 | Posted by: | Jennae, myjenny@mpinet.net | | Subject: | Bourbon | | When: | 10:48 PM, 05 Nov 2000 | | IP: | 216.53.213.204 |
I'm a new glider mom, and I have just figured out that my glider was given to me too early to be seperated from his mother. He's 4 weeks old. Granted, the bonding seems to be going great, he's only crabbed at me once in the last 24 hours, and he's starting to chatter to me as he walks around inside my shirt. I was told by the breeder that this is what I am to feed him... 1 scoop of Isomilz with iron, 3 drops of Poly vi Sol, 1 tsp of honey, mix with 2 oz of warm water. She said to give it to him in a milk cap (in which she trained them to drink out of) 3 times a day. However, one, he only eats at night apparantly, and two, he's not taking 3 caps, only 1 (and not even the whole thing). I've also been trying to give him a little bit of baby food (is this too early to do). And what about water, I know they can not have distilled water, do I leave water in his cage, or is the "formula" enough? Also, time periods, at what time do I start him on solid foods (vegies, fruits, leadbeater, etc)? Anything you can tell me to raise this lil guy would be much appreciated. I'm addicted to him already. I've been to a lot of sites, and I've only read how to take care of them when they're 3 months and older. Oh, and thanks for the info about the sock, the breeder told me to let him sleep with one of my socks to help the bonding process. Please let me know, email me, tell me here, whatever. To all that are reading this, please feel free to advise me too, all the info I can get would be most helpful in raising my baby!
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| Posted by: | Sheila, kwillson@aol.com | | Subject: | none | | When: | 11:59 PM, 05 Nov 2000 | | IP: | 152.163.204.211 |
Ok, I don't know who the breeder was, but the baby should not be taken away from its mom, so you are going to have some work cut out for you. I know that probably the Poly visol is some type of /vitamin, but is the Isomilz with iron, a baby food milk, cause if it is, I wouldn't give it to my glider. This is what I advise people to do; Right now I have given this advice to someone who has a six week old glider and it is working well. If you have a PetsMart, go and get Puppy Replacer Milk. It will cost you about $16 and get a feeding syringe there also. At this point you should be feeding your glider every three to four hours. Make up some Bourbon's Modified Leadbeaters (<a href=http://www.angelfire.com/nb/sugarglider/leadbeat.html)and>http://www.angelfire.com/nb/sugarglider/leadbeat.html)and</a> mix some (1/8 teaspoon) to 1/2 teaspoon (prepared) puppy replacer milk. If you do not live in town with a PetsMart, try Walmart. They probably won't have Puppy Replacer Milk, unless they are a super store, but they probably will have the kitten replacer which is the second choice. Feed this to your glider every three to four hours for at least two weeks, then every 4 hours until they are 7-8 weeks. At 7 1/2 weeks you should introduce some licky foods. Your glider should not eat out of a cap. If you cannot find the syring, go to a pharmacists and ask him for one without a needle or use a Eye Dropper or a bulb syringe medicine dispenser. A straw will work if you can't find others. The Syringe can be found here if you can't find it locally first. - <a href=http://www.toandfrogliders.com/FileHierarchy/InfoPouch/RejectedJoeys/RejectedJoeys.htm>http://www.toandfrogliders.com/FileHierarchy/InfoPouch/RejectedJoeys/RejectedJoeys.htm</a>
I don't want to scare you, but if you don't start feeding your glider he will die. When he is older he will eat at night only, but not until he is about 8 weeks old. Email me if you have any more questions or Bourbon. She will be happy to help you.
| Posted by: | Sheila, kwillson@aol.com | | Subject: | none | | When: | 12:01 AM, 06 Nov 2000 | | IP: | 152.163.204.211 |
oops Bourbon's Modified Leadbeaters
<a href=http://www.angelfire.com/nb/sugarglider/leadbeat.html>http://www.angelfire.com/nb/sugarglider/leadbeat.html</a>
| Posted by: | Ms. Shell, bhsinc@uswest.net | | Subject: | none | | When: | 1:04 AM, 06 Nov 2000 | | IP: | 63.228.202.97 |
Bourbon is away from her computer for a while. Sheila has given great advice here. Also, Maria could help her e-mail addy is DMEEXOTICS@aol.com
Good luck, and please keep us posted.
| Posted by: | Jennae, myjenny@mpinet.net | | Subject: | none | | When: | 8:47 AM, 06 Nov 2000 | | IP: | 216.53.212.113 |
The Isomil is a baby powder, not milk, is this still not appropiate? What exactly are "licky treats". Forgive my ignorance. I'll stop using the milk cap, but just out of curiosity, why is it bad? I have no problem with doing all this work, I'm just so mad at this "breeder." I'll let you guys know how things are going. Going to have to wait until hubby gets home to go get this stuff. Thank you so much, please keep the advice coming!
| Posted by: | Jennae, myjenny@mpinet.net | | Subject: | none | | When: | 9:13 AM, 06 Nov 2000 | | IP: | 216.53.212.40 |
Oh, yeah, when I feed him every 3-4 hours, exactly how much do I give him?
| Posted by: | Robin, 4dbirdie@bellsouth.net | | Subject: | none | | When: | 10:26 AM, 06 Nov 2000 | | IP: | 208.61.133.10 |
Licky treats are anything you can put on your finger for the glider to lick off...I've used applesauce, Leadbeaters, honey (but VERY infrequent...straight is not good), baby food, baby cereal, yogurt (plain), etc.
You will find that one day he may like something and the next dat he won't, and vice versa, so keep trying things over and over. The older he becomes, the less picky he should be.
My Kiki is 21 weeks OOP and wouldn't try anything...had a lot of trouble making her eat, but thanks to the great people here on the board, she is now a little piggy and has started trying new things she turned her nose at previously.
When you feed the baby every few hours, give him as much as he wants. It probably won't be alot at one time, which is why you need to feed him so often. As he gets older, he will eat more and more and the feedings will get less frequent.
Definitely start licky treats and BML ASAP so he can start "real" food and learn how to eat on his own. Please keep us all updated on his progress!
| Posted by: | Jennae, myjenny@mpinet.net | | Subject: | none | | When: | 10:33 AM, 06 Nov 2000 | | IP: | 216.53.214.238 |
Am planning on picking up the ingrediants for the BML this evening. Can't do it sooner, because my husband has my car. I'll try and do licky treats as I wait. I have baby food, apparantly he doesn't want the sweet potatoe right now though. Thanks for the info, I'll let you guys know what's happening with him as time goes on.
| Posted by: | Sheila, kwillson@aol.com | | Subject: | none | | When: | 10:50 AM, 06 Nov 2000 | | IP: | 152.163.204.194 |
The Baby milk is not good for the glider. I think you should stop feeding it the baby milk. It can cause Diarrehea. You don't need to worry about licky treats now, you just need to keep that baby alive and healthy! When a joey is 4 weeks old he is on mama's milk only, not solids. Just hand feeding it for three weeks will help it to be more tame and so you don't need to worry about the licky treats. Bourbon's Modified Leadbeaters will be enough solid food to mix in the syringe for now. Call Walmart today and ask to speak to the person who stocks the petfood. She or he will know if they have the kitten milk replacer. Also call Petsmart and ask for Puppy Milk. If Petsmart has the puppy milk, it is best over the Kitten replacer. Have your husband stop by there on the way home from work and pick it up for you. If he should get it for you, go ahead and give it to the baby joey. You don't need to worry about the Leadbetters until the next feeding. I would say for today, go ahead and use what you've got. You don't won't it to starve. It needs to be fed about every three hours. You will be able to gauge how much because it will lose interests and stop eating. I would say mix about 3/4 teaspoon total for starters. Can't say for sure, cause I don't know how large your glider is. Please don't think I am being harsh. I am handfeeding a preemie right now and everytime I feed it, my heart goes out to these babies that are pulled from their moms for no reason except to make a profit. If you have any further questions, please email me, but if it is something you think others will benefit from, leave it right here. I will check back later.
| Posted by: | Kerry | | Subject: | none | | When: | 10:32 PM, 06 Nov 2000 | | IP: | 64.12.104.182 |
When I got my gliders they were 4 wks out of the pouch and eating solid foods on their own. I do know that some gliders develope a little faster than othes, but it is not totally unthinkable that your glider should not be eating solid foods yet.
When mine were babies, I made sure to give them lots of grapes to keep from getting dehydrated, they basically licked the grapes clean of the juice and took a bite now and then of the meat. However, this did 'cause diareah after whole, so I am not suggesting it. Basically their diet consisted of pureed (sp?) fruits, veggies, eggs, yogurt, etc and they did just fine on it and grew into healthy little boys.
The only trouble I had with them was for the first couple of nights I was up all night with one of them because he spent he whole night crying for mom. After the third night he settled right in. The only other thing was that they seemed to have difficulty figuring out how to get into their pouch. It sat on the bottom of their little baby cage and they would walk on it and squish the opening down, so I would have to put them back in the pouch.
At any rate, these gliders grew up to be the sweetest gliders, they don't bite, and they are very sociable and friendly.
I do not breed gliders, so really have no idea how typical my experience with these guys were, so maybe I am not the expert on this, but I do have experience with 4 wk OOP gliders away from their mom.
Kerry (with Jack and Gus-Gus)
| Posted by: | Sheila, kwillson@aol.com | | Subject: | none | | When: | 11:52 PM, 06 Nov 2000 | | IP: | 205.188.199.189 |
Kerry, the problem with giving them solids too soon is that the milk has certain nutrients that other foods don't have, especially the calcium intake which is essential during this part of their life because they are growing so rapidly. It is best that they don't fill up on treats, but get the proper nutrients. That is why I have recommended to her to mix in the BML into the formula, because the puppy formula is not quite as good as the real marsupial milk. BML adds the extra calcium and protein to her joeys diet giving it a jump start. My vet says that 85% of the gliders brought into to him sick have been pulled from their moms too early and most of them die. He treats about 50 gliders per year with these criteria, so that means that about 42 die out of the 50. That is a high percentage. There little systems cannot tolerate many solids because they are still underdeveloped, and need to grow to a point where their digestion is complete. I am not saying people don't do it with success, I am just saying the risks are way too high, and I wouldn't want to risk anything when it comes to my animals.
| Posted by: | chrissy, crisi13@aol.com | | Subject: | Jennae | | When: | 12:23 AM, 07 Nov 2000 | | IP: | 152.163.197.59 |
if you found the breeder that you got your glider from on the internet I think you should report them to someone or post the problems you had and the breeder if this is possible. I know that I found the breeder that I got my glider girls from on Ruths glider page, I have not checked out the site in awhile but they blacklisted breeders that anyone had problems with ..... just a thought....
| Posted by: | Jennae, myjenny@mpinet.net | | Subject: | none | | When: | 7:52 AM, 07 Nov 2000 | | IP: | 216.53.212.66 |
Thanks for the thought, but I found the breeder not too far from where I live here in Florida.
At least I can make people aware to really check out the breeder they go to before purchasing. I should have been smart enough to do that, but like I said before, at least I can help this little guy grow healthy and strong. 
| Posted by: | Kerry | | Subject: | none | | When: | 6:03 PM, 07 Nov 2000 | | IP: | 152.163.194.187 |
Sheila,
According to my breeder, whom I do trust because I know her pretty well, the reason she was willing to sell me the two boys so young was because their mother was no longer nursing them. She did not sell me these boys for lack of any other gliders to sell, she had plenty others, but she needed to a find another home for these two because their mom didn't want them around anymore.(Maybe she was just sick of them, I've heard raising twin boys will do that to you  )
Anyway, I certainly wouldn't reccomend anyone else take home 4wk OOP sugars, they are way too little and fragile, not to mention they need alot of attention and need to watched around the clock because their health can take a 180 in an instant! But I am, and have always been, someone who puts my animals before anything else in my life, so I didn't mind And I can honestly say that the only thing cuter than a sugar glider is a baby one (check out their pic at : <a href=http://gryphon.kitelife.com/tww.html>http://gryphon.kitelife.com/tww.html</a> )
Anyway, is this sort of situation dangerous? I know this happens with puppies sometimes, where their mother weans them young (this happened with my dog and it seemed to have no ill effect) My boys got plenty of applesause and yogurt when (along with other things) when they were this age.
They are now almost a year old, would being raised this way 'cause any problems with their health in the future?
How old are baby gliders when they get weaned normally?
Thanks,
Kerry (with Jack and Gus-Gus)
| Posted by: | Lu, frufru33@hotmail.com | | Subject: | Jack & Gus-Gus | | When: | 12:13 PM, 08 Nov 2000 | | IP: | 12.77.152.118 |
Kerry, they are simply adorable! 
| Posted by: | Sheila, kwillson@aol.com | | Subject: | none | | When: | 2:57 PM, 08 Nov 2000 | | IP: | 152.163.207.179 |
I would just say that in the beginning when a baby is nursing the best milk for it is marsupial milk. There are nutrients and antibiodies in the milk that other milks don't have. Foods, unless they are a well balanced meal cannot provide these nutrients at this young age because their systems are still developing. You have to think about this little joey; 15 weeks ago this joey was the size of a piece of rice. It is sorta like a human baby in the first trimester of pregnancy. They are growing at such a rapid rate that they need all the nutrients it can get. Gliders tend to love sweet things and babies because their tummys are small cannot eat as much as full grown gliders. If it fills up on the favorites at this age, it will not drink the milk that it needs to develop the bone, tissue, heart, etc. I cannot say that it will affect them later in life if they are given sweets at such a young age, but why gamble. Her glider is drinking the milk and as long as she mixes the BML in with the milk it is also getting solids too. She said her glider was not eating for three days which usually means it has just either been pulled from the mom and never had any other foods cause dad didn't teach it how to eat or scared in the new environment. Dad's usually teach the joeys to eat between the 6-8 weeks. If a joey has been taken from his mom before 7-8 weeks of age you are taking it from the milk that it needs to fully develop. If it were mine I wouldn't gamble. Look at the ingredients of applesauce babyfood. No protein or calcium. In your case you had to feed the babies and they are beautiful. I hope they live very healthy lives. Usually there will be longevity if someone cares as much as you do. I am also nursing a preemie right now. There is a story about her at <a href=http://www.toandfrogliders.com/>http://www.toandfrogliders.com/</a> Look at the InfoPouch, then First Time Moms and you will see the stories there.
| Posted by: | Kerry | | Subject: | none | | When: | 11:43 PM, 11 Nov 2000 | | IP: | 152.163.213.198 |
Sheila,
Thanks for the info on baby glider Next time I see my breeder I will be sure to pass that info on to her. In her case, I think that she just didn't know any better (and hence the fact that I didn't know what I was getting into). At any rate, I am glad my babies turned out as well as they did They did get yogurt and egg as babies, so hopefully they will not have any problems later in life due to a lack of calcium and protein as such a young age!!
Kerry (with Jack and Gus-Gus)
| Posted by: | Skyler, Lil Fitz28 | | Subject: | 3 weeks! | | When: | 2:49 PM, 12 Nov 2000 | | IP: | 205.188.192.24 |
Hi, I had the same prob. with my glider. I got him at only 3.5 weeks!! She told me to feed him Turkey and Vege Dinner mixed with water and heat it up in the microwave. I dont think this was right so I started giving him mushed fruits, mushed meat, milk, apple sauce ect.
WEll hope I helped
| Posted by: | Donna Pearlman, drdp@msn.com | | Subject: | Young Gliders | | When: | 3:28 PM, 12 Nov 2000 | | IP: | 63.14.78.168 |
I ran into the same problem when I got my two gliders. They were almost 4 weeks oop. I fed them 1 scoop of powdered puppy milk replacement mixed with 3 scoop measures of warm water and added Beechnut baby cereal. I fed them every 4 hours. Eventually it was longer in between feedings and I weaned them to the Leadbeater's (Bourbon's recipe). They are now 1 1/2 years old and doing great. Good luck.
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