Glaucomys volans
ID
- Belly hair is white to the base, toes are white in winter
- Somewhat grayer than the Northern Flying Squirrel
- Dorsoventrally flattened tail (Whittaker)
Distribution
Reproduction
- Breeding season starts in late February or early March
- Testes of the males are abdominal from August to November, but are scrotal by mid-January
- Female squirrels are estrous for one day, and males will congregate around her and compete for reproductive rights
- Gestation takes 41 days and litters usually consist of two to seven young (Whitaker)
Behavior
- Nocturnal
- Spends a great deal of time foraging for food on the ground, though we tend to consider it a more arboreal species
- Does not hibernate, but will gather in groups and snuggle in a ball for warmth
- pend time exploring their area of residence to know all escape routes and hiding holes to avoid predation (Whitaker)
Food Habits
- Nuts (hickory, acorn) , seeds, berries (juneberries, blackberries, and mulberries), fungi, bark, green buds, insects, spiders, slugs, and some invertebrates (Whitaker)
Size/Life Cycle
- Average measurements: 228 mm (total length), 100 mm (tail), 31 mm (hind foot), 63 g (total weight) (Whitaker)
Predators
- Owls, house cats, climbing snakes (Whitaker)
- Open containers of liquids and barbed wire fences are also hazards for the flying squirrel (Whitaker)
Habitat
- Deciduous and mixed woodland (Whitaker)