Tuesday, December 3, 2019

A Really Hungry Flying Squirrel

We seem to have a flying squirrel with a voracious appetite that has been making nightly visits to our . . . 


. . . peanut butter feeder and . . . 


. . . suet ball.

If you have ever seen a flying squirrel up close, you know they are adorable, velvety soft-looking little creatures with huge eyes.  But this one is starting to border on the destructive side.

As you may note from the above picture of our peanut butter log feeder, he's doing a good job of starting to eat the wood from around the holes that I fill with peanut butter.

What was once a perfectly round suet ball surrounded by a string net bag suffered an awful beating last night.

We've seen flying squirrels on the peanut butter feeder at night and the seed feeding platform outside the window of Papa Pea's office upstairs so we know they are around, and we've always been happy to provide them with their nocturnal goodies.

But this guy has got to learn some manners and maybe knock on a window to let us know he's especially hungry and wants a refill of his snacks.  Like pronto!

 

17 comments:

Leanna said...

Be careful. If they get too voracious they will attack the house and get into the crawl spaces and attic.

Mama Pea said...

Leanna - I know regular squirrels can be that way so we shall stay alert! We've always had a few of the flying variety around and enjoy knowing they're here . . . just never had one be so seemingly rough and ready. Well, maybe he does just have an overactive hunger. No problem. I'll see he has enough peanut butter to satisfy him so he doesn't have to gnaw on the wood!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Oh gosh, we don't have them here, but I have two hungry stray cats that were most likely dumped (and getting into our outside trash can now).

coffeeontheporchwithme said...

I've only ever seen a flying squirrel here once. You might as well just give this little guy his own jar of peanut butter! -Jenn

Mama Pea said...

Kristina - I have a feeling you will soon have two well-fed, new barn cats!

Jenn - Yep. A big jar with a long handled spoon!

tpals said...

Neat! Too bad it only comes at night; that would be fun to watch.

Cockeyed Jo said...

I haven't seen any flying squirrels around here yet, but used to see them back home and the huge fox squirrels. But I seen increased activity in our little, furry pests around here. It means a hard winter is coming. We used to nail dried corn to the trees for them. They've had such a voracious and destructive behaviors over the past two years (stolen ALL the fruit from our trees) we stopped that. I don't mind sharing, but really!

Goatldi said...

Was it Rocky? I haven’t seen a flying squirrel yet. I did begin to get in my truck yesterday to go over the mountain for an appointment to find a mature dead cottontail on the ground in front of it.

I believe Tubby Tabby got it and was overwhelmed with the size of it. Who knew?

Nancy In Boise said...

Wow, maybe a mom with babies coming soon? Never seen one in real life

Mama Pea said...

tpals - We've gotten a good look at some of them (or one very busy one) in the past when they land on the shelf feeder right outside Papa Pea's office window upstairs. There's a big tree taller than the house and they jump from the tree to the feeder. They are really interesting critters.

Cockeyed Jo - We've lost a lot of fruit to birds in the past, but never squirrels. Good thing as the squirrels would be easier to "do away with" than the birds are!

Goatldi - Yes, I'm sure it was Rocky. Bullwinkle also lives around here.

Tubby Tabby was probably too full to dine on that big cottontail. (Aren't cats amazing?)

Nancy - I am ignorant as to the cycles of flying squirrels, but I would think this wouldn't be such a good time to have a nest full of babies. Our ground is still lacking snow so maybe this critter is just taking advantage of time to bulk up before all his other stores are under a couple feet of snow!

wisps of words said...

Glad we don't have them!!!!!!!

Eeeeeeek!!!!!

🎄😊🎄

Mama Pea said...

wisps of words - According to parts of the country where they could possibly live, you could have them. But they are very nocturnal and aren't out and about in daylight hours. They're most likely to be in heavily forested areas like ours. So be thee not afraid. I don't want you to have flying squirrel nightmares! ;o)

The Wykeham Observer said...

I've never seen one down here in this part of the state, but would be fun to have one around, even if a little destructive on the feeders!

Mama Pea said...

Phil - The first time my husband was in his office late one night and a flying squirrel landed with a THA-WUMP! on the shelf feeder right outside his window (not two feet away from where he was sitting), he says he jumped about two feet off his desk chair! Since then he's seen them quite a few times. Don't know exactly how many we have living nearby, but I'm betting there are a few of them.

Sam I Am...... said...

I have never seen a flying squirrel in person. He or she is being very rude....didn't you tell him Santa is watching? Or maybe you should put an Elf on the shelf! LOL!

Granny Sue said...

we once had them coming inside to steal hickory nuts from a basketful I'd collected. We finally figured out who was rolling nuts across the floor in the middle of the night, and found his entry port. Good luck with yours!

Lynne said...

The only one I've seen is a picture my niece took one night of them. They were on her feeder just outside her window. It was something to see their wingspan. Take care!