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Subject: Re: Mysterious death in pair of gliders....please read
Posted by Sherry on July 19, 1998 at 23:10:28:

In Reply to: Mysterious death in pair of gliders....please read posted by Dave on July 19, 1998 at 00:02:51:

: I have recently lost a pair of young gliders that I had purchased. The female was the first to die. No apparent signs of anything being wrong. The night before her death she was active and eating well. the next morning I found her spread out on her stomach on the floor of the cage. She dies within an hour and took her last breaths in the palm of my hand. I don't have to tell you how upsetting it was especially since I just started to bond closely to her. She was 2 months out of pouch. About two days later her future mate (3 months out of pouch) died just as mysteriously. He ate alot the night before and was active during the day and ate a half peanut from my hand. I found him dead on the floor of the cage at about 11:30 pm that night. the parameters I kept them under are as follows:

: -24"24"36" - 1"by1/2" wire cage (wires covered with plastic of some sort)
: -Corn cob bedding sprinkled with "Ammo litter" ammonia absorber (tiny pebbles of zeolite rock that absorb urine odor, non toxic and able to be digested by animal).
: -Water bottle with tap water.
: -Dish with mix of science diet low magnesium "light" cat food and various seeds.
: -another dish with fresh fruits (replaced everyday).
: -Several branches (the type sold for birds) and a driftwood log.
: -Plastic vine plant hung in the upper right corner of cage to give shade when the gilders are sleeping.
: -Finch-type nest box made of bamboo wood strips. I only put this back in the cage yesterday. I took it out after the first day because I read that the nest box should be absent from the cage for the first 2 weeks so that it is easier to take the gliders out during the day for keeping in the shirt pocket.
: - The food is periodically sprinkled with Rep-Cal powder. It is unexpired.

: It has been really hot and humid for the past few days. Temps in the room the gliders are kept were in the upper 80's. The cage is near an open window (no direct sunlight) so there is a constant exchange for fresh air. I don't know if those temps qualify for death from heat stroke? Maybe the whole mystery has been the high temps all along?
: I had the gliders for a total of 2 weeks. I have ruled out internal or external parasites since I would have seen a slow deterioration of the animals which appeared and acted very healthy at all times. If you have any suggestions or comments please feel free to email me or post on the forum. I am planning on getting another pair of gliders but dont want them to die again.

: -David

I lost one of my male breeders several months under similar
circumstances. A necropsy showed severe cirosis of the
liver. Since he was a rescue from a pet store I didn't
know his background. However the U of M vet said that
the Cirosis caused complete respitory failure and thats
what he died of. He never acted sick either, it was very
fast.

I only use live branches in my cages and newspaper under
the bottom of the cage. The tap water if floridated
probably isn't good for em but they wouldn't have both died
at the same time.

Please, if you haven't disposed of the bodies, have em
do a necropsy done. Than at least you'll know. The U
charged us about $45.

I'm sorry for your loss.

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