Hi All,

My two joeys (Yoda and Jabberwinky) have been with me for seven weeks now and I'm still learning a lot. We went to the exotic vet a couple of weeks ago and she found both of them to be in perfect health (no calcium deficiency or anything).

But a few days before we went to the vet, Yoda started sneezing repeatedly and frequently - just a lot of dry little "fsts" noises over and over, often with rubbing his nose. The vet heard the noise and said that she wasn't concerned unless there were any secretions with the sneezes, which there aren't. But it happens several times an hour when they're awake, and sometimes when they're sleeping.

I'm trying to address possible environmental causes (removed the fleece cover from their cage, running a heppa air filter 24/7, running a humidifier, washing things, not washing things...), but the sneezing continues for almost three weeks now.

Have any of you experienced this kind of dry sneezing with your gliders?


My second concern is with the same glider, my boy Yoda. He is noticeably smaller than his sister (who is assumed to be the same age since I got them together). Jabberwinky continues growing and is actually getting a little pudgy, while Yoda remains very light and lean.

I see them both eat, and I've seen both of then steal treats out of each other's mouths. There are always leftovers in the morning and fresh snacks available all day.

Other than being small, Yoda is very energetic and adventurous. He loves coming out of the cage and runs off to scamper around the floor (and back to me) at every opportunity. I can't think of any reason that a healthy young glider shouldn't be gaining weight.

Is there such a thing as a glider midget? Could he just be a slow bloomer with a growth spurt later?

The vet did note their weight difference, but wasn't concerned. Maybe I'm just being a hypochondriac due to these being my first gliders.

Any thoughts or advice from the community would be welcome.

Thanks!
Stef

Stef,

The sneezing may be grooming noises. Gliders spit into their hands as part of cleaning themselves and it sounds very much like a sneeze.

The size difference could be many things, including just genetics or activity levels. I have four gliders, all of whom are a noticeable different size than the others.

If the vet says there's nothing to worry about, I wouldn't be too concerned. Cute babies, love the picture!!

Hutch is right, it could be grooming noises and gliders do come in all sizes.

That noise can also be a greeting...or an expletive, I think.

Thanks for the reassurance! I hadn't considered grooming noises before... but I suppose it could be that Yoda is just very well groomed. He is a handsome boy.

If that noise is an expletive, then he's got a mouth on him like a sailor! LOL

Thanks for the suggestions!

Thanks, Feather! It's so great to have a community to check in with on these things.

Oh, no, I'm quite familiar with that sound from mine... more like a *crab*-*hiss*-*spit* combined with a rude tail gesture. I personally don't believe Arthur should say things like that about my mother until he's met her.

Stef333, On your heppa filter, does have an ionic filter too? Or can you smell ozone or have a burning sensation in your nose?

I went through this in the begining with our gliders. It's not good for them, you or any other pets. Mine sneezed a lot too. It took them a month or so to stop sneezing after I quit using that part of my air filter.

It is normal for them to make a sneezing sound while grooming, but if they are doing it constantly, they might be reacting to this, or even maybe their bedding if washed in scented laundry soap.

Nope, no ionic filter. I turned off the heppa filter yesterday, since it didn't seem to have an effect on the "sneezing" one way or another anyway. I think it's probably a grooming behavior that I just didn't notice much in the first few weeks they were with me.

I'm very sensitive to scents myself, and always use scent-free detergent (no softener). I'll just keep an eye on them (as if I could look away!) to make sure their eyes are clear and noses a good color.

I do hear Jabberwinky make the same noises from time to time, but not nearly as often as Yoda makes them. Maybe he's just a little vain about his grooming.

Thanks for your ideas!
Stef