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Behavior/symptom?(health)/food? Never seen before #1228925
02/15/12 11:36 AM
02/15/12 11:36 AM
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 299
Mo
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hypnotist321 Offline OP
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Mo
Sorry mods, I don't know where this goes.

Craziest thing happened last night/this morning. Never happened before and it's all 5 gliders doing the same crazy things. If it were possible (and it's not), I'd be wondering if someone slipped the babies drugs or something.

Normal: Typical up and down all night, play and stay up to say good morning to us, get pets etc (very calm and happy and ready for bed soon but hoping for treats if they ate their dinner) and they bed down around 6:10am as we get our coats on to leave after one more chat.

This morning: At 5:20 they were all out doing things I've never seen them do before... and there was no stopping. This all went on non stop till sometime after I left. All had the 'snakey tail thing' going on and had their little butts up in the air like you'd think a skunk would. One was circling a very small corner in the top of the cage (a first, an area about the size of a cool whip lid). 2 were running to the top one of the shelves (opposite sides of the cage), doing the tail thing and not doing the regular 'jump', but were more 'splatting' - like a suicide jumper kind of jump. They just let themselves fall. They'd hit the cage floor and do the tail thing, recover a moment then go back and do it again.

They all acted super hyped up and on edge. No barking last night, although this morning one did bark (first time for barking in the morning). None of them displayed what I would call normal behavior for them.

And, after I came home (just a little while ago) I would expect them to be sleeping. I would expect no crabbing when I went to clean out the dinner mess and replace the water. IF a crab was heard, normally would be a small, 1/2 hearted one because someone wanted to peek out and say hello and the other didn't like the movement. INSTEAD, one baby was up in the exercise wheel alone and 'trying to sleep' but up and down to cling to the back of the wheel as if afraid. Never have had one alone before. They always sleep together. Also there was a huge round of crabbing from I don't know how many in the pouch - and it was long and loud - another 'never happens'.

I put a smaller pouch with blanket in for the lone glider to snuggle in, in case the others were just being cranky, but he prefers to sit in the wheel with eyes wide and 'on edge'.

(I forgot to look at the moon cycle on the home page, I was in such a hurry to post and get answers).

Anything changed?: Every other month I feed a 'special dinner'. Last night was the night. I bought a pack of turkey necks during thanksgiving season - this is not the first of the pack they've had. I made one last night as I usually do, although I did use alot more parsley than usual. There was no food in their cage that hasn't been offered or eaten in the past. (Carrot, asparagus, blackberry, raspberry, blueberry, mango, spinach, bok choy, - all whole or in large 'chew on' chunks. A separate small dish of 'regular veggie mix' and 1 tablespoon of the HPW Complete mixed with 1 tablespoon green juice. They did drink about 3 times as much water as usual (which I would expect) and last night was the first time anyone has ever eaten any mango.

I did have some fresh asparagus shoots that I rinse (maybe not well enough?) before I blanched in the turkey neck water as it cooked. I may have added more sage than usual, I never measure, just dash it in the simmering water.

No cage changes or toy changes - although they have been playing with purple feathers the last few days. No chemicals for cleaning other than vinegar and water or peroxide and water - my regular. And didn't do that last night.

It is possible that the young male is 'becoming a man', and it's possible that the 2 young girls may be starting heat cycles. Momma goes into heat on the 29th - 30th.

It seems neurological or chemical to my eye, but there is no source in their environment. (Other than a small pot of water on the wood burner for added moisture in the air).

They are all going to the vet on friday (the last male to be neutered, the rest just for a 'well baby check'.

Last edited by sugarlope; 02/15/12 06:38 PM. Reason: edited text

Angela
Spike & Lola (mom and dad/neutered) OOP 2009
Peek-A-Boo (joey #1) OOP 8/20/2011
Fancy & Stash (twins girl & boy/neutered) OOP 11/20/11
Re: Behavior/symptom?(health)/food? Never seen before [Re: hypnotist321] #1228928
02/15/12 11:45 AM
02/15/12 11:45 AM
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 7,560
Long Island, NY
yiyo Offline
Serious Glideritis
yiyo  Offline
Serious Glideritis

Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 7,560
Long Island, NY
Are you certain that the purple feathers have no catnip on it?


Alyssa

"Moving on is a simple thing, what it leaves behind is hard."
Re: Behavior/symptom?(health)/food? Never seen before [Re: hypnotist321] #1228929
02/15/12 11:54 AM
02/15/12 11:54 AM
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 558
Florida
L
Lunas_mom Offline
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Florida
My first thought was maybe they saw a strange bug or something in your house that you didn't notice. Then I read about the feather.....I think I read somewhere that dyed feathers aren't recommended. I'm sure someone with more knowledge on it will chime in:)


:grey: Luna heart :rtmo: Kismet

:leu: Moonchild heart :plat: Sterling


The Little Sugar Shack

Re: Behavior/symptom?(health)/food? Never seen before [Re: hypnotist321] #1228930
02/15/12 11:54 AM
02/15/12 11:54 AM
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 299
Mo
H
hypnotist321 Offline OP
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hypnotist321  Offline OP
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Mo
Yeah, I bought them at the craft store, no animal stuff there at all. Nothing but feathers in the bag. They've been using them for days.


Angela
Spike & Lola (mom and dad/neutered) OOP 2009
Peek-A-Boo (joey #1) OOP 8/20/2011
Fancy & Stash (twins girl & boy/neutered) OOP 11/20/11
Re: Behavior/symptom?(health)/food? Never seen before [Re: hypnotist321] #1228933
02/15/12 12:00 PM
02/15/12 12:00 PM
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 7,560
Long Island, NY
yiyo Offline
Serious Glideritis
yiyo  Offline
Serious Glideritis

Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 7,560
Long Island, NY
I will say that mine exhibit variations in behavior from time to time. Certain days they're definitely more hyper and stay up longer, and other days they're more calm and go to bed earlier. On a couple occasions I've come home from work and one or the other has been awake playing, when I think they should be sleeping. And I've found one sleeping in the wheel once or twice also.

I'd just keep a very close eye on them the next couple of days. Or, if you're nervous, a visit to the vet may ease your mind.


Alyssa

"Moving on is a simple thing, what it leaves behind is hard."
Re: Behavior/symptom?(health)/food? Never seen before [Re: hypnotist321] #1228934
02/15/12 12:02 PM
02/15/12 12:02 PM
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 299
Mo
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hypnotist321 Offline OP
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hypnotist321  Offline OP
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Mo
I'll pull the feathers out now. (Just checked on them again, still have the lone baby sleeping fitfully on the wheel). I did soak a few feathers to see if any dye would come out before letting them play, but that doesn't mean there isn't some chemicals in them.

A crazy thought - I ran and checked to see if there was any earthquakes here last night or this morning http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsus/
There wasn't. But it was a thought.


Angela
Spike & Lola (mom and dad/neutered) OOP 2009
Peek-A-Boo (joey #1) OOP 8/20/2011
Fancy & Stash (twins girl & boy/neutered) OOP 11/20/11
Re: Behavior/symptom?(health)/food? Never seen before [Re: hypnotist321] #1228938
02/15/12 12:11 PM
02/15/12 12:11 PM
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 558
Florida
L
Lunas_mom Offline
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Lunas_mom  Offline
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 558
Florida
I don't think checking for earthquakes was a crazy idea:) Too bad their wasn't one, that would have been a great reason for acting "off".


:grey: Luna heart :rtmo: Kismet

:leu: Moonchild heart :plat: Sterling


The Little Sugar Shack

Re: Behavior/symptom?(health)/food? Never seen before [Re: hypnotist321] #1228940
02/15/12 12:23 PM
02/15/12 12:23 PM
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 573
New York
I
IndieAndStella Offline
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New York
have you tried to put the baby in the wheel back in the pouch with the rest to see what happens? one of my girls used to fall asleep in the wheel because she was too tired to get back to the pouch (not sure how old yours is, but this was in the beginning when mine was still 10wks or so OOP).

she displayed similar behavior, all bunched up in the wheel trying to sleep, but any movement or noise, and shed be staring out intently at whatever it was. i would scoop her up in my hands and put her near the pouch and shed climb right in with no issues. i attributed her "fearful" behavior to not feeling safe sleeping in the wheel as it doesnt offer protection like her pouch does.

also, ive read that circling or doing "back flips" is a sign of mental disease...but maybe the turkey neck gave them an extra boost of energy they dont normally have and caused them to literally bounce off the walls?

Re: Behavior/symptom?(health)/food? Never seen before [Re: hypnotist321] #1228944
02/15/12 12:35 PM
02/15/12 12:35 PM
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 299
Mo
H
hypnotist321 Offline OP
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Mo
I wondered the same thing Indie - if the extra protein had them amped up :willy: Then maybe that extra 'zazzy awakeful thing' maybe scared them?

The little guy on the wheel did the jump strait up and cling to the back of the wheel when I put my hand in to try that. He's too wired out.

I just checked them a second ago and they are all awake again.

If I'm unsure of something I try to treat for everything and a way that won't mistreat anything (if that makes scene). So in case it was a chemical thing, what ever it was has already passed the stomach, so I figured sugar would push it through, help the body metabolize. I grabbed the jar of yoggies and they were interested before I offered, so I gave them one.

Oddest thing.


Angela
Spike & Lola (mom and dad/neutered) OOP 2009
Peek-A-Boo (joey #1) OOP 8/20/2011
Fancy & Stash (twins girl & boy/neutered) OOP 11/20/11
Re: Behavior/symptom?(health)/food? Never seen before [Re: hypnotist321] #1228946
02/15/12 12:49 PM
02/15/12 12:49 PM
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 573
New York
I
IndieAndStella Offline
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IndieAndStella  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 573
New York
treat it with treats! hehe just kidding...

also, i forgot to ask - how old is your male?

it does sound as though they are hyped up on something - my girls got into my vitamin water once, and then were bouncing off the walls of the tent. i checked the contents and noticed it had natural caffiene in it, as well as some other "energy booster" type things. they only got a few licks in each, but i still believe it was the vitamin water that gave them that extra oomph. they were crazy, jumping from me to the tent, back to me, back to the tent, over and over and over again.

Re: Behavior/symptom?(health)/food? Never seen before [Re: hypnotist321] #1228952
02/15/12 01:02 PM
02/15/12 01:02 PM
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 299
Mo
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hypnotist321 Offline OP
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Mo
The male in the wheel was OOP Nov 20th. So almost 3 months.


Angela
Spike & Lola (mom and dad/neutered) OOP 2009
Peek-A-Boo (joey #1) OOP 8/20/2011
Fancy & Stash (twins girl & boy/neutered) OOP 11/20/11
Re: Behavior/symptom?(health)/food? Never seen before [Re: hypnotist321] #1229051
02/15/12 06:21 PM
02/15/12 06:21 PM
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 573
New York
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IndieAndStella Offline
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New York
hmm...i will let others comment on this, but i THINK they can start maturing as young as 3 months...so there may be something to that thought you had in the earlier post about him maturing and your younger girls being in heat...but that wouldnt necessarily explain the behavior of the rest of the colony?

Re: Behavior/symptom?(health)/food? Never seen before [Re: hypnotist321] #1229055
02/15/12 06:33 PM
02/15/12 06:33 PM
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 19,742
in my happy place
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Posts: 19,742
in my happy place
It sounds to me like something really scared them. When all of your gliders are acting strange, first thoughts are either that something scared them, or there was a toxin introduced to make them all sick at the same time. The fact that all of them were snaking their tail, though, makes me think scared. Some people see snakey tails as being playful, but every time mine do it, it is because they are being cautious or nervous about something. Almost like they are trying to use their tails to distract a predator (go for the tail, not the head).

The tight circles is also a nervous/scared behavior.

If it is something they are nervous or upset about, it could be anything. Mine freak out over the ceiling fan left on, the window being left open, if I've moved something in the room or if my cat gets in (they smell her, even if she isn't in the room anymore), etc.

If the behaviors continue, though, you will want to have them vet checked. Watch their hydration, as dehydration can be an early sign of a health problem. If you have a scale, watch their weights as well.


~Gretchen

If we never loved, then maybe we would never feel pain. Love anyway. It's worth it.
Re: Behavior/symptom?(health)/food? Never seen before [Re: hypnotist321] #1229141
02/15/12 11:12 PM
02/15/12 11:12 PM
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 299
Mo
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hypnotist321 Offline OP
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Mo
Thanks SugarL. I've been worried about them all day. The little one is still alone in the wheel (I put a pile of blankets and fleece scraps next to him, he booted them out). But he is finally sleeping.

They all (the ones in pouch) doing the loud crabbing when I put their food in the cage a bit ago. I'll update when they get up. Fingers crossed all is well, or at least better.


Angela
Spike & Lola (mom and dad/neutered) OOP 2009
Peek-A-Boo (joey #1) OOP 8/20/2011
Fancy & Stash (twins girl & boy/neutered) OOP 11/20/11
Re: Behavior/symptom?(health)/food? Never seen before [Re: hypnotist321] #1229480
02/16/12 08:08 PM
02/16/12 08:08 PM
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 7,560
Long Island, NY
yiyo Offline
Serious Glideritis
yiyo  Offline
Serious Glideritis

Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 7,560
Long Island, NY
How'd it go today?


Alyssa

"Moving on is a simple thing, what it leaves behind is hard."
Re: Behavior/symptom?(health)/food? Never seen before [Re: hypnotist321] #1229878
02/17/12 09:58 PM
02/17/12 09:58 PM
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 299
Mo
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hypnotist321 Offline OP
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hypnotist321  Offline OP
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Joined: Nov 2011
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Mo
We are back :-) (I had to break the law several times to get there by 5 to pick him up after the neuter) lol I didn't want him waking up in a strange place all alone tonight.

Doc said everyone is very health and he's impressed at how well they do with him being able to handle them and all. My big guy (dad) is a bit too fluffy but very healthy. Kind of hard to put 1 glider in a cage of 5 on a diet.

He found no health reasons behind any odd behaviors. All stool samples and heart lung sounds and leg and belly feels were very good :-)

Check this out - it was only 50$ for the neuter surgery, the pain meds, the visit for all 5 to be looked over and the pre-surgery visit for Stash to be looked over real well. WOW

And this guy really handles them like he has one of his own :-) And we have a POM ON neuter :-)

I'm still watching these behaviors and I have more to report. It seems there is some 'hunting' behaviors going on? That might be what that 'suicide landing jump' thing was about? I had a yoggie in my fingers near the side of the cage as I was opening the cage door with the other hand. (I only saw 2 gliders out, thought the other 3 were in the pouch)... Well one was hiding statue still and all of the sudden, in a flash, that baby sprang from his hiding spot and landed right over my fingers/yoggie. He was very proud of himself and I was amazed! I think these guys COULD catch birds in the wild - it was impressive!

And the 2 young girls seem to be using their tails like lures now... like they went into heat and were trying to attract the male? And the male would come over and rub her at the tail with his chest etc. It looks much like the snakey/fear/anxiety tail thing, accept that they are relaxed and not tail thing until they 'get into position' and the START the tail think with but up in air (or on cage)... as in, not startled and doing it, but calm and then start tail thing. (hope that makes sense)

So maybe they were all freaked out about the new cage full of hormones going on? Behaviors are still very different from what I've ever seen before, but now, although they are still actively watchful, they aren't freaked out and I can watch and learn what is happening.


Angela
Spike & Lola (mom and dad/neutered) OOP 2009
Peek-A-Boo (joey #1) OOP 8/20/2011
Fancy & Stash (twins girl & boy/neutered) OOP 11/20/11

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