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Flying Squirrels Are Us!

It may look like we’re flying, but actually it’s called gliding. Climb to the top of the tallest tree and jump off into space. Sometimes we can glide more than 300 feet.

We hold our hands and feet straight out. Our skin and fir is stretched between them. This allows us to ride on a cushion of air and steer with our flat tail which acts like a rudder on an airplane.

Kinda like magic.

 

We showed up at this lunch counter in December of 2004, however, it took us awhile to gain confidence in this person who kept trying to take pictures of us.
 
We weren’t sure what that flashing light was all about.

After awhile we just forgot about the flasning light and went right on chomping on small black sunflower seeds.

PS: before we forget . . .  
there’s more good info below. .

 

See info. below —

 just tap the page down key
two or three times—

 

The BIG day. . . February, 2005. It snowed 5+ inches that afternoon before the seed barron arrived home. We watched him go into the house, get a can of soda from the reefer and then proceed to open the window, reach out to the the feeder, put a couple handfuls of seeds into the bottom of the feeder. Then more seeds into the house on top.

Before the barron had the window closed we were gliding from the 60 foot tall pines on the back of the lot (Aldo Leaphold Center trees) to a large Maple tree where the feeder is located.

This person sure knows how to feed us hungry flyers.
After a couple flashes of light the barron must have had enough pictures to look at.

We looked thru the window and saw our pictures on a little tv like screen.
We weren’t sure what was going to happen to them.

“the barron took OUR pictures . . .
WE ate free seeds.”

Even trade as far as WE were concerned.

 

 

       One picture is worth 10,000 words!

 

 

 

 

 

This seed feeder barron took a picture of us in January, 2005 – No flash this time.

Looked like the barron had a couple light bulbs clamped on the window.

This was before that flashing light thing, and took us Flyers’ a couple nights to get use too.

Our eyes are very large. This allows us to better see things in the night.

That’s why you don’t see us out and about during the day.

We’re called nocturnal. — Zoology. Most active at night: nocturnal animals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Us flyers agreed to give a testimonial about this Condo of ours.

The seed baron created this strange looking 4 compartment box that hung on a tree. Must have done it in the Fall of 2004, cause it didn’t have any funny smells on it.

We checked it out in December. Found it was better than trying to find holes in birch trees or looking for a cedar sided house and chew a hole into the attic.

Nothing bothered us. Not even hawks or owls. Best of all, we
had 2 exit holes for emergencies.

Believe it or not! . . . this Condo has both top and bottom entry/exits.
First time we ever saw that feature.

Three of us Flyers moved in and a week later 2 more relatives joined us.

‘Lots of room for all. When it’s cold weather we flyers den together. More body heat in one place =’s keeping warm.

 

 

 

The inside living area is 10” wide x 13” high - 3 3/4” deep. It’s got these neat shelves. 3 of them plus the main floor.

A ladder on the inside wall which allows us to crawl up or down to whatever level shelf we want to sleep on.

There’s an outside landing board located on the bottom of our building. It’s about 3” high. Just enough room to land on and crawl up into the bottom entry hole.

The Condo is constructed with pine boards for frame and roof. Front, back and shelves are waterproofed Luan board.

Outside dimensions are 20” high, 13” wide roof x 4” deep including overhang on the front.
Ship weight is 5.5 lbs.

Now here’s what we “Flyers” think is the the best feature of this Condo. The seed baron, can take a screwdriver,[plus driver] + (philip) to remove the front of the Condo in early April for some spring house cleaning..

Take a bucket of water mixed with mild detergent and brush the compartments a bit. We tend to haul a lot of leaves, grass, nuts and other stuff to eat and aren’t all that great at housekeeping chores. Let the inside dry for a day or so before replacing the front.

It should be hung between 12 to 15 feet above the ground via the pre-drilled, already attached hanger on top back of Flying Squirrel Condo. Conifer tree (pine trees) would do. Even a power pole or building will do.

This seed barron used a maple tree. Set the bottom on a limb and attached the top to the trunk with a long screw.

If the box swings in the wind take two lengths of “bungie” cord. Hook them together around tree trunk. Trees have a habit of growing larger with age.

If you do your part, we’ll keep you entertained year round.

We could be friends a long time!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
          • By: Jodi Rowell
  • The first things you need to know:
    Have you ever wondered how a flying squirrel flies, it doesn't have wings, it's not a bird, so how can it fly? Well, the truth is, it doesn't fly, it glides, sort of like an eagle except it never has to flap any wings. There are blanket-like membranes of skin between its wrists and hindlegs that give it the ability to glide far distances. The flying squirrels have dense, and soft fur. It's brown on their backs and white underneath. They have long, flattened tails that are used to guide their glides. They have large eyes, or "bug eyes", I like to call them. Flying squirrels are nocturnal rodents, which means they feed at night on fruits, nuts, buds, and insects. They nest in hollow trees, deserted buildings, and birdhouses. These gregarious mammals seldom descend to the ground.


    • Different species:
    There are many different species of flying squirrels, like the eastern Flying Squirrels and the Giant Flying Squirrels of Asia, who can glide as far as almost 1,500 feet (450 km)! The scaly-tailed species of Africa are not considered true flying squirrels. (They have membranes that connect to their elbows instead of their wrists, but look like true flying squirrels besides their short, tuft tails.)


    Scientific Classification:
    Flying squirrels make up the subfamily, Patauristinae of the family Sciuridae. Eastern Flying Squirrels are classified as Glaucomys Volcans. The Scaly-Tailed Flying Squirrels of Africa are in the family, Anomaluridae.


    One Last thing:
    Now that you know about flying squirrels, what they look like, how they fly, the different species, and the scientific classification, work on keeping them alive. They may not be endangered yet, but at the rate we're going, they're sure to be endangered someday. These animals, like all animals, have the right to live, especially since they were here first.


    Bibliography: Encarta96 Encyclopedia