Got some play time with the brothers this morning. Not that they played, but we all sat in the bathroom together -- gotta get a tent! Once they're all living together -- and they ate grape jam off my finger. Washi, of course, he's a real licky little boy, got the most of it; Kioko was more interested in snuggling down in the pouch. Once they both were licking the same finger, one on each side - I really liked that! It tickled. No nips, very little crabbing.

After about ten minutes, I took them home and went to get Shikoni. He was tight in his nest, fussed just a little very quietly, like he was saying "Not now, I'm really sleepy." I left him alone.

Yesterday when the brothers woke up, Kioko went almost immediately to the food dish and got a shrimp. He ran to the back of the cage and hung upside down to eat. Well, Washi came over and stole his shrimp! He ran off to the side. Kioko chased him, for about a minute that shrimp went back and forth -- I laughed!!! I offered Washi the food bowl, but he wasn't having any part of it, until I got a shrimp out and handed it to him. Then they both went to the back, hung upside down and tore into it. I got pictures, they're really cute. Took five pix, got three good ones.

I also got pix of Shikoni. Took six, only two came out -- that guy moves around! One problem too is that it's really dark in the cage -- I have a cover over it, the top, back and one side. I did that when I first got him because of drafts, and he seems to like the privacy, so I left it. Maybe when I get the cage set (!) I can take the cover off, there should be enough pieces to make him a dark corner so he can hide out.

Dinner tonight: turkey (of course, we'll be eating turkey til Valentines Day!), carrots, cucumber and bell pepper, apple, pear and a tiny bit of sweet red grapefruit. Also the last of that chicken-corn-squash baby food, and strawberry yogurt. Fresh water, shake out the floor fleeces and they're ready.

Overslept this morning, didn't have time to play with the boys. I couldn't believe how much I missed it! All day I felt as if there was something I needed to do, and there was -- playtime!

I carried the brothers in their pouch yesterday for about an hour. No fussing, no squirming; I thought they were content to be tucked under my shirt. I needed to do some outside work, and it was cold and windy, so they went back home.

Cleaned cages: not toys, they were done the day before when I swapped; but washed bottom fleeces and unoccupied pouches, wiped perches and sides, and and changed newspaper. All done with just warm water and a rag.

I made a toy: strips of fleece, beads, feathers and a huge jingle bell. I heard them playing with it all night! They woke me up about 11:00, I turned on the lamp and one was on the shelf tugging at a red feather, the other on the fleece rope bridge playing with the new feather toy I'd bought yesterday. These guys really like feathers!

Shikoni played inside his feather duster yesterday for the first time that I know of. It's been hanging over his corner hammock for about four days; it seems to take him a while to warm up to new things. Whenever I change his toys, he doesn't start playing with the new ones right away, so I've gotten to where I add one new, then wait a while, take one out and add another. That way it's not all new stuff all at once, with the familiar things gone.

He also has very different sleep habits from the brothers. He's usually awake about 4:30 - 5:00, just goofing around; I'll give him a treat, and then dinner around 6:30 - 7:00. Kioko and Washi don't wake up til about 9:00 or later. They all seem to call it a day at about the same time, around 4:30 or so; they all three take catnaps throughout the night, so you never know if someone's going to be available for play, or asleep. It'll be interesting to see if anyone's sleep habits change when they all (finally!) get together.

Dinner yesterday: strawberry yogurt, chicken, spring mix, the last dab of cranberry relish sprinkled with sesame (to offset the high phos in the cranberry), and one pecan half apiece.

Dinner tonight: shrimp, broccoli, carrots, fruit salad, a few grains of brown rice. These guys eat better than I do! If they're really good, I'll give them some of that homemade grape jam for a licky treat ... yummy.

Yesterday I kept Kioko and Washi in their bonding pouch all afternoon. There was a little crabbing from time to time, but for the most part they stayed quiet. I made a pot of turkey soup; while I was pulling the meat from the bones and thawing the vegetables they wiggled a lot. I opened the pouch and offered some meat, but no dice - no one was coming out.

Dinner for the gliders: frozen mixed vegetables (only three kernels of corn in each dish), shrimp, some chicken-squash-corn baby food, strawberry yogurt, freeze-dried blueberries. This morning: all gone, even Shikoni ate his shrimp and yogurt, and he usually doesn't like strawberry! The brothers pretty much eat everything, they're not fussy at all.

Bathroom time this morning. Shikoni played on the curtains, hopping back and forth between my shoulder and the window. He ran over to the door for hide-and-seek a few times, he was really active. Kept climbing up my leg and jumping back down to the floor, or up onto the curtain. Gave him a mealie for being such a good boy when I took him home. He's the sweetest, it took him a long time to get there but it's worth the wait.

Took a bowl with two mealies and yogurt in with the brothers. Put yogurt on my finger, Washi loves it. Kioko accepted a few licks, but mostly burrowed back down into the pouch. He stuck his head and hands out to get a mealie, though. Washi was more interested in the yogurt at first, when he got his mealie it had yogurt on it, and he got it on his face. Kioko cleaned him off; the first time I've really seen one grooming the other. Neither boy came out to play, the only time they've done that is when they were separate. It's very rare that they aren't in the pouch together, so one-on-one time hasn't happened but the once.

I'm getting a digital camera today. Walgreen's has a Kodak 8.2 mp I like for only $100. I'm glad the price is coming down! The last time I looked, one like this was over $200, and the best on the shelf was 7.0 mp. Except for the really fancy ones, $400 or more, and I don't need anything like that at this point in time.

The toy and pouch swap continues. Not every day, but I've done it twice in a week. I wash the toys before I swap them. I won't give the boys Shikoni's nest though, he loves it! He has never pooped in it, I shake it out once a week or so. It doesn't smell either. The little blanket and the rabbit-fur mouse he's taken in don't show any signs of poop or pee either - smell OK, not stiff or dirty. I wonder if he'll share it when they all get together.

Three more weeks then -- introductions! I'll move the new cage into the library, or maybe I'll move my steamer trunk in there and bring Shikoni into my room. I'll let them live in the same room for about a week, bringing the cages a little closer together every day. I think face-to-face intros will take place in the bathroom where it's small and I have much better control. They won't live in the same cage until I am absolutely certain they'll get along, it may take another month or even another year (yikes!) but I'll wait as long as necessary. I keep telling myself that, I really want them to be a little family because poor Little Guy has been so lonely. But his safety and well-being is the most important thing.

Today marks a week. Kioko and Washi have settled in beautifully. They were up all night playing, I heard the cage rattling even in my sleep. This morning I gave them some plain yogurt with a little honey mixed in; piggy Washi ate most of it but Kioko had some too. I wanted to get them into the bathroom to play, they wouldn't get in the pouch and they aren't yet settled enough to carry them (individually or together) without it. Washi almost got onto my hand, but backed up at the last minute. He's going to be the easy one. Kioko wouldn't come closer than six or eight inches.

Will swap some toys, blankies and a pouch today.

Shikoni continues to show interest in the things that smell like the new guys. I think he's as ready as I am for the introduction --- three more weeks! Not that they know time; he just seems to be ready.

Interesting note: Shikoni has always been a barker, usually in the middle of the night; never for hours on end, but almost every night. But since I brought Kioko and Washi into the house, I haven't heard a single bark. Could it be that he was calling for other gliders, and now that they are close, he doesn't feel so lonely? I've read that others' gliders who have a colony will bark, sometimes a lot, so I don't know ... there's so much I don't know ... all I know is that my little one has gotten less vocal since they're here. Still frisky though!

I will order a Stealth Wheel today for toenails. Washi and Kioko definitely need a nail trim; Shikoni could use one too. I guess I'll set up an appointment for next Monday for all three boys; I have two critter cages, so they won't be in too much contact. We'll see.

Have to write in the evening, my bedroom was occupied this morning.

We took a few pictures of the guys last night. Jiji had her camera, but the batteries were low, so we only got about eight pictures altogether. Most of them were Kioko and Washi trying to hide behind each other in the pouch, out on my bed; they didn't like any part of what was going on. Well, besides me, whom they hardly know, there were Jiji and Mike getting in on the action too -- all these strangers! And the overhead light, and the flash ... the list goes on! But we got two that are good enough for my photo album, the one of Washi is a little blurry - those little guys are fast! And then some good ones of Shikoni in bathroom time this morning, playing hide and seek and at the top of the hooks behind the door. He's a real ham, I can tell already! Fearless!
It was a little confusing first getting the pictures to upload -- I didn't realize the "browse" button would take it to My Pictures. After the light bulb went off, the rest of it was easy as it could be.

I'll get myself a digital camera for Christmas and then watch out! Lots of pix, they'll all turn into hams -- oink! Pix in the cage, pix out of the cage, pix of suggies eating, pix of suggies sleeping, playing, planning their world takeover (I should have named them Pinky and the Brain!) - there is no end to the fabulous pix I will take! And I'll be glad if 5% of them are worth keeping.

Dinner last night: leftover turkey and fruit salad sprinkled with sesame seeds, four frozen green beans each, and a small dab of the chicken-corn-squash baby food that came with the new boys. Food dishes this morning: the boys ate every single bite! Shikoni didn't touch the fruit. Every now and then he'll eat some apple, but there's not a lot of fruit he really likes, besides melon and blueberries and mulberries and figs; I'll have to buy some frozen cherries (to try) and blueberries. We can always make a pie or two!

Had to work today for the first time in a week and a half. Boy am I tired. But two days off now, back to the grind on Tuesday. Whoopee!

Raven said my cage set will be ready to mail on Monday. Can't wait, I'm going to split it up between the two cages and give all three boys something new to enjoy. I sure need more pouches now, with 200% more gliders.

That's all for now, going to have some wine and supper and crawl under the blankies - after I fix dinners, of course, three glider, one dog, one cat. I'm sure glad Ophelia doesn't need to eat every day.

There was no play time today with the new guys. Jiji and Mike slept in my room, so I couldn't get to them until about 9:00, and they were already asleep. Shikoni also wasn't in the mood for playing, he gave me a few kisses and that's all. Maybe too much turkey?

Last night's dinner: salad, including some fresh herbs - lemon thyme, chickweed and oregano - cucumber, spinach and spring mix; baked sweet potato; a tiny slice of turkey liver from the stock pot; white and dark meat from the roasted turkey; a little dab of cranberry-orange relish; a spoonful of fruit salad. Shikoni left a little sweet potato and all the fruit. Washi and Kioko ate everything! There were little bright-colored half moons and a few small lettuce leaves left. Those guys really have good appetites!

Jiji got out her camera and we took pictures of Shikoni peeking out of his nest to get a mealworm; Washi and Kioko in their pouch, squirming around to get out of the light; and "Sugar Glider at the Beach". We'll try to get some more pictures this evening when they are not so sleepy, and someone may stay out long enough for a good shot or two. She didn't bring the cord to plug it into the computer, so she'll EMail me pictures and I will try to get them downloaded to my computer, then to this site. I really don't know how to do any of that, it will be a learning experience for sure. Maybe the camera has a memory stick that would be compatible with my plug, I don't know - I just don't know enough, and don't want to experiment. Mike may, he uses the camera every day at work.

I held both Washi and Kioko for a few minutes today, no crabbing, no bites! I did get a few nibbles, but nobody was serious about it. I just love those little boys!

Bathroom time this morning. First Shikoni, I think the poor little guy is feeling neglected. He jumped up on my hand as soon as I opened his cage door, we went into the bathroom and he started down my leg, ran around for a minute and back to me. I offered him some molasses, and he liked it! And then -- up the bathrobe! We played Hide-and-Seek for about fifteen minutes. I can tell when he's through because he doesn't peek out at me, just burrows down; and he won't walk onto my hand when I offer it, I have to pick him up.

Washi and Kioko were in their pouch. First I checked the food bowls; one almost completely empty, the other had about 1/3 of dinner left. That's OK, I gave them a lot yesterday: strawberry yogurt, all gone; hamburger, all gone; apple slices, all gone; spinach and mixed greens, mostly gone; celery, carrot and cucumber, mostly gone. Good job!

In the bathroom, they wouldn't come out. Kioko crabbed a little bit, Washi not at all. I offered the molasses, Washi ate all of the first offering. Kioko had a little, and then Washi finished it off. (I think that's the way it's going to be, which is kinda funny because Kioko is so much bigger, I would have expected him to have the bigger appetite.) Anyway, no one wanted to come out, but I petted both of them, backs and heads, and got no complaints.

Last night they were out playing. I got two mealworms; Kioko was on the left side of the cage, I gave him the worm through the side. Washi was on the right side, on the floor. When he smelled the mealie he got up onto the side, and I gave him his treat. For about a minute while they munched, there was a neat picture: one suggie on each side, in almost exactly the same placement; at exactly the same angle; both tails curled -- it was like a mirror.

Both tummies in good shape.

Besides the difference is size, Kioko is a little darker on his sides. I won't have any problem telling him apart from the rest. Shikoni and Washi- now, that may be a different story. I won't know until I get them closer together. They both seem to be rather small, though Dr. Gosney did tell me that Kioko was one of the largest gliders he's ever seen. I didn't ask him how much they weighed; just forgot. I'll have to get a kitchen scale and then figure out how to get the little wigglers into it long enough to get a reading.

That tiki hut has a straw roof. Well, the straw has ended up inside, their fleece blankie is just covered with it. I guess that's the nesting instinct, I may from time to time gather and offer aromatic leaves and grasses if I know they're harmless (lemon grass probably would be OK, and probably some of the herbs - bay, lavender, rosemary? NOT salvia!) and if I can find a way to sanitize them. For the most part washing would probably be sufficient. All from our own gardens, where I know there have been no chemicals used.

Jiji and Michael coming today. I don't know where they're going to sleep. The futon in the library isn't very big, and there's still quite a bit of clutter in there from the new floor, things that haven't been put away; and my room smells like glider. I don't mind it at all, especially since I got rid of that nasty blanket! I know Jiji won't care; but Michael ... Well, we'll see. Maybe she'll bring her digital camera, and I can take a picture of Sarah's sugar glider picture and post that story.

It's back to work Saturday -- yikes! Oh well, all good things must end sometime. And so this journal will be much scantier. But I will try to keep it updated at least once a week.

I was getting a little concerned, Washi and Kioko didn't come out to play last night. I put their food in about 6:00; Shikoni was up and ready for his supper! I fixed three dinners of cucumber, carrots, chicken, apple slices and a little brown rice (Shikoni gets this rarely, just for variety). When I went to bed they still hadn't come out, they were curled up in that nasty blanket (which is going out today! I've only kept it because it came with them, and I feel they need something familiar) -- it was late, for me, about 10:00. Well, I woke up around 1:00 and checked on them, they were still in that blanket but the food dishes were nearly empty. Good sign!

When I got up about 4:oo, I looked in again -- back in that blanket! I uncovered them (boy did they yell!) and set a pouch down on the floor of the cage, and they went over to it and climbed in right away. I took them into the bathroom along with some honey. I sat on the floor and opened the pouch. Kioko came out, licked just a little honey off my finger, and then started exploring. Washi stayed in the pouch, he just stuck his little head out and went to town on the honey! He nibbled my finger but didn't bite. I petted his head, and he didn't mind at all. Kioko came back, got up on my lap, and back into the pouch. A little more honey for Kioko, again just a couple of little licks, as if just to be polite, and Washi finished it off. We were only in there about ten minutes, I feel good that they aren't at all afraid of me.

Tomorrow I'm going to try a little molasses. In 2 tsp.: calcium 117.53 mg, phos 5.47 mg, sugar 5.83 mg total, and full of iron too, so a few licks won't do any harm at all, it's good and healthy. If they like it, I may use it a couple times a week.

And I managed to look at their tummies, at least I think I saw both of them, they were squirming around so -- I hope I didn't see the same one twice! And no sign of inflammation or of anyone worrying the site. Hurray, I have three healthy boys!

I cleaned up the little droppings, then I got Shikoni for a little play time. This morning he wasn't really interested in playing Leaping Lizards or Hide and Seek, two of his favorite games; he mostly ran around on the floor, sniffing the places where Kioko had been. Came back to me with a little puzzled look, like, where are they? I want to meet them!

I think introductions will be really easy on his part, I am a little concerned about Washi and Kioko accepting a third glider, as they have been exclusively together their whole lives. I will swap out some toys today; they don't mind sleeping with one of his blankies, or in his pouch, so I believe that's a good sign.

1:00 pm : Finally got rid of the blanket! Had to wake them up and roust them out, into a pouch - no fun at all. Put a square of fleece down on the floor of the cage. It's hanging on the clothesline right now, but it's not worth saving; gonna put it in the garbage as soon as we get a new liner in the outside trash can.

She is such a lovely child!

Sarah is my niece. She is now six years old. She and her father, brother Mark, come to visit on occasion -- not nearly often enough! We have two bedrooms and a library, which used to be a bedroom, and now holds bookcases, file cabinets, a futon, and Shikoni.

Usually, when we have company, I sleep on the futon so that no one will be disturbed by my little nocturnal sweetheart. Also, so that I can be sure he isn't disturbed by our guests! (Horror story -- my grown niece's three little boys, unsupervised monsters -- near tragedy!)

Sarah loves animals. She loves Dora the Explorer. When we go to the lake, she sings a song the whole way - "We're going into the forest, we're going to have an adventure" - and she loves to draw, has been drawing since she could hold a crayon, and not scribbles either - phenomenal! and has at last count five three-inch binders full of her artwork -- mind you, these are only the ones she deems worthy of keeping! Her main subject is her cat Gus, and poor Gus has all kinds of adventures -- she (yes, Gus is a she) has been in a submarine, has gone to Padre Island, has been to the Moon and Mars and even Jupiter! When Sarah had surgery at age three or four, I'm not sure, Gus had the same. Gus was in the hospital, Gus was crying because she was scared; Gus was sore and sick; Gus got all better. Sarah will tell you the story behind each picture.

She has lots of other subjects, there are many cats, butterflies and beetles, and even some people, now that she's growing up and in school.

When Mark and Sarah come to visit, she always asks me, "Aunt Susie, can we sleep in the room with your little animal?" And I always tell her of course she may. She will never try to hold him, but she loves to look at him, and Mark says he will wake up in the night and Sarah is just watching Shikoni, whatever he's doing. She will even - with permission - feed him a mealworm through the bars of the cage! She talks sweetly to him, and never ever tries to touch him unless I am holding him -- and he doesn't really like to be held, but he's fairly still when Sarah is in the room. That is so cool, it's like he can sense that this is a person who respects him, and so he's calm(er) for her.

She drew a picture of him when she was about four, it was at the time she was explaining about Gus's surgery. It's called "Sugar Glider At The Beach". He's wearing his little swim trunks, and he has a big smile, and no stripes -- those came with later pictures, though they seem to be ringtail stripes! When I get a digital camera I will take a picture of it and copy this story into Glider Stories. I think many people will enjoy a positive - and true - story about a glider and a kid.


I hope they come for this Thanksgiving! If not, maybe Christmas.

I got the new guys out this morning, one at a time, we had some bathroom time and I was able to check the surgery site. Everything there A-OK!

The little one, I think I'll call him Washi (Eagle) because he's more aggressive, anyway, he wouldn't come out of the pouch, but he did take some honey off my finger. No crabbing, just kept himself huddled up in the pouch. Maybe scared, maybe because it's pretty cold outside (23 degrees at 6:00!)

The big one, I think I'll call him Kioko which means Meets World with Happiness, he was actually pretty crabby. Ironic, isn't it? He was in the tiki hut, and wouldn't come out, crabbed and even lunged so I think he just wanted to sleep but --- I wanted to check his tummy, he was tugging on the site for a little while yesterday. Anyway, I took the hut, glider and all, the pouch and the mealworms all into the bathroom. I put a mealworm in the pouch, then held it up surrounding the tiki hut door. In about two minute he was in the pouch and then I had him! I looked at his tummy while he was distracted with the worm, no pinkness or swelling -- Dr. Gosney really does good work! Then he came out and scampered around a little while, I had to lure him back into the pouch to take him home.

Right now they're both asleep in that ratty blanket that came with them. Poor little guys, they've had a lot to deal with the last two days! But they're eating almost everything, and drinking their water, and playing, so I think they're going to be alright. I'll just keep on the way I have been.

They have a cinnamon-y color to the fur on their tummies. The guy at the pet store whose name escapes me -- getting old! -- (I took them in after their neutering, I had to get more mealworms!) said that's from a not-so-great diet, not enough fresh vegetables, too much cereal. I can believe that, the box of food I got from Megan had lots of baby food including cereal and crackers. He said the color will go back to the rich cream in a while, after the good diet kicks in. He loved them, they were so good, curled up in the pouch and no crabbing or anything, they were really sweet babies and let him pet them and everything. I was a very proud mama!

I gave Shikoni one of their blankies yesterday, he sniffed and rubbed his face on it with his eyes half-closed -- just like a cat -- and took it into his nest. I think he's glad there are more gliders in the house, I can't wait for introductions! Christmas Eve!

   

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snusie
Gender: Female
Occupation:Horticulture
Member since: Oct 29, 2008
Posts: 2962 View my pictures!
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My Hobbies
I work in horticulture for a good-sized city, so any gardening -- I love to read and work HARD crosswords -- also draw and paint. My News
Kioko and Washi came to live with me on 11/23/08: five-year old brothers. As of February '09, we're having great luck with bringing them all together into one happy little colony. Favorite Quote
1) ...I want to stay as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all kinds of things you can't see from the center. ... Big, undreamed-of things --- the people on the edge see them first. Kurt Vonnegut, "Player Piano" 2) Beauty fades, dumb is forever -- Judge Judy, almost daily My Bio
Very old, b. 1957 in New Martinsville, WVa. Live in Central Texas now. I'm Mother to Ophelia, a 4-foot ball python; Domino, a regular cat; and Shikoni, Washi and Kioko, three lively gliders; and Step-Mother to Mike, a 13-year old former stray yellow shepherd. We and other humans all live together in quite surprising harmony.

   

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