Flying squirrels do not make good pets. Keeping them quickly becomes problematic. They are wild animals with nocturnal and active tendencies. They also have sharp teeth that can cause injury to people.
One look at their big, cartoon-cute black eyes and it’s easy to see why people love the idea of a flying squirrel pet. But is it a good idea?
In this article, we consider whether flying squirrels make good pets and if there are downsides to caring for a pet flying squirrel.
What Makes Flying Squirrels Unique as Pets?
People are drawn to flying squirrels for their cute looks and incredible ability to glide for long distances.
Flying squirrels are small animals with round heads and adorably large black eyes. But they are more than cute. Flying squirrels have an amazing gliding ability.
They have a furry membrane (extra skin) that extends from their wrists to their ankles. When they jump and stretch out their limbs, the membrane extends and acts as an airfoil allowing the squirrels to glide effortlessly from tree to tree.
Flying squirrels are also nocturnal, unlike tree squirrels, ground squirrels, and chipmunks.
Do Flying Squirrels Make Good Pets?
Wildlife conservationists say that flying squirrels do not make good pets. They are wild, energetic, nocturnal, have sharp teeth, and can bite.
Flying squirrels are an increasingly popular exotic pet, to the point of being obtained illegally. However, they do not make good pets.
Reasons flying squirrels are not good pets:
- Flying squirrels are wild animals. They are not domesticated pets.
- Flying squirrels have sharp teeth and can bite people or other pets.
- Flying squirrels are nocturnal and can keep owners up at night.
- Flying squirrels have high energy levels and need space to glide.
- Flying squirrels defecate wherever they are.
- It’s hard to find a pet sitter for a squirrel.
- Flying squirrels need specialized veterinary care.
- It can be hard to relocate with a pet squirrel.
- Keeping a flying squirrel is a long-term commitment.
The History of Flying Squirrels As Pets
Flying squirrels were popular pets in the 18th century. Today, keeping flying squirrels as pets is not allowed in many U.S states and countries. But the demand for this exotic pet is rising.
In the 18th century, squirrels (including flying squirrels) were the pet of choice for children in wealthy families. It was believed that taming a squirrel improves a child’s self-discipline.
This trend is beautifully captured in portrait paintings of the day. Paintings of wealthy children sometimes included their pet squirrels, like John Singleton Copley’s ‘A Boy with a Flying Squirrel”.[1]
There were some famous flying squirrel pet owners too, like U.S President Theodore Roosevelt (in office from 1901-1909). He had several pets, including flying squirrels.
It was reported that his children would keep the squirrels in their shirt pockets and that the family allowed the squirrels to join them at the dinner table.[2]
Despite today’s stricter regulations for exotic pets like squirrels, there is an increasing demand for flying squirrels. It’s also big business with the exotic pet trade being a multi-billion dollar global enterprise.
Related: Can You Have a Squirrel as a Pet? (Are They Domesticated?)
Can You Keep a Flying Squirrel as a Pet?
Depending on where you live, it can be illegal to keep a pet squirrel. If you live in the U.S, 22 states allow you to keep a pet squirrel, and 28 do not allow it.
Before considering getting a pet squirrel, check with your local vet if you can legally own one in your area and what the requirements are. You may need a license to comply with specific regulations.
You can keep pet squirrels without a license and with few restrictions in the following states:[3]
- Arkansas
- Florida
- Iowa
- Minnesota
- Nevada
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- West Virginia
The following states allow pet squirrels with a license:
- Arizona
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Michigan
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- North Dakota
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
The following states do not allow pet squirrels under any circumstances:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Kansas
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- New York
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Rhode Island
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
Regulations change, so it’s worth checking with your local vet or authorities before investing in an exotic pet.
What Types of Flying Squirrels Are Allowed as Pets?
It is illegal to keep all kinds of flying squirrels as pets in some places. Check with local authorities or an exotic vet near you.
Keeping a flying squirrel species that is in decline is generally considered unethical as it can inadvertently support the exotic pet trade of endangered animals:
- Northern flying squirrels are in decline and protected in some areas of the U.S.
- Siberian flying squirrels are in decline in Europe.
It’s not a good idea to keep imported squirrels. If they escape, they can harm local biodiversity.
8 Flying Squirrel Pet Problems
Pet flying squirrels come with a few problems: they are illegal as pets in some places, they are wild animals so there is a risk that they bite, they can transmit zoonotic diseases and, they can disturb your sleep (since they are nocturnal).
Here are eight downsides to owning a pet flying squirrel:
- Flying squirrel pets can be illegal and unethical.
- Flying squirrel pets can make travel or moving house difficult.
- Flying squirrel pets are nocturnal.
- Flying squirrel pets are wild.
- Flying squirrel pets can cause illness.
- Flying squirrel pets can cause injuries.
- Flying squirrel pets have special dietary needs.
- Keeping flying squirrel is a long-term commitment.
1. Flying Squirrel Pets Can Be Illegal and Unethical
Depending on where you live and where you purchase the squirrel from, it might illegal or unethical.
Owning pet flying squirrels is not legal in all U.S. states. Other countries around the world also ban this practice.
Even in areas where it is legal to keep squirrels as pets, it’s possible that they were illegally obtained (trapped from the wild) and kept in appalling conditions by traders.
This raises ethical questions about squirrel pet ownership.
In 2019, an anonymous complaint about the trapping of southern flying squirrels led to the discovery of a massive flying squirrel traffic ring in Florida. Investigators found flying squirrels were being trapped in the wild, kept in small cages, and shipped with falsified paperwork.[4]
2. Flying Squirrel Pets Can Make Travel or Moving Difficult
Finding a petsitter or moving is a challenge when you have an exotic pet like a flying squirrel.
You will need to check if they are allowed in other regions, and what documentation you will need when taking your pet squirrel on holiday or when moving.
3. Flying Squirrel Pets Are Nocturnal
Unless you’re a night owl, flying squirrels’ nocturnal nature can keep you and your family up at night.
They have high energy levels and need a good deal of space to jump, glide and play.
4. Flying Squirrels Are Wild
Conservationists will tell you that flying squirrels should be left to the wild.
Even if bred in captivity, they maintain their wild instincts. They have not been domesticated for hundreds of years like pet dogs and cats have.
This means they may bite when nervous.
5. Flying Squirrel Pets Can Cause Illness
Flying squirrels can transmit Sylvatic epidemic typhus, a rare bacterial disease.[5]
Symptoms of Sylvatic epidemic typhus in humans include
● Fever.
● Body aches.
● Vomiting.
● Flu-like symptoms.
6. Flying Squirrel Pets Can Cause Injuries
Flying squirrels have sharp teeth and strong jaws to help crack open hickory nuts and acorns. Should they bite, they can inflict a nasty injury.
Whether bred in captivity or not, flying squirrels are wild and undomesticated. There is always a risk that they will bite.
7. Flying Squirrels Pets Have Special Dietary Needs
Feeding a flying squirrel pet takes a lot of time and money.
To keep a pet squirrel healthy, it needs a carefully balanced diet of protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, and foods high in calcium.
It is also recommended to forage food found in their natural habitat to feed them.[5]
8. Keeping Flying Squirrel Is a Long-Term Commitment
With the right diet and care, most squirrels live longer in captivity than they do in the wild.
Southern flying squirrels live for 3 or 5 years in the wild but live an average of 10 years with a maximum of 19 years in captivity.[6]
Squirrels in captivity lack predators and have reduced exposure to parasites and diseases. Their extended lifespan means that keeping a flying squirrel pet is a long-term commitment.
Can You Buy Flying Squirrels?
Yes, you can buy flying squirrels. It’s not hard to find an exotic pet trader with a quick Internet search.
When reading about flying squirrel pets from traders, be wary of the promises that these are easy pets.
In an interview published in Psychology Today, animal biologist Clifford Warwick warns that the exotic pet industry often makes unsupported or false claims when promoting pets. [7]
As a result, many new exotic pet owners are misled into thinking that their new pets are easy to keep, only to find the opposite is true.
Here’s why they’re difficult to keep:
- Exotic pets can rack up hefty bills with specialized vets.
- Without the correct care they can die.
- The demands of caring for the exotic pet can become too much.
- Many exotic pets are dumped at a rehabilitation center or into the local habitat.
What Happens When Pet Flying Squirrels Are Released Into The Wild?
When caring for a pet squirrel becomes too much for owners, many are tempted to release their pets into the wild. It can be a death sentence for animals uncustomed to fending for themselves, but if they start breeding, they can cause an unnatural decline of native species.
The problem with releasing exotic pets into a non-native habitat is that they can upset the delicate balance in the ecosystem and outcompete native squirrels for food.
This happened in Italy. An American ambassador brought four eastern gray squirrels as a gift in 1948. But the squirrels escaped.
Today, Italy has a squirrel problem. The growing non-native gray squirrel population is spreading squirrel pox to the native red squirrels. Squirrelpox is fatal to red squirrels while gray squirrels are immune to it.
As the resilient gray squirrel population grows and spreads, the native red squirrel population declines.[8]
In the U.S, where southern flying squirrels are moving into northern flying squirrels’ territory, northern flying squirrels are in decline. This is because the southern flying squirrels share an intestinal parasite (Strongyloides robustus) with their northern cousins. Southern flying squirrels can live with the parasite, but it kills northern flying squirrels.[9]
Related: Flying Squirrels in Pennsylvania: Why Are They Endangered?
Conclusion
Flying squirrels are generally not good as pets. While they look cute, they are wild animals. They are difficult to keep and expensive to feed.
Depending on where you live, it might be illegal to keep flying squirrels as pets. Buying a flying squirrel can also inadvertently support an unethical exotic pet trade.
If you love squirrels, rather than try to make them pets, enjoy watching them in nature or encourage them into your garden by planting nut-baring trees to create an ideal squirrel habitat.
FAQs
Do Flying Squirrels Bite?
Yes, flying squirrels can bite. They have sharp teeth and powerful jaws to crack open acorns and hickory nuts. A bite from a flying squirrel can inflict an injury. Since they are not domesticated animals, even flying squirrels bred in captivity can bite when feeling nervous or threatened.
