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Biting problem #62834
10/14/05 02:19 AM
10/14/05 02:19 AM

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Ok so I've had my glider for a few weeks now and he's still quite weary of me. The real problem is that he associates my hands with food soo much that if i stick my hand in his cage to play with him he just bites it constantly in an effort ( I'm assuming) to get nectar/sap/juice out of it. What should I do?

Re: Biting problem [Re: ] #62835
10/14/05 02:28 AM
10/14/05 02:28 AM

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Blow on him when he bites you....

Re: Biting problem [Re: ] #62836
10/14/05 09:35 AM
10/14/05 09:35 AM

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Whoa!! Make sure if you're going to blow on your baby you don't blow very hard, just enough to distract them!

I personally don't use this technique... I find that if they're going to bite you, it's easiest to take on the knuckle! A lot of people say to just take the bite & they'll figure out that it's not really getting them anywhere or anything.

First of all is your little one lunging at you & biting you or is he just kind of giving you a chomp as he sniffs your hand?

Basically what I do- if I have my hand in their cage & they're in the pouch for example... they'll start to poke their little heads out & sniff my hand/fingers- I know bites are coming so I just make my finger into a hook shape & let them bite on my middle knuckle. If they start to bite too hard I just gently pull away, if you jerk too fast you'll reinforce the biting behavior & probably scare him!

I don't know if this works for everyone but it seems to help me, I get less and less nibbles/bites each night it seems & they're gentler too <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumb.gif" alt="" />

Re: Biting problem [Re: ] #62837
10/15/05 04:21 AM
10/15/05 04:21 AM

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Try the tsst tsst thing mentioned on another post titled "OMG… “SHhchchchch Shhchchchch Works!" in bonding. That seems to work when she's crabbing at me.

Re: Biting problem [Re: ] #62838
10/15/05 08:21 AM
10/15/05 08:21 AM

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It would help to know how hard the glider is biting you. I personally think if the glider is attacking and biting hard, then that's a behavioral/trust issue. Three of my gliders were lungers/biters when I got them and none do it anymore. However, from time to time they will still nibble on my finger if they smell something they want on it.

I personally do something similar to SugarBabees if my gliders nibble at me. I'll curve my fingers in if my glider starts getting really intent on smelling me or starts "teething" my finger. So if they do decide to nibble it doesn't hurt at all and my glider gets over it.

That being said, if I offer licky treats, I wash my hands after so they don't smell like the treat they just got. it lessens the chance that they'll start nibbling.

If the glider is lunging or attacking, then that would seem to be more of a behavioral/trust/smell issue that you need to work out whether it be more bonding, getting the glider used to hands coming into the cage, not having strange smells on your hand, etc.

I don't like blowing at my gliders either because it just startles them but doesn't really deal with the behavior that you want to stop.

HTH <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumb.gif" alt="" />

Re: Biting problem [Re: ] #62839
10/15/05 08:24 AM
10/15/05 08:24 AM

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<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/offtopic.gif" alt="" /> Also, as a side note, if the glider is crabbing, that means they're scared, and that can only be solved with more bonding and trust-building. Just trying to get the glider to stop crabbing won't solve the problem, but strengthening your bond with them will. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumb.gif" alt="" />

Re: Biting problem [Re: ] #62840
10/19/05 02:35 AM
10/19/05 02:35 AM

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Well if I approach him in his pouch he will lunge at me and nip me quickly some times. He still has issues with trusting me when he's cornered in his pouch. But the when he is out bouncing around his cage I can extend my hand to him and he makes no noise and just sniffs it looking for food. So I'm certain that the biting that I was refering too is not aggressive or defensive behavior. He just wants to see what my hand has to offer him.

Tonight while I was in my tent with him I was feeding him meal worms and I'm gradually trying to worm them up to the palm of my hand instead of pinching them and offering them too him. So when the worm is about 1/2 way down my fingers in my open hand he will still first sniff around the tip of my finger and give it some incredibly hard chomps. He actually drew blood this time unfortunately. I didn't jerk my hand away but I did slowly and calmly retract it. Edison (my glider) is an extremely curious and energetic explorer when he's active and I don't want to do anything that he will negatively associate with these experiences.

Basicly what I'm asking is how long will he display this behavior and am I reacting to it in the right way?

Re: Biting problem [Re: ] #62841
10/19/05 08:33 AM
10/19/05 08:33 AM

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In the situation you described I think that more than likely he smelled the mealie on your fingers (from when you grabbed it) but couldn't find the worm since it was up higher in your hand. I would trying grabbing mealies with one hand and placing them in the palm of the other hand (not your fingers because they can slid between the fingers and I've had my gliders nibble me trying to grab at it) so the only mealie smell on the hand that you offer the mealie to him will be where the actually mealie is.

It's good that you are not pulling away. The glider will probably continnue to bite until he realizes that biting is not going to get him what he wants. You will have to figure out the best way to offer treats. For example, with my gliders I figured out that if the mealie slips between my fingers my gliders will bite to try an get it out, or mine will ocassionally nibble on my fingers (but it doesn't hurt) when they get frustrated that treats aren't being handed out fast enough. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/evil.gif" alt="" />

I would also suggest that you work on the glider's pouch protectiveness. The fact that the glider is still crabbing/luning/biting when he is in his pouch means that he still doesn't fully trust you. One of my gliders is very pouch protective (same behavior you describe) so I have been giving her her mealies while she is in her pouch and keeping up with all the other bonding techniques. She has come so far that she lets me reach in her pouch and pet her now, so with time and effort it most likely is something that can be solved. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumb.gif" alt="" />

Re: Biting problem [Re: ] #62842
10/23/05 12:04 AM
10/23/05 12:04 AM

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Thanks for the response krispifsu!

Re: Biting problem [Re: ] #62843
10/25/05 07:26 AM
10/25/05 07:26 AM

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yeah i am having the same problem with Baby. is it trust or is it just her that she is a biter <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/offtopic.gif" alt="" /> would it be a good idea to just take her in the tent with me?

Re: Biting problem [Re: lilactigers] #62844
10/25/05 10:45 AM
10/25/05 10:45 AM

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There are different type of biting. Those that bite to defend themselves and those that bite because they smell something onl you they want or don't like. But that can be corrected but either not wearing certain smells (perfumes, colognes, lotions, etc.) or by finding ways to get around their inquisitive nibblings (distracting them, washing hands, figuring out how to hand out treats, etc.)

Some may disagree with me, but I honestly think that a glider that lunges/crabs/bites hard is doing so out of fear, because that is what they have to defend themselves.

I have only had four gliders in my home. Two came to me as extreme biters and the other one as an extreme lunger/crabber. Each one of those gliders has changed their behavior since they have learned to trust me. I don't think it is a part of their personality to be biters, I think it's their fear that makes them react the way they do and that can be corrected with time, and patience, and trust/love.

And yes, tent time is an excellent way to start the trust building. But more importantly is to have the glider with you during the day because that it when you get the real quality time with them. Not like playtime when the gliders are more interested in exploring than cuddling with you.

Re: Biting problem [Re: ] #62845
10/25/05 11:20 AM
10/25/05 11:20 AM

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Good Job Krispifsu,
I too have had a terrible biter and he had come to me a little older, where he had not been handled and began the fear biting anytime I would try to work with him. I did the tent time out as much as could with him which helped immensely. Every chance I get I still do as much tent time as I can with him one on one, he just has a very stand offish personality, moreso than any of my other gliders, so although he was a fear biter, I really believe he has a personality that slows the bonding process....I've had him for about 1 year and a half, still we have our moments where other gliders I've had are quite the opposite. Maybe partially the personality, but I do believe as Kristin says, it is fear related.

Last edited by cycy; 10/25/05 11:24 AM.
Re: Biting problem [Re: ] #62846
10/25/05 01:52 PM
10/25/05 01:52 PM

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Rosco is a lunger/crabber/biter. But I've only had him for a little over a week. I didn't expect them to be my best friends right away hehehe. Everyday when I get home from work I take each glider out and snuggle them in their blankies. Even though they crab at me I stroke and pet their heads. They calm down a little but still do the crabbing.

I have a junior tent in the garage ( i have to find it ) so I'm going to try tent time really soon. I don't have as many toys as some people do but I'm hoping we'll still do pretty good together.

I must say, it's a real test of patience as Rosco has bitten me and broke skin 3 times now. But he still gets lots of loves and cuddles. I am hoping they'll be bonded after another 2 weeks.

Daisy hasn't bitten me hard and isn't as bad of a lunger as Rosco is, but she is still crabbing.

Cuddles and love every day!

OH! I've seen a few posts about taking gliders to work, and I'd like to try and take mine to work. Do I need to wait until they are bonded or would this also help in the bonding process?

Re: Biting problem [Re: ] #62847
10/25/05 02:56 PM
10/25/05 02:56 PM
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 11,158
Tampa, FL
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Glideritis Anonymous
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Glideritis Anonymous

Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 11,158
Tampa, FL
unfortunately there is no short cut or substitutes to gaining their trust, and each one bonds at their own pace, it is important to remember that you have to take bonding at the gliders pace… here are three sites on bonding that I would encourage you to check out…

Bonding Bonding Bonding


* ~ * John * ~ * Sorry store is closed at this time.. <br>
Link -> [b]~~ XtremeGlider ~~ Home of the original Re~set Toys! ~~[/b] <br>
Oct 2012 update.. miss my gliders and my
glider family and think of my friends often!!!
Re: Biting problem [Re: ] #62848
10/26/05 06:50 PM
10/26/05 06:50 PM

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what if your in the cage and the gliders are running around and one of them (female in my case) climbs on you, then jumps to the bottom of the cage where you're sitting and is snooping around, hops on your leg and just bites through the pants you're wearing...for no reason and when you hiss at her she jumps down but comes back and bites again? Why is she doing this! It hurts and I don't like going in the cage because she climbs on me and bites on purpose. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crying.gif" alt="" />


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