GliderCENTRAL

Help Please: Sick Glider

Posted By: Micki

Help Please: Sick Glider - 01/27/18 10:36 PM

Hi, I’ve owned Gliders for over ten years. I’ve had six before and unfortunately I’m on my last little guy. His cage mate passed a while ago and he’s been great with the human contact I’ve given him daily. I’ve had him for about nine to ten years.

He always eats and is super active, and I just got back from vacation. My mother said he was great and when I got back, he was eating all his food and drinking water. He’s on a diet with suitable protein, fruits and veggies.

A few nights ago, I went to feed him and he didn’t touch any of the food the night before. Then, last night I went to change the food and again, he never came out of the pouch or touched any of the food he usually loves. I pulled his pouch out and he didn’t try to get away or go into the cage from the pouch he just came out with the pouch barely moving. He was fine the other day and now he’s lethargic, barely moving, breathing rapidly, and isn’t eating.

I got him to drink some water and have since moved the water bottle right above where he’s been sleeping so he can get to it. He took some apple from me today but otherwise has refused to eat. Whenever I put him back into his cage, he crawls (he won’t jump) a few inches either on the perches and toys or the walls, and then stops to stand still, put his head down, and breathe.

All night he stayed in a pouch, but he won’t burrow, he just keeps his head sitting out and either sleeps or looks around but he won’t move from that spot. He’s been awake during the day and sleeping at night. When he is awake at night, he doesn’t move. He sits in the one spot.

Again, this all happened out of nowhere. His diet has remained on the same rotation, no stressful events have happened to him in the past many months, and he’d been acting social and completely normal up until about two days ago. I haven’t had this happen to any of my babies in the past. They’d all either passed without a struggle or we gave to a trusted owner just due to pet licensing and all.

There’s no exotic animal vets in my area and the pet store I work at, they only see dogs and cats and then our store animals. They said they couldn’t see E.B. Because they’re not trained to. I don’t know what to do without a vet other than to make him as comfortable and loved as possible in what’s looking like his last few days...
Posted By: Terry

Re: Help Please: Sick Glider - 01/27/18 11:41 PM

hug2. I'm so sorry for you and little guy. No vet even in a drivable distance can see him? I pray he can either quickly recover or doesn't continue to suffer too long. I know the pain of both waiting/nursing and Euthanasia with pets (exotics) because it's so hard to detect illness due to them hiding it well. Usually, by then there isn't much anyone can do, however in some cases there are exceptions. You could maybe try to call around a little farther for a vet willing to see him just in case he can be helped.

And welcome to the board, though under sad circumstances.
Posted By: KarenE

Re: Help Please: Sick Glider - 01/27/18 11:54 PM

Terry is correct about gliders hiding their illnesses. The fact he lost his mate could be a contributing factor.

Here is a list of Georgia Vets who treat sugar gliders. Hopefully you will be able to find one not to far from you.

I am now going to move this to our Health & Hygiene Forum. Please keep us updated on your little one.
Posted By: Feather

Re: Help Please: Sick Glider - 01/28/18 12:13 AM

Your little guy is geriatric and he most surely could have been hiding this illness for a while.

Because he won't burrow down into his pouch I would give him something shallow with fleece to sleep in.

Give him a low hanging hammock to sleep on. It sounds as if he wants to be on top of things for his breathing.

Please check the list of Vets for one near you and get your little one checked out.
Posted By: Micki

Re: Help Please: Sick Glider - 01/28/18 12:24 AM

Thank you all so much for your advice. I am trying to find some vets even if they’re a little further. Most are just toward Atlanta and I’m not that close. I know he’s old and would’ve passed sooner or later I just hate to see him suffer.

Right now he’s in a shallow hammock, as you suggested, Feather and it isn’t too far off the floor of the habitat so it’s easily accessibl, if he does get up.. One side is covered so if he wants to burrow he can so he’s moved his body in there and left his head out. He’s not cold and he’s got warmth if he needs it. His habitat is in my room so I’ve been checking on him every thirty minutes and he’s been sleeping, which is nice because I know he was awake a lot today. When it gets closer to his wake up time I’ll take him out and see if I can get him to eat some more and maybe drink some more water.

I appreciate the advice and I’ll keep everyone updated on how he’s doing and if I can find a vet.
Posted By: Micki

Re: Help Please: Sick Glider - 01/28/18 12:27 AM

Thank you, again. I just wanted to let you know the Avalon Pet Hospital in lawrenceville is closed. We used to take my babies there, especially when my boys cagemate gave birth quite a few years ago. It was fantastic but the number is out of service and the building is closed.
Posted By: mechnut450

Re: Help Please: Sick Glider - 01/28/18 04:30 AM

Micki try mixing some Gatorade and water about a 50/50 mix it might give him a sugar boost to his levels to maybe make him want to eat, ( but being geriatric age ) he could be older than what you knowing of him. Specially if he was a older glider when you got him. some people don't track the age of their pets to well.
Posted By: Micki

Re: Help Please: Sick Glider - 01/28/18 07:15 AM

Yes, I have considered that. I said I have owned him for nine to ten years because I’m unsure of his age. I was very young when I got him and they’d recently become legal to house as pets in the US. BUT, he wasn’t from a breeder, he was from some flea market vendor in the middle of nowhere and wouldn’t tell us his age. The first glider we got from them actually died within a year due to what we assume was old age because he seemed perfectly fine until he passed overnight. So, unless he was sold to us while being sick and he never showed signs, which is totally a possibility, we hadn’t gotten them from trusted vendors.

This little guy and his late mate both had lasted for a fairly long while (his mate we had had for about eight and a half years and he is closer to ten) but, I’m believing he is more than likely older than ten years. I’m thinking that since he is of geriatric age and he has no cage mate that it’s just getting to be his time. Even with daily bonding time and rent time whenever possible, I know he probably misses his mate.

Still, thank you so much for the suggestion. I’ll get some Gatorade tomorrow and dilute it to hopefully give him some sugar. The only progress I’ve made with food is he licked some of the fruit purée from my finger and ate a little bit of apple earlier today. But he won’t eat any veggies or protein which is typically something he loves to go after. Hopefully the Gatorade solution will help. I appreciate it!
Posted By: Micki

Re: Help Please: Sick Glider - 01/29/18 02:45 PM

This morning he got out of his pouch and went to the floor of his cage. H just sat to breathe for a moment before climbing in his wheel and even with minor energy and having to stop every few steps to breathe, he kept trying. Is this sort of like the stress climbing habit some gliders get when they’re sick?
Posted By: KarenE

Re: Help Please: Sick Glider - 01/29/18 04:07 PM

Originally Posted By: Micki
Hi, I’ve owned Gliders for over ten years. I’ve had six before and unfortunately I’m on my last little guy. His cage mate passed a while ago and he’s been great with the human contact I’ve given him daily. I’ve had him for about nine to ten years.

He always eats and is super active, and I just got back from vacation. My mother said he was great and when I got back, he was eating all his food and drinking water. He’s on a diet with suitable protein, fruits and veggies.


Reading your original post again, and a few things caught my attention.

When did his cagemate pass? How long has he been alone?

Do you know if his cagemate was sick when it passed or did you simply find it assuming it passed from old age?

What exactly are you feeding? Is it a specific diet plan? No judgment, just curious.

There are several things that might be happening,
however, it is still very important your little one be seen by a vet.

He very well could be in mourning for the loss of his cage mate, and is lonely OR he could indeed be sick.

While many of us have had gliders live beyond the age of your little man, it is possible he is nearing the end of his life. Not because of anything you have done but just because he is. Ten years is a long time for a glider.

Hope these questions will help in some way. A vet check is still very important.
Posted By: Micki

Re: Help Please: Sick Glider - 01/29/18 11:51 PM

No worries at all, I don’t mind answering anything.

- His cagemate passed over a year ago. It was in November 2016 when she had passed away. And, she did not pass due to illness or old age. There was a dog attack while I was at school.

- Diet wise, he is fed BML nightly and we leave a pelletized Sugar Glider food in with him (that I found through the glider central links (I know I’m a new member but I had an old account back when I first got my gliders so we used the different links and resources we could find here). For snacks, I do give him fresh fruit, like apple and berries (no seeds) and occasionally small portions of mango. Then I’ll give him some fresh corn and carrots and peas as well a few times a week. So, I suppose it’s a specific diet plan? I give him certain things strictly and then feed him snacks that have good sugar and water content.

- Again, I’m unsure of his age since we weren’t told his age at the time of getting him so he could be older than ten years, and I’m believing that may be the case. He was fully grown when we got him and so he may be older than ten.

- I’ve been calling and driving to vets in hopes someone will see him. The vet we used to take out gliders to has since closed down both of their locations. Many of the places within an hour to an hour and a half from me will not see him because they’re not certified or trained to help exotic pets like him. But I am still looking adamantly.

Thank you so much for your help.
Posted By: Micki

Re: Help Please: Sick Glider - 02/02/18 02:58 AM

He passed away last night in my hands. I know he’s in a better place now. I thought he was turning for the better when he started eating but I suppose it wasn’t enough. Fly high, little man.
Posted By: Hutch

Re: Help Please: Sick Glider - 02/02/18 03:41 AM

I'm sorry for your loss.
:rbridge:
Posted By: Ladymagyver

Re: Help Please: Sick Glider - 02/02/18 03:53 AM

Oh, wow... I'm so sorry he passed.

Glide free little one!
Posted By: KarenE

Re: Help Please: Sick Glider - 02/02/18 04:29 AM

I am so very sorry hug2
Posted By: Feather

Re: Help Please: Sick Glider - 02/02/18 06:49 PM

I am very sorry for your loss. May you find comfort and peace in your memories of him.

Glide Free Little Angel :rbridge:
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