Is the flying squirrel an endotherm? WHat does that mean?

It is a mammal and all mammals are endothermic (regulate own body temperature=warm blooded). Snakes, fish, reptiles are the cold-blooded ones that are not endotherms.Is the flying squirrel an endotherm? WHat does that mean?
endo (greek from in or going into) therm (greek for heat) is an animal that absorbs heat from outside itself - like a snake or lizard absorbing the sun's warmth. These creatures are dependent on external sources of heat and so are sluggish and slow when none is around. Exo (From greek out or giving out) therm (heat) is a mammal, a furry critter that generates its own heat within it and radiates heat out (it feels warm when you pick it up). These animals (such as us and flying squirrels can always move quickly cause they generate their own heat like a little radiating fire inside them.Is the flying squirrel an endotherm? WHat does that mean?
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Warm-blooded animals maintain thermal homeostasis; which is keeping your body temperature at a constant level. This involves the ability to cool down or produce more body heat. Warm-blooded animals mainly control their body temperature by regulating their metabolic rates (e.g. increasing their metabolic rate as the surrounding temperature begins to decrease).





Both the terms ';warm-blooded'; and ';cold-blooded'; have fallen out of favor with scientists, because of the vagueness of the terms, and due to an increased understanding in this field. Body temperature types do not fall into simple either/or categories. Each term may be replaced with one or more variants (see: Definitions of warm-bloodedness). Body temperature maintenance incorporates a wide range of different techniques that result in a body temperature continuum, with the traditional ideals of warm-blooded and cold-blooded being at opposite ends of the spectrum.








So yes
endo=inside....therm=temperature (or homeotherm=same body temp), so it literally means making heat from inside.....or warm blooded. THese are things which maintain a constant body temp to enable them to maintain active at all temps and times of the day/year (well mostly active)


Cold blooded things or poikeotherms use the external conditions to warm up the body and enable activity..as snakes etc are sluggish in cold conditions, but once warmed up are pretty active.


Basically homoetherms need more energy to keep their body temps at this higher and more constant temp than poikeotherms, but are able to live in areas that poikeotherms cannot eg in New Zealand we don;t have any snakes because its too cold (well thats part of the situation) here for them compared to Australia.