How To Make A Flying Squirrel Feeder (Why You Should Feed Flying Squirrel)

It is common to see squirrels moving from one tree to another, searching for food, prey, or just relaxing in the morning or evening. Sometimes we see them fly from one tree to the other like birds.

Squirrels of all kinds do not fly, but there are two species in North America known as the North flying squirrels and the South Flying squirrels who seem to fly.

These squirrels glide because their legs have adaptations that allow them to move in such a way that they can jump from tree to tree as though they fly. These flying squirrels are all around us, and they are a beauty to behold as they “fly” from one tree to the other in the early morning or evening.

If you are looking for a way of attracting these squirrels to your backyard and then keep them coming all the time, then your best bet is to make a feeder for them.

These feeders can be filled with some delicious treats that these rodents love, this will keep them coming, and they may even make a home in your backyard. So, today we will show you how to make these flying squirrel feeders for your backyard.

Why People Feed The Flying Squirrel In Their Backyard

Some people might wonder why someone would want to feed squirrels. The truth is that flying squirrels are cute as they move from tree to tree and feed on whatever they might find.

So, a lot of people find watching these squirrels move about in their backyard as a very relaxing entertainment and so they will keep feeders to keep these squirrels “performing” in their backyard.

Secondly, if you have bird feeders in your backyard, it is an attraction for flying squirrels who come in and feed on the food you leave for your beloved birds.

So, if you want squirrels not to feed on your bird feeders, you can make a feeder for these pesky squirrels and keep them far from the bird feeders; by so doing, your birds get their food you keep the squirrels satisfied.

But remember to keep these flying squirrels feeding far from your homes so that they don’t get too close to your attic or under the deck and make their homes there.

Fun Facts About A Squirrels

Watching squirrels in your backyard scamper can be so entertaining that you can enjoy it as often as possible if you have a feeder laden with goodies.

Here are some facts about a squirrel and their feeders:

There Are Many Species Of Squirrels.

Squirrels are very agile and daring animals who are very persistent in search of food, water, or shelter. There are over 200 species of these animals in the world by mutual only two species, but the Eastern gray squirrel and the squirrel fox are the most common to rummage in backyards and live in trees.

They Are Omnivores

Squirrels eat about anything they find, they are not picky eaters, and hence they can survive on plants like fruits, vegetables, animals, and any other food around. However, they prefer nuts, like hazelnuts, pecans, fibers, and peanuts, especially those still in their shells. There is squirrel feed sold commercially that you can get online and in stores, too, that is good for them.

They Love Feeding On Bird Feeders

Because squirrels can feed on about anything, it is not surprising that they feed on the seeds you keep for your birds in their feeder. This is one major complaint many people have against flying squirrels.

You can avert this problem by hanging the squirrel feeder at least 20 feet from the bird feeder or using squirrel repellents on the bird feeders to keep the squirrels off.

They Are Rodents

Squirrels have two front upper and bottom teeth called incisors that continue to grow throughout their lifetime. These teeth are responsible for their regular grinding, which is why they are called rodents.

These teeth are so long that if they don’t grind them, they can become too long and dangerous.

This trait makes them chew on anything they find, from wood to plastic, electricity cable, and what have you.

Squirrels Don’t Migrate.

Squirrels do not migrate to warmer climes in winter like many different bird species neither do they hibernate. They, however, prepare for the winter by storing food around their nest or territory where they can gain access to it when they need it.

They bury the nuts, seeds, fruits, and other foods that they find for the lean winter months. They start gathering their food by the beginning of fall.

How To Make A Flying Squirrel Feeder

There are lots of squirrel designs available, and all you need to do is pick one from the many available. But the most common design that many people prefer is a small box with a lift-up that keeps the food inside dry.

As you make your flying squirrel feeder, you should also remember that they need water to drink. Even though they get off their water need from dew and locking leaves and vegetables around, you can add a place where they can find water to drink easily from.

You should also remember that flying squirrels have natural enemies like cats, dogs, coyotes, birds of prey, and the likes, so you should not keep the feeder you make in a place that is easily accessible to these animals because not only will they eat the food you keep, they will keep the flying squirrels from going to their feeder.

You should also keep the feeder within feet or so of a tree if you are not putting the feeder on a tree. This feeder must be kept at least 8 feet above the ground.

However, you should not put it so close to the roof of your home because you will be tempting the squirrels to make their nests in your attic, vents, and other such places.

You can make this squirrel feeder yourself with very simple materials that you can find around.

Tools And Materials Needed

Weather-resistant and pressure-treated scrap lumber
Chisel or hand saw / table saw/ radial arm saw
Cordless drill
Galvanized screws
Pencil
Wood glue

Procedure:

1. Get your weather-resistant wood (it must be durable because the feeder will be placed outside and exposed to the elements), either cedar or any pressure-treated wood. You can apply a protective exterior finish to make further your wood last even longer.

Then cut an 11 inches longboard and another that is 4 inches on. The shorter board should be positioned perpendicular to the 11 inches longboard 3 inches from the end. This forms the feeder platform. Then mark the location of the shell with a pencil.

2. You should then attach the platform board with screws using a butt joint. To ensure that the platform is stable, cut a notch on the longer backing board using a radial arm or a chisel or table saw into which the platform can sit tightly.

3. With the notch cut, ensure that the shelf fits perfectly in place. The shelf should then be placed in a vise and apply a little wood glue on the back edge.

The back piece should be positioned on the shelf resting in the notch; the shelf should then be fastened with two galvanized wood screws.

4. As the shelf is secured now, drill a hole for inserting the screw that will be used to hold an ear of corn at the middle of the shelf. A long galvanized screw should be inserted from the underside of the shelf so that it extends up through the shelf.

5. Drill mounting holes in the bank piece now that the screw is now in place. One of the holes should be near the top of the shelf and the other at the bottom, below the shelf.

6. Lastly, twist an ear of dried corn into the exposed screw so that the corn is secured to the feeder, then mount this feeder on a tree or any other convenient upright structure using a nail or screw.

Conclusion

Flying squirrels are incredible animals to have around; not only are they cute and energetic, but the way they “fly” from tree to tree is like watching a trapeze performance.

You can attract these flying squirrels and even get them to the nest in the trees in your backyard by placing feeders from where they can eat them.

There are different designs of these feeders that are available online. You can make one of these feeders designs by following the very simple steps enumerated above.

There are lots of fun facts about squirrels that many people don’t know, including the fact that they are Omnivores and that there are about 200 species of these animals globally.

So, if you want flying squirrels around your backyard, then attract them by placing feeders for them that are filled with the kind of food they love.

Helpful Links:

We trust this article helped you know if Chocolate is Poisonous to Squirrels. You may also want to check out How to Attract Flying Squirrels to Your Backyard.

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