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Flying Squirrel Cam   "Grooming".
 Photos by John C in Dickerson, MD 2002/2003

Bear-hugging || Stretching || Looking || Grooming || External || Cam setup || Woodpecker attack

1: Cotton ball offering: Using 1st one. On March 7, 2003 the nest was cleaned for the 2nd time. A lot of it had to be removed because it was dirty. To make up for the removed portion, as well as its matted down condition, cedar bark and cotton balls were placed under it. They appear to like the cotton balls.

2: Cotton ball offering: Shredding and weaving. This is a motion shot of a Flyer using its forearms and mouth to shred the cotton. It also weaves the cotton into the existing nest material.

3: Cotton ball offering: A warm, blanket-like cover was made. 7 or more Flyers are under it. Because this cover kept them warm enough...they did not abandon the nest that night even though it was only 24ºF. On previous nights they abandoned it when it was well above 24ºF.

Self-grooming underside of left wing. You can see part of its white underside. (new camera)

Grooming by rolling around the side of another squirrel. The head of the groomer is upside-down and facing left in this photo. When awake, they all repeatedly roll around each other in a Yin and Yan-like fashion as they hug and groom. This was done sideways and also perpendicular to the box floor. At times, especially later in the night, this appeared to be courtship-related.

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Created: 12/24/2002, Updated: 3/8/2003.