Cute Rodents. That fly.

[checkers65477]

I posted this in Chatzy, but thought I'd put it here, too.

Funny story, and I swear it's true. A year or so ago, a rodent-creature got in through the attic and ended up in my bedroom. Ozzie sat and watched it scurrying around, leaving little trails of poop, and me scurrying around after it. I caught it in a box and said, "WTF IS this thing??" I carried it up the street and let it go. Looked it up online, and it was a FLYING SQUIRREL.  

They are nocturnal, and darling with their big brown eyes.

Two days later, there was another one in my attic. I could hear it running around. I bought one of those safe traps and caught it. Took it to work (a mile and a half) and let it go. Over the course of the next few weeks, I kept catching them and taking them to work. The science teachers loved me. We'd let them go in a wooded area behind the school. I read about them, and found they can live in nests of up to 50!

I also read that they will travel miles to get back to their nest. After I caught nine of them, I began to wonder if I might be catching the same one over and over. When I caught  it the next time, I took a Q-tip and put a dab of green paint on its tail. About a week later I caught another one. Guess what? Yes, it had green paint on it.

I'D CAUGHT THE SAME FRICKIN' ONE 10 TIMES. It must have been exhausted by then. Drove it several miles away and let it go, and haven't seen another one since. I imagine it living, quite happily, in someone else's attic.

At least I didn't know they could do this.

Happy Birthday, my dear friend Kate.  Enjoy the trip to NYC.

 

 

Comments

[peggy-2.livejournal.com]

*is very envious of your flying squirrel population*

For whatever reason (owls, cats, improper habitat) we do not have any flying squirrels in my neighborhood.

I hope you plugged up the squirrel access port in your attic.

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

I had no idea we had flying squirrels until this. They are never out during the day, so you don't see them. Unfortunately, I was never able to figure out how the darn thing got into the attic.

[peggy-2.livejournal.com]

More creatures trained in Stealthy Ubiquity, I guess!

[fabricalchemist.livejournal.com]

And to think Costis's mom is going to pay $200 for one of those things X_x;

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

Seriously?!?! I never thought about selling it. Dang.

It even had a green painted tail. Probably the envy of all the other flying squirrels.

[fabricalchemist.livejournal.com]

Apparently they're quite the chic pet. Especially if you dig the Samurai Champloo; the lead girl has one for a pet.

Which still doesn't change the fact that they're...rodents DXD

[emmaco.livejournal.com]

How cute! I'm glad you figured out that it was the same one eventually, before it started flying around your home :)

It looks a lot like our gliders which are like flying possums. Possums in roof spaces etc are a common problem here but you can call the Possum Man who comes and takes the possum out of the roof and seals up the gaps.

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

Wow. That would be like having a 747 in the house. My little guy was much smaller than that, only about six inches long, not including his tail.

[emmaco.livejournal.com]

I admit I don't think I've seen a glider here, they're not very common, not like the normal possums. So I'm jealous of your very cute flying squirrel :)

On the other hand I've got two family members who have flying foxes swooping around inside their houses.

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

INTENTIONALLY?

[emmaco.livejournal.com]

OK maybe I should re-read things before I post them. I meant have HAD. By accident :) They're cute flying around outside but less so inside!

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

*whew* I feel better. :)

I thought, flying foxes, that sounds cute. They're bats! In the house! Actually, that just reminded me that several years ago, my sister had a bat (a very small one) get into her house and it woke her during the night as it flew around her bedroom. She made short work of it with her tennis racquet. Point, game, and match. :)

[willow-41z.livejournal.com]

O_O

She... hit... a bat... with her tennis racket??

*flees wrath of Checkers and relations*

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

hahaha

She was living by herself and it scared the crap out of her. She didn't know what to do and, well...yeah.

[emmaco.livejournal.com]

I thought of you when I read this book review!

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

Oh, gods, I hope I didn't drive Scaredy Squirrel 10 miles from his home and drop him off and he never saw his family again. :(