# Okay, so this thing in my cupboard wasn't a mouse...or was it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 13, 2010, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-so-this-thing-in-my-cupboard-wasnt-a-mouse-or-was-it/556955 "2010-10-13T03:35:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-so-this-thing-in-my-cupboard-wasnt-a-mouse-or-was-it/556955/21 "2010-10-13T06:09:17Z")
I was going to guess flying squirrel before I even saw the pic, the pic just confirmed it. We just had one brought to us this weekend so I had flying squirrel on the brain. They are just the cutest damn things. Thanks for not crushing it to death. ---
**Author:** ![bleibtreu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bleibtreu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bleibtreu)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-so-this-thing-in-my-cupboard-wasnt-a-mouse-or-was-it/556955/22 "2010-10-13T06:25:16Z")
Well, it does look pretty cute… until you read through that Wikipedia entry to the part about epidemic typhus and Rickettsia prowazekii. But from the pics, the Southern Flying Squirrel does appear to be the right call. ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-so-this-thing-in-my-cupboard-wasnt-a-mouse-or-was-it/556955/23 "2010-10-13T11:16:10Z")
It’s definitely a Southern Flying Squirrel, try a google image search and you’ll see your little friends. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-so-this-thing-in-my-cupboard-wasnt-a-mouse-or-was-it/556955/24 "2010-10-13T12:21:22Z")
I once met a squirrel rehabilitator who said that while tree squirrels can take or leave humans, in her experience flying squirrels were fairly human-friendly. She found them much more personable and easy to handle, and said that if it wasn’t illegal to keep them (they’re wild animals) they’d make great pets. That pretty much seems to match your experience picking them up with your hands. Thanks for letting them go! It seems like a dirty trick to kill an animal that trusting. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-so-this-thing-in-my-cupboard-wasnt-a-mouse-or-was-it/556955/25 "2010-10-13T12:28:56Z")
Too late to edit: I see the Wikipedia article includes the following ominous words regarding the possible return of your little evicted houseguests: > [@](#): > > Southern Flying Squirrels show substantial homing abilities, and can return to their nests if artificially removed to distances of up to a kilometre. ---
**Author:** ![heavyarms553](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/779978/32.png) [@heavyarms553](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heavyarms553)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-so-this-thing-in-my-cupboard-wasnt-a-mouse-or-was-it/556955/26 "2010-10-13T12:35:45Z")
I think the Dor in dormouse is short for adorable. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-so-this-thing-in-my-cupboard-wasnt-a-mouse-or-was-it/556955/27 "2010-10-13T13:13:10Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > Too late to edit: I see the Wikipedia article includes the following ominous words regarding the possible return of your little evicted houseguests: > > > [@](#): > > > > Southern Flying Squirrels show substantial homing abilities, and can return to their nests if artificially removed to distances of up to a kilometre. Honestly, if they do I’ll just put some mesh over the top of the vent. I still think they were there accidentally somehow. Never seen evidence of anything outside the occasional roach or spider in the house. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-so-this-thing-in-my-cupboard-wasnt-a-mouse-or-was-it/556955/28 "2010-10-13T14:36:51Z")
How’s come I have giant nasty flying cockroaches and you have adorable squeaky flying squirrels? There is no justice in the universe. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-so-this-thing-in-my-cupboard-wasnt-a-mouse-or-was-it/556955/29 "2010-10-13T16:33:49Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > I once met a squirrel rehabilitator who said that while tree squirrels can take or leave humans, in her experience flying squirrels were fairly human-friendly. She found them much more personable and easy to handle, and said that if it wasn’t illegal to keep them (they’re wild animals) they’d make great pets. > > That pretty much seems to match your experience picking them up with your hands. > > Thanks for letting them go! It seems like a dirty trick to kill an animal that trusting. I noticed this with the one we had this weekend. It had it’s eyes open and when held would poke around in your fingers looking for food, not afraid at all. But the gray squirrels of an equivalent age make grunting and screeching noises and get very scared when you try to handle them. We don’t see them very often though, so even though they may not be afraid of people I think they manage to stay away from people for the most part. Or they just build better nests and take better care of their babies than the gray squirrels. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-so-this-thing-in-my-cupboard-wasnt-a-mouse-or-was-it/556955/30 "2010-10-13T16:43:07Z")
I had a flying squirrel as a pet when I was just a kid. It would ride around in my shirt pocket and never offered to bite. Very playful and very loving little animal. Much better than the red squirrel I had later. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-so-this-thing-in-my-cupboard-wasnt-a-mouse-or-was-it/556955/31 "2010-10-13T17:25:25Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > How’s come I have giant nasty flying cockroaches and you have adorable squeaky flying squirrels? There is no justice in the universe. I was thinking the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-so-this-thing-in-my-cupboard-wasnt-a-mouse-or-was-it/556955/32 "2010-10-13T17:39:30Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > You realize this prolly means there’s a moose hiding somewhere in your house too? More worrisome, I think, will be the two spies with Russian accents dropping bombs down your chimney. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-so-this-thing-in-my-cupboard-wasnt-a-mouse-or-was-it/556955/33 "2010-10-13T17:50:39Z")
Oh how cute! We live in a wooded area, and if I keep the bird feeders full, I get flying squirrels all the time in my yard. I first noticed them when I was working late one night, and I heard a big THUMP on the bird feeder that sticks to my office window. I looked closer, and there it was - a flying squirrel just like yours, sitting on my birdfeeder having a snack. It let me get right up close to the window and stare at it. Once I knew they were there, I kept an eye out. Now we see 'em out our living room windows flying from tree to tree at night (we have big flood lights that illuminate the back yard). Very fun critters to share a yard with! ---
**Author:** ![ducati](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cc9497/32.png) [@ducati](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ducati)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-so-this-thing-in-my-cupboard-wasnt-a-mouse-or-was-it/556955/34 "2010-10-13T20:46:14Z")
We have flyin’ squirrels here in ATL. We have corn feeders for the regular squirrels attached to some trees by the deck. The FS only come out at night, and my kids will just stand still next to the trees - about 12" away - and the FS will come and nibble the corn, stare at the kids, nibble, stare, nibble, stare… We haven’t quite tamed them yet, but we’re working on it. ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-so-this-thing-in-my-cupboard-wasnt-a-mouse-or-was-it/556955/35 "2010-10-13T22:07:04Z")
Just a gentle reminder: No matter how small / cute / adorable a wild animal is, it’s still a wild animal. It will bite you if it feels threatened. As mentioned above, many wild animals carry disease that can be transmitted to humans. I agree with all of you who think the flying squirrel is cute. I think so too, but does he think you’re cute? Hell no! You’re 100 tiime his size and he’s scared to death of you. And he can bite through gloves. I admire your courage **Merijeek** , and your comapssion is something I aspire to but please, everyone, be careful when dealing with wild animals, no matter how cute they are. PS: _“I’m practically a Buddhist”_ is the best line I’ve encountered here in years! You should make it your sig. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-so-this-thing-in-my-cupboard-wasnt-a-mouse-or-was-it/556955/36 "2010-10-13T22:34:33Z")
I wonder if any British Dopers reading this rue that England has been overrun by American grey squirrels instead of American Southern flying squirrels? ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-so-this-thing-in-my-cupboard-wasnt-a-mouse-or-was-it/556955/37 "2010-10-14T03:18:00Z")
> [@Peanuthead](#): > > Just a gentle reminder: No matter how small / cute / adorable a wild animal is, it’s still a wild animal. It will bite you if it feels threatened. As mentioned above, many wild animals carry disease that can be transmitted to humans. I agree with all of you who think the flying squirrel is cute. I think so too, but does he think you’re cute? Hell no! You’re 100 tiime his size and he’s scared to death of you. And he can bite through gloves. I admire your courage **Merijeek** , and your comapssion is something I aspire to but please, everyone, be careful when dealing with wild animals, no matter how cute they are. > > PS: _“I’m practically a Buddhist”_ is the best line I’ve encountered here in years! You should make it your sig. If it makes you feel better, I did put on some fairly thick gloves. I’m an animal lover, but I’m also rabies-averse. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![kim\_jung\_il](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/54ee81/32.png) [@kim\_jung\_il](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kim_jung_il)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-so-this-thing-in-my-cupboard-wasnt-a-mouse-or-was-it/556955/38 "2010-10-14T05:59:51Z")
> [@The\_Scrivener](#): > > I wonder if any British Dopers reading this rue that England has been overrun by American grey squirrels instead of American Southern flying squirrels? We truly miss our own little homegrown “ginger” squirrels. ---
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-so-this-thing-in-my-cupboard-wasnt-a-mouse-or-was-it/556955/39 "2010-10-14T17:06:32Z")
Holy cow, how could you kick something that cute out of your house? My cats aren’t that cute and I put up with all kinds of crap from them. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-so-this-thing-in-my-cupboard-wasnt-a-mouse-or-was-it/556955/40 "2010-10-14T17:16:15Z")
You let it go? It’s just gonna come back in. I hope you’ve taken steps to disassemble the cabinet and plug up the hole. Now is the time where rodents make holes to find warm places for the winter. While it’s cute now, how cute it is gonna be when it starts leaving droppings all over, and chewing holes in your food packages, and inviting it’s brothers and sisters over. It is cute, but I’ve had mice in my flat, it was cute the first time, then it became a war. Don’t wait, do something about that hole now before you regret it It starts with one, then they tell others and they will chew that hole into a big hole. Don’t think it’s just one. Takes steps now before it gets out of hand Find the hole and put steel wool in it. Then use that expanding cauk or putty to seal up around the cord. Also scout around all over to see if they’ve made other holes 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-so-this-thing-in-my-cupboard-wasnt-a-mouse-or-was-it/556955.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-so-this-thing-in-my-cupboard-wasnt-a-mouse-or-was-it/556955.md?page=3)