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trying to bond #23891
07/23/04 10:45 PM
07/23/04 10:45 PM

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I recently bought two male sugar gliders. I left them alone for a few days and put a blankie with my scent on it in a pouch I made for them. Dobby is a very "crabby" aggressive boy and Dakkota is a very quiet shy boy. The two days before I put the pouch in and they just had a little house they would come out to play and if I went into the room while they were out I was able to hand them some treats through the bars.

Since I put the pouch in all they do is sleep in it. I took the pouch out of the cage yesterday for the first time and when Dobby woke up and realized I was holding it and had closed the top he began crabbing at me. I kept holding the pouch and talking to him so he would know I wasn't going to hurt him or go away and once he quieted down then I put the pouch back in the cage and left them be for a while.

Later on I went in and they were moving in the pouch but didnt want to come out. I actually put my hand in the cage and lightly touched the pouch and talked to them and Dobby instantly crabbed. I took my hand out and closed the cage but continued to touch the pouch through the bars and he kept crabbing and then began lunging at the bag where I touched. I held a treat at the top of the bag hoping he would realize when I was there he would get a treat. Once he actually lunged out of the pouch to try to bite me but he couldn't get me. Finally he just took the treat and went back in the pouch to eat it.

I am actually scared to take the pouch out! I hate that crabbing noise and it makes my heart pound and I feel like I'm really stressing him out if he's that scared. I also feel like if he wasn't so aggressive that I could be bonding with Dakkota who is so quiet and timid. Dakkota won't even come to the top of the pouch to get a treat. He just waits for Dobby to get it and they share. How do I get Dobby over this aggressiveness so that I can enjoy them?

They also never come out of the pouch until way past when I need to go to bed to go to work the next day. Before the pouch was in there I could catch them out playing around 10:30-11, which is fine because I usually stay up till 11:30-12:00ish, but since I put the pouch in I sit in front of the cage until midnight and they never come out! I have actually fallen asleep in this room and my fiance has to wake me up to go to bed. I figured being nocturnal like my hamsters they would be up around 8,9, or at least 10 pm. If the light is on in the room will they think it's still daytime and continue sleeping?

I don't want to give up on them. I was attached the first night when I saw them snuggled together. They are pet store gliders though as I couldn't find any breeders around here so I know it will take longer. Any advice or similar experiences with happy endings?

Sorry for such a long post but I wanted to give as much info as I could to show my situation.
Thanks for any help!

Kristy

Re: trying to bond [Re: ] #23892
07/23/04 11:35 PM
07/23/04 11:35 PM

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Hmm, if you cant stay up late with them maybe you should have researched a bit more on them, they are nocturnal..

also, crabbing is very normal, just pick the pouch up every day after and before you go to work and walk around with the pouch on your shoulder. Then, try getting a tent from wal-mart and play with them in it. I know it sounds silly, but I have heard it works wonders.

Dont get too scared or they will always bite/crab/lunge at you.

Its not that they think "I hate that person" they are just trying to adjust and are not used to people 50 times their size trying to do stuff with them..

Re: trying to bond [Re: ] #23893
07/24/04 12:18 AM
07/24/04 12:18 AM

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The best thing you can do is research bonding, pick a bonding technique and stick with it <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/exclamation.gif" alt="" /> religiously. Find a routine, and stick with it <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/exclamation.gif" alt="" /> After over a month with my first glider, one day she just decided, "hey, I like you" and now every day she lets me bond more w/her and appreciate our friendship more. Its work, you're building trust... The posts that are "sticky" (with the push pin at the top of this forum) are where you'll find info on bonding techniques.

Hang in there <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" />

Re: trying to bond [Re: ] #23894
07/24/04 01:37 AM
07/24/04 01:37 AM
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 16,800
St. Johns, Florida
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Glideritis Anonymous
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 16,800
St. Johns, Florida
</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />
Hmm, if you cant stay up late with them maybe you should have researched a bit more on them, they are nocturnal..


<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Yes, they are nocturnal HOWEVER, there are MANY of us whom do not stay up all night long with our gliders. Many of us have over a period of time worked with our gliders who did not wake up until 12-1am and are now waking up at 8-9 so we can get some play time and out of cage time with them. So just because one is not able to stay up all night does not necessarily mean they did not research enough.

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />
also, crabbing is very normal, just pick the pouch up every day after and before you go to work and walk around with the pouch on your shoulder

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Please do NOT walk around with the pouch sitting on your shoulder! Normally a pouch is worn around ones neck and tucked in the shirt by some(me for one) to stop it from bouncing when walking around or doing daily activities around the house.

What you are experiencing is a very normal reaction especially from gliders that are purchased from a petstore.
Understand why you did it, just trying to let you know you can find much easier to bond with gliders from breeders who handle the joeys.
Read up on all the bonding tips choose one and do it every day. Consistency is the key word. Once the little guys are no longer lunging at the pouch when you are carrying them around (and dont give up on this no matter how much they intimidate you!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />) I would recommend getting a tent. It is an amazing tool to help bond with your glider.

I was very scared of that crabbing and lunging as well when I first got my two. They had never been handled by a human before and they werent too happy that I thought I was going to be the first. After a year of the same routine day in day out, my male every night now will eat his mealies than go running into his cabana (from glider daydreams <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />) and expect me to rub his belly. Its like he says ok I really want you to do this but I dont want anyone to see just how much I like it!!

Patience, love and consistancy are very very important.
Also make sure you have them on a proven diet!
Good luck and keep us posted. Always ask questions if you have them no matter how big or small.
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumb.gif" alt="" />


Peggy
Critter Love
Critter Love� Diet Center

If you want to know what a person is like, watch how he treats others.

You'll never know what the outcome is if you don't step up and try.

Re: trying to bond [Re: ] #23895
07/24/04 06:25 PM
07/24/04 06:25 PM

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Do you keep the lights on in the room they are in? Gliders do not like the light and will not come out to eat or play if the lights are on. Usually the minute I turn the lights off at night, I hear them moving around and then I hear the wheel going <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/roflmao.gif" alt="" />

I don't blame you for being frustrated. If you usually go to bed around 12am, there is no reason for you to have to stay up later to play with your gliders.

Make sure there are no lights on <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumb.gif" alt="" />

Re: trying to bond [Re: ] #23896
07/24/04 06:30 PM
07/24/04 06:30 PM

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</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />

I was very scared of that crabbing and lunging as well when I first got my two.

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

it still startles me LOL

Re: trying to bond [Re: ] #23897
07/24/04 08:22 PM
07/24/04 08:22 PM

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Interesting point brought up about how long to carry the glider around in a bonding pouch. If they are supposed to be asleep all day (and mine does sleep all day) then they wouldn't be coming out to get a drink. I may toss a grape in since on the weekends I tend to carry my glider around from the time I get up until we have tent time around 8 p.m. Tent time lasts until about 10 p.m., then back into the cage for dinner. Anyone have any input?

Re: trying to bond [Re: ] #23898
07/24/04 10:44 PM
07/24/04 10:44 PM

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I just put a lamp in the room in the far corner from their cage so I will see if they come out in less light. Yesterday when I had them out in the pouch Dobby crabbed quite a bit. This morning I took them out in the pouch for about 45 minutes and he only crabbed once when I scratched my leg near his pouch (I had the pouch sitting in my lap). Dakkota has still never crabbed and one night while I was laying in bed in the next room I heard noises and I came in to check and Dakkota was barking. I can't believe how much it sounds like a puppy!! It was really cute and I have read on here that when they bark they want attention and are happy so that was a good sign for me, but since I put the pouch in the cage I haven't seen him since because Dobby won't let them come out when I am around. And like I said before, if I have a treat Dobby will sometimes come up to take it but then duck back in the pouch and Dakkota will share his so I get no time to spend with Dakkota either. But I guess since they live so long there will be plenty of time for them to get used to me. :-)

I had done a lot of research before I bought them so I know about the different bonding techniques but my problem is how to get them out of the pouch to try them! :-) If they won't come out I can't play with them, so I'm just going to have to keep carrying around the pouch until they get used to me. Then I want my fiance to buy me one of those screen houses so we can play in that! That would be fun!
Thanks for all the input! This site really helps and I love Chinchillaclub.com for all my help with my chin. It's nice to get ideas and help from people who actually OWN and love these animals!
Kristy

Re: trying to bond [Re: ] #23899
07/25/04 12:59 PM
07/25/04 12:59 PM

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Break through!!! I was up until 12:45 last night trying to coax them out with fruit. Dobby kept peaking his head out and then ducking back in. I even had some BML on a spoon to try to get them out (this was their first time eating it, the pet store did not feed them well at all). He wanted to try it but still wouldn't come out. Finally I went to bed.

This morning I came in their room at 8:30 and they were out playing so I got the BML again and started with the spoon and they were both curious so came to try it. Then I put some on my finger and held it near the spoon and gradually I took the spoon away and they both were licking it off my finger!!!! Woo Hoo!! First time! Twice Dobby tried to grab my finger and pull it in the cage but Dakkota was very gentle. I talked to them and watched them play for an hour and kept trying to feed them more. Then they were tired and I was hungry so I left them to go to sleep. So for the next few nights I'm going to start with the BML and hand feeding it to see if they will come out of the pouch and then put the food in the cage when I need to go to bed. Maybe soon I'll even work up the nerve to put my hand IN the cage! :-)

Kristy

Re: trying to bond [Re: ] #23900
07/25/04 01:28 PM
07/25/04 01:28 PM

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Congrats on the progress Kristy!!!

Hand feeding is a GREAT way of bonding! It teaches them that hands=treats! And what glider can resist treats! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/nixweiss.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/roflmao.gif" alt="" />


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