Re: 800 and counting... -- SOUTHERN FLYING SQUIRREL ONLY

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Date Posted: 09:35:24 11/11/01 Sun
Author: Beverly
Subject: Re: 800 and counting...
In reply to: Mark 's message, "Re: 800 and counting..." on 21:52:58 11/10/01 Sat

Oh, yes. I should have realized that, myself, as it's one of the reasons I'm taking care of the horses here by myself! When Jack died, there were 14 ( 4 still at the track that I had to bring home.) I am down to just 4 now, but it took me nearly 5 years to get the others well placed. Lots of times, some kid (17 - usually a girl) would stop in, and ask for a job, or even offer to help just for the experience, but even when that kid is a friend's child - or maybe, more so - the risks and both personal and emotional liability are tremendous. I guess the numbers werre just so staggering to me!!! 800! The efforts you are taking might be underwritten, if you can find someone interested in the subject. Have you checked with a local university? That would possibly also relieve the liability factor, as they have their own insurance for off site studies, I believe. I have a wee cottage on the farm, and rented it to a vert. paleontologist from SUNY Stony Brook. She was forever flying to Madagascar on "digs", and when I asked her about the health risks, etc., she said the underwriting foundation provided the coverage. The GV is little known, and several of its subspecies are endangered. Also, the GV and GS are both considered "cornerstone" members of their habitat. That is, if they go, so do many others, even the trees that depend on the squirrels for their health! It's a possibility. But ya know, sometimes your the best judge of what you can and can't do with or without help, and I'm sure you thought all that out before you began this effort. But I sure hope you have help, one way or another. Have you children that are interested in the wee critters?
P.S. the Peta (people eating tasty animals) can be an animal lover's worst nightmare. And an animals worst nightmare, for that matter! Silly B*******!

>Bev, the liability alone is one of my main fears of
>having people around. Then you also never know when a
>visitor might have a disease on their shoes or
>clothing. Then you have to take in consideration the
>animal rights movement. I had some one slip in and
>open one of my porcupine scages two years ago
>relelasing over 20 porcupines. I want to do some night
>time photography and do some serious data collecting
>with my flyers. Like which feeds produce the best
>litters averages, diet effects on mating, foods eaten
>most. There are thousands of questions to be answered
>once you figure out what to ask....I would like to get
>some actual footage of them breeding, maybe a couple
>live births, Like I said there are so many directions
>I want to go. My pens are going to be colony pens with
>real trees & natural looking nest boxes.So the
>possibilities are endless as to what I can learn.
>Mark
>
>
>>Thanks for the info, Mark! I did know that many
>>members of the rat species and mouse species are
>>verrrry prolific breeders, and am not at all surprised
>>to hear that the female rat or mouse is often pregnant
>>long before her current litter is weaned. Of other
>>rodents, well, there are what, some 1600+ species,
>>from over 30 families, so it would be pretty hard to
>>keep track of the reproductive abilities of all! Of
>>the four subspecies of Glaucomys volan, I've only
>>experience with GV volans (Molly Kule) and GV texensis
>>(Mike Robe, Mini Mum, and their offspring). My time
>>with Molly did not include breeding, but her late
>>arrival gave me a glimpse into her subspecies. I did
>>read the doctoral thesis by Jaclyn Madden-Giancarlino
>>on the local population of Glaucomys Volan volans, but
>>her research was directed more to population
>>disbursement and habitat saturation limits than to
>>reproductive capabilities. Still, it was an
>>interesting read, and if you're so inclined, Mark, you
>>can obtain a copy on a lend basis via your public
>>library system. If interested, let me know, and I
>>will get you the complete location info - it's Queens
>>College, City University of NY, but it's very helpful
>>to have the catalog #'s, etc. Foolishly, I did not
>>write it down, but I know my local librarian will have
>>no trouble retrieving the info for me. (She loves it
>>when I have one of the wee ones with me, in my shirt,
>>during a daytime visit to the local branch of my
>>library!) However, if you pass, I will hardly be
>>surprised! 800 new residents! My goodness, Mark! I
>>surely hope you have some help! It would be a
>>wonderful experience for any enthusiastic youngster to
>>assist you in both the building of the enclosures for
>>your newcomers, and in helping you to handle the sheer
>>numbers, once they arrive! Indeed, with 800, a whole
>>class of students would be kept quite busy! You know,
>>there are probably Boy and Girl Scout Troops in your
>>area that might have badge programmes that your
>>breeding endeavours might find synergetic! Even if
>>you would be leery of having help, once the youngsters
>>arrive, you might find one of the Scouts programmes
>>include husbandry, and the enclosure building would be
>>a suitable project. The 4H is another possibility.
>>Well, speaking of chores, it's now 5:30 on the
>>official clock, and already dark, on my bioclock, so
>>I've got to get out and do up the stalls, feed the
>>horses, cats, ferrets and rabbit, then get back in to
>>play with my family! I'll look forward to hearing
>>about your efforts, both with your construction and
>>your breeding programme! Thanks again for the info,
>>and C U Later!
>>
>>Bev, got your e-mail but I am on the way out the door
>>>but wanted to throw a little known fact to you. MANY
>>>rodent species breed back shortly after the first
>>>litter is born. It is a way of keeping the population
>>>up. This is triggered by several factors , abundance
>>>of food, population & lighting. So if you are feeding
>>>heavy and not many in the area they will produce a
>>>second litter. Also the female must be in perfect
>>>health too. If the first litter did not draw her down
>>>she is receptive to the male whie nursing. this is if
>>>she is out of the next on a feeding run. Now if she
>is
>>>having to defend the next from a male needing protein
>>>then no she will not breed. So as you can see the
>>>males health is a big issue too. Well I have to run
>to
>>>build more cages to get ready for all my new breeders
>>>(I am setting up over 800 breeders this year). I will
>>>try to answer your e-mail this evening.
>>>Mark
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>Thanks, Mark. I'm going to "e" you a further line
>on
>>>>this question. I had it all typed in here, but my
>>AOL
>>>>is SOL, today! (So what else is new, as some folks
>>>>say...) When I hit send, it gave me "system not
>>>>responding" - Dang! Anyway, the gist of the
>question
>>>>is, is a 12 week delivery to delivery span the
>norm?
>>>>Do GV's experience a "whelping" heat? Many
>creatures
>>>>do; but many others enjoy a sort of "natural" birth
>>>>control, when the female is lactating. Would it have
>>>>been more common for my GV to have weaned her pups
>>>>before becoming pregnant with her second litter?
>>>>(Boy, I hope this works, this time!) (P.S., Yeah,
>>>>Texas! Yeah, Bush!)
>>>>>Beverly, the Texas sub species of GV usually has
>two
>>>>>litters a year. The only sub species that routinely
>>>>>has two litters a year. The GV along the east coast
>>>>>including Florida usually on average has only one
>>>>>litter and a smaller litter than the Texas Sub
>>>>>species. they are all the same species but things
>>are
>>>>>always bigger & better in Texas..LOL
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>Greetings, and Best Wishes for much luck with your
>>>>new
>>>>>>forum, Mark. It's my understanding that you are a
>>>>>>commercial breeder of domestic GV's, and wonder if
>>>>>>you've found the reproductive cycle to be as close
>>>as
>>>>>>I experienced. My female, a fall '98 herself,
>>>>>>produced her first litter this February,(1 m & 1
>>f),
>>>>>>and her second litter just 12 weeks later (2 m & 1
>>>>f).
>>>>>>She has been with a same-age male since her
>arrival
>>>>>>here. All 5 youngsters were well cared for, and
>>>>>>developed nicely. The first litter, I kept. The
>>>>>>second, I kept the female, and found an excellent
>>>>home
>>>>>>for the males, with the local BOCES Outdoor
>>Learning
>>>>>>Lab, separating them from their family at 7
>weeks.
>>>I
>>>>>>was especially glad to see them go together, and
>>>thus
>>>>>>far, they are doing very well, and helping
>>introduce
>>>>>>youngsters to these wonderful creatures. I was
>>>>>>concerned about the quickness of the female's
>>second
>>>>>>litter arrival. I was expecting a longer fallow
>>>>>>period. I am on L.I., so I realise my breeding
>>>>months
>>>>>>may be a bit different than yours (You are in
>>Texas,
>>>>>>yes?), but I would expect you would experience a
>>>>>>similar fallow. I researched, by way of a
>doctoral
>>>>>>thesis obtained through City College, NYU, Queens,
>>>>the
>>>>>>habits of the GV's here on L.I., but of course,
>the
>>>>>>breeding in the wild bears little resemblance to
>>>>>>captive breeding. Predation, habitat competition,
>>>and
>>>>>>nutrition factors place considerable stresses on
>>the
>>>>>>wild population that the domestic population do
>not
>>>>>>suffer. Will you share your knowledge of this
>issue
>>>>>>with us? TYVM!

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Replies:

Re: 800 and counting... -- Mark, 10:29:39 11/11/01 Sun
- Re: 800 and counting... -- Bev, 10:54:15 11/11/01 Sun
  - Re: 800 and counting... -- Irene, 15:55:52 11/14/01 Wed