Here's the situation. Riker NEEDS a cagemate. Whether he wants one or not. I am doubting that ALL of the above pic's damage is due to illness. I would like to pair him with Myst. Myst is paired currently with Lyah (that's how they came to me). Gimli is also a single neutered male (who is desperately in love with Riker! Riker pierced his ear for him, then tried to take him apart after months of pouch swapping, etc. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shakehead.gif" alt="" />) All Gim does is "talk" to Riker, chirps, hisses, barks, hang around hoping for a glimse of Riker, etc.And Riker studiously and deliberately ignores him.) Would like Lyah to go and keep Gimli company. How on Earth do I do pouch/blanket swaps, etc. with two lone neutered males, each in their own cages, and Myst and Lyah in theirs, without majorly stressing everyone out? Riker is the main problem-Gim wants a friend so bad I don't think he'll be an issue. But I don't want to give him Lyah, and leave Myst all alone until Riker decides he'll accept her. And if he absolutely never will-okay, won't go there-if he takes a LONG time about it, that means Myst will then be alone, and then what? I REALLY need some help and ideas!!

You know, with all of the gliders i currently own, i have not once done pouch swapping. I just take each glider, put them on a blanket in the bathroom (neutral territory) and i have not ONCE had a problem. No crabbing, no fighting, nothing. I usually put mealies on the blanket and put a glider on each side of the mealie pile, and everything is fine. I leave a clean, neutral pouch next to them too. Good luck! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumb.gif" alt="" />

I do cage swapping.

Have you considered just finding another glider to be his friend?

He has previously been introduced to two others Troi: for 3 mos. pouch/cage swapping, Living next door to each other, etc, and if the bite had landed he would have seriously hurt her, instead, I bled for several hours from blocking the attack. Gimli-6 mos intros, pouch swapping, lived next to each other, etc., they met through cage wire and tent mesh and were fine. Tried TWO personal intros in a neutral location. First one Riker pierced Gimli's ear with his teeth (put a hole in it, poor guy, and he just stood there!) Second try when Gim tried to rub against Riker, they rolled up into a crabby ball with teeth flying and that was that. *Riker and Gim are both long-time neutered males.
Now, it's Myst I want to try with, who is neither an Alpha female (Troi is) or male (neutered). She's a very submissive little thing. Lyah is the alpha in that pair, and I think will do just fine with Gimli.

Riker is also a self-mutilator. I do not want to risk an injury from a fight, as it could very well put him back in his e-collar. That he needs a cagemate is not in doubt. Just looking for ideas how to go about it, as I've never had this much trouble with my others' intros. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/nixweiss.gif" alt="" />

I've heard that in tough situations, you can use a dab of vanilla extract to make the gliders smell alike. I have never tried this myself, but I do know of a few glider owners on this board that have tried it. One I know had a success after a few tries.

Keep us posted on these guys!

I had a terrible time with my 2 girls. It is chronicled on sugar glider Info tree, www.harborpro.com.It is under bonding titled "Delemma of 2". I hope it will be helpful to you.

I've had problems trying to introduce my Chip and Precious for a while. The only time they got along was when they both smelt like vanilla. It only lasted a half hour, but its worth a shot with Riker. Best of luck with him Jen, I hope he feels better.