Ok I'm going to be the scrooge of the season but...why come onto the forum and ask for help when you have a sick glider and then not like our answers. Then when everyone says take them to a vet they suddenly get better again. I have read this so many times it makes me wonder what people exspect us to say. Many of us have been around these forums for years and read about many untimely deaths when the glider never made it to the vet. Only a vet can diagnose and truly treat a sick glider. Sure we can help tell you to rehydrate or feed a better diet but if a Sugar Glider is really sick like so many people post about please heed our pleas instead of having a miraculous recovery then to never here from that person again.

Is it just me or do others wonder what happened to that Sugar Glider?

No, Jett. It isnt just you. It is heartbreaking never again to hear from the owner - and always wonder what happened to their glider. Altho, their silence always makes us feel the worst has happened.

Please use common sense. If you think your glider is acting strange, has a cut or mating wound,has poo problems, isnt eating and/or is acting lethargic - a vet visit is necessary. Even tho we would love to help you, unfortunately we cant.

Like Jett said, that doesnt mean we cant try and help stabilize the glider while you are calling the vet...

Also, please, if you dont have a vet for your gliders - find one for them first thing tomorrow. You NEVER know when an emergency will happen and you dont want to waste precious time here asking us what you should do. Make that emergency kit I'm always harping about, which should include more than one vet's address and phone number. Hopefully, you will never need it, but if you ever should, you will be glad you have prepared ahead of time.

I think the term "exotic" makes people think something serious isn't serious.

I usually try to tell people, "if you had a dog or a cat acting like this would you go to the vet?" If so then YES YOU NEED TO SEE A VET!!

But I think most people come here knowing they should see a vet but still don't want to because they think they can't afford it, or a lot of them are children who'se parents wont take on the responsibility of a pet that they purchased.

Either way it is horrible when they never return, or when they do return its because they have yet another problem

I think I need to apologize? If I am the reason for this posting (my glider is Paco) I truly did not mean to upset anyone. I did take everyones advice and didn't ignore anything - I appreciated it very much. I came to this site as a similar one for squirrels was extremely helpful to me and the people there were wonderful and caring... I do tend to over react but in my experience it is always better safe than sorry. I just wanted advice from people with more experience than myself. I did do tons of research on gliders before getting Paco, but questions have still arose, and I just want to do the best for him I can. That is why he does have a vet appt., and will be neutered, and is getting a friend in two weeks. I have not been back on this site since this morning because my daughter has been ill and I have taken her to the doctors. Again, although he is back to normal now and I probably overreacted, I do apologize, didn't mean to cause any problems, and I will not ask for anymore health related advice I guess. I truly am sorry.

No my post was not aimed at anyone in particular. It's just that we get frustarted when people don't take sick gliders to the vet. I don't want people to not ask for help. I want them not to argue with the advice given and not get argumentative when we say take them to the vet.

No way could this post even possibly be pointed at anyone specific since it happens almost daily. It's SOOOO frustrating! Those of us saying to get your glider to a vet have probably been in the same/similar situation! Is it convenient? Probably not. Is it expensive? Probably so. Unfortunately, that's a responsibility taken on when one decides to take a glider (or any pet)into their care. It's your (this is a general "your")responsibility to take care of that glider, your responsibility to find someone to help you do that when it's a medical issue. My favorite are those that actually get upset and defensive at the suggestions...GET OVER IT! IT ISN'T ABOUT YOU! Find a vet, then find an emergency vet. Set some money aside, apply for a Care Credit account, have an emergency credit card...whatever it is you need to do to fulfill YOUR responsibility.

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Originally posted by dgreco

I think I need to apologize? If I am the reason for this posting (my glider is Paco) I truly did not mean to upset anyone. I did take everyones advice and didn't ignore anything - I appreciated it very much. I came to this site as a similar one for squirrels was extremely helpful to me and the people there were wonderful and caring... I do tend to over react but in my experience it is always better safe than sorry. I just wanted advice from people with more experience than myself. I did do tons of research on gliders before getting Paco, but questions have still arose, and I just want to do the best for him I can. That is why he does have a vet appt., and will be neutered, and is getting a friend in two weeks. I have not been back on this site since this morning because my daughter has been ill and I have taken her to the doctors. Again, although he is back to normal now and I probably overreacted, I do apologize, didn't mean to cause any problems, and I will not ask for anymore health related advice I guess. I truly am sorry.

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No - this post is not aimed at you! Please dont think that! And dont think you cant ask health related questions here - that is not what we are saying at all. You have no need to apologize.

Some of us have come here daily for a very long time. We have heard it all. There are many who come here wanting us to tell them what to do so they dont have to go to the vet. Many of them say they dont have the money to go to a vet, which is not fair to the glider that is sick or injured.

dgreco - please dont take any of this personally. It wasnt meant that way at all.

It all very well to say what people SHOULD have done before they are in the position of thier glider being sick, for example find a vet, have money set aside. But the reality is People dont do these things no matter what animal they own.
Not everyone realises the importance of seeking veterinary treatment as soon as possible, especially when the breeders who sold them the gliders have told them conflicting info such as they dont really ever get sick.
Just because we dont hear back from people who have come in here asking for help does not mean they didnt take our advice and go to the vet.

Telling people NOT to ask for help just because we get frustrated at those who do not take advice is a foolish thing to say as it may prevent others from asking for help in the future, as they may be reluctant to ask for our help or opinions

Maybe the title of this post is deceiving.

It isnt meant to be taken literallythat owners cant come here and ask for help - just that most of the time a vet visit is needed and thats the only suggestion we can give. Its not the answer they are looking for and sometimes - they get upset with us. We can help determine if the glider is dehydrated, etc - and help to stabilize the glider until an emergency vet can be found and a visit is scheduled but 99% of the time, a vet visit is the only thing that can be done to help the glider.

It does bother many of us when the owner says they cant afford to take the glider to the vet OR their parents wont take the glider to the vet and they are coming here for a quick fix. Personally, I think it's animal cruelty and abuse to have a sick or injured glider (or any animal) and not seek medical attention... If someone cant afford vet care or have no transportation or are a young person who's parents did not agree to help with the animal - then they shouldnt have the animal. THAT is what this post is about. We have witnessed many a caring person who has decided they needed to give up their gliders to someone who can take care of them, rather than see them sick and/or dying. Thats not saying anyone is a bad person when they cant take care of their ill or injured gliders - things can happen to all of us in a split second that can change our lives forever.


We want and need to hear when a glider is ill or injured or has a tragic death. Its how we learn - and by learning we can possibly save another glider's life.

If you dont have an exotic vet for your gliders -start calling around today and find one. Ask them how they handle emergencies. Write down the vet's name and phone number and keep it in a place that you can find in case of an emergency.

Same as above. I hate to say it but we need to take care of our gliders better then us. We feel sick we try to fix ourselves, but when our gliders get sick we don't know whats wrong and we can't always fix it. The little guys give us signs but they cant tell us whats wrong so we need to be more watchful for them. If u love them they are not pets they are family. U should take care of family better then yourself. Yes u might not like the answer but the answer will most always be a vet. So u need to find an exotic vet like Rita said and not just one but a couple.

I think this post had a bad name. I might not respond to every question I have about health issues but I do usually go to the vet or call for advice from my vet. Most of the time the answer to my health questions is a vet.

Just because someone can't afford a vet doesn't justify us to try to "home remedy" fix their glider. I wonder how many gliders have died because we tried to help them? Myself included here. Or how many gliders were misdiagnosed. The last time I checked yu can't diagnose a glider based on what someone expresses the symptoms are. If you could diagnose people over the phone we wouldn't need to go to the doctor, we could just call hem, tell them whats going on, have them send in a perscription. Go pick it up and be great.

I've never seen a vet that wont work with a person to get a payment plan. Of course I've never seen or experienced a vet that denies service when you actually go to the clinic with your sick animal but hey, I guess you hear about everything on the internet. You have to have really CRAPPY credit to not be able to get any credit card at all too. I had no credit at all and got a credit card! I really think that the more excuses a person gives the more they don't want to help their glider at all.

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Originally posted by Ahsaehr

Just because someone can't afford a vet doesn't justify us to try to "home remedy" fix their glider. I wonder how many gliders have died because we tried to help them? Myself included here. Or how many gliders were misdiagnosed. The last time I checked yu can't diagnose a glider based on what someone expresses the symptoms are. If you could diagnose people over the phone we wouldn't need to go to the doctor, we could just call hem, tell them whats going on, have them send in a perscription. Go pick it up and be great.

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That's an excellent point. We are only guessing here when folks describe what condition their glider is in. Hopefully, we have done more good than damage though. 99% of the time, we chant the "vet! vet!" mantra. It's just that we don't know if they will listen.

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Originally posted by Ahsaehr
I've never seen a vet that wont work with a person to get a payment plan. Of course I've never seen or experienced a vet that denies service when you actually go to the clinic with your sick animal but hey, I guess you hear about everything on the internet. You have to have really CRAPPY credit to not be able to get any credit card at all too. I had no credit at all and got a credit card! I really think that the more excuses a person gives the more they don't want to help their glider at all.

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Also an an excellent point. I think it just comes down to whether or not a person places enough value on their glider to care for it in a responsible manner. Unfortunately, some folks seem to think "it's just an animal", and they won't even make the effort. As you say, what vet wouldn't be willing to work out some kind of payment plan?

Vets are not like Doctors! They don't ask for payment up front. At least, I have never had one do so!

If you go in saying "Will you accept a payment plan?" EVERY vet will tell you "NO!" Especially if it is a vet you've never seen before.

However, once the animal has been stabilized, and you are back out at the front desk and being presented with a bill - You'd be amazed at how negotiable they are when you say "I don't have any money. Can we work out a payment plan?"

I am NOT saying that people should rush out and cheat their vets, or expect services for nothing. However, in the case of an emergency - GET HELP FIRST, then work out the details!

When my cat ate a string off the turkey last Thanksgiving - I had a several hundred dollar vet bill. I think I just paid the last of it in October ... because, in the meantime, other animals have been in and out of the vet, and the bill keeps waxing and waning! But, they've been wonderful about it, because I'm NEVER late with a payment.

I don't take advantage of them - because I want them to be there for me next time I need help!

The vet that I went to told me I had to pay before I left or they keep the pet at the office till payment is made. Maybe its time to find a different vet? When I called and talked to the vet for them to give me an antibiotic my glider had been in there just a few days before hand so I called to see if they could get me in again they said they had no openings. So I went there to sit nothing happened for hours. So I asked for the vet to call me he called I explained things and he had a prescription waiting for me. The medicine did help. I don't recommend that everyone call the vet and tell them symptoms over the phone. I do take my animals to the vet. My sugar gliders go more then my dogs do. And as far as credit goes not everyone can get a credit card or wants one. I know I don't want to have payments hanging over my head when I already have my college bills hanging over my head. I try to save money for any emergency that might arise such as a vet visit. So am I bad owner because I called my vet and talked to them over the phone and got medicine?

I think your vet was irresponsible. That was for the "eye cold?" That could have easily been an abcess or something horrible that antibiotics wont treat.

When Neo first got sick we went to a vet that just gave him a round of antibiotics wit no tests. Which is just as bad. He got better but then he got worse, and he got really worse.

No, not everyone wants a credit card but when a 600 dollar vet bill is staring you in the face and its offered, I'm going to take it. And we did. We no have a care credit card with a five thousand dollar limit and high interest in case something ever did occur. Its empty now and we don't put things on there unless its an emergency. To me the care credit is my "extra money" put aside for emergencies. It's foolish to have no money set aside or no credit card. Its rare for me to go to the emergency vet and spend less than 300 dollars. With Neo it was almost 700 dollars. Who has 700 dollars in their emergency fund?

I've been lucky with the gliders so far, I just spent over $600 on my cat with an injured leg; last year I spent nearly $2500 for my (other) cat's serious health issues. Start saving!