This is an accepted version of this page Sandy Cheeks is a fictional character in the American animated comedy television series SpongeBob SquarePants and the Nickelodeon franchise of the same name.

Sandy is portrayed as an intelligent anthropomorphic flying squirrel who wears an astronaut-like diving suit and lives underwater.

In order to live underwater, Sandy resides in a bubble-like dome[3] and wears an atmospheric diving suit when outside her house.

Conversely, as revealed in Tea at the Treedome, other characters must wear "water helmets" with opposite functionality when visiting her house.

[5] Sandy is shown to possess a number of tough, tomboyish character traits and interests; she is skilled at karate, engages in bodybuilding,[6] and is a rodeo champion.

[11][13][14][15] Martin Olson, one of the writers for Rocko's Modern Life, read The Intertidal Zone and encouraged Hillenburg to create a television series with a similar concept.

[10][16][17] Shortly after production on Rocko's Modern Life ended in 1996,[18] Hillenburg began working on SpongeBob SquarePants.

[27] Film critic A. O. Scott of The New York Times said, in his review of The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, that Sandy is one of his favorite characters on the show, along with Squidward Tentacles and Mrs.

[32] The Sandy's Blasting Bronco rollercoaster opened alongside the American Dream Mall's Nickelodeon Universe theme park in 2019.

"[33] Sandy served as sideline reporter for Nickelodeon's alternate telecast of Super Bowl LVIII.