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Warnings Worth Wrepeating!! #39793
03/13/05 04:16 PM
03/13/05 04:16 PM
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 5,968
Northeast Indiana
minkasmom Offline OP
Serious Glideritis
minkasmom  Offline OP
Serious Glideritis

Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 5,968
Northeast Indiana
Pardon the pun on the subject title, but I feel compelled to bring up a couple subjects (once again) for the benefit of those new to raising gliders!

Number 1 on my list concerns the common hamster wheel available at any department store for MUCH LESS than a more smartly designed wheel sold at the pet stores and online! Of course, I bring this up because of an incident that happened to poor Tiger Lilly recently: I noticed Thursday night that she had a naked "notch" halfway down her tail. Upon closer inspection, it looked like someone had pulled the fur out---but a complete ring of fur? Yes, there was a healing scab in the area, too...."OK, who's she been fighting with and why?" was my thought. Then Friday night I saw the spatters of blood on the bars of her cage near the wheel. Ping, the light came on! Her poor tail had been caught between the crossbar (flat, 1" wide, and could be very sharp when she's in "high speed") and the bracket holding the wheel in place! Out the door it went!!! In its place is a Comfort Wheel with NO crossbars, plastic (not metal), with no chance of glider feet getting caught between the bars. From the back side, it looks like I put a plastic bucket in their cage---they only had sizes for mice or ferrets...too big beats too small ALL DAY LONG!!! With some re-configuring of the cage's interior, the gliders love this new addition! (And Tiger Lilly's tail is healing nicely, but time will tell if there's any permanent damage.)

Another reminder is the use of fabric inside glider cages: It's wonderful to browse the $1.00-a-yard table for some colorful cotton fabrics to make pouches, hammocks, and other climbing type toys for our sweeties.....BUT please do remember that some fabrics will FRAY when they're nibbled on by curious babies! If there are going to be "raw edges" exposed anywhere, be extra sure to fray-proof them by either zig-zagging the edges OR use pinking shears for trimming! I make my own pouches with said fabric & fat shoestrings---and learned the HARD WAY that the seams are on the OUTSIDE of the pouches, and the fabric is trimmed to 1/8"! (You CAN'T IMAGINE how badly you panic when you see a frayed thread wrapped around your suggie's foot or neck!! Every second counts, and an ounce of forethought prevents a pound of regret!!!!!)

My final subject concerns branches in your suggie's cage: Yes, those branches the stores sell for reptiles are a very nice item--they have a bolt & wingnut assembly at the one end, it's nicely lacquered for easy cleaning, and the fool at the pet store will be more than happy to tell you "they'll do just fine". These branches are made and sold for creatures WHO DO NOT CHEW ON THINGS WHEN THEY GET BORED!!! Unfortunately, that rules out our little sweethearts! The most heart-wrenching experience I've ever had in all my years of owning animals was watching a glider die from the toxic poisoning she got from chewing on these reptile branches! She was a "rescue" who had been feed dry cat food & melon balls that even *I* would have to cut in half to eat. Poor creature was half-starved from improper diet and her tail was naked as a rat's, but that didn't explain the odd smell in her urine--until I washed her cage the first time! When that branch got wet, the odor matched the nose-curling stench to a T. Once the branch was thrown out with the trash, her fur began to grow back------but the damage had already been done. She died within 2 months of a massive kidney infection which I'm certain was contributed by those branches. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crying.gif" alt="" />

We spend many hours designing beautiful homes & worry about balancing diets, but sometimes we forget there's a tree right in front of us blocking the rest of the forest--until we smack into it at mach speed. Ouch. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumb.gif" alt="" />


Minkasmom (Papillon Kisses)
Slave to:
25 gliders,4 cats,
and ONE husband (can't handle two, lol!)
gangel Remembering all my lost loves cry
Re: Warnings Worth Wrepeating!! [Re: ] #39794
03/13/05 04:23 PM
03/13/05 04:23 PM

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i was told that the branches used for parrots were good, cause birds gnaw on thier branches and toys, that there were no toxic or harmful products on the parrot tree/branch products for larger cages. would like to know if that info is true? let me know, ok?

Re: Warnings Worth Wrepeating!! [Re: ] #39795
03/13/05 05:19 PM
03/13/05 05:19 PM

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I also use a parrot branch. I was told they were ok by someone who raises gliders. I have seen them in many pics in the glider central photo gallery. I would be interested to hear what others think of them too. I would never want to do anything that would endanger any animal.

Jackie

Re: Warnings Worth Wrepeating!! [Re: ] #39796
03/13/05 05:23 PM
03/13/05 05:23 PM

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talking on items for climbing for gliders. is the nylon rope bought at hardware store ok for stringing in cages?

Re: Warnings Worth Wrepeating!! [Re: ] #39797
03/13/05 05:27 PM
03/13/05 05:27 PM

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I think your assumption on the branches is incorrect. Birds gnaw through their branches all the time. If you look at the "Safe Plants" list, you can choose branches that are non toxic. As far as I know, the branches made for Birds are just baked to harden them up, then the hardware for hanging them is added. The branches would not be sold as branches if they were not safe for the animals. A lady friend of mine has 6 birds, and their branches look like someone put them through a garbage disposal in a sink. All of the branches are of "approved" material from the Safe Plants list. Just be sure to look at that safe plant list, and do not choose items from that list.

Re: Warnings Worth Wrepeating!! [Re: ] #39798
03/13/05 06:07 PM
03/13/05 06:07 PM

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I see no problem with using bird safe branches for gliders. I have 3 parrots and have never had a problem or heard of a problem from a bird chewing on a manzanita perch. I dont know what reptile tree things are so no clue there.

Re: Warnings Worth Wrepeating!! [Re: ] #39799
03/13/05 06:27 PM
03/13/05 06:27 PM

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I have seen some branches meant for retiles that were dyed and or coated with something. Just be sure to read labels and make sure you're getting a suggie-safe wood like manzanita that has just been baked. Most bird stuff is safe - I'm a bit wary of the dyed stuff though - don't use it myself.

Re: Warnings Worth Wrepeating!! [Re: ] #39800
03/13/05 08:18 PM
03/13/05 08:18 PM

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OMG!!! Ive got one of those reptile branches in there with my suggies right now!! ~~~goes to throw it away right now!

Re: Warnings Worth Wrepeating!! [Re: ] #39801
03/13/05 09:36 PM
03/13/05 09:36 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,640
Mims, Florida, USA
hushpuppy Offline
Glider Slave
hushpuppy  Offline
Glider Slave

Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,640
Mims, Florida, USA
Kindle, I wouldn't use nylon rope. I would look for a natural fiber like cotton or sisal. Just my opinion.


Anita Rae
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Re: Warnings Worth Wrepeating!! [Re: ] #39802
03/13/05 09:41 PM
03/13/05 09:41 PM

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thank you, i will look for the cotton or sisal(?) (giggle, another word to learn today, giggle). i appreciate your suggestion on this, as my gliders sure love to swing, run, climb and want to be sure they have enough safe items of that nature available to them too. smile.
thanks.

Re: Warnings Worth Wrepeating!! [Re: ] #39803
03/15/05 07:55 PM
03/15/05 07:55 PM
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 5,968
Northeast Indiana
minkasmom Offline OP
Serious Glideritis
minkasmom  Offline OP
Serious Glideritis

Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 5,968
Northeast Indiana
I've looked at parrot branches myself when thinking of new decorations for my glider cages. Guess the big difference between them & the reptile branches is the stain (lacquer, shellack, whatever) they use to make the wood darker---THERE is where the danger is!!! I'd rather just go out to my back yard & pick branches from my fallen maple & apple trees. Our city doesn't believe in spraying for anything, so I know they're safe.

In reference to the rope, Kindle, I have a 1" thick braided nylon cord that I have hanging from top to bottom of the cage. Toenails don't get caught on it, it's too thick to chew thru, and the braiding is a macrame work of art! It's also very easy to wash when it gets dirty---just throw it in soapy water to soak, rinse, & wring it dry in a towel. I also have braided strips of cotton material throughout the room of the "glidertorium"---small nails every 3 feet make the system strong enough to support 3-4 running gliders, and they have a delightful time running around on them! (upside down, rightside up, doesn't matter to them). Mind you, though, there's no raw edges that can fray; the edges are rolled in as the strips are braided.


Minkasmom (Papillon Kisses)
Slave to:
25 gliders,4 cats,
and ONE husband (can't handle two, lol!)
gangel Remembering all my lost loves cry

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