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Sugar glider doesn't like being picked up.
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Sugar glider doesn't like being picked up.
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Jun 26 2012
02:27:29 PM
Hey everyone! this is my first post here but I've been reading a lot over the past few days, and I have some simple questions, but ill start with our current progression.

Day 1 - Extremely skittish, did not bite my hand when i grabbed her up, but didn't like me either. Did not eat or drink.

Day 2 - Still skittish, using licky treats to associate my hand with pleasure, also petting her in her pouch while she sleeps, and putting slight pressure when I move around and she crabs, will bite if i put my hand in pouch, or come at her from a bitable angle (ie from the front). Ate and drank a little.

Day 3 - Tolerates my hand in her cage and near her, bit me a few times, then stopped, now only nibbles initially when I put my hand in the cage, then only if she gets frustrated with my hand following her around, even then without too much crabbing. Heard her drink water, saw her food had been nibbled on. Bites hard and nonstop if I try to pick her up, probably 30 bites in 1 minute of me holding her, i was bleeding like crazy so I had to (calmly and slowly, the same way I handled all the bites) put her back down.

Day 4 - Willingly, if while shaking up a storm and quietly crabbing, walked onto my hand, kept trying to glide through the cage door from my hand, and while trying over and over to escape unconsciously began to jump from hand to hand (once she remembered they were my hands that she was jumping around on she bit me for my trickery lol). Still only nibbles her food, drinks often. No progress in holding her.

Day 5 - Is comfortable after some initial crabbing with both my hands in her cage, and again while shaking (but no longer crabbing) walks onto my palm with my other hand in sight, if only to walk up my arm towards the cage door. Has eaten a bit more of her food.

She also has a funky sleep cycle, she seems to have a 30 hour cycle so far, meaning that every day she wakes up 4 hours later, and now shes awake during the day, as I type shes jumping around in her cage playing with the plethora of toys I've gotten her. Just tried to hold her again and she would have nothing of it, crabbed and bit like mad until I let her go.

I can take a few bites, but the not stop ripping into my finger even with light pressure and a calm attitude results in me HAVING to put her down due to the amount of blood leaking from my shredded finger. I feel that due to my bleeding she has learned that she can bite me and ill put her down.

Here are my questions:
1: How much does a 3 month old eat, cuz right now shes eating a heaping teaspoon of food per day, even though I give her a 2 heaping tablespoons (guesswork)
2: How is our progression so far?
3: How do I get her to not draw blood when I pick her up? The first day I got her she didn't bite meat all when I picked her up, yet now she bites down to the bone. I want her to know I'm the boss and let me pick her up out of her cage and carry her without a pouch whenever I so desire, that is my whole goal with a sugar glider, along with the bonding of course. I've read and some of you say that you have to accept that your glider doesn't like being held. Please refrain from such opinions here as I'm a little old fashioned. This might sound horrible, but I'm not interested in housing and feeding an animal that doesn't serve me in some way. I got a glider because I was told they would bond and eventually (I'm also patient, if someone gives me a method that takes a year, I'm okay with that) hang out in my hands and in my pocket or a pouch with me comfortably all the time. I want a great loving 15 year bonded relationship with my glider, I just need to know how to make her love me on my terms, not hers.
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Jun 26 2012
02:33:35 PM
Catman Goose Catcher GliderMap Gliderpedia Editor Visit Catman's Photo Album CO, USA 2670 Posts
Don't pick her up and let her come to you. Tent time is a great way for her to get to know you.
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Jun 26 2012
02:52:23 PM
dooney Face Hugger Visit dooney's Photo Album 532 Posts
quote:
Originally posted by Catman

Don't pick her up and let her come to you. Tent time is a great way for her to get to know you.




yep, don't force her to do things, let her innitiate them. Mine also don't like fingers/ picked up. If he does go on my hand it is on his own. I wouldn't just go in his cage to pick him up (unless an emergency of course)!
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Jun 26 2012
02:54:18 PM
Candy Cuddle Bear Visit Candy's Photo Album FL, USA 8110 Posts
OK - you are 5 inches long and dropped into a world where all the beings are more than 12 times your size and you do not understand their language. Your glider is scared.

You will need to earn her trust first. Talk to her quietly while she plays in the cage - to get her used to your voice. If she comes to the side of the cage, offer a treat. If she bites, use a popsicle stick or the handle of a spoon to offer licky treats like yogurt or honey. Gradually she will learn your hands bring good things. If you reach in the cage, offer the back of your hand and a treat and let her step on to get it.

Gliders are not naturally fond of being restrained. In the wild they are prey animals, your hand probably looks a lot like the claw of a predatory bird to her.

Get a screen tent, or glider proof the bathroom so you have a small space to interact with your glider - and yes it will have to be on HER TERMS at first until you have earned her trust. In the tent, you can use your lap top, read a book on your e-reader or phone and just be with her. Let her explore you. Offer treats and talk to her quietly. Gradually she will want to be with you.

Unfortunately, you received some misinformation on bonding with gliders. Not all gliders will accept being held in your hand but you can get them comfortable hopping into a pouch or pocket just because she wants to be with you.

Time and patience are required to earn her trust.
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Jun 26 2012
02:56:00 PM
renee14150 Fuzzy Wuzzy Visit renee14150's Photo Album 1850 Posts
It's about trust - not teaching them who's the boss. Gliders just don't function that way. They don't have a "your the leader of the pack" mentality. You're big and scary and it's just going to take time for her to trust you to form that bond.
If you move on your terms and not hers...well..it probably won't work. The more aggressive you are, the more she may fear your hands.
Be patient since 5 days is not long, get a tent like catman suggested, get a friend for her - they do better in pairs. What kind of diet are you feeding? Normally gliders need a tablespoon of protein, tlbsp of fruit & tlbsp of veggies.
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Jun 26 2012
03:00:39 PM
kare_1818 Glider Visit kare_1818's Photo Album USA 118 Posts
5 days isn't long enough for your sugar baby to get along with you.

My sugar baby, Storm, bit me a lot when I first got her when I try to pick her up.

Try holding your hand flat in front of her. If she bites or looks like she's going to bite move/wiggle your fingers around and evade the biting but move it right back to the position to where you have your hand before, kinda like playing thumb war with your sugar baby. If she licks your hand let her, or give a little love nibble let her but once she applies a little too much pressure for your comfort wiggle/move your hand and say "No Biting." Eventually she should understand that your hand isn't going anywhere. Try not to pick her up right away when you do this or enclose your hand over her keep your hand flat until she gets use to you.

From time to time Storm bites me but I always say "No biting" and she'll back off a little.

Also you can try to hold her while she's asleep in her pouch just so she can get use to your scent and touch when you pet her. If she wakes while you pet her just continue cautiously. It took me a while for Storm to accept being petted inside her pouch.
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Jun 26 2012
03:05:39 PM
dooney Face Hugger Visit dooney's Photo Album 532 Posts
quote:
Originally posted by kare_1818

Also you can try to hold her while she's asleep in her pouch just so she can get use to your scent and touch when you pet her. If she wakes while you pet her just continue cautiously. It took me a while for Storm to accept being petted inside her pouch.


yep...that is what I did with Manick! it really helped...



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Jun 26 2012
03:10:04 PM
dooney Face Hugger Visit dooney's Photo Album 532 Posts
here is one of him sleeping in the pouch in my hand during tent time...



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Jun 26 2012
03:32:06 PM
PsychaGlider Joey FL, USA 10 Posts
I bought her a little of everything. The breeder told me to feed her chicken dogs and peas and fruit, so that's what I'm doing. Grapes, blueberries, bananas, everything you could think of, and she just nibbles. But shes pooping a lot and peeing a lot and shes active and grooming herself often. She might be taking a little longer to acclimate because my office is my bedroom and that's where she is, so shes near me all day and night almost. I was also told to not give her any freedom the first 2 weeks so that she bonds with me stronger and will stay on me instead of jumping down later. I was also told to squeeze the * out of her to make her feel safe, from several sources both online and in person. "The best way to make a baby become holding friendly is to pick it up and squeeze it tightly until it stops crabbing and goes to sleep, this associates your hand with the comfort and security of her mothers pouch". Except she doesn't go to sleep, she just squirms and bites until i let her go. If shes asleep in her pouch, as soon as she knows I'm holding it shell start squirm around and chew into it until i sit it back down.
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Jun 26 2012
03:42:40 PM
PsychaGlider Joey FL, USA 10 Posts
Also now she wont sleep in her pouch, and instead sleeps in the corner of her cage or in her wheel or her hamick. I have to coax her into her pouch and then she doesn't want to sleep.
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Jun 26 2012
03:48:43 PM
Candy Cuddle Bear Visit Candy's Photo Album FL, USA 8110 Posts
OK, first order of business is to get her on a nourishing diet.

Do NOT feed her chicken dogs. The spices, garlic and salt in them are very bad for your glider.

Until you choose a diet for her, you can feed plain boiled chicken or plain scramble or boiled eggs for protein (abt 1 TBS) along with 1 TBS fresh or frozen vegetables (no onion, garlic, leeks,cocoa or chocolate) and 1 TBS fresh or frozen fruit.

She needs a balanced diet that provides adequate protein and calcium along with a wide variety of fruits and vegetables daily.

There are a number of recognized glider feeding plans you may want to look at to make a staple diet that will meet her needs for protein, calcium and vitamins.

I have links on my web page to help you learn about the diets that most of us use.

http://www.gliderkids.com/contact.html

My feeding plan is also on my web page.

If you have not taken your glider to a vet for a well check up, that would also be a good step to take. If she has a parasite, she may be very irritable because she does not feel well.



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Jun 26 2012
03:52:05 PM
kare_1818 Glider Visit kare_1818's Photo Album USA 118 Posts
Try throwing a shirt with your scent over the cage just so she can get use to your smell for several days and take one of her pouches and carry it on you for a day or two after that hang it in her cage and repeat several time. Bonding takes a lot of time.

As for food, are the amounts you put in her cage at night the same amount the next morning? If not then she's eating at night while you're asleep and that's why she poops and pees a lot. But you may have to check with a vet just to be double sure.
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Jun 26 2012
04:32:43 PM
petluv15 Fuzzy Wuzzy Gliderpedia Editor Visit petluv15's Photo Album petluv15's Journal 1500 Posts
Please do NOT squeeze her...that is horrible advice and you might not want to trust whoever told you that. That is a quick way to break bones in your glider and hurt her and DAMAGE trust. Work with her coming to you and building that trust up.
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Jun 26 2012
04:35:30 PM
Catman Goose Catcher GliderMap Gliderpedia Editor Visit Catman's Photo Album CO, USA 2670 Posts
"I was also told to squeeze the * out of her to make her feel safe"

Please don't do that!

What breeder told you to feed chicken dogs?
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Jun 26 2012
04:43:59 PM
PsychaGlider Joey FL, USA 10 Posts
As I said I didn't hear the squeezing method from 1 person randomly, try googling it, its everywhere, even on this site. Youtube videos of people doing it to calm their sugar glider down and make it feel safe. Regardless I couldn't do it, at least not as tight as all the sources are saying to. It freaked me out because her breath became short and accented as opposed to normal big clean breaths. The breeder told me she had just had her 3 month checkup before I got her, and around here there is only 1 vet that handles gliders, and hes been doing it for 20+ years, and owns several himself. As I type shes eating more from her bowl. I might be just freaking out because in the end I REALLY want to be one of those success stories, so I try too hard.
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Jun 26 2012
04:46:06 PM
petluv15 Fuzzy Wuzzy Gliderpedia Editor Visit petluv15's Photo Album petluv15's Journal 1500 Posts
quote:
Originally posted by PsychaGlider

As I said I didn't hear the squeezing method from 1 person randomly, try googling it, its everywhere, even on this site. Youtube videos of people doing it to calm their sugar glider down and make it feel safe. Regardless I couldn't do it, at least not as tight as all the sources are saying to. It freaked me out because her breath became short and accented as opposed to normal big clean breaths. The breeder told me she had just had her 3 month checkup before I got her, and around here there is only 1 vet that handles gliders, and hes been doing it for 20+ years, and owns several himself. As I type shes eating more from her bowl. I might be just freaking out because in the end I REALLY want to be one of those success stories, so I try too hard.



its generally the mill breeders/brokers saying that - there is a LOT of contradictory information out there, but a 100+ lb person squeezing a 60 to 200 gram animal probably is going to cause harm... If you let us know where you are, I'm sure we can help you locate other vet options :)
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Jun 26 2012
04:49:36 PM
PsychaGlider Joey FL, USA 10 Posts
I forgot to mention I bought mealworms and made a mealworm farm, which will be her new source of protein. the only problem is the only pet store around here only had 30, so i want them to hatch into beetles and lay 1000 eggs before I start using them, that way the food source will be constant.
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Jun 26 2012
05:32:02 PM
kare_1818 Glider Visit kare_1818's Photo Album USA 118 Posts
30 is not quite enough to start a mealworm farm as you're feeding you glider as you go along with the time it takes for the worms to turn into beetles and wait for the mealworms to grow to a size where you can see them. I started my mealworm farm in late March and have baby mealworms about .05 cm it can take up to 10 weeks or more and sometimes the pupa turn black/brown and dies. If you bought your mealworms from either petco/petsmart they sometime feed the mealworms something that makes them not develop into pupa form and die (not how true it is, I just remember reading it from an articles somewhere).

I suggest buying more mealworms from www.exoticnutrition.com (that's where i get a lot of my sugar babies food/treats) I started mine off with 1000 at $13 + tax and shipping.

Don't worry to much about other people success stories, you'll gradually find your own since every glider is different and has their own unique personalities.
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Jun 26 2012
05:52:34 PM
Candy Cuddle Bear Visit Candy's Photo Album FL, USA 8110 Posts
Mealworms are more fat than protein. The are best offered as treats or snacks and should not be depended on to be a primary source of protein.

Unfortunately, you have run across some of the videos and handling techniques offered by the largest Mill Broker in the US. Many of them can harm your gliders and certainly don't build trust.

Just take a few deep breaths and relax. Take things a bit slower with your glider and she WILL come around.

One thing that has not been mentioned is that gliders are colony animals. I hope you will consider getting a second glider soon to be your glider's best buddy. As much love as we give our little babies, we just cannot be with them 24/7 especially when she is sleeping in her pouch or playing in the cage at night. Our hands are just too big to help a glider groom that spot they cannot reach by themselves. Only another glider can keep her warm in the pouch while she sleeps, share dinner, help with grooming and be a playmate in the wee hours of the morning while most humans are sleeping.

Bonding with two gliders is really no more difficult than bonding with one. They learn from each other and if one warms up to you, the other will follow for the treats and attention.
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Jun 27 2012
03:41:40 AM
PsychaGlider Joey FL, USA 10 Posts
I Spend 20+ hours a day in this room, so giving her surplus attention isnt hard. Also playing with her little feet puts her to sleep in seconds, how adorable!!! She was sleepin in her cage but i think its cuz her pouch needs washing as shes defacated in it a few times.
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Jun 27 2012
04:31:18 AM
Skyfire Face Hugger GliderMap Visit Skyfire's Photo Album AZ, USA 456 Posts
Bonding with her will be a lot easier if she has a buddy. You can't sleep with her in her pouch or help groom her. You have to sleep sometime and she needs another body to sleep with her. Find her another female a little bit older then her and make sure the people that you get her from handles their joeys.

I have a female joey about the same age as yours and she is handled everyday! She comes up and gives us "kisses" and the worst she does is nibbles our fingers and barks in the wee hours in the morning to get us to get up and give her a yoggie. She will be going to her new home soon and after proper intros are done she will be housed with a father son pair. So she will only be alone for a couple of months. When you go look at one make sure they pick up the joey to show you they can handle her. look at her parents. Are they cabbing at them? Are they bitting the owner? Are their cages clean with toys and pleanty of bedding for them to choose from? These are things you want to look for. It will tell you if they really love their gliders or are in it for the money for the joeys.

Millbreeders don't handle their joeys everyday and love on them. True blue breeders love their gliders and their joeys.
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Jun 27 2012
12:50:22 PM
Candy Cuddle Bear Visit Candy's Photo Album FL, USA 8110 Posts
quote:
The breeder told me she had just had her 3 month checkup before I got her, and around here there is only 1 vet that handles gliders, and hes been doing it for 20+ years, and owns several himself.


There are MANY vets in the Tampa area that handle gliders. Your profile says you are in Temple Terrace. Which vet are you seeing?

quote:
Also playing with her little feet puts her to sleep in seconds, how adorable!!!


You have only had her for a week. If you can already get her comfortable enough with you to play with her feet, why are you still concerned about picking her up and just holding her.

Who is your breeder that recommended Chicken Hotdogs. I do not think an experienced breeder could give this advice and still have healthy breeding gliders themselves.
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Jun 27 2012
01:59:08 PM
PsychaGlider Joey FL, USA 10 Posts
Its confusing, shes Okay with me to play with her feet, but as soon as I go to pick her up she crabs and lunges and bites. I can only get her like that in her pouch or while reaching into her cage.
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Jun 27 2012
04:38:19 PM
Skyfire Face Hugger GliderMap Visit Skyfire's Photo Album AZ, USA 456 Posts
Just remember she is a PREY animal. Peditors chase and GRAB their prey. So may be more able to handle being picked up and not grabed once she is bonded. They progress you have discribed looks wonderful and is more in a week then some of us get in months of bonding with some of our rescues. Consider youself lucky. Soon you will be able to reach in her pouch and scoop her up and hold her in your hand with no problem.

But do listen to the other about her diet and buddy status. They are very senitive pets and need those things. Thats why they are exoctic animals.
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Jun 27 2012
06:22:50 PM
jbaudia4 Glider Visit jbaudia4's Photo Album USA 135 Posts
sent you a private msg. it will help them bond to you, i promise!!!!
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Jul 02 2012
01:47:56 AM
PsychaGlider Joey FL, USA 10 Posts
Just to give you guys an update, shes eating and shes very active and were moving right along to her completely trusting me. She crabs when shes in her pouch and i mess with her, but she shuts up as soon as I get my hand in there and start petting her (goes right to sleep when i rub her little hands). She hates her bonding pouch, so I end up using her sleeping pouch for bonding. In a few days once I teach her to stay in my hands while I carry her around Ill start doing tent time.
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Jul 02 2012
02:05:30 AM
StellaAnLuna Fuzzy Wuzzy Visit StellaAnLuna's Photo Album 1063 Posts
You can't just teach a glider to stay were you want it. If it wants to move it will move.

~Erica~
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Jul 02 2012
02:18:48 AM
PsychaGlider Joey FL, USA 10 Posts
I'm slowly teaching her that the way outside of her cage is through sitting in my hand, I can get her a good 3 feet away from the cage before she tries to wiggle out of my cupped palms, and I have to put her back in her cage, eventually ill just be able to carry her around in my shirt pocket where she can chill out and explore with me :)
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Jul 02 2012
05:43:26 PM
jakeelwood Super Glider Visit jakeelwood's Photo Album NJ, USA 396 Posts
Besides time spent with her. I can suggest how to pick up a glider who is hard to handle. I found reaching directly towards them is not helpful. I instead come from the sides and literally scoop him into your cupped hands. I have two gliders that need to be picked up this way. Grabbing at them is no good and dangerous.
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Jul 02 2012
09:28:04 PM
Hydirion Glider GliderMap Hydirion's Journal 163 Posts
I avoid trying to pick them up. If I do, they're in their bed, and I kinda dump them into their bonding pouch. When they're awake, they think my fingers are food. Not the berry in my palm. Not good enough. Fingers.

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Jul 03 2012
10:10:27 PM
TheHomermomma Fuzzy Wuzzy Visit TheHomermomma's Photo Album 1332 Posts
There have been a bunch of people here giving you good advice and I have yet to hear that you have taken any of it. Maybe you have and just didn't say. You said that she is eating better etc, but are you still feeding chicken dogs or did you follow advice and get her on a real diet?
Also, like Candy said, there are a LOT of vets that see gliders in the Tampa Bay area and we are more than glad to help you find one to take your glider to. It's really best if you have a relationship with your vet BEFORE something happens and you need to take your glider in.
Everyone here is all about the glider and will do everything that they can to help and give advice.
Sugar glider doesn't like being picked up.
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Sugar glider doesn't like being picked up.