Fun Siberian Flying Squirrel Facts For Kids

The Siberian flying squirrel (Pteromys volans) is also known as a gliding squirrel because of its great gliding techniques done by its extended skin flaps. This species is one of the 40 to 50 other species of flying squirrel breeds in the world. They do not exactly fly but they are capable of jumping and gliding flawlessly from trees with great heights. These rodents prefer to live in forests due to the abundance of tree plantations or the mix of coniferous and deciduous trees. They might also be seen living in the tree holes dug out by a woodpecker.  

They are considered shy and are scared off easily. In case they sense any danger they run to a nearby tree or hide by sticking to the trees. Although they do not go into hibernation, during winter, they can sleep for extended hours with a little amount of food.

Read on to know more interesting facts about these squirrels. Check out bighorn sheep and pronghorns for more interesting information about animals.
 

What type of animal is a Siberian flying squirrel?

This species of flying squirrel (Pteromys volans) is a rodent belonging to the Sciuridae family of animals.

What class of animal does a Siberian flying squirrel belong to?

These rodents belong to the Mammalia class of animals.

How many Siberian flying squirrels are there in the world?

Although this species' population is considered to be of Least Concern, their exact population in the world is not known.

Where does a Siberian flying squirrel live?

These flying squirrels have a strong geographic presence in region of Siberia, in Russia. They are also seen in Scandinavia, Japan, and northern parts of China. This species is the only squirrel breed found in South Korea.

What is a Siberian flying squirrel habitat?

The population of these nocturnal rodents prefer forests with a vast expanse of trees and hiding spaces. This Siberian flying squirrel (Pteromys volans) belongs to the northern parts of Asia where there are a lot of tree plantations and forest spaces with conifer and deciduous trees. These species of Pteromys volans are usually seen in the woodpecker holes of a tree, or the pine, birch, and alder trees of the parks and forests.

Who does Siberian flying squirrel live with?

This species of Pteromys Volans love to be social and might be caught sharing their nest or the same tree with other squirrels. A group of these squirrels is called a scurry.

How long does a Siberian flying squirrel live?

This forest-nesting squirrel has an average lifespan of five to six years in their natural habitat. In captivity or as a pet these flying squirrels can live up to 10 years, as long as their food and basic caring are taken proper care of.

How do they reproduce?

The breeding species are known to mate during the early spring ranging between March and April in the north. Then the females build their nests in the natural tree holes or woodpecker holes. These females go through a gestation period of around a month or four weeks. After this, they give birth to a litter of two to six young squirrels in the nest.

This breed is known to have an average of two litters per year. The mothers are known to take all the responsibility. This is done by the females for a span of two months until the young babies develop and leave their nests to live on their own.

What is their conservation status?

The populations of Siberian flying squirrels (Pteromys volans) across the world are marked to be of Least Concern by the International Union for Control of Nature (IUCN). However, the population trend is decreasing.

What do Siberian flying squirrels look like?

This gliding Pteromys volans is known to have a medium-sized body with a flat yet fluffy, and long tail. These mammals are known for their four limbs that are connected with an extended flap of skin. This flap or membrane connects the front and back leg helping the squirrel to glide its way from one tree to another in the forest. These squirrels are fully covered with gray fur with underparts having a lighter shade of fur. These rodents have large and round black-colored eyes. Their body has a black stripe on the back that follows their neck to the forelimbs.

How cute are they?

These gliding squirrels sure do look cute, especially when they try to run up and down the trees to collect food.

How do they communicate?

These nocturnal creatures are tactile in nature and usually communicate with touch or chemicals present near them. They have a sharp smelling ability which helps them to locate food even at night.

How big is a Siberian flying squirrel?

These gliding squirrels are two to three times bigger than the African pygmy squirrel with a size of 5-9 in (12-23 cm). They have a long, fluffy yet flat tail that can range up to 10 cm in length.

How fast can a Siberian flying squirrel run?

Although these squirrels are known for their gliding skills they can also run quite fast. These rodents run at a speed of 15 mph and can glide from a tree at a height of 300ft or 91.4 m.

How much does a Siberian flying squirrel weigh?

These are one of the medium-sized squirrels in the world and have a weight range of 4.5-5.2 oz (130-150 g).

What are their male and female names of the species?

The males are usually called boars and the females are known as sows.

What would you call a baby Siberian flying squirrel?

The young of these squirrels are called pups.

What do they eat?

This squirrel breed is omnivorous in nature. They mainly feed on seeds, berries, leaves, sprouts, and pine needles. They are known to store seeds for winter consumption. Apart from these seeds and their herbivorous diet they are also known to feed on bird eggs as well as a few tiny young birds.

Are they dangerous?

These nocturnal squirrels do not harm humans by biting them or hurting them unless they sense danger. Although, these creatures are sometimes considered pests as they might create a nest in the attics and end up chewing on the wood, wires, as well as floor carpets.

Would they make a good pet?

Usually, these rodents are considered to be high maintenance pets, but if cared for properly they can make a really good and affectionate pet to humans.

Did you know...

As people do love to keep flying squirrels as pets it is important to buy one at the age of six to a maximum of eight years. This way the animal can bond quickly. These flying squirrels can cost between $150 and $200.

Flying squirrels cannot stand the smell of moth balls. Many people use this to get rid of them.

Do flying squirrels eat nuts?

These rodents love eating different kinds of nuts namely almonds, acorns, hickory, as well as peanut butter.

Do flying squirrels carry disease?

These species from Japan, Russia, and Asia do carry typhus disease. They are also responsible for being the carriers of lice, mites, fleas as well as many other parasites from their natural habitats.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other mammals including short beaked echidna facts and common wombat facts.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable siberian flying squirrel coloring pages.