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Advice for blind glider care
#72277
12/11/05 06:59 PM
12/11/05 06:59 PM
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
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Just wondering if anyone has any advice on how to make sure a blind glider is kept happy and healthy... Star began acting a little odd a few days ago, kind of jumpy at first when we'd make any startling noises, and just yesterday he didn't seem to find his food easily. When I noticed he really hadn't eaten, we took him to the vet, to see what was wrong, and she confirmed- he's blind! The vet told us it wasn't due to any deficiency that she could find, and said it was either age-related, or he may have a tumor. We're still waiting to see what the result is on that- I'm praying he doesn't have a tumor! Hoping for the best case scenario, now. If he has just gone blind, are there any tips for caring for him from here on out?
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Re: Advice for blind glider care
[Re: ]
#72279
12/12/05 08:51 AM
12/12/05 08:51 AM
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,659 Wallis Texas
Charlie H
Glider Slave
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Glider Slave
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,659
Wallis Texas
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We have a couple of rescues that came to us blind and there is no reversing it. Either lay your present cage on the side or get one that is not over a couple of feet high. This is to keep him from falling far if he makes a mistake. We place everything in the cage in the same place. Food and water are always put in the same place so that they can find it easily. They can have toys and a wheel but do not clutter the cage. Both of our blind gliders will use a wheel. You will be surprised at how well they adapt. They both also have cage mates and get along well with them. Charlie H
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Re: Advice for blind glider care
[Re: ]
#72280
12/12/05 09:01 AM
12/12/05 09:01 AM
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 14,788 Cleveland, Ohio
sugarglidersuz
Glideritis Anonymous
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Glideritis Anonymous
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 14,788
Cleveland, Ohio
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[:"green"]My Pika is totally blind now. This is something that just happened within the past couple of months (long story I won't go into right now). At any rate, Charlie is right - minimizing the cage height & the number of toys in the cage is important. Also, always put the pouch or nesting box (as well as the food & wheel) in the same place in the cage. Since gliders are so scent-oriented, they find their way around very well by stopping & sniffing the air. Pika gets a little lost sometimes in her cage, but she always manages to find her way to wherever she wants to go. I have found that keeping Cricky in with her is essential, she uses him as a homing device <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/heartpump.gif" alt="" />. Your glider should be able to adapt very quickly to being blind with relatively few problems. Good luck & keep us posted,
Suz Enyedy Carina & Coobah Allira & Gizmo Picasso, Trinity Joy & Luna DaisyMae; Darwin; Mareki; Mambo; Pika; Cricky; Reggie & Bobo, Pepe & Bittah Suz' Sugar Gliders
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Re: Advice for blind glider care
[Re: ]
#72281
12/12/05 10:50 AM
12/12/05 10:50 AM
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
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I have a young male that came to me blind, they do adapt very well, as Charlie said try and keep everything in the same place don't move things around and they will learn where everything is. I always talk when I'm approaching the cage, well when I walk into the room in fact, but when putting food in the cage I'm constantly talking so I don't take him by surprise. He is in a smaller cage than the rest and he does have a cage mate and a wheel.
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Re: Advice for blind glider care
[Re: ozzi]
#72282
12/12/05 05:01 PM
12/12/05 05:01 PM
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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As the mommy of a blind glider, here are my recommendations: 1. Keep food, water dishes/bottles and sleeping pouches in the same areas at all times. This will help the glider to learn their placement enabling the glider to get around/function better than you could imagine. My Helen is totally blind but drinks from a water bottle and knows exactly where the food dishes, sleeping pouches & wodent wheel are without any problems. 2) If your glider gets disoriented, take him/her to his/her sleeping pouch or food dish. This will be a land mark that will help re-orient your glider. 3) to prevent your glider's falling from any type of height in the cage & possibly getting hurt, consider strategically placing a hammock or two at lower points in the cage to cushion the glider's fall. 4) Do minimize the amount of toys in the cage to reduce confusion/disorientation/possible injury to your glider. 5) consider the use of a junior dome tent for playtime with your blind glider. My Helen loves it, crawls all over the tent and will even do short jumps to me.
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Re: Advice for blind glider care
[Re: ]
#72283
12/12/05 07:50 PM
12/12/05 07:50 PM
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Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,603 Nevada
itsasugarglider
Glider Slave
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Glider Slave
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,603
Nevada
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I have never had a blind one, but I just want to say how great everyone is for keeping their lovebugs even though their blind, I know so many people who would rid of any of their pets if they developed a handicap.
It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
The aim of education should be to teach us how to think rather than what to think.
The difference in involvement and commitment is like a ham omelet. The chicken was involved. The pig was committed.
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Re: Advice for blind glider care
[Re: ]
#72284
12/12/05 09:24 PM
12/12/05 09:24 PM
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Wow... thanks, everybody, for your help. This makes me feel a lot better. Update- we got him home today! yay! The vet has him on some medication for the next few weeks... Baytril and Prednisilone suspension... (pina colada flavored, lol). The vet says that it may even just be an inner ear infection, too, so his vision may still return. And he seems to be doing much, much better. Just fed him and we're getting him settled in to our travel cage- mid-size 'tiel cage- do you think that's a okay size for now? It's not too high... quite a bit shorter& smaller than the one we built for him, but still enough room for a wheel, a few toys, and some moving room. Well, thanks again for your help- and I'll try to keep everyone posted on how he's doing!
Last edited by Serastes; 12/13/05 05:24 AM.
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