Can anyone explain torpor to me? I've been doing some reading (as always) and I'm trying to figure it out.
This story really worried me---->
http://www.sugarglider.com/glidergossip/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=27170&whichpage=1

I understand its basically like a glider is so asleep they are generally unresponsive, but what causes it? Is it always an extreme drop in temperature, or can it be just a really deep sleep? Can they do it conciously (like playing dead when in danger...) and unconciously? If anyone has any experience with this or insight, I would appreciate it.

I've not dealt with this, wish I could be of more help. Hang tight...someone will have some answers for you!

Torpor or temporary hibernation is a state of decreased activity with a reduced body temperature and rate of metabolism.

Gliders are subject to torpor in colder months in the wild, but it is not ideal. Single gliders in the wild do not survive this as they do not have other colony members to help raise their body temperature.

Any prolonged state of torpor can result in death.

We have a glider that goes into a very deep sleep, and about two years back did a lot of research together with our vet regarding his deep sleep. He was very healthy at the time, making this difficult to understand. He would go into such a deep sleep that we couldn't wake him at all, we are able to pick up his limp body and move him onto a table or anywhere for that matter, and he would not respond. We tested low blood sugar and everything. At the end we realized this was a deep sleep from being very bonded. He is so comfortable while close to my wife, that he would go into a very deep sleep, it is scary, because he just would not wake up. All of our gliders sleep very deep while on us, and we battle to wake them, but this one specifically takes much longer.

Thank you!
Is "extended torpor" measured in hours, or days?

Waiting on my suggies to arrive, but hoping to know everything I can before then! Thanks for helping with my research.

You do not want your glider to go into torpor at all. Gliders in captivity do not *need* to go into torpor (I know some animals need to hibernate to stay healthy, but gliders are not among them).

For some gliders, even a very short time of being too cold can put them in serious danger. If you ever find your gliders sluggish because it is cold, you need to keep them against your skin until they get back to normal and be sure that the temperature does not drop that low again.

What is too cold for a glider? This has me wondering if I should get mine a space heater... I have a big house and it gets down to about 60 degrees F in the winter.

Here is a thread on Temperatures

Hello
I posted this on another thread a few days ago & believe it may help to answer a few of your concerns -

I don't know about torpor in gliders but for tropical birds like the hummingbird, they migrate. So while flying to the migration spot they will need to rest even if it's cold. Some will find the warmest spot they can but if it's cold weather that there flying in,it's not uncommon for them to rest on a mountain ledge in a crevice and then they will drop their body temperature down sooo low to conserve what energy they have left to survive the night then they will continue to fly in the morning. When they come out of a torpor state they are looking for the sun to help warm them up. It is natural for them but for gliders, I wouldn't think so because they don't migrate.

Realize, regardless of what may or may not be natural for wild gliders, our little ones have been protected and in consistent environments (for the most part).

I just want to highlight what Gretchen said above. There is a difference between gliders in captivity and gliders in the wild, and even other animals who actually need to hibernate.