Message:

Subject: Re: Getting a glider.....
Posted by W on July 06, 1998 at 08:22:17:

In Reply to: Getting a glider..... posted by Beth on July 05, 1998 at 19:08:38:

Hi-

Some answers to your questions-

First-it probably is better to have two gliders together, but not necessary if
you are truely dedicated to being its buddy and paying a lot of attention to it, not just leaving it in
its cage alone. I had a single glider for a year and a half, and she was fine by herself, but
I was always snuggling with her, petting her, talking to her, or letting her out of her cage to play.
she had contact with me probably 6-7 hours a day. I did eventually get her a friend and they are
very happy together, but my first glider isn't as cuddly with me as she used to be because now she
has someone else to cuddle with. Alone though, she was happy and I think could have spent her life
that way and not died of lonliness.

Second-people do carry their gliders around wherever they go-I personally don't. I think it is better
to leave them alone at home when they are sleeping during the day. They are nocturnal, so really will not
voluntarily get up during the day too much, they are pretty groggy-mine just lift their heads to give me a
"what do you want, I'm sleeping" look. So as to leaving your pocket, I think during the day would be fine
unless something scared them. At night, I wouldn't take mine anywhere outside of my house-they'd be
gone in a flash. If you bond well with your glider they will look to you as their protection and not leave you.

Third- I keep my gliders in my bedroom. They are both females and do not bark a whole lot, probably once
every two weeks or so. They do make quite a bit of noise running around their cage, but I've gotten used to it and
wake up if they are being particularly quiet- I worry about what they are up to. I wouldn't worry about keeping
them in your room. Mine bark more if they can't see us sleeping.

Fourth-your bedtime-I think that is late enough. You might not get them to play with you every night, but you can interact
with them earlier. I pet mine and talk to them and stuff if they are not running around. Sometimes mine will wake up at 9:30 pm
and sometimes it will be 3am. It just depends on how tired they are I guess. If I let them play for several hours outside of their cage
one night, it exhausts thems for several days and they'll be lazy.

Fifth- yes, your glider will pee on you. Its annoying at times when you know they've been waiting for you to pick them up, but
overall it does not bother me. Some people on this board have talked about paper training their gliders, but who knows if that really works.
When they first wake up is the worst time for peeing, so if you avoid them at that point, you'll be safer. I wouldn't turn down owning a glider
because of this unless you are really repulsed by it. I've kind of just learned to keep a couple tissues around to clean up after them.

Anyway, hope this helps, keep reading information about them, and if you do get a glider you will have to do a lot of experimenting with food,
toys, bedtime, etc. but you'll learn quickly what your glider likes personally. Mine are really great girls, they are so sweet and fun even though
they are a lot of work and responsibility.

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