Hello!

I have two gliders Lilly and Lulu. I got them in February so I've had them for about 8 months now. They're about a year old. Lulu has bonded really well. She likes to come out of her cage and hang on me while I do things like put clothes away, clean the house (etc). Lilly on the other hand doesn't really like to come out of her cage, if I put my hand out she will bite my fingers (she will bite REALLY hard, she draws blood). I'm worried that Lilly doesn't like me and will never bond like Lulu did. When I open it for them to come out, Lulu comes out right away while Lilly hangs out in the back corner of her cage.
I decided that I would try something new. Today I put Lilly in a pouch and took her to work with me. She is in her pouch now on my lap as I type this. Every once in a while I will open the pouch and pet her.
Does anyone have any other suggestions on what I can do to make Lilly feel more comfortable? Am I doing something wrong? I really want her to bond with me.

Thanks for the help!
Amanda

Some gliders take much longer than others to bond. I got all four of mine at the same time when they were about nine weeks old & they have each connected with me in different ways & amounts of time. Honestly, I still don’t consider Arthur or Merlin fully bonded; Arthur will still nip occasionally. My Gwynevere is the only one I trust completely to come find me if I lose track of her & this is after 15 months. (& she’ll still nip when moody.)

It takes a lot of time, patience, & interaction. Bribery helps too, I used a lot of treats early on & still probably use more than I should the nights we can’t play, but it lets them know good things happen when I am around & they come to me.

You’re doing the right things. You can also talk to her when she’s in the cage (I read out loud when I first had mine for several months while I sat very near the cage) & give treats through the bars. Mine seem to really enjoy pouch cuddle time ( I take their sleeping pouch out during the day, rest it on my chest in my recliner, & slip my hand in). They usually make room for it or I’ll just cup them gently. Start with a fist if they nip too much until they adjust.

Lastly (& hardest) is you have to show Lilly that biting does no good. Don’t pull away & even if you flinch, go right back in. That last time Merlin chewed on me during pouch time, instead of taking my hand away I scooped him up & pulled him out. The look on his face was priceless!