squirrel and he had one in the studio. Unfortunately it flew and they couldn’t find it to show in the programme. It just stayed in my mind after all those years. I must have been about 10 years old at the time.
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They are, apparently, very sweet-natured. But they need to fly. I can’t imagine trapping one in a house all the time. I would have to let it go free at night so it could be part of the wild world. Everyone says they are very charming pets and very friends and unlike regular squirrels, like to cuddle with people. I’m not exactly sure what the Duke would say about it, however. I would be very dubious about the relationship between flying squirrels and an active young dog.
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The only flying squirrel I’ve ever seen is Rocky the Flying Squirrel. You know, Bullwinkle’s friend.
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Just as well. If Bullwinkle could also fly, it could get very complicated!
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That explains a lot about how they are able to get into your feeders.
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They are all over the feeders at night. And boy do they love those black sunflower seeds!
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I just love it, Marilyn… I’m sure you’ll find a way! 🙂 xo
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I may have to settle for a camera that can take their pictures. I’m afraid they really would drive the dogs crazy. Also, how do you housebreak a flying squirrel?
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Cool pictures.
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You need a camera on either a big tripod (a big heavy, sturdy one) that has a motion-activated flash, or a range/game camera — but they only shoot at night in black and white. The range/game cameras aren’t expensive but they don’t give very clear results, All those pictures were taken with much more expensive cameras. Which at the moment, I can’t afford.
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And it would also entail remaining awake in night time. You should let others do it. Your daytime pictures are awesome.
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If I get a camera that works via a motion sensor, it can be attached to a tripod or a bracket. It gets a little complicated. But keep one in the house is probably not practical, at least not with the dogs. it could get kind of crazy.
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You’re right, with dogs in the picture, it won’t survive for long.
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That is what my husband said about cats after I brought home the second one: “No more cats!” We now have three. Mr No More Cats loves nothing better than to sit in his chair and have the cats jump in his lap. Go for it, Marilyn. Oh, and do post photos of the squirrels and The Duke you know….cuddling. 😀
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I’m still not sure how you housebreak a flying squirrel … and won’t they miss flying around the woods at night?
My husband said the same about dogs. I don’t think he can imagine life without them now! He met our first dog — almost 20 years ago and fell in love.
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