So Photography is a hobby for me and I see the awesome pics people put in the contest each week so I thought.. Ill try that. BAD MOVE and Please, be warned that it COULD happen to you..

I took the one Im bonded with most outside. He hung out on my shoulder and we just sat there for a few minutes enjoying the beautiful day.. Then I walked over to a dogwood we have and thought, for sure he wont move bc its a new environment and everyone says they get overwhelmed and will just probably sit there and shake.. WRONG. I set him at the base, grabbed my camera around my neck, and before I could even turn it on, he was up the tree. It happened so dang fast.. My son started freaking out so I sent him inside and my oldest came out and started to climb the tree with his pouch. This went on for about 5 minutes until my glider figured out that one limb leads straight to the roof! We have a 2.5 story house that pressure washer companies cant even wash because there is a corner that is the garage, and then 2 levels on top of that.. I dropped my head and knew that I probably just made the worst mistake of my and his little life, he was gone. Told my oldest to get down and I headed to the back deck just to see if I could even see him. Mind you, we are surrounded by trees on 3 sides of our home...All while praying my head off that God will help me...

I go out back and just as I close the door, Whoosh overhead and this white fluff skims my head and grabs onto a branch.This was the only corner it was even remotely possible for me to get him back and for him to choose that one wasn't coincidence..(Thank you God!) I couldnt reach him but I grabbed the branch and shook it. (If I hadnt, he would have been up about 50 feet and its nothing but woods for a few miles). Down he fell into the grass(about 10 ft) . I jumped off the deck, scaled a chainlink fence barefoot and just as he was at the base of a large tree trying to make a break for it, I grabbed him! He crabbed his head off and I was screaming for my daughter to bring the pouch.. OMG.. My feet are cut up, i trampled through nothing but poison ivy, my pants are shredded from getting caught on the fence and i have the shakes worse than drinking a pot of coffee but little man is safe back in his cage...Telling his brother the story of a lifetime Im sure. And I looked him over once inside and he didn't get hurt at all, not even a fluff of fur out of place..I on the other hand....

So PLEASE, Take note that while others may trust their gliders (just as I thought too), the gliders instincts can be stronger than their bond. I dont want anyone to tell me how stupid I was.. Trust me I know..,I dont want anyone else to make the same idiotic mistake I did... I just wanted to let other people know that while its awesome to see beautiful pics and people have a great trusting relationship with their glider, it doesnt always mean that what you think will never happen, wont... Lesson definitely learned.

Yes. Yes yes yes a thousand times yes. I am so right there with you. No, I don't think you're stupid, not one bit!

Thank you for telling your story. I hope it serves to warn others.

I had a similar experience in a hardware store (with a million places for a suggie to get lost) with my calmest, most bonded girl. One second she was happy to meet the cashier (who is a family friend and had been begging me to bring my gliders in) and was sitting on her pouch getting pets, and the next she was gone. There was no time for me to even react!

Thankfully I got her back, but it was the last time my suggies left the house (except to go to the vet). Not worth the risk, and I still feel ill when I think of that day. Took ten years off my life.

I am so glad your boy is OK! What an adventure, but he's safe now, and that's what it is important.

These animals can move so quickly, and jump and glide incredibly well, yet we as owners are lulled into a false sense of security because most of the time, interacting with our bonded gliders in an environment familiar to them (our homes) they move slowly and purposefully and for the most part, just hang out with us.

I can't think of any animal here that I have that is harder to catch than a glider that *really* doesn't want to be caught. Seriously!

Ohhhhhh, I'm so sad that happened to you. Glad you got him back.

Even with the most bonded of gliders this could have happened. You said this was his first day out and maybe the ride on the should was enough for the day. The tree may have been just a little to much for him. If you try to take him out again only do the shoulder walk and talk to him the entire time.

I have several shoulder riders. Took a new girl out today. She's my ear bitter but, she did really well. I think she really liked it even though we didn't stay long.

My gliders are always jumping back to me when we are out playing. I try to find trees that are short so they can't glide to the top of higher things.

The flowers are usually potted. Don't need them in a flower bed lost in the jungle.

This is so TRUE!

I too, agree 110%.

Roo is my most bonded glider. Every time I open the cage, he immediately jumps to me and dives into my shirt. If I try to hand him to anyone else to hold, he turns around and looks for me, jumping back to me and down my shirt he goes.

I was sitting on my screened in porch one day and he was sitting on my shoulder. A loud motorcycle roared by and instead of Roo diving into my shirt as expected, he raced up the screen and tried to find a way out. He wasn't thinking about coming to me at all, no matter how scared he was. Thankfully, my porch is glider proof and I was able to get to him before he stressed anymore.

Once I reached him, I pulled my shirt open and he dove straight into it and down my bra, shivering from fear.

The only time my gliders go outside now is in a zippered bonding cage and into their travel cage then get buckled into the car seat.

I am SOOOOO glad your story had a happy ending!!! Thank you for sharing!

I'm so glad you got him back!!

Thanks for sharing your story. I think it was good for everyone to see that things CAN go wrong. We see so many awesome pictures of peoples gliders out in nature, it's very tempting to give it a try. Although I don't have the guts too....and you just proved why. I'm sooo glad you got your baby back

I am like you...I always look at those inccredible outdoor pics and wish I could have some like that. My biggest fear is what happened to you so I have never attempted outdoor pics. I'm glad you shared your story, maybe it will prevent a few lost gliders in the future.
Maybe you could compromise on the outdoor pics by using a potted plant or flower in the house to get some cute pics.

Thank you. It was hard to post as I felt like such a silly head for even thinking it! Even as I did I thought about the what ifs but yet curiosity and desire to take my baby's pics overruled common sense!!!!! So I'm glad all of you are supportive and don't think I'm an irresponsible mommy!!!

I will def do it indoors! Wish we had an enclose porch. I see those tents for cats so they can be outside and am thinking about trying that? Having sme safe plants tha would grow in sunlight on deck inside the tent thing? Does that sound safe? Of course supervised and glider proofed.

I'm still shaking my head that this happened but soooo grateful that I didnt give up and went out back!!!!

I would never take my older pairs outside - it scares me to DEATH! I'm always afraid something like this would happen. So glad you were able to get him back.

Many of us take our gliders outside (in a zippered bonding pouch) to a tent, with toys, set up in the shade, to let them play. I don't do it too often because we have so many feral cats around, I'm terrified some cat is gonna grab my babies thru the screen. I think I need a tent in a tent!

Again, I'm very glad you posted. Your error in judgement, has made a lot of people change their minds about taking their gliders outside and reaffirmed those of us who don't take them outside without them in a zippered pouch. This is one of the things GC is good for...helping others learn from our experiences.

wow, i am very glad to hear you got your baby back.
i think you have helped alot of people realize what could
happen, even with a bonded glider.

take care,
nancy in detroit

I alwas admire the outdoor pictures as well and wonder how people have the confidence to do it. It scares me way to much to ever consider it.

So glad you got him back!!

I agree. No matter how bonded I would never do this.. I would not only be scared of them running off to adventure or getting scared and running off but I would also be afraid of having an owl/hawk/eagle/osprey swoop down and snatch them up! It only takes a moment.

Every time I see a photo of a glider outside I cringe. For some reason I think of a big bird swooping down upon it! I'm with Emily on that one!

So glad you got your baby back. I know that was scary! Hope you heal up quickly!

Yes! This, too!

Have you ever seen that video where the little kid is showing off his pet mouse while his dad is videotaping? Right in front of them, just inches from them, a hawk swoops down and the mouse is GONE.

You wouldn't think raptors would be that brazen but I've chased hawks off of my chickens before!

Yes! I have literally seen this happen like three feet from my face with my friend's dwarf rabbit which was ON A LEASH. Super paranoid. Living in the boonies has its draw backs lol!

Wow, so glad this was on here! I won't attempt it at all. Been considering it but my girl is so into exploring I haven't tried it. Is there another way to get the natural light safely?

Try taking pictures by a window or screen door. Safe and you can still use the light to your benefit.

So glad you had a happy ending.

i know a lot of people 'attack' me when i take my gliders out for pictures

but i only did when i trust them and i know my gliders better than anybody else

they stay by my side when i took them out and never scared me or anything

but of course you need to becareful.

I take my joeys out, but when there is someone else with me. No matter how young they are, or how bonded they are, they can still get scared and run off.

I'm so happy that you were able to get yours back without any problems!

I love out door pic's. But I am just too chicken. And I am one of the nuts that take mine outside without a bonding pouch. But there is something about placing them off of a person that seems like giving them permission to runaway or be eaten. I guess I will just have to enjoy all of yours.

Thanks for sharing your story, I'm sorry for your ordeal, I can only imagine. Thank God for answered prayers.