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What do flying squirrels eat?

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Flying squirrels are rodents belonging to the tribe Pteromyini, and their diets are quite diverse depending on the specific species.1

Their food sources include:

  • Plant matter: Seeds, fruits, nuts, leaves, flower buds, fungi, lichens, pollen, ferns, and tree sap.1
  • Animal matter: Insects, spiders, other invertebrates, small birds, eggs, snakes, and smaller mammals.1

While most species spend the majority of their time in trees, North American flying squirrels (Glaucomys) are known to descend to the ground to forage and bury nuts.1