Hey all!
So...Harley and Gizmo are making progress...I think.
But one think I have noticed in trying to adapt my schedule to give them more time--is that they seem to stay up really LATE compared to other gliders that I have read about here.
Maybe someone could critique my routine?
I get home about 6pm...make dinner and put it in the cage for them. (It won't be touched for a while, but I like to get it made and get it in there first thing.)
I then say hi to them and perhaps try to feed them a sleepy meal worm in their pouch.
Then I take the pouch and wear it under my shirt, petting them through the pouch and doing things around the house. After that I recline the recliner back and try to take a 30 min or 1 hour nap with them in the pouch on my chest. They usually sleep through all this--at least there's no movement or sound coming out of the pouch.
I keep the pouch on me until about 9:30, at which point I put them back in the cage and leave them for a bit so they can start eating.
After that, I go back into the living room, and leave them for a while.
This is where things start going south on me.
I come back in at 10, 11, 12...and try to interact with them. But they are sluggish and sleepy--and they want to stay in the pouch. :-(

But then from about 4am to 7am they are bouncing off the walls.
I open the cage and they come out and jump all over me.
I had to break away from them this morning to go to work.

Thought I was giving them plenty of sleep time--I don't know if they were on this schedule from their previous home or what.

Am I doing something wrong here?
Thanks
Dave

While I don't really know of a solution for you, from what I can tell you're not doing anything wrong! Except maybe not giving yourself enough sleep! It really sounds like you're doing a lot to take care of your little guys, and while I'm far from being an expert, it looks to me like you're doing a wonderful job!

I'm thinking maybe if you keep doing what you're doing, they'll begin to get used to the evening routine and start waking up earlier and being active earlier than 4am. That's just a hypothesis, though.

I hope everything turns out well!

What is the lighting like in the area of the cage?

If the room is dark all day while you are at work - your gliders may be awake and active a good part of the day while you are out.

Gliders need light during normal day light hours to provide the cues for their normal nocturnal active hours. If the room is dark, leave the lights on or place the cage so they get natural light all day.

In the evenings - They may be staying in the bonding pouch because the lights are still on around them. Most gliders will not tolerate being confined in a bonding pouch in the evenings once it is dark - that is when they are hungry and ready for play.

My gliders will stay in their pouch, no matter how late it gets, if the lights are on in the room where their cage is located. They are OK with just the light from my lap top, tablet or a small TV screen but turning on a light sends them right back into their pouch.

Your gliders may also be retreating to their sleeping pouch when you put them in the cage if the lights are on - only coming out and being fully awake and active after you have turned off the lights and headed of to sleep.

Try leaving lights on for them during the day time and making the room dark in the evening. That should help get them on a normal sleep schedule.

Rather than confining them to a bonding pouch in the evening, try playing with them in a limited space such as a small glider proof bathroom or a screen tent. This will allow them some active out of cage play time but keep them close to you so they can explore you on their own terms. Keep the room dark using only a night light or the light from a tablet or laptop screen to be able to see your gliders. Bring treats or the fruits from their dinner to coax them to come to you. Soon you will become their favorte tree to climb and jump on and off.

Hmm...lighting...
Yeah...I have not been diligent on the lighting.
I definitely want to be able to turn on the lights once they are up and about..but I think I have been leaving the lights on in there.

Thanks for the tips! I will start manipulating the lights--there's a window in there, too...

Thank you!

You have been given some good information. I am going to move this thread to the appropriate forum.

sounds like everything your doing is fine.
Ours will sometimes wake up at 10pm for dinner, but many nights they won't come out till 2AM.
Then on play night we take them out and down to playroom at 9pm, they come out of pouch, see they are in playroom. after a few mealworms they are running around crazy for 2 to 4 hours. by 1am they are fast asleep again.
while at 9am 3 gliders are asleep, link is usually up running on the wheel.
Lights on and off will affect them some, but sophie is one that doesn't care about the lights, when she is up, she is at cage door a lot wanting to come out and ride on your shoulders.

Our cage is located in the living room so ours are early morning risers. We get up a couple hours before work and play with them while drinking coffee and getting ready for the day. It actually works out, and it's a nice feeling when I leave them for the day. Starts my day on a positive foot so to speak...