GliderCENTRAL

Food aggression

Posted By: Jen_n_Bear

Food aggression - 09/25/14 08:21 PM

Kat and Bear are fighting over food like crazy! Neither of them have ever shown any agression when it comes to food, but out of the blue the other night they started fighting, i went to check on them and Bear was standing on the edge of the food bowl glaring at Kat who was hunkered down away from him. I thought it was weird, but just separated the food into two separate dishes and put them on totally opposite sides of the cage. Kat went to the other one to try to eat and Bear went and attacked her. They're not hurting each other really, no blood or anything, mainly a lot of noise and tumbling around. Any ideas what could be causing this so suddenly? They still sleep in the same pouch and play together, they only fight over the food for about the first hour after i put it in, then i'll see them sitting side by side eating.It's super weird.... they have joeys that are 3 weeks OOP but they're still in the fleece pouch when the fighting goes on.
Posted By: Terry

Re: Food aggression - 09/25/14 09:45 PM

I wish I had the answer, I'm having similar issue with my Ollie over the girls or one of them. They've been together since Christmas Holidays (I think around then) and were fine until about 2 months or so ago (it could have been a little longer, maybe 3 or so). Ollie will chase and crab at one or maybe both girls away from the food dishes. The weird part, as in your case I will at times see them all eating side by side together or sometimes two of them, and Ollie will not make a scene. Then, he'll get mean, I'm not sure if he singles the same one or both of them, I wish I could sit vigil from the moment they're up to eat their first meal to the moment they go to bed in the morning, they sleep in between, and be able to see who's who in the dark. I can usually tell by looking at their head stripes at certain angles, sometimes it's hard, and I don't always know which girl is being chased or if he always chases the same one each time. I haven't managed to stay up to watch them all night.

Maybe someone can come and help give both of us answers, I've tried all the various methods known of in food aggression, and at times I'm not sure that it is what's going on, because I see them eat together at times with no problems, or the girls eat and no trouble from Ollie.

Anyway, at least you know you are not the only one in this odd circumstance.
Posted By: Srlb

Re: Food aggression - 09/25/14 10:42 PM

There could be a couple of reasons this is happening right now.

One, colder months are approaching. Sugar gliders will try to eat a bit more to pack on some grams to keep them through until winter is over. They do not understand they will have food all winter long given to them.

Two, you could be placing the food in a bit too late. Normally one will wake up before the others and eat first, if the food is put in later than normal and they are all waking up at the same time, it interrupts the routine and the alpha will 'hog' their share first.

Think of how the shows are with other species. They all go in for the kill, but the alpha always eats first chasing the others away until they are done. Same thing with sugar gliders.

Three, it could also be the moon phase. It is nice and bright and full out. Gliders often do not spend as much time out of their nests during a full moon (in the wild for obvious reasons).

Get a couple dishes that you can hang on the sides of the cage bars, place a few feeding dishes up high, and one on the floor, maybe even in a kitchen.

Be sure to put food in the cage at least 30 minutes prior to your sugar gliders waking up. This in itself normally helps a great deal.
Posted By: Kris_N_Zoe

Re: Food aggression - 09/25/14 11:00 PM

In addition to Peggy's point, since the colder months are coming and days are getting shorter, your gliders might be getting up earlier in the evening so you may put the food out earlier that you normally do.

Hope your gliders sort themselves out soon. smile
Posted By: JenK

Re: Food aggression - 09/26/14 12:20 AM

I have had similar issues with food aggression - I took suggestions from some members and over time the aggression stopped. I tried putting multiple dishes on multiple levels, and added a bit more food, as well as made sure food is in their cage 1/2 hr before they wake.

I don't know why the behavior started. I took suggestions and was very patient and observant . This forum has been very helpful for me. I haven't had an issue in several months!
Posted By: Jen_n_Bear

Re: Food aggression - 09/26/14 12:44 PM

Thank you all for the responses! I have been feeding them later than normal (hadn't even crossed my mind!) as i haven't been getting home and to bed until super late the last week. I bet that's their main issue. As for the Moon phases, and seasons... i'm so glad y'all are here to figure this stuff out and so willing to share! They have been eating more lately, that makes so much sense. I'll try feeding early tonight and see if that helps smile i'm wondering too if they're trying to be out of the nest more as the joeys are growing so fast and taking up more space haha! Hope the info helps you too Terry!
Posted By: Terry

Re: Food aggression - 09/26/14 08:25 PM

Yeah, I'm trying to figure out how long we were in AZ when Ollie started acting up with this. I know I started working within 2 weeks after arriving and it was after that. With my work schedule, I get home at different times and in the beginning and for pretty much the rest of winter and most of spring I was getting off at 6pm. Which is around the time I had been getting of work in MD. It seemed there as long as I got food in their cage between 5pm and 7pm it was good, and mostly it was before 6:30pm. Ollie is the first one up, even when in summer I started getting home between 5-5:30ish, he would get up as soon as food was placed in cage or already be up waiting for it. When I got home closer to 6 or so, he would usually be in pouch, but come out as soon as I place food in. It's possible that he gets up earlier those days and is tired of waiting. But, he doesn't seem to be defensive over the food when the girls come out soon after. This happens later in the evening/night, sometimes I hear in early morning. I don't know, I've used multiple food stations, now I place f/v ones at different levels and areas of cage, it hasn't changed anything.
Posted By: Jen_n_Bear

Re: Food aggression - 09/29/14 12:41 PM

Hooray! Feeding them earlier seems to be helping! it probably is also helpful that since they're lugging around a joey on their backs they haven't quite figured out how to keep their balance as well haha! they also seem less likely to squabble if i'm there watching them, which cracks me up. Man, i hope things get better for you Terry. Watching them fight stinks. Kat ended up with a few small scratches on her face before they quit frown
Posted By: GliderNursery

Re: Food aggression - 09/29/14 01:00 PM

:yes:
Posted By: Kris_N_Zoe

Re: Food aggression - 09/29/14 02:32 PM

That's great news Jen_N_Bear! grin

GliderNursery: Are dried fruits(like in trailmix) okay to leave out during the day/early evening for snacking?
Posted By: GliderNursery

Re: Food aggression - 09/29/14 11:47 PM

Yes you can leave those for them, but that's something more that I would offer as a treat.
Posted By: Kris_N_Zoe

Re: Food aggression - 09/30/14 12:58 AM

Oh, what would you advise for snacking?
Posted By: Srlb

Re: Food aggression - 09/30/14 01:29 AM

I recommend Happy Glider Pellets as a snack food, it also helps aide in dental hygiene.
Posted By: Terry

Re: Food aggression - 09/30/14 03:11 PM

Originally Posted By: Jen_n_Bear
Hooray! Feeding them earlier seems to be helping! it probably is also helpful that since they're lugging around a joey on their backs they haven't quite figured out how to keep their balance as well haha! they also seem less likely to squabble if i'm there watching them, which cracks me up. Man, i hope things get better for you Terry. Watching them fight stinks. Kat ended up with a few small scratches on her face before they quit frown


Glad that is helping you!!

Peggy: I leave Happy Glider Pellets in the cage for snack, and I have seen my Ollie boy up during the day down there snacking on them, lol.

I did a big cleaning and change out yesterday, thinking that a change was due and would help prevent boredom. I also changed where I was setting f/v, designing the areas to keep them kind of private but open, so if there is conflict, they have room to move away. Although, as I've already said, I've noticed them all eating together without any issues earlier in the evening, especially around their first meal.

I was hearing a lot of bullying (what I've been calling it) from Ollie early this morning. I got up and turned on our red bulb lamp I use for some vision of what's going on in their cage without disturbing them too much, and saw Ollie in a toy (Noah's Ark with a few little toys inside, no food). He was not letting the girls near it, lunging, crabbing and chasing them away if they approached it. I'm beginning to think he is just being a bully by selecting something in the cage to be all his and not wanting to share, if not for the entire night, then part of it. I'm curious to see if he does the same again tonight/tomorrow morning.
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