OK Bourbon I know you don't post a lot but you will read this! LOL.

A couple of times now, I have head Bourbon say she does keep 100% cotton rope in her cages and that the gliders play on the ropes and floss their teeth with the ends that unravel. That she keeps it trimmed and no one gets stuck in it, but that it's good for them. Ok girl....I'm thinking...this...is nuts. Why would gliders play with a cotton string and it's so dangerous but I'm not going to tell THE Bourbon what to do with her gliders....kinda forgot about it for a while.

Last night, I had some crocheting on my lap and the bonding pouch was unzipped. The new girls make a fuss at any wool yarn I work with, so I had grabbed cotton and was making just a little Valentine heart. All of a sudden, there is this tugging on my project. I look down, and both of these joeys are hanging onto the end of the yarn and sucking on the ends! They ran it back and forth through their teeth, JUST like flossing! It was COOL to watch. They would mock-attack it like a toy if I drug the end around on my chest and stomach.

Now nobody go putting cotton string or yarn all over their cages, this was a supervised (even if it was unexpected) event. But it was a really fun game for 20 min and I think it was actually good for their teeth! I was careful to watch when they were pulling and when they were biting and if the end was in a mouth, not to pull. They only had the last 1/8 to 1/4 inch in anyone's mouth at a time too. So yeah....every time I think Bourbon's got a hairbrained idea...she's RIGHT!

Wanted to stress that comment, as we all know that gliders have gotten their nails and teeth caught in stuff like this. If not supervised very carefully, it can be very dangerous, if not fatal, to them. I would not suggest this. That is why it's stressed that rope is not a glider-safe object.

A much safer method of dental hygiene is the use of mealies - they are safe, and gliders love them!

BTW, my response to this post is only meant for educational purposes for newbies reading this. Too many times we see conflicting information, and when we stress to not use rope and loose strings then say its good for dental hygiene ~ that's confusing to new owners. Just wanted to clarify my point.

Jessica...don't suppose you got this cuteness factor on video, did you?

Nicely put, Shelly!!!

No you guys I told you Santa didn't bring me a video camera! Although, I think my digital camera might record small snippets...I'll have to see if I can come up with the evolutionary 3rd arm to hold it and the string and see if I can't get some vid tonight.

Please do Jessica, I would also love to see this.

for teeth flossing my kids like playing with timothy hay in the tent...there like those old timmers putting ends of staw in there mouths and moving it around...i give them babby carrots in the tent also thaat they wont eat but sit there and shred it...