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Flying Squirrels

Do you have a small creature running across your bed in the idle of the night as fast as a mouse and with eyes that bug out like an alien? If so, you may have a troublesome flying squirrel in your attic or your walls. Flying squirrels are a common problem in Southwest Florida, including around Cape Coral, Pine Island, Boca Grande, Fort Myers, and the Sanibel Captiva area. Our team is expert at flying squirrel removal and exclusion, and we are here to help.

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Flying Squirrels In Florida

The flying squirrel is sometimes referred to as a scaly-tailed squirrel or small gliding opossum. They are sometimes called a sugar glider, but a sugar glider and a flying squirrel are actually two different types of squirrels. Scientifically, flying squirrels are known as Pteromyini or Petauristini. They are omnivores, which means they eat both plants and animals, and their diet typically includes berries, nuts, and even mice.

flying squirrel enjoying a little time with wildlife whisperer Ned Bruha
The Flying Squirrel does not actually fly, rather they glide. Some experts claim that if a flyer is 80 feet up in the air, it can glide for hundreds of feet. A flying squirrel can adjust their flight pattern via their tail and wrist bone. When preparing to land, they slow their decent with a parachute style curvature.

Flying squirrels have a typical life span of 6 years in the wild and up to 15 years in captivity. Mortality by predators such as owls, snakes and raccoons is common.

The flying squirrel species found in Florida is the southern flying squirrel, like the one being held by the Wildlife Whisperer in the photo below. Flying squirrels are quite populous in the southwestern section of the state, including in Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Sanibel Island, Captiva, Boca Grande, St. James City, Bokeelia, and throughout SW Florida.

Flying squirrels often go unnoticed in the wild due to the nocturnal nature of their activities and their ability to blend in with their surroundings.

Although hard to notice in the wild, and sometimes in your house, flying squirrels can quickly become a hard to solve problem once they decide to invade your home. As a matter of fact, because of their troublesome nature and the extreme frustration they cause homeowners (who end up with flying squirrels in their attic or walls) some states have passed laws not allowing flying squirrels or sugar gliders as pets.

 

The Difference Between Flying Squirrels And Sugar Gliders

Sugar gliders and flying squirrels are two different animals. Flying squirrels are found in North America. Sugar gliders on the other hand are native to Australia, but because homeowners have let them outdoors on purpose and also accidentally, in some parts of the US we have sugar gliders living wild or in attics and walls, just like flying squirrels. So it is entirely possible that you could have sugar glider issues in your home even if you do not live in Australia. In some parts of the U.S., Sugar Gliders have been banned as pets because they have become a nuisance species. The Wildlife Whisperer can help you with all your squirrel problems, including flying squirrels and sugar gliders.

Also, something interesting to know, Sugar gliders are marsupials whereas flying squirrels are not. As a marsupial, the sugar glider carries its babies in a pouch similar to the way a kangaroo or koala bear does.

 

How To Get Rid Of Flying Squirrels

Attention to detail is important when it comes to detecting and removing flying squirrels. They are not easy to detect in your attic or around your house and are often heard before they are seen. Once discovered attention to detail will be a must, they are persistent when it comes to getting back in and if just one small hole is missed they will likely return.

Signs Of Flying Squirrels

Signs indicating the presence of flying squirrels are not easily detected unless you know exactly what you're looking (and listening) for - chew marks on wood siding smaller than chew markings by common squirrels, attic insulation with "peaks", molasses like feces, and solid feces very similar to that of a common wild squirrel. Sounds to listen for include bumps, thumps and dragging noises coming from your attic at night.

The Best Way To Remove Flying Squirrels

Trapping your flying squirrels to fix the problem, is not the answer, killing and trapping sugar gliders and flying squirrels is a very difficult task for many trappers, and their methods can be harmful to the flying squirrel and the results will usually be temporary and ineffective.

Exclusion is the best way to get rid of flying squirrels in the house and attic. Exclusion is the process of making it so that once they leave, they cannot come back. We seal up entry points and then utilize special one way doors that allow the squirrels to exit without being able to get back in the same way they came out. We know what to look for, understand how and where flying squirrels get in, and will address every potential entry point accordingly down to the last detail - and do it right the first time.

ned bruha holding flying squirrel removed during the exclusion process

For exclusion to work you will want to work with a knowledgeable wildlife professional or company that has the required experience and who understands the importance of attention to detail. Because southern flying squirrels and northern flying squirrels are very persistent, every single hole on your structure must be addressed, even ones as small as ½" x ½". If you only take care of their current entry points, the flying squirrels will just look for another. They will search the entire house from your foundation to your roof peak until they regain entry. In short, exclusion done right is going to be the only way to keep the problem from repeating itself.

They Wildlife Whisperer Flying Squirrel Removal Services

We know that when we receive calls about flying squirrels, it is going to be a fun project for us. Not only can we humanely solve your current flying squirrel problem but we can also help exclude them from your home and prevent future problems and further re-infestation.

We know that when we receive calls about flying squirrels, it is going to be a fun project for us. Not only can we humanely solve your current flying squirrel problem but we can also help exclude them from your home and prevent future problems and further re-infestation.

Ned Bruha holding a cute flying squirrel recently removed from an attic

Sugar Glider and flying squirrel projects vary greatly in price from home to home and business to business because all structures and situations are unique. If your building has a cedar roof and we cannot coerce you to change to a composition roof instead, we will most likely decline to assist you - because your cedar roof will not allow for longevity in preventing future squirrel issues. A cedar roof is difficult to proof for bats as well. Trimming trees around your house will not exclude flying squirrels from your structure, but the combined overall effort of making your building unappealing to wildlife will help keep you critter free.

Flying Squirrel Houses

We have found it helpful to give wildlife that we evict from structures a new place to live. We have gathered data from wildlife rehabilitators all over the United States to acquire the "ideal dimensions" for the perfect flying squirrel house. These are available and we strongly encourage this tool in our flying squirrel toolbox.

 
Cape Coral, Fort Myers & Pine Island
Sanibel Island, Captiva, Boca Grande and
surrounding areas in Southwest Florida
Mobile Response #: 239-900-6411
1242 SW Pine Island Rd., Suite 310
Cape Coral, Florida 33991-2126
help@totalwildlifecontrol.com
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