What to Feed a Pet Flying Squirrel
Your flying squirrel will require a varied diet. Butternut squash, chunks of sweet potato, large gray-striped sunflower seeds, and plain nuts are all ideal. You can feed them any green tree, as long as it has leaves, but you should provide them with more variety than you would for a domesticated cat or dog. While these creatures prefer tree bark and nuts, they aren’t completely reliant on them.
Exotic Nutrition’s Squirrel Complete
Exotic Nutrition’s Squirrelas are all-natural foods made with premium ingredients. This brand is made specifically for flying squirrels and ground squirrels, and contains dried insects as a natural source of protein. These foods are made in small batches to ensure that they’re nutrient-dense and free of harmful ingredients. It is safe to use on pets and is recommended for all types of squirrels, including ground and flying squirrels.
If your pet squirrel is susceptible to illness, it’s important to know the signs. Although flying squirrels are generally healthy animals, they can show signs of illness or injury. These include listlessness, watery eyes, labored breathing, unnatural feces, or hunching over. If you notice these symptoms, take it to the vet as soon as possible.
Avoid artificial sweeteners
You should avoid giving your pet flying squirrel human processed foods, such as Nutra-sweet, aspartame, and starch. Even if you have a small collection of these, keep in mind that they aren’t suited for the species. Additionally, you should avoid giving them any seed mixes, which contain high fat content. Unless you have extensive experience with feeding flying squirrels, you should give them a balanced diet that contains many types of food.
Always make sure to keep a warm water bottle for your squirrel. Otherwise, it will quickly cool off. If the squirrel is cold, you can use a heating pad or tissue dipped in warm water to stimulate the genital area. A good rule of thumb when feeding your pet flying squirrel is to feed him every three to four hours. Alternatively, you can add a teaspoonful of warm water or a couple of TBS-free powdered sugar to his water bowl.
Avoid puppy milk replacers
If you’ve rescued a baby flying squirrel, you may be tempted to feed him a bottle of human infant formula, but it’s actually better to avoid puppy milk replacers when feeding a squirrel. This is because newborn squirrels can’t digest solid food and need a special diet. Thankfully, puppy milk replacers are available for your critter, and you can find them in many pet stores. Alternatively, you can also buy puppy milk replacers for squirrels.
While you’re feeding your baby flying squirrel, it’s best to feed it scaled milk, which breaks down the proteins. Commercial puppy formulas, like Esbilac, can be a problem for flying squirrels, as they are highly toxic. In addition, baby squirrels may need stimulation to go to the bathroom, so you should wet a clean paper towel and apply it to the flying squirrel’s genitals. This will stimulate the genitals and make them go pee.
Avoid feeding female flying squirrels dirt
When caring for your pet, remember that you should always provide them with a well-balanced diet and never feed them dirt. Although flying squirrels are fond of dirt, they also like nuts, pecans and hard-boiled eggs. You should also keep an open water bowl and rabbit salt handy for them. Because flying squirrels do not receive enough sunlight, they are likely to become dehydrated. For this reason, you can always add liquid vitamin and calcium supplements to their water, or provide them with rodent blocks. Moreover, fresh ear corn and mealworms are also suitable for them.
While flying squirrels are primarily herbivores, they also eat birds eggs, mice, and shrews. If you do not want to disturb them, try not to feed them too much. Female flying squirrels are often very dependent on human beings, so do not feed them much dirt. You can also try providing them with grubs or insects, but you should avoid feeding them dirt.
What is the best food to feed a pet flying squirrel?
A diet for a pet flying squirrel should consist of about 25% proteins 25% fats and 50% carbohydrates.
A good food to feed them is one that is specially made for flying squirrels and has all of these nutrients.
How often should a pet flying squirrel be fed?
A pet flying squirrel should be fed once or twice a day depending on how much food they eat.
What type of food should be avoided when feeding a pet flying squirrel?
Foods that are high in sugar or fat should be avoided when feeding a pet flying squirrel.
What is the best way to feed a pet flying squirrel?
The best way to feed a pet flying squirrel is to put the food in a bowl and place it in their cage.
How much food should a pet flying squirrel eat each day?
A pet flying squirrel should eat about 1-2 tablespoons of food each day.
What are the consequences of overfeeding a pet flying squirrel?
Overfeeding a pet flying squirrel can lead to obesity and health problems.
What are the consequences of underfeeding a pet flying squirrel?
Underfeeding a pet flying squirrel can lead to malnutrition and health problems.
What happens if a pet flying squirrel does not have enough to eat?
If a pet flying squirrel does not have enough to eat they can become malnourished and have health problems.
What happens if a pet flying squirrel eats too much?
If a pet flying squirrel eats too much they can become obese and have health problems.
What is the best way to store pet flying squirrel food?
The best way to store pet flying squirrel food is in a cool dry place.
How long does pet flying squirrel food last?
Pet flying squirrel food typically lasts about 6 months.
What are the signs of a pet flying squirrel that is not getting enough to eat?
The signs of a pet flying squirrel that is not getting enough to eat are weight loss lethargy and poor fur condition.
What are the signs of a pet flying squirrel that is eating too much?
The signs of a pet flying squirrel that is eating too much are obesity lethargy and poor fur condition.
What are the signs of a pet flying squirrel that is not getting the right type of food?
The signs of a pet flying squirrel that is not getting the right type of food are weight loss lethargy and poor fur condition.
What are the signs of a pet flying squirrel that is getting the right type of food?
The signs of a pet flying squirrel that is getting the right type of food are a healthy weight normal energy levels and good fur condition.
Jessica Watson is a PHD holder from the University of Washington. She studied behavior and interaction between squirrels and has presented her research in several wildlife conferences including TWS Annual Conference in Winnipeg.
