I visit my boyfriend for a weekend about once a month. I have a trusted petsitter who cares for all my animals. This has been going on, more or less, for the past two years. This past weekend was one of my away trips. I called one my ride back home and was told all was well, but the gliders would be happy to have a real meal. ??? I asked what that meant, they were supposed to be getting real meals. I was told that it had been a crazy weekend and to save time my pet sitter had only feed the gliders pellet food. I was angry, Ayla has joey's IP and really needs a good diet, but no harm no foul...
I came home and found empty water dishes in the cages. I quickly filled the bowls (I leave water in bottles next to the cages to make things easier). Schizm quickly started gulping and I moved on to the next cage. This is where my 'golden gliders' lived. The sweetest, cutest, most personable gliders I have ever met. I filled the dish, but didn't hear any sugar monkeys coming for a drink. To my horror I saw Ayla lying on the bottom of the cage. I feel to my knees and noticed Dende next to her. I hurried to grab them, hoping there was a chance, but they were gone. Sobbing, I took out all the pouches looking for Umi, praying she was ok. She was missing. She must have excaped the cage. Hope renewed, I began searching the room. Some part of me even hoped she had broken into a gecko cage and gotten moisture there.
I found my little Bra baby curled up in my dirty sports bra on top of my hamper and my heart just broke. She died in her favorite place and I can only hope that my scent comforted her in the end.
They pasted away from dehydration. The pet sitter gave them the same amount of water as always, but she used dry pellets. The whole time they were suffering, there was 2 gallons of flitered water sitting next to the cage.
I guess this is venting, but it is also a warning. The sitter I used isn't an idiot ( a PhD, in fact) and had 2 years experiance with taking care of my gliders. It was one little change, over the period of 3 days, that took my babies away.
Attached is a pic of Ayla nursing baby Dende.
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#91148 03/28/0604:52 PM03/28/0604:52 PM
I am so sorry for your loss, I know words can’t help much… sending you… <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" />
I really feel for you, I nearlly lost my little girl through dehydration all because they had a new cage and she couldnt find the water bottle! That was one very long night trying to get fluids into her in between her seziures. Very scary! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />
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#91152 03/28/0605:36 PM03/28/0605:36 PM
This is really painfull, i can't even begin to imagine how so. Thank-you for sharing this painfull moment, many will surely benefit from this. Again so sorry for your loss.
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#91154 03/28/0606:07 PM03/28/0606:07 PM
My love and thoughts are also with you. I am so very sorry for your loss!! Please don't beat yourself up over this, you couldn't have known it would happen!
you have watched over them, now they are watching over you... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" />
Mama to: T & B ~my bio babies N,C,G & H ~ step babies Wraith & Rayna and soon to be Izzy & Ali~Gliderbabies Max ~ my German Shepherd And wife to the most amazing man I've ever met!
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#91157 03/28/0606:18 PM03/28/0606:18 PM
I am truly heart sick for you. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/upset.gif" alt="" />
I rarely have a temper but this is one of the things that will do it for me. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tantrum.gif" alt="" />
Last edited by Srlb; 03/28/0611:17 PM.
Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming WOOOO HOOOO, WHAT A RIDE!!!
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#91159 03/28/0606:57 PM03/28/0606:57 PM
I am sooooo very sorry to hear this!! I know how it is to lose your best friend and companion. I lost my one and only glider at the time to a terrible tragedy that could have been prevented. It's still too painful for me to talk about because she was my little girl!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/gliderangel.gif" alt="" /> You are in my prayers!!
LOL, Kat
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#91160 03/28/0607:25 PM03/28/0607:25 PM
thank you all so much. I tried to go to work today, but no one could understand. They all thought I was crazy for always having a 'chipmonk' in my shirt, but they couldn't understand why I was so upset. I think of Ayla, Dende, and Umi as my dearest companions, they see them as only glorified hampsters.
The man who watched the gliders feels terrible. He liked them and usually followed directions perfectly. He's actually the docter I work for and he was crying at work today. He's the type of guy who can't fish because he feels bad for the fish. He didn't mean any harm, he thought he was taking good care of them.
I just don't know where to start in getting over this. There is this huge empty cage in my room and Schizm is barking for his friends. I can't believe my sugar monkeys are gone.
Attached is baby Dende and Umi, about 7 months ago
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#91161 03/28/0607:37 PM03/28/0607:37 PM
omg that is sooo sad. I'm not getting my first baby till tomarrow, but i can already imagine how painfull that must have been for you. you will be in my prayers. i am so sorry for your loss.
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#91162 03/28/0609:41 PM03/28/0609:41 PM
I am absolutely BAWLING. That's horrible!!! Oh, and I'm sure your friend feels absolutely horrible over it. Obviously, this person was someone you trusted and I guess he just didn't know. Frankly, I'm not sure I would have known that they would need so much water because they had dry pellets. I have the lix it bottles on my cages, but my gliders (neither pair) seem to drink much, but they seem fine. They might drink [ ] that much water from the bottles a day. That doesn't seem like much to me, but they don't seem bothered??? I do give them fresh fruits, etc. Could they be getting what they need from that?
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#91163 03/29/0601:07 AM03/29/0601:07 AM
</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr /> They might drink [ ] that much water from the bottles a day. That doesn't seem like much to me, but they don't seem bothered??? I do give them fresh fruits, etc. Could they be getting what they need from that?
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yeah i read that as long as they have fresh fruits and veggies etc. they wont drink much water, b/c they get it from their foods. in this case there wasn't any water in the food. again i am soooo sry for your loss. It must be soo hard on you. I wish there was something i could do or say that could help, but i am just not sure.
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#91165 03/31/0601:42 AM03/31/0601:42 AM
Oh honey! I'm so sorry to read this story! My heart just breaks for you.
I hope it's some consolation that your post very well may save some other glider's life. In fact, before making this post, I went to put back my secondary water bottle I usually keep on the cage, but had taken off to put on their travel cage when they stayed at my parent's place a couple weekends ago.
Everyone reading this, (grlundef already knows) make it a habit to always keep at least TWO water sources on the cage, each with far more water than they will need. You never know when something could cause a water bottle to leak and go empty when you aren't around or something else unexpected happens like this. One time I hung a pouch too close under a water bottle and the fleece of the pouch soaked up all the water through the drinking spout. It was like a siphon and I came home to a soaked pouch and an empty water bottle. Luckily, it was just during the day and I discovered it before they even came out of their (other) pouch.
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#91166 03/31/0608:18 PM03/31/0608:18 PM
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/upset.gif" alt="" /> OMG This is so sad! So sorry to hear of the loss of you precious "Golden Kids" I know how hard it is to deal with something like this but thank you for sharing with all of us. My heart sank to the floor when I read this. Our thoughts are with you.
Needless to say...but I know I'll be checking all of our bottles and water dishes when I get home.
Im completely speechless....im so sorry:( I wish I had words but <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/upset.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" />
I am SO sorry for your loss. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crying.gif" alt="" />
This is how I lost my first glider as well. I had a sitter that I thought I trusted except she never came over and when another friend came for a 'play date' Jasper was almost dead. My friend wrapped him up in one of my shirts and he started clicking until he died.
Take comfort in knowing that your little one was looking for your scent and found it and that is where she wanted to be. Sending you lots of hugs. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" />
~Gretchen
If we never loved, then maybe we would never feel pain. Love anyway. It's worth it.
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#91169 04/08/0602:41 AM04/08/0602:41 AM
Oh! My tears sting my eyes, as I know your heart stings with the loss of your beloved ones. I am so terribly sorry! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" /> Your reminder of how easily gliders can become dehydrated is important for all of us. Thank you so much for sharing, as difficult as it was.
I've purchased three more water bottles so I can leave one on their travel cage and have two on their main cage, plus one in my purse, one in my fanny pack (in case I take that instead), and one by my desk.
Thank you again for sharing. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/heartpump.gif" alt="" />
Forever owned in my heart by my "Eight is Enough" colony:
Oh my Goodness! Im am soo terribly sorry! I also haven't got a glider yet, but i now know i will need to make sure they get plenty of water! I am extremly glad you took the courage ( and i'm sure it took a lot) to tell us all this saddening story. I am so sorry, this story made me shed a tear or two. I sedn you prayers! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/heartpump.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frostyangel.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crying.gif" alt="" />