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Help I am running out of time and bandaids? #36486
02/10/05 03:08 PM
02/10/05 03:08 PM

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I have a 7 month old female. She had lived with her mom and dad all her life until I got her. I was told that didn't bite her previous owner. I really don't know how much time they spent with her though. I have had her for 1 month.

She will now after a month actually let me put my finger on her back when she is on her wheel during tent time. Otherwise there is no touching. Needless to say, she won't let me hold her or take her out of her pouch. The only way I can get her out of her cage is to take the pouch out with her in it or take the cage to the tent so she will get out of it then when I open the doors. I have put my hand on the edge of the pouch to force her to come out by my hand if she wants to get out and play in the tent. After much crabbing she will do it. If I put my hand as some have suggested in with fingers straight and thumb out all the way into the pouch..kinda like an "L" shape she bites me several times hard enough to bleed. It doesn't make me stop but ouch! She does crawl all over me in the tent and now even lets me turn my head towards her when she is on my shoulder. Believe me this is big progress. I have held her for a maybe 30 seconds surrounding her with cupped hands. She bit me several times, but my bloody numbs kept holding her until she calmed down. She will occasionally take food from my hand, not always, depends on how much she likes it..lol

I have a new cage for her but it is too large to move so until I get her to allow me to hold her long enough to take her out, that kind of complicates tent time. I certainly can't get her back in the cage unless I bring the cage in the tent, then after of few minutes of climbing on it she will go in. I have tried to lure her into her pouch with toys or food,that didn't work. So..now I have a nice new large cage for her that I am not using because of this problem.

Only to complicate matters I had put a deposit down on a baby boy a few weeks back.(he will be fixed when old enough)He will be weined in the next couple of weeks. I have been to visit him. He goes to sleep in my hand. Go figure. He doesn't even know me. I probably jumped the gun on this one, but I just wanted her to have a friend. He will have a nice large cage to stay in if I can't get her settled down before he arrives. I was going to put him in the smaller cage until they got through the introduction period.

I am kind of at whits end now. I know bonding takes time. Iwill give her all the time she needs. My natural instinct is not to hold her against her will. Not to force myself upon her. Now I worry that I should have been a little more aggressive. I don't want to scare her but I don't want her to think she is the boss either. She is not getting any younger. Her teeth are only getting bigger.lol.

Funny thing....I love her with all my heart.

Any suggestions?

Bandaid donations are currently being accepted. = )

Re: Help I am running out of time and bandaids? [Re: ] #36487
02/10/05 03:26 PM
02/10/05 03:26 PM

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Ok, don't panic! You've only had her a month! It's ok! First, make sure you quarantine your new male for 30 days when you get him. Then you can start intros. Just because she doesn't like you yet, doesn't mean she won't like him! Do you carry her in a bonding pouch? If not, start, and do it as much as possible. Also try sleeping with a small square of fleece, then let her sleep with it during the day. This will help her get used to your smell. Have you tried licky treats? Try putting a thimble on your finger, then dip the thimble in a licky treat (like yogurt or applesauce). This wil teach her that biting hurts her teeth, but licking is yummy! Keep up with the tent time too! You can also try hand feeding. If her staple food is liquid, try feeding it slightly warmed through an eyedropper. About 10-15 sec in the microwave outta do it. I found this to be incredibly effective. They key is bonding, as soon as she fully trusts you, the biting should go away. You also have to remember that she's a teenager & you may just have to wait it out, no matter how much bonding time you put in! There is also usually a change in behavior when a male is introduced. My Zoe was a wild child until she was introduced to Smeagol, then it was like she changed over night. No more striking, no more temper tantrums in her pouch. Just don't panic & don't give up quite yet! BTW, welcome to GC!

Re: Help I am running out of time and bandaids? [Re: ] #36488
02/10/05 04:43 PM
02/10/05 04:43 PM

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3 MONTHS! It took me 3 very long months to get my Splenda and Mo tame. I spent 1-4 hours with them every single night, and that didn't include carrying them in a bonding pouch to work during the day. I did the bonding pouch every other day so they could get some rest on the "off" days. Then, after 3 months, one day, we had a breakthrough. When I opened the cage, they came right to the door and jumped on me. No more screaming, rearing up on hind legs, etc.

So, my advice is . . . don't give up. Know that it won't be such a high maintenance job forever and in the end, it will all be SO WORTH IT!! My Mo is gone, but Splenda is the love of my life!

Laura

P.S. My Apple and Sweet Potato were total opposites. They were tame almost from the day I got them, especially Tater. I think it just has something to do with how much they are handled when they are very young.

Re: Help I am running out of time and bandaids? [Re: ] #36489
02/10/05 05:32 PM
02/10/05 05:32 PM

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I just keep worrying that I am doing it wrong. I have chosen to think of her crabbing noise as a personal love song just for me..then she bites me and I wake up.

Re: Help I am running out of time and bandaids? [Re: ] #36490
02/10/05 06:17 PM
02/10/05 06:17 PM

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IMHO, it's all about the amount of time you spend. As long as you are with her, I'm sure you are doing it just fine. Good luck!

Re: Help I am running out of time and bandaids? [Re: ] #36491
02/11/05 03:05 PM
02/11/05 03:05 PM
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 10,569
IL (St. Louis area)
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Glideritis Anonymous
StitchsMom  Offline
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 10,569
IL (St. Louis area)
First of all, I think you are doing everything right! You are being patient and moving at her pace. You are being very considerate of her and you are taking those bites! *ouch*

I know that it can be very upsetting when your furball doesn't seem to love you back, but trust me, they come around. I don't want to discourage you, but it took me nearly a year to get Stitch to bond well with me. I have a "nibbler" at home right now (I don't like saying biter. They are so small, afterall). He is going to take some time, but I knew when I brought him home that it could take months to bond (just like any other glider) and all I have is time!

It really is worth the wait, even if it is a year, to have a nicely bonded glider for another dozen or so years. It's the effort you put in now that will conrete that relationship with her. Plus, because you are working so hard for her affection, it will pay off more in the long run. Sure, it's great to have a sweet glider from day one, but it's these fuzzies you have to work for that make it all worth it.

So, take a breath, everything is coming along fine. It's only been a few weeks, so give it some more time. One little hint: when you reach into her pouch, make a fist instead. Use the "L" method when she is walking around and you want her to step up on your hand. A fist is less painful to you and she won't see any yummy finger to nibble on. Also try reaching into her pouch with treats. Bribes can work wonders on these guys. I know you said she won't go into the pouch with bribes, but it may make reaching into her pouch easier. Keep us updated on her progress!

Good luck!


~*~Jenny and the fur kids~*~
>>> Sugar Glider Slave <<<
Re: Help I am running out of time and bandaids? [Re: ] #36492
02/12/05 10:40 AM
02/12/05 10:40 AM

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Just wanted to comment your feeling that you don't want to force yourself on her. I totally get that. My Chloë was forcefully resistant to handling when I got her; I think she was older than the breeder told me and had never been handled. She knew exactly where to bite me on my fingertips to draw maximum blood! This made it much harder to work with her. And I did make the mistake of respecting her wishes too much, figuring she'd come around and hating that I was putting her thruogh so much distress. Though we have a truce now, I do wish I had been more demanding of her at the outset. Be firm and persistent. Think "tough love". Because in the long run, a socialized glider will have a richer and more interesting life than one that fears people.

Re: Help I am running out of time and bandaids? [Re: ] #36493
02/14/05 12:24 AM
02/14/05 12:24 AM
Joined: Aug 2001
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consider yourself lucky with just quick bites i have a glider who would bit me and not let go just sink her teeth in deeper. till u not only bled but was bk and blue for 2 wks. now i got her where she dont bite. everytime u put your hand in her cage get her something she likes on your fingers like yoplait custard vanilla yogurt or another treat she may like. eventually she will see the hand she bites gives her treats and show her love. when she bites let her bite till she stops dont take your hand away. the biters can make the best pets. but have patience and take the bites without pulling away.


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