Japanese Flying Squirrel (Southern Flying Squirrel), also known as the Japanese Flying Mouse, Ezo Flying Squirrel, Sky Mouse, and Squirrel, is native to Japan and mainly distributed in Hokkaido, Shikoku, and Kyushu.
Chinese scientific name: Japanese Flying Squirrel
Chinese aliases: Japanese Flying Mouse, Ezo Flying Squirrel, Sky Mouse, Squirrel
English name: Southern Flying Squirrel
Binomial nomenclature: Pteromys momonga
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Sciuridae
Species: Japanese Flying Squirrel
Distribution: Asia
The fur color of the Japanese Flying Squirrel is relatively dark in winter, appearing pale yellow, and in summer, it is brown-gray or purplish-black. The Japanese Flying Squirrel prefers nocturnal activities and is mainly found in the dense forests of high mountains in the wild. They are omnivorous animals and can be provided with fruits or artificial bait. The ideal living environment for the Japanese Flying Squirrel is a well-ventilated one, especially in summer, measures should be taken to cool them down.
It is recommended to keep the Japanese Flying Squirrel as a pet for small animal lovers. The Japanese Flying Squirrel is an omnivorous animal mainly feeding on plants, with fruits and squirrel's artificial feed as its main diet, occasionally supplemented with some animal-based food. A nest box designed for small birds should be prepared in the cage for the squirrel to use when sleeping during the day. After being tamed, it can be released outside the cage to glide indoors.
Pneumonia
When under excessive stress, excessive humidity, and poor air circulation, squirrels are prone to pneumonia. Symptoms include coughing, loss of appetite, and listlessness, followed by death. Human colds can also be transmitted to squirrels, so special attention should be paid. Antibiotics can be taken for treatment.
Rickets
Like humans, flying squirrels can also suffer from rickets. In addition to regularly supplementing with calcium and active vitamin D, sunbathing is also essential. The effect of using artificial sun lamps is good, but improper UV wavelength can cause serious burns, so it is best to consult a hospital before use.
Fracture
When flying squirrels play indoors, they may experience fractures due to improper jumping. Simple fractures can heal without surgery as long as you follow the hospital's instructions. Flying squirrels are not tolerant of anesthesia, so it is best to avoid surgery.
Injuries caused by fighting
Flying squirrels have a habit of attacking the weaker members of the group. If squirrels are found fighting, they should be separated using cages. Injured areas should be treated with antibiotics to prevent wound infection. For larger wounds, surgical suturing should be performed. Due to the possibility of cannibalism, weak squirrels should be isolated as soon as possible.
The Japanese Flying Squirrel belongs to omnivorous animals and likes to eat plants. As a pet, you can consider feeding it some fruits and squirrel feed. Occasionally, it should also be fed with some animal food. Let's learn about the related knowledge of raising Japanese Flying Squirrels below.
Feeds can be pine nuts, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, pears, apples, etc. According to the season and different regions, provide a variety of feeds for them to choose from as much as possible. Feeds can be placed in several different places to prevent them from fighting over it. Dry feed can be added every 2-3 days, and fruits should be provided daily, it is better to finish eating on the same day. The water basin should always have clean water.
The key points of breeding techniques for Japanese Flying Squirrels: when introducing animals, select healthy ones for breeding, the ratio of males to females can be 3-4:1. Separate the weak ones, especially weak males, they may be attacked by other males. During the breeding season, some animal food can be given, such as cooked eggs, bread, etc., to see if they like it. In addition, put some clean dead leaves, crushed hemp, and twigs in the pen for them to make nests or build nests. Infant squirrels born for half a year should be separated and raised alone to prevent overcrowding.
The body of the Japanese Flying Squirrel is also covered with thick and dense fur. Although the Japanese Flying Squirrel often cleans its fur by itself, due to various factors, it is not always perfect. Therefore, the caretaker also needs to regularly groom and clean the fur of the Japanese Flying Squirrel. Because the Japanese Flying Squirrel has a small body size, the method of grooming and cleaning the fur of the Japanese Flying Squirrel is also very simple for the caretaker, as long as the caretaker can spare some time to complete the grooming work for the small pet of the Japanese Flying Squirrel.
Strictly speaking, as long as the caretaker has time, they can groom the fur of the Japanese Flying Squirrel every day. However, if the owner is too busy, they can groom it once every 1-2 weeks. But during the spring and autumn seasons when the Japanese Flying Squirrel changes its fur, it still needs frequent grooming. The tools for grooming the fur of the Japanese Flying Squirrel are also very simple, including a toothbrush, a towel, and a small comb with a suitable size.
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