Message:

Subject: Re: Mysterious death in pair of gliders....please read.....replies to other posts
Posted by David on July 19, 1998 at 11:01:52:

In Reply to: Re: Mysterious death in pair of gliders....please read posted by Pat Todd on July 19, 1998 at 10:29:20:

<also. You seem to be doing everything right. The only thing I can think of is that maybe your gliders
hadn't learned to drink from the water bottle and they dehydrated?? It took mine a little while to learn... I
had to fill the bottle with fruit punch for a day so that they would smell it and learn how to use it... did you
notice whether they ever used it or not? Again, my condolences. >>

I "taught" them to drink from the water bottle the first night. I pressed the little ball at the end of the water bottle tube so it would have drops coming down and then put my wet fingertip in front of the gliders who licked it up and followed my hand to the bottle. I observed them both drinking from it later that night.

<over 4 yrs and the only questionble thing I see in your post
is the 'ammo litter'. I've not heard of it and am not saying
that was your problem, but I would not use anything like that
for my gliders. We use cedar shaving UNDER our glider cages,
no bedding in cages and have had no problems at all.
As to the heat, our gliders have been fine in a shaded,
insulated room with lots of windows until very recently. With
the current heat problems we're having here in TX we went ahead
and air conditioned their room. So, I don't think your temp.
of high 80s would be a factor.
Have you considered having a necropsy done?
Pat Todd>>

Pat,

I questioned the Ammo litter myself many times. They are like lttle white rock that are supposed to be non toxic and absorb ammonia from the urine to prevent odors. I don't think that it could have been responsible for the deaths because It was not inside the cage long enough to have absorbed enough ammonia to kil the glider, especially since I would have a hrd time believing that a glider would be chewing on such a rock when when they refused some of the FRUITS I gave them. It is not a dust and doesnt contain any dust that I noticed so I doubt it would be breathed in. I do find it interesting that you mention temps could not be a factor in death. I recently read a letter from the breeder who I got the gliders from. He said that gliders could not tolerate temps over 80 degrees for prolonged perionds of time, prolonged being several hours. He told me that in his opinion it was the temps that killed them. Could that be possible?

<not to be near any drafts. i'm sure this is not the reason for your lost, but I thought that maye you should
know for next time. And I'm real sorry for your lost. I know how you feel, we almost lost are Noe the
1st week we had her. It was winter and she almost froze to death. We live in Fl and winters here don't
get that cold and no one ever suggested that she would need some type of heating lamp. We caught her
in the nick of time and warmed her up.>>

I read that drafts or sudden changes in temps could be bad for your glider. But seeing as how it's hot right now, I dont think it would be a problem. Thanks to everybody that wrote in and I am glad to hear from other people with gliders.

-David

Follow Ups:

• Re: Mysterious death in pair of gliders....please read.....replies to other posts Pat Todd 11:01:10 7/20/98 (2)
  • Re: Mysterious death in pair of gliders./ Pat you are a sweet person! Diana 14:46:21 7/21/98 (0)
  • Re: Mysterious death in pair of gliders....please read.....replies to other posts Bourbon 21:17:14 7/20/98 (0)