How Much Does It Cost to Buy a Squirrel? And Can You?

Flying squirrels are the only ones commonly sold, and legality varies by state. What the permits involve, the real lifetime cost, and why most people should not.

By Salma November 2, 2026 4 min read Save to Pinterest

A flying squirrel clinging to a branch, large dark eye to camera — Photo: DominikRh, Pixabay Content License, via Pixabay

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The species usually on offer is the captive-bred southern flying squirrel, in the low hundreds of dollars. Whether you may legally own one depends on your state, and the purchase price is the smallest number in the whole exercise.

The short answer

Captive-bred southern flying squirrels are the species commonly sold, typically in the low hundreds of dollars from licensed breeders. Legality varies sharply: some US states permit ownership, some require a permit, and some ban it outright, while native squirrels are protected across the UK and EU. The purchase is a small fraction of the real cost — caging, a species-appropriate diet, permits and hard-to-find exotic veterinary care run for the decade or so the animal lives. Keeping a found wild kit is illegal in most places and usually kills it.

Flying squirrels are the species legally sold, captive-bred
Low hundreds of dollars to buy; far more to keep
Legality varies by state — permit, ban, or allowed
Native squirrels are protected in the US, UK and EU
A found wild kit goes to a rehabilitator, not home

Legality first, because it decides everything

where	position
Many US states	captive-bred flying squirrels permitted, sometimes with a permit
Some US states	prohibited outright
All US states	native wild squirrels protected; taking one from the wild is illegal
UK	grey squirrels are a regulated invasive species — keeping or releasing is an offence; red squirrels are protected
EU	grey squirrel listed as an invasive alien species of Union concern

Call your state fish and wildlife agency, or the national equivalent, before contacting a breeder. The rules change, they differ between neighbouring states, and a seller’s assurance is not a legal position.

What the purchase costs

Captive-bred southern flying squirrels from licensed breeders generally sell in the low hundreds of dollars, varying with:

Region, and how many licensed breeders operate there
Age — younger, hand-raised animals usually cost more
Whether the breeder socialises them
Permit and paperwork handling

Treat any figure you read, this one included, as an indication. Prices move, and a current quote from a licensed breeder is the only real number.

A low price is a warning sign

A cheap squirrel is usually a wild-caught one. Wild-caught animals are illegal in most places, carry parasites and disease, do not tame, and fund a trade that takes kits from nests. A licensed breeder will have paperwork and will ask you questions in return.

What it costs to keep, which is the real figure


Caging	a tall flight cage — vertical space matters far more than floor area
Diet	species-appropriate mix, protein source, calcium supplement; not a seed bowl
Nest boxes and bedding	they are cavity nesters and need somewhere to hide
Enrichment	branches, ropes, wheels sized for them
Veterinary care	exotic specialist; expensive, and often not available locally
Permits	where required, with renewals
Time	ten years or so, and flying squirrels are nocturnal

Find an exotic vet who will see a flying squirrel before you buy one. In many areas there is not one within a reasonable drive, and that single fact has ended more of these plans than price ever has.

Why most people should not

They are not domesticated. Captive-bred is not tame; it is wild with less fear
They are nocturnal. The animal is active when you are asleep
They bond intensely with one person and can become territorial and aggressive at sexual maturity
The bite is serious. Rodent incisors are long and sharp
Ten years is a long commitment for an animal that needs specialist care throughout
Rehoming is hard, because the same legal restrictions apply to whoever takes it

The found-baby question

This is the version most people actually arrive at, and the answer is firm.

Do not keep it. In most jurisdictions raising a wild squirrel requires a rehabilitation licence. Beyond the law:

Cow’s milk and human formula cause fatal diarrhoea. Kits die within days
A cold kit cannot digest food and must be warmed before anything else
Hand-raised squirrels are often unreleasable, and frequently become aggressive at maturity

What to do instead: keep pets away, place the kit in an open box at the base of the tree with gentle warmth underneath, watch from a distance for two to three hours — mothers routinely retrieve — and if nobody comes, call a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.

That call is free, it is legal, and it is the route by which the animal has a chance.

Common questions

Can you legally buy a squirrel as a pet?

It depends entirely on where you live, and the answer is no in a great many places. Native wildlife is protected in most US states and across the UK and EU, so keeping a grey or red squirrel taken from the wild is generally illegal. Captive-bred southern flying squirrels are the species most often sold legally, and even then a permit is required in some states and ownership is banned outright in others. Check your state or national wildlife agency before anything else.

How much do flying squirrels cost?

Captive-bred southern flying squirrels are typically sold in the low hundreds of dollars from licensed breeders, with the price varying by region, age and whether the animal is hand-raised. That figure is also the smallest part of the lifetime cost — caging, a proper diet, permits and exotic veterinary care add up to far more over the ten years or so one may live.

What does a pet squirrel actually cost to keep?

Far more than the purchase. A tall flight cage, a species-appropriate diet including protein and a calcium source, nest boxes, enrichment and bedding are ongoing, and exotic veterinary care is both expensive and hard to find — most small-animal vets will not see a flying squirrel. Budget for a decade of specialist care, not a one-off purchase.

Can I keep a baby squirrel I found?

No, in almost every jurisdiction, and it usually kills the animal. Raising a wild squirrel requires a rehabilitation licence in most places, the wrong milk causes fatal diarrhoea within days, and a hand-raised squirrel that reaches adulthood is frequently unreleasable and becomes aggressive at sexual maturity. A found kit goes to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, who can also tell you whether the mother is likely to retrieve it.

Are squirrels good pets?

For almost everyone, no. They are long-lived, nocturnal in the case of flying squirrels, need a great deal of vertical space, bond intensely with one person and can become territorial and bite hard at maturity. They are not domesticated animals, and even captive-bred ones retain full wild behaviour. The people who keep them successfully tend to be experienced exotic keepers with time, space and a vet already lined up.

Why are grey squirrels not sold as pets?

Because they are native wildlife in North America and protected as such, and because in Britain and much of Europe the grey squirrel is a regulated invasive species that it is illegal to keep or release. Legal captive trade concentrates on flying squirrels because a captive-bred population exists and some jurisdictions permit it — not because greys would make better or worse pets.

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A grey squirrel perched upright on a weathered fence post against green foliage

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