In Reply to: Itsy Bitsy Bitter posted by TammyH on May 04, 1999 at 23:18:24:

Tammy,
I'm happy to hear another rescue story. I hate to think of all the gliders out there in pet stores being just as miserable as Bliss was. I have noticed the happy response to the rubbing under the chin with my gliders as well, it is kind of like you can put a frog to sleep by rubbing its belly (high school science, long time ago). Well, good luck with all of them.

Cheri and Gizmo ~Q>

: Well my husband is certain that I should be banned from entering pet stores know to sell gliders.

: We went with a friend to pick up her prairie dog two Sundays ago and I saw the tell"tale" pouch in a lone cage. There were a number of kids standing around it snapping and clapping to get the caged animal to make that "weird noise"

: -- Man do I hate it when folks gotta tease animals for grins --

: Well any way I busted up their fun and proceeded to remove the pouch and distraut animal from the cage for a little comforting -- she would have none of it -- took several strikes at my hands and a few chuncks of flesh.

: The store manager came over to ask if I wouldnt prefer to buy one their more docile animals -- I advised him that I already had four gliders and wanted another one like a hole in my head -- The manager told me he didnt know what they were going to do with this "specially talented" critter, as she'd been meaner than sin since the breeder brought her in.

: I just told the guy straight up "she just needs special TLC" -- he said nope, she's just crazy -- apparently, he'd given a "half-hearted" try in taming her. But got tired of being bit, so he gave up. Now she's learned that biting is really good way to get rid of humans. But not this human.

: Reluctantly, and against my husband's glaring looks, I convinced the guy to sell her to me for what he paid the breeder. I KNEW I could tame her.

: Well we've come a long way in the last week -- from not being able to even put your hand in the pouch to being able to pick her up and out of the pouch while she's asleep and she STAYS that way (albate briefly) -- We have bribed her SHAMELESSLY with fruity-pebbles and as to her name well that is hilarious

: Sunday she was Itsy Bitsy Bitter (bitsy for short), Tuesday she was Beeker, Wednesday she was Binky-- Now she is Bliss -- Why? you ask -- the Thursday night after we got her, and after getting past her crabbing fit, the mouth and the teeth, I started to stroke her cheeks, then her chin and she FAINTED dead away (eyes closed, ears down) -- her head tipped so far back on her neck, I thought for sure it would snap. Then she sprawled on her back in the pouch and let me rub her chest and belly (arms stretched as far over her head as she could manage, holding on to the inside of the pouch) -- She was in a total state of BLISS -- and I thought I was gonna die from laughter -- I mean she'd been such a snot just a few days ago.

: Granted, every time we do the Bliss thing and she finally realized that she'd let her guard down, she'd commence to crabbin' again --

: I've been wanting to post this since last Thursday, but my systems not been workin' right -- Thanx for lettin' me rammmmble on and on and on and on

: TammyH

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