Hmmm, heres my list that is on one of my sites... This is just what I do... others may have more to add. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When Glider proofing a room, you want to be sure that anything and everything that can possibly be a hazard is removed or taken care of. Its best to scope out the area from top to bottom and inbetween...
* Look for small holes/crevices that can be gotten into (they can squeeze into amazingly small spaces!). * Check for exposed wires/electrical cords, cover or use baby safety outlet covers for electrical outlets. * Look for Sharp or pointy surfaces that can cause Owies. * Make sure ceiling fans are off, and any electrical items are turned off and the cords unplugged or not accessible. * If in a bathroom, make sure toilets are CLOSED and cant be gotten into, as well as sink/tub drain holes, and cabinets. * Vacuum and inspect all floors before playtime to insure theres nothing to pick up and eat or choke on that might be a danger. (may want to check for areas that need to be dusted, so little noseys dont suck up dust.) * Check for pictures and items hanging, and make sure they are secure, and cant be jumped on and knocked off. * Make sure the doorways are secure and cant be squeezed under. * Watch your step, and where you sit! These little guys are FAST and like to hide. * Do NOT leave unsupervised!!!
Basically just use alot of common sense... check out every nook and cranny! These little guys and girls are very curious, if they can get into it, they will, if it can be 'tasted', they will. Be safe! ;-) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hope that maybe helps some. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Yes, turn unplug heaters at play time. Also, even though Hope mentions to unplug all things, I once read on a very well informed site (candiflips) to make sure your paper shredder is turned off. After reading that I went into my bedroom and unplugged that thing immediately. It had never even crossed my mind prior to seeing that and than the thought of their little feet going into one just devastated me. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crying.gif" alt="" />
I just thought I'd share an idea my dad came up with..or at least I have not heard of it before, but I could be missing something. Anyway, I was asking my dad to make something for under my door so that the gliders wont ever be able to crawl out when they play (we have a bobcat). And he was going to cut some wood to put under there, but I came home tonight and he had nailed a gold strip to the very bottom on the inside and it has rubber attached to it that slopes inward toward the room. And its also nice because since it slopes inward it makes it harder to open the door which is nice as an added "back up" to the latch and door knob to prevent the cat from coming in. If anyones interested I'll post a pic, but I thought it was a good idea and might be real useful to some, esp maybe in a bathroom to keep them from sneaking in the bathroom and drowning in the potty at night. I'll ask him in the morning exactly what it is my mom didnt know. It looks kinda like the rubber from a windshield wiper though I dont think it is. But its working great so hopefully this might help someone out. And its heavy enough the gliders stand no chance of moving it or anything like that.
weather-proofing draft guards
Last edited by sugarlope; 01/15/1111:03 PM.
Is Your Room Glider-Proofed? Here's a Checklist..#33647 01/11/0502:44 PM01/11/0502:44 PM
I found this info online when I first got my gliders:
Glider-Proof Checklist
Here are some things you can do to make a room "glider-safe" for out-of-cage playtime. Glider Proofing Checklist
NEVER leave your gliders unattended. EVER!
COVER vents with aluminum screening so gliders cannot slip through.
TAPE holes in ceiling fans, keep them dusted and turn off power source.
CHILDPROOF all outlets with safety plugs. REMOVE all electrical cords.
REMOVE all recliners and hide-away beds.
CLOSE dressers and closet doors. Cover crevices with something gliders can’t remove.
REMOVE all chemicals and medications.
NEVER let your gliders in or near a bathroom. As a precaution, always keep toilet lids closed, as gliders cannot swim. Keep razors and other things in a closed cabinet or drawer.
CLOSE the door to the kitchen. If you do not have a door to your kitchen, do not allow your gliders anywhere near the kitchen.
REMOVE wall pictures that are nailed on the wall, sharp objects (i.e., pens, pencils, etc), and breakable items.
NEVER let your gliders in or near a laundry room.
CLEAN AND VACUUM frequently, so the gliders will not ingest anything harmful.
REMOVE all trash cans.
NEVER bring caffeinated beverages or chocolate in with you when you go into your glider-proofed room. Wash your hands thoroughly before entering into your gliderproofed room.
DO NOT bring any food or drink into your glider-proofed room unless it is intended for your gliders
TURN OFF heaters and remove them, if possible.
ALWAYS be on the look-out for possible hazards. Get down on the floor and look at things through a glider perspective.
TEST any openings. If your finger can squeeze through it, so can your gliders.
DON'T SMOKE around sugar gliders ever! Do not allow smoking in the same house as your sugar gliders. Smoking kills sugar gliders.
Re: Is Your Room Glider-Proofed? Here's a Checklist..
[Re: Incerta]
#33648 01/11/0511:47 PM01/11/0511:47 PM
Hey, don't forget pets. It's important to make sure other pets and animal free-roamers like cats and dogs are out of the room, too! Aquariums can also be a hazard. If only gliders could be good swimmers!
LOL <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worried2.gif" alt="" />I keep hearing about these toilet ladders... Where can I find info on that? Won't the human excrement get caught up in the steps?
Maybe it's just me, but a lot of these seem pretty excessive. For example, closing dressers & closets . . . exploring those is a highlight of the night for mine. Same goes for laundry baskets - they love it checking it out (smells like me, I guess).
And the bathroom is fine as long as the toilet lid is closed, obviously. Climbing up the shower curtain & gliding off the curtain rod is another favored activity for my pair . . .
Removing pictures on the wall? No pens or pencils? No trash can? I dunno. Maybe I'm just a lot more relaxed with mine than some people . . . heck, my girls have both fallen in the goldfish bowl before - but it only happened once. They were able to climb out within seconds, and since it happened both of them avoid it like the plague.
With the trash, one with no organics is safe enough. And if there is food in it, mine won't go anywhere near it - they're way more sensitive to rotting food smells than we are.
#1 key is supervision, after that eliminate the realistic threats (open flames or heat sources, sharps, electrocution, and toxins). As long as it's an environment familiar to you & them, just keep a close eye/ear on them, and let them explore . . . . :shrug:
Re: Is Your Room Glider-Proofed? Here's a Checkli
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#33656 01/12/0506:19 PM01/12/0506:19 PM
If you're concerned about pictures on the wall, hang it by two nails, one at each top corner, instead of just one.
And everyone is different. Some of these seem right for me, some don't. Just like everything else here. But at the very least, it raises awareness to dangers. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Re: Is Your Room Glider-Proofed? Here's a Checkli
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#33657 01/12/0506:26 PM01/12/0506:26 PM
Very well! But, Daemione and anyone else questioning some of these precautions,
you may find it interesting that if you visit the REAL STORIES section of this forum you'll find countless stories of real instances of people losing their gliders even to some of the most remote of circumstances. Some people may feel extra protective over their gliders, and that's really their choice. I feel that these precautions should not be deemed "excessive", at all, because to some, being extra cautious makes the difference between a glider that dies despite all the owner's efforts to prevent the fatal accidents, and a glider that dies due to a danger that the owner knew he/she could have fixed if only he/she wasn't so negligent. I know I wouldn't be able to deal with the guilt. So let's make an attempt to not criticize people's methods on this topic too much, because that's rather unfair. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />
Also, the reason for glider-proofing a room isn't only to prevent your gliders from injury and fatality, but also to prevent damage of household items, to prevent messes and inconveniences, to prevent a glider from getting lost somewhere, and to prevent harm to you and other family members (hence things like the garbage cans and shower drapes).
one more thing I would do it's more for the human than the glider is put a towel over your electrics(tv,cable box,vcr) they love to run across and pee.Mine destroyed a cable box before i learned my lesson and put a towel on it.Kiki loves to sit on top of the cable box because it is warm. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crying.gif" alt="" />
Karen President of The Glider Initiative The Glider Crue
i dont have gliders yet, but i let my budgies out in the back indoorporch (kinda like a sunroom) and we had a fridge in their and the dogs water and food bowls. i would always put a sheet over the fridge with alot hanging over the back because when they got stuck down their it was good to have somthing they could climb back up and covered the water sources of course.
Mikey, do a search for toilet ladders and you should find the info. As for the laundry, just recently there was a post about someone who accidentally washed her glider in the washing machine! Fortune smiled on them that day and the glider wasn't killed. Others haven't been so lucky. I agree some of these suggestions seem extreme. They are merely suggestions to point out possible dangers. Each and everyone has to make their choices themselves and each must live with the results of their choices. I vote to be safe then sorry.
620-704-9109 Judge not until you have walked in their shoes and lived their lives. What you see online is only part of the story.
I could have missed the pain But I'd of had to miss the dance
The soul would have no rainbow if the eyes had no tears.
Re: Is Your Room Glider-Proofed? Here's a Checkli
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#33663 01/14/0507:36 AM01/14/0507:36 AM
[:"magenta"] fantastic idea about the towel on the fridge, winkle! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/multi.gif" alt="" /> i will have to write that down. i imagine it would work for tall cupboards as well. [/]
Re: Is Your Room Glider-Proofed? Here's a Checkli
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#33664 01/14/0512:17 PM01/14/0512:17 PM
Another thing I might add. Can gliders REALLY not swim? I dont think they CANT, I just dont think theyre water animals who are known to swim. But I really believe that most any animal can swim, just out of instinct of not drowning. I understand why the person posted to close toilets because gliders CANT GET OUT OF A TOILET, but not because 'they cant swim'. Just my opinion. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Re: Is Your Room Glider-Proofed? Here's a Checkli
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#33665 01/14/0512:30 PM01/14/0512:30 PM
Well, I'm wondering if that's entirely true because then we wouldn't have all these gliders dieing in the toilet; being the energetic and active creatures that they are, they'd be able to continue swimming around until someone came along to find them in the toilet. It's like that extremely unfortunate occurence quite recently in the REAL STORIES section with the fine lady having her two babies drown in the toilet; she mentioned it only took a few moments for them to drown. I know if my ferret were to fall into the toilet or any deeper body of water she'd be able to tread for some time easily until someone came along to her rescue. See, ferrets can swim. Rats even can swim. But you're right - Gliders aren't built for swimming, so they tread for a few moments then drown from the exhaustion of trying to atleast keep afloat for air. That stands for gliders falling into aquariums, sinks, pools, bathtubs, or even large bowls of water. They're all perfectly common and gliders, should they fall in, just can't swim to save their life.
Once, I filled the sink up with water to wash my face and my glider slipped in as it leaned forward, I guess to drink some water, and he splashed and kicked and flailed his tiny arms around to try to stay above the water but it was horrifying! I rescued him quickly but if he would have been there for several minutes there was no way he would've made it. In the water their arms are too feeble!