.:The Beginning:.
Before we begin- I will state I am god awful at keeping journals,diaries, etc. I oft-times forget and will procrastinate. So if you follow Ithil's journey, I apologize for any inconsistencies and time-lapses.
4/4/16-- A whole new world--
I had done my best to get the jump on bonding by sleeping with Ithil's new pouch and hammock a LOT so it was completely covered in my scent. Along with placing my clothes in there after working in the office, so my scent was all over.
Plus; she's directly beside my bed; so she's near me always. I had fondly begun calling her (and still do) "The baby."
Told my cowokers happily "My baby's coming home!"
Coming home went beyond smoothly. I had the cage set up; Toy's hung and patiently waiting, bedding down, pouches and hammocks ready. Food prepped for her, you name it~!
She hardly crabbed at all- such a great temperament. Only time she really crabbed was when I lifted her transport cage up to peek at her. (she decided to hide under her new pouch instead of in it)
Getting home; managed to get her into her new home and had a quiet day. Let her crawl into her new pouch and sleep; let her have the cage alone that night to investigate and snoop.
She did excellently!
4/5/16--Watch what I can do.--|
The next morning I woke up and watched her play (Every so often she'd come to my side of the cage and investigate me. I was probably snoring)
After I woke up and begun the process of removing her little "Kitchen" and food bowls, she began fussing at the bars of her cage closest to my bed.
It looked as if she was using the bars to scratch and itch at the top of her head.
Suddenly-- POP!
She was on my bed and looking around! She had squeezed THROUGH the bars of the cage! They're standard 1/2 inch bars! She managed to actually spread them open and squeeze through! I stared in horror at her as she looked up at me proudly.
Managing to lift her up and bring her back into her cage; and coax her to go ni-ni in her pouch; I was panicking.
I work 14 hour days... If she can do that, what if she does it when I'm not home?! My bedroom has LOTS of boxes, nooks, and crannies to hide in. Not to mention bodysprays, room sprays, computer wires, lamp wires, etc. She could chew on...
I called the breeder I got her from; she was floored like I was that she had managed to get out like so; told me to recheck the cage and keep a close eye on her... (Already doing that. D: )
So, thinking about it; I headed out to PetSmart and got her a finch-cage where the bars are somewhat smaller; and more support bars are across so the vertical bars can't be manipulated to bed so easily.
Just put her in that while I'm at work so she can settle and sleep; then check on her midday on my lunch break to make sure she didn't get out. Also place her in my Glider-proofed half-bath so if she DOES escape; there aren't as many nooks and crannies to hide in.
(I even went so far as to tape-off the crevice to get behind the toilet tank...)
Here's to hoping my plan works. What freaked me out even more is her schedule is WAY off- She sleeps in until 12am, and doesn't go to bed until 6/7am. (I have to leave my house for work by 7.)
Here's to hoping my plan works...
Also--I took her to visit her new vet today. I WAS gonna get her checked over, but the price for an examination was kind of steep; too steep for me at this time. (Next paychek we'll go. For now, she's eating, drinking, moving, and urinating/defecating alright and no signs of distress.) I got her nails trimmed; since she kept getting her toes caught on her hammck. I removed her hammock for the time being as well, but to be extra safe; got her toenails clipped.
The vet said she did very well; aside from a bunch of crabbing to express her great-dislike of being handled like so.
4/6/16 --Paranoia--
Not much happened- it was my work day, Placed baby in her holding cage & in my half bath so she'll be safe. Plugged the bottom of the door with a towel and left a note for my roomies asking them to keep to their own bathroom. (sometimes they'll come use mine when someone else is occupying the main bath)
Came home midday to check on baby; she was fast asleep in her pouch. Had the roomies check on her too at some points to make sure she was ok. Other than that; Came home and cuddled, then tried to play.
Still has little- to no interest in my half-bath. Moreso interested in hanging out in her pouch.
Also-- Got contacted by another breeder in my area; She'll have Joeys ready for adoption soon, I'll be looking in to a potential cage-mate for Ithil.
Also decided on the name. (I'm so dorky, I know) Looking into Tolkien's Evlish. I named her Ithil which is the Evlish word for "Moon" since she's nocturnal.
I was debating on Ithil, or Morwen (Means Daughter of Darkness). Due to popular vote, Ithil won lol.
4/7/16 --Lazy day--
Not much happened, Quiet and relaxed today. Being home; kept Ithil in her regular cage. She nosed at the bars as if she was trying to get out again; eventually stopped on her own and preoccupied herself with other things, then went into her pouch to sleep.
Took her with me in her traveling pouch to pick up my room-mate and go shopping at the large Asian Market near her job. Turns out Ithil does NOT like the sound of crinkling plastic bags. She crabs like crazy and gets upset.
Lesson learned; No plastic bags near Ithil.
Other than that; Got in to some pouch cuddling; she's going into her biting phase I think. Being an adolescent- not sure if this her biting phase I read about for some Gliders; or if she's testing me, or trying to groom me.
She's very good about listening when I 'Psst!' at her. Though, A few times I've jolted my hand back, I try not to; but it's a hard habit to break.
Managed to get her into the front hand-warmer of my hoodie... She peed there and curled up to sleep.
I've found, sugar glider pee isn't as stinky as some; like cat pee as a prime example. But the caught wafts of it aren't entirely pleasant either.
I realized as I was moving her toys around her cage to make it brand new again; That the siding to her cage was upside down!!! (I bought her cage off craiglist, the very same breeder who sold her to me, actually)
I had no assembly book; and there was no info provided on the internet for cage-assembly for her brand of cage. So while Ithil was asleep; I managed to flip that side over, readjust the cage and reinforce it with zipties so she can't get loose again.
That's probably why/how she managed to squeeze past the bars to begin with. Up near the top of the cage; the vertical bars are longer; and a little bit easier to manipulate. (I do not think Ithil will be physically capable of trying to push past those bars when she's hanging on them.I'll be watching just in case) whereas the bottom has more horizontal support bars; and are harder to push past/bend.
Let's see how that works.
My shipment from Exotic Nutrition came in! She now has her wheel, Monkey biscuits, and bee pollen for her feed!
I'm excited to see how she reacts to her wheel!
4/8/16 --WHEEL!--
Ithil's schedule is WAY off now... She didn't wake up until after 4am, I tried my best to stay awake; but I caved and fell asleep. She didn't go to bed until noon today! How backwards! I even turned on all my lights and opened the blinds to bring in more light.
I never did get to see her investigate her wheel last night...
When I woke up around 8:30 though, I saw some poops in there; So it's clear she's made it her's.
I got to watch her run in it this morning, It looks like fun! Only issue I have is I purchased the 12" wheel, and she tries to rip-roar in it, and gets lifted as if she'll ride out the full rotation, but loses balance and falls, landing on the open siding and clings there as it rotates.
She hits that siding pretty hard; hard enough it raises my concern for her feet, sides, and back.
I'd hate for her to get hurt. Calling the customer support number for ExoticNutrition, I inquired about Ithil's wheel.
The gentleman on the other line informed me the wheels are special designed so a Glider can jump and partially glide while in it. And that they will jump from 40-60 feet up, glide, and land hard to the ground, that she should be ok in her wheel.
I guess that IS true...But I'm pretty sure I'll be trying to keep an eye on her when she's playing...
Tonight; I plan on trying to get her to wake up around midnight (right after I post this journal) and see about trying to get her schedule back on some-track. She's more prone to hanging out in her pouch when she's out. While during pouch-cuddles, she'll nip, groom, and lick my fingers.
It's reassuring to know we're getting some form of relationship; and am thankful she has such a sweet, calm temperament since I'm such a new owner.
Here's to hoping I can get her to a better sleep schedule.
UPDATED PICS:
i.imgur.com/8Vdr3JE.jpg
i.imgur.com/N8Kx2lN.jpg
i.imgur.com/BkJJTBy.jpg
i.imgur.com/FHieQ78.jpg
i.imgur.com/uHyAu5c.jpg
i.imgur.com/H54mpbz.jpg
Home
Glider Gossip
Gliderpedia
Journals
Resources
Minxies
View my pictures!