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Subject: Guide to bathing Sugar Gliders for Dummies :)
Posted by Kim on May 11, 1998 at 10:38:36:

In Reply to: Taking a Bath? posted by Jess on May 09, 1998 at 19:52:14:

Hey, I don't mean that to be offensive... I just love those "computers for Dummies" books.

Anyway, I have bathed my glider Foster twice. It's easy, it just takes a little bit of patience. Here's how:

First, you definitely need 2 people. Make it 2 people that your glider feels the most comfortable with. When you talk, talk in a soft calm voice to keep his nerves at ease.

Second, fill your bathroom sink with warm water. Use your discretion, but it should be warmer than luke-warm; your baby will need to stay as warm as possible to avoid a chill.

Third, don't use soap, but you can use shampoo. The first time I bathed Foster I used a tropical rainforest shampoo that was biodegradable, non-toxic, etc. It was a good idea at the time, but it made him incredibly itchy. The second time, believe it or not, I used Pantene Pro-V and it worked like a charm (and he REALLY smelled good.) Pantene has no phosphates and it's non-toxic so it won't harm. Lower your baby into the water on the palm of your hand, and try to keep a finger up under its chin so that its head won't go down into the water. Foster knew enough to keep his head out, so I don't know how much you will have to worry about that with yours. Then just dab one little teeny dot of shampoo on your finger and rub it between your finger and thumb. Rub it on your glider's back (and belly if you must, but it's much harder to rinse.) After he's adequately washed, get a cup and pour the same water over him, just like you would a baby. Now here's the tricky part. When you have him completely rinsed, get him out on a towel and you can very gently "towel-dry" him, but all of the time make sure your mouth is very close to him, breathing warm air on him. My breeder blows them dry, but my hair dryer is either too cool or too hot so I haven't had any experience with that. As long as you keep him warm while he's drying he'll be okay. Keep him against your body until he's all dry. And, of course, like everyone else has said, don't let him get any water in his nose.

I have not had to bath my 4-month-old Foster for over a month, because as he is getting older he is figuring it out and keeping himself cleaner.

Oh, and one more thing. If there is anyone else hanging around the house not doing anything, tell them to get the camera. There is nothing funnier than a wet glider. They look like that poster of the orange tabby cat that says "Bad Hair Day." :)

If you have any questions, email me. Good luck!
Kim

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