Message:
Subject: Re: Poll:: Did you choose your glider?
Posted by ted on December 24, 1998 at 07:28:10:
In Reply to: Poll:: Did you choose your glider? posted by Bourbon on December 23, 1998 at 00:04:23:
: 1. Did you choose your glider or did it choose you, or did you buy it sight unseen?
When I quit driving a truck (to go back to school) I was finally able to get a glider. I had seen a glider at a bird show/fair about 3 yrs. ago, had wanted one and would now finally have the time to spend with it. No one had baby gliders so I bought 2 breeder pair from a guy that rescued them from a bankrupt breeder. I figured I'd keep the first born male, name him Rocky (named after Rocket Squirrel from the Bullwinkle show)and then sell off the parents.
: 2. Did you get a tight bond with your glider?
Rocky was born, and handled from OOP date so he's really freindly but I was really surprised that one of the female breeders (Nhim, Rocky's mom) and one of the male Breeders (Bernard) were real brave and friendly. About two months ago I took Nhim & Fivel to the local grade school. Neither of them is real thrilled about being held but they never bite and don't mind being passed from one stranger to another as long as no one tries to grab them (ie. they will ride on the back of a hand/arm or in an open palm). Nhim doesn't know her name but I'm working on having her glide/jump to me whene ever I thump my chest (prefered target area) It seems to be working but she has to see a mealworm in my hand before she jumps.
: 3. How long was the bonding process?
Nhim about 1 month, Fivel (Nhim's mate) & Bernard about 3 months and Bianca (Bernard's mate) still doesn't trust me and hangs at the far side of the cage except to take food from my hand 14months. Rocky was pretty much mine since OOP.
: 4. What did you go through crabbing, biting, etc..at the beginning? When I first started handling gliders I didn't know they could bite hard. It wasn't until I got a phone modem and found this web site (back in april) and read all the horror stories about gliders bitting to the bone that I even considered that they might bite harder than a nibble.
: 5. was any of the subsequent gliders as tight a bond as the first?
You know Rocky is "my glider" but in truth I think Nhim is my favorite, eventhough there isn't a tight bond, she was still the first glider who trusted me.
Below (hopefuly) is a picture of Nhim with a baby nursing.