11/26/2023
This is the time of year we get a lot of calls about these guys….people aren’t sure what they are. Frequently they are mistaken for baby gray squirrels.
I’m talking about flying squirrels. They are much smaller than gray squirrels and have additional skin between their front and rear limbs that help them to glide long distances. They don’t actually “fly”.
Some people call them sugar gliders but, though they look similar, they are a completely different species. Sugar gliders come from Australia and are marsupials.
Northern and southern flying squirrels are found in North America. They are small, shy and nocturnal, so many people have never seen one out in the wild.
They live in colonies and often seek out the comfort of people’s attics during times of cold weather - like now…
We get calls when people find a single one wondering around their homes. If you see one…there is likely a colony living in your home. They can fit in very small holes that regular sized squirrels can not.
If you let the animal back outside around night time, it should be fine - though likely it will make its way back into your attic, where it came from.
If you drive the animal to a different location to release it in the middle of winter, it will surely die with no refuge and no colony to help keep it warm.
Our suggestion? Just release the little one back outside, at night time. If you realize they have made a home inside your attic, wait till spring. They typically leave in the spring and then you can cover any small openings to the outside. Removing them in the winter would be a death sentence. Wait a few months and these adorable little flying squirrels will likely be on their way.
Prevent them from coming back next winter and you will be all set. ❤️
