I went to check on the gliders this morning as I always do and Puff Daddy was off sleeping by himself in another pouch. That's not normal but it's happened before so I didn't think much of it. This afternoon, I checked on them again and he was sleeping in the wheel-definitely not normal. When I touched him, he kind of opened his eyes and looked at me but didn't lift his head and he was kind of spread eagle. I took the wheel out of the cage, took the cover off and picked him up. He didn't even care. He's so lethargic. I spent the afternoon in the Emergency Vet Hospital and they just frustrated me. They said he was dehydrated so they couldn't draw blood. They gave him fluids subQ but it didn't do anything and they gave him dextrose because they thought he might have low blood sugar. Nothing helped so they just sent me home with a prognosis of: "Fair to guarded" and "call us if he gets worse". If he gets worse, he will die. He has not moved AT ALL except to occasionally look at me. I've kept him with me since then. He's warm and I check on him every few minutes but then cover him back up and put him back inside my sweatshirt in his pouch. He will not eat, he will not drink. He doesn't even want a treat. Anything else I can do?

Another concern: the girls are acting weird..won't sleep in the pouch and were awake ALL afternoon. I changed out the pouch hoping that they'll go back in it to sleep now. Do I separate them? I will keep him on me as long as I have to and I'm afraid to leave him alone. Is there anything else I can do for him? I don't even know what's wrong.

wow...I'm so sorry to hear this. Unfortunetly I am no expert and I can imagine that the one's who can help are having Cjristmas Eve Partys...I'm here if you need to vent at least..sorry

I know-my fear was that no one would be around but it's worth a try. I appreciate your offer :)

Oh, NO!!! Poor little Puff Daddy!!! I cant believe the vet couldnt give you any indication of what is wrong and what you should do! How awful. I would be totally freaked out!!!

Definately keep him on you so he stays warm. Some Pedialite probably wouldnt hurt him.

I would call the vet back and demand to know what you need to do!!!

This is just so upsetting! Im rambling - dont even know what to say.

Sending prayers for Puff Daddy...

I would definately try pedialyte with a syringe. I am so sorry to here about this. I hope everything works out ok. It's weird, Cassi hasn't hardly eaten for 3 days. I had to finally hand feed fer mealies last night and she finally ate some grapes.
I fixed her some pedialyte with a little apple juice in a dish and she drank most of it.
I will be thinking about you and your Puff Daddy.

It's pointless to call them. When they gave him back to me, I asked all kinds of questions. He didn't know what to say about the girls, he said to keep him warm, they suggested separate cages but not in another room. Their rationale is so that they can still see each other? He said to give him Karo corn syrup. What if it isn't his glucose? I did try to give him some honey-even put a drop on his mouth and he wanted nothing to do with it. After a few more questions, you know what his answer was? "I'm not a sugar glider expert". No sh$*!? I don't think I could get him to take the Pedialyte because he won't even open his mouth and they did say he at least isn't dehydrated anymore because of the fluids. Also, when the girl handed him back to me she says, "Aww, he was SO sweet and good." I was about crawling out of skin wanting to scream "BECAUSE HE'S DYING, EINSTEIN!" but I did control myself.

Forgot to add: This is the place my vet sent me and they are supposed to specialize in exotics. I made sure when I first called that sugar gliders were on that list of specialties and they said "absolutely".

I had to force feed Mia when she wouldn't drink or eat with a syringe. I saved her for another month and a half. She passed anyway but I know I did everything I could to save her.

If you use a syringe, do you literally pry their mouth open? How? I'm willing to try it..

I stuck it in the side of their mouth. I wrapped Mia in a wash rag so only her head was showing because she tried to fight me when I did that. Just stick it in a little and push in a little fluid. Not too much at once or it will go in her nose. I would do 1cc or so to begin with. then give a little more every hour or so. I did this wor 6 days with Mia around the clock and took her to the vet everyday for 3-4 dyas for extra fluids.

Try putting the sytinge up to his mouth..if he doesn't open it..then yes you have to pry it open..just give a little at a time. Are there several doctors there in a group...if so maybe one of the others has the glider expertise...call back and ask. Is your regular vet experienced with gliders? If so I would call him and ask service to put you through.

The sad thing is they are so tiny when they get sick it is almost impossible to bring them around. I would take the girls out of the cage and disinfect the whole cage and all things in the cage...wash everything material with bleach and hot water..then wash it again to be sure the bleach is all out..2 time with just hot water.

I hope he turns around an you have a Christmas blessing.

he's already gone...

Kayla - Im so sorry. Are you going to be ok? How are your girls doing??

I am so sorry Kyro. I know how you feel
My prayers are with you. We will be thinking of you in your time of loss. YOu did everything you could. I will be here for a while if you need to talk.
Suggie Hugs and Prayers to you.

Suggiebear just came into chat and told us of Puff Daddy's passing. I am so so sorry. You gave him a wonderful life and in the end did everything you could. My thoughts are with you I know how much you loved him and so did he.

Thanks, you guys...yes, I'll be OK. I'm just sad and confused and don't know what happened. My vet was experienced with suggies but they were closed today and recommended this emergency hospital. The girls are looking for him like crazy and I don't think they slept at all today. How do they normally react? I hope they're OK. I hate that this is the last thing my kids experienced before bed on Christmas Eve. I really appreciate all your thoughts, prayers and help but whatever happened, happened so fast. He was fine last night (at least what I could see). I'm only relieved that he was warm and cuddled on me instead of in that wheel. I don't even know when he stopped breathing so I hope he was asleep...<3

...

:hugs: We are all here if you need to talk or anything. You truely did what you could. Those vets were just stupid and useless. What did your babies eat the before this happened? Were there any other strange things such as runny stool or anything? Please clean the cage as they told you. It will kill anything that might be on it. Also keep and VERy close eye on the girls and get them into your regular vet ASAP. I also highly suggest a necropsy. It might not tell you much, but might tell you if it was anything the girls could have. (ie: bacterial, viral, diet related or if it was genetic)

Kylah - I'm so sorry for your little guy we're sending you strength overseas.


I don't know if this is the appropriate time to suggest this, but maybe you should take him to the vet so that they could do a necropsy on him to find out what exactly was the cause of death?

Kryo: You took Puff Daddy, baggage and all - and loved him and cared for him until his last breath. He went snuggled next to you, feeling warm and safe and loved, knowing he would never have to pack his baggage again.


The Meaning of Rescue
Judith H. Archer

Now that I'm home bathed, settled and fed,
All nicely tucked in my warm new bed.
I'd like to open my baggage
Lest I forget there is so much to carry
So much to regret.
Hmm... yes, there it is, right on the top
Let's unpack loneliness, heartache and loss,
And there by my pouch hides fear and shame.
As I look on these things I tried so hard to leave.
I still have to unpack my baggage called pain.
I loved them, the others, the ones who left me
But I wasn’t good enough - for they didn’t want me.
Will you add to my baggage?
Will you help me unpack?
Or will you just look at my things
And take me right back?
Do you have the time to help me unpack?
To put away my baggage,
To never look back?
I pray that you do - I'm so tired you see,
But I do come with baggage
Will you still want me?

I love that, Rita. When I call my vet tomorrow, do I ask them to do the necropsy or do I have to do that somewhere else? Has anyone had that done? They didn't eat anything different than normal and nothing else seemed out of the ordinary. I checked the cage last night again for any "suspicious" looking stool and nothing...he definitely pooped on me like normal the night before. I tried to play with the girls last night. They ran around like crazy just looking for him. They did eat some mealies and this morning, their food was gone so that's good. They are sleeping separately though. That makes me sad...Santa has definitely distracted the kids so I'm grateful for that. Thanks again...and I'll keep you posted as to what my vet says. I hope everyone has a warm,wonderful day!

Oh, Im so sorry to hear that!!

Kyro, yeah, I think you can do necropsies/autopsies at your vets, in Finland we can do them at vets. But I can't say for sure how it is in the states, we have to wait for someone who's done it to respond. Yet again, I'm so sorry for your loss

That is awful about your little family member Puff Daddy. I'm so sad. I will keep you in my prayers and that God keeps a little hand on your girls that they make it through this ok. I'll pray for your kids too. I hope they understand that Puff is eating out of a little golden weighted bowl in heaven today filled with all the fruits and veges that a little sugar glider can imagine. U did a good job helping him out till his passing and I'm sure he appreciated that. Hopefully the necropsy can tell the vets what happen so they can help anymore little friends that have to go there. So sorry for your loss.

Kyro, I'm so sorry to hear of your loss...especially at this time of the year. I take it that Puff Daddy was a rescue? There's a special place in heaven for you taking him into your home & loving him until he took his trip over the Rainbow Bridge :cry:

I would suggest a necropsy just to give yourself some peace of mind, and to make sure there's not something contagious that the girls can pick up. It might just be that you won't find out anything at all...but trying is going to help not only you but others who come in the future.

Give the girls extra love tonight...they're obviously upset that one of theirs is no longer with them. I've heard of people showing their suggies that their friend has passed on, but I'm not of the emotional caliber to be able to do that! And your children are probably having a hard time understanding too...my best answer is that God took Puff over the Rainbow Bridge where he could be healed, there wasn't anything God could do any other way.

I'm so sad for you. May you find peace & strength.

Your local vet can do the necropsy. Keep your little one in the fridge, not the freezer. Though if you don't do it right away, I'm not sure if they still can perfom the necropsy. It sounds as though he may have had pneumonia

Did you have anyone over for a holiday party? Is it possible that a well-meaning other person may have given them something you weren't aware of? My son was wanting to give ours stale popcorn this morning, but thankfully he asked me first. In another incident, my curious little cousin once unwittingly killed my entire tank of fish by turning up the heater.

No, we only had people here on Sunday and their room is always off limits. My kids are really good about making sure people don't go in there also. I'm also selective of who I even tell I have them. Other than that, every get-together was outside of the house. Minkasmom, I almost did that last night, but also couldn't make myself do it. I took him in their room but that's about as far as I made it. I just kept holding him "just in case" I was wrong, but it became obvious over time that I wasn't. I finally handed him over to my husband because I didn't know what to do. Yes, he was a rescue this past July..poor thing. They were the three stooges after they were finally introduced, I swear. The girls did finally sleep today, but still not together. :( I'll be trying to get them to play again tonight...I will also call the vet first thing and see what they say. I honestly don't know where he is, but I know he's not in the freezer. I asked my husband to take him from me but also told him I might be taking him in tomorrow so I'll let him know if I need to know where he is. I just couldn't handle seeing him anymore. I can't imagine having them for years and years and then losing one...

im so sorry.

OMG I am so sorry to hear of your loss.. and at this time of year. I am so sorry glider buddy.

I am truly sorry for your loss. Stay strong for your girls!

I'm very sorry, if you need to talk to anyone i'll get you my cell phone number