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Date Posted: 08:52:23 10/26/08 Sun
Author: Pete
Author Host/IP: dsl-251-201.dynamic-dsl.frii.net / 216.17.251.201
Subject: Dry Mix. my 2 cents
In reply to: rono39c 's message, "daily flyer diet... what do you think" on 09:16:50 05/06/05 Fri

(can’t open that link? Is it down?

Hello, I am working on a phd in wildlife biology and my wife is in her last year of Vet school. Since 1999 we both did small rodent ecology work (including N & S flyers) and have been owned by a demanding little flyer since 2000.

Many of my concerns have been mentioned already but I have a few others.

It is hard to create a natural diet in captivity for some animals. Sugar gliders especially! due to the need for nectar and insects available only in another continent. As far as northern flyers, never owned one but researchers who study them say they need a lot of lichens and mushrooms in addition to the normal tree squirrel diet. Luckily Southern Flyers are very opportunistic in the wild and there digestive system is pretty tolerant. A diverse diet high in calcium in captivity is likely far superior to a natural diet. Thus the marked improvement of life span in captivity. I still try to make rose hips, natural nuts and natural insects available, just to be safe.

Mine gets these daily:
3-6 types of fresh fruits and veggies
2 protein sources (tempeh, meal worms, tofu, moths, beans)
Yogurt (cream on top/whole milk & organic) with liquid vitamins mixed in.
Water

Treats are normally hard shelled nuts. Doled out to balance trim teeth and trim patagiums (hehe. meaning I don’t let him get chubby)

Every few days he gets fresh tree branches for some vegetation to chew on. Rose hips, lichen, what ever I know to be non toxic. Sometimes he plays with it sometimes he ignores it.

I never use a dried mixed food. It would be like having candy available for children 24 hours a day. I have used dried mixes to supplement diet when I leave on vacation. Just incase the squirrel sitter gets stuck in a snow storm and can’t give him fresh food. This typically leads to him pulling out the nuts, then the seeds, then the corn... You know, eating the crap first.

If I used a dry supplement it would be had to control what he eats. I adjust foods each day to ensure he gets more of the nutrients he neglected to eat in the days before. If he skips the protein for 4 days, I give him mostly protein to mack up for the prior week.

My fear of a “flying squirrel” dried mix would be that new flyer owners might think they can feed the squirrel like a cat where only one food source is needed. I would put a big red label on the front of the product pointing out that this must be a minority of the food source available and that fresh veggies and fruits and grains etc... are also needed. Lets face it these are thinking person pets, it aint easy.

As a squirrel owner I WOULD have use for dry mix supplements that are Fortified in Calcium or a particular vitamin. So, for instance, if he stops eating his yogert, or he shows signs of low calcium I can make that food available for a week. Unfortunately dried vitamin sources are often less useful than liquid or fresh foods. And by the time i need it it will likely be oxidized. I am trying to think of other dietary needs that this could fill, and I cant think of any. So maybe not.
I would use it for squirrel sitters in the winter.

Pete

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