Yesturday, about 2pm, I was in the bedroom folding laundry.

I heard that somebody was up.

So I peeked in the cage and saw tan colored stuff on outside of sleeping pouch. Oh, crap! Is that sick poo, or puke?

I spied the tip of a tail peeking out behind the wheel... So I start talking to that tail. What's wrong, and which one are you?

While I give whom ever a little dignified privacy, I scoop the sleeping pouch out and get a closer look at the stuff freshly deposited on the outside of the pouch. No smell... I still can't tell which end it came out of.

So I peeked in the pouch to find Fiona looking at me. Ok, so Dot is sick...

In the meantime, Dot comes out from behind the wheel, and shakily climbs to her toy boat, and begins to what I would call dry heave. I've seen cats and dogs do this. Never a glider. Since I'm looking down at her, all I see is shoulders rolling, and head down. I saw her finally bring something up into her mouth, only to swallow it again... Then she looks up at me, eyes half closed, shaking, clicking noise, and rapid breathing. I grabbed my old clean hoodie, hoping she might crawl on it so I didn't have to grab her. She did! So I bring her out of the cage, deposit Fiona in sleeping pouch in the middle of my pile of clean clothes, and bring her to the kitchen where my glasses are and better light. And she doesn't seem to care...

I picked her up off the hoodie, which had more tan colored stuff on it now, and looked her over. She immediately rolled on her back, and started cleaning her cloatia. I tried to see what she was cleaning. Nope. When she finished, I checked that area, her tail, her belly and her face. It was smeared on her face and tail... I did a "tent test" on her neck/back, and her skin fell back in place quickly. OK not dehydrated. She curled into a tight ball in my hands, like she wanted to sleep. I handed her over to hubby, and went to get a closer look at the pouch. Still couldn't tell what it was. So I called the vet, they had a work in appt. In 2 hours. And one on Saturday. Since it just happened, I opted for Saturday appointment.

I was was worried. She has been under a lot of stress in the last 6 days with our traveling, and being home in a strange cage ( we travel a lot and her home cage is in the RV, not at our house). So I called an expert... Feather! In talking to her, I pulled the bottom tray out and looked for fresh poo. Found it! Nice and greenish black, and kinda big, but normal poo. Then I found the next poo, soft, runny (she called it scared poo). Anyway, between the two of us, I determined it was puke on the sleeping pouch, it had started to dry and smelled sour, tummy sour. She suggested to take Dot in, and take both poo and vomit in to have it checked. "Gliders can go downhill fast" she told me.

So we did.

The poo was a little elevated in bacteria, and her vomit was unchewed food... Mealies... small mealies I gave her that morning.

So we came home with a stool softener that has probiotics(healthy bacteria for intestinal health).

I gave some to Dot when we got home, and the first thing she did was spit it out... Ok, here, have a little watered down gatorade... she drank it fine. A little more medicine, ok, 1 lick... Done...

Anyway, she seemed fine later on that night, normal in fact. Withiut the onry side. This morning she is fine. I will have to teach her to slow down when she eats though... suggestions please...

AWe poor Dot, and poor you! It must have been horrifying finding your little girl in such distress and not knowing what's wrong. I'm so glad you were able to get her seen and she's okay.

I'm wondering if it wasn't due to stress, as you said this trip was more distressful than the usual and she prefers to stay put in her "home" cage, and also not liking change or travel much anyway.

I wouldn't really have any suggestions other than to watch her for anymore occurrences or other strange symptoms. Prayers for you both.

Poor little Dot! I can't imagine how scary it would be to watch your baby in such distress. Here's hoping you both feel better soon!

I am so sorry to hear this and hoping that she is feeling better now.

I am glad to help you Dawn. I would utilize the foraging concept on her with their nightly dinner.

As far as slowing her down eating mealies, you would have to hold it for her and make her eat tiny bites. Which of course opens you up to nips from over eager gliders.

Dot, Dot, Dot *sigh* Poor fuzzbutt, this just isn't your week. You pretty much gave your Mama the type of scare that terrifies the heck out of me about mine.

Dawn, as far as slowing her down, once she's on the up again you could make her work for it. Whether it is foragings as Kimberley suggested, teasing her with a trail to 'follow,' of make her earn them by jumps. Mine seem to have fun earning their treats.

Get well soon, Dot.

Yea, make her work for her meal worms like Art Gibbons did with Buddy he had to run around their kitchen counter to get a meal worm.

First, I want to thank everbody for their well wishes!

I checked on Dot several times yesturday, the grouch was back by dinnertime...

They are due to be awake anytime for their last go round for the day.

I have to wait till hubby wakes up, before I can take a good look at what kind of carnage there is from 6 foraging cups placed around the cage.



I have seen that video!!! Now I gotta go and look that up. When I find it I'll post link. I wasn't sure what his purpose was, but boy, did he go!!!

I'm guessing he had to work up to this. I wish my math skills were better, I would love to know how much exercise dot would need to equal a mile of walking to humans... then I could increase that over time.

Glad Dot is doing so much better! Scary stuff!

Thank you Claralice!

I felt like a newby when I found her like that. I couldn't tell you how many visits we had with vets(on the road) in the first 18 months. I worried over every click, butt wiggle, shake, no weight gain, or lost weight, constipation, lack of appetite...

I changed their diet 3 times too in that period of time.

So I got to check on them this morning, and Dot was as sweet as can be. She let me check her over, a few scratches on the head, and I got a few happy clicks and a squeak when I gave her a pine nut. Her coat looks better than it did when we got home days ago too.

All the forage cups are empty, not much carnage from throwing food like I expected, and there was a normal amount of healthy potty/ poo in the drop pan.

I did add a small water dish on the cage floor in case Dot needed it. I has been drank from. I normally just keep 2 water silos this time of year, high in the cage.

Thank you again, Kim for your guidance!

Yay, go Dot, get your heals on!!!

Yea! That makes my heart smile that the Dot is up and at it! I hope she stays healthy!

Update:

It was a week today when we took Dot to the vet. She's actually doing really well. Doc said she needs to loose a little weight.

I have cut down on her treats. And I did split up their 4Tbs. of fruits and vegetables into 4 foraging cups, and their dish.

Like Kim said, it gives her more exercise, and it has also given them some enrichment too. Climbing, hunting for their food.

I figured there would be more of a mess around on the floor, and I'm surprised to say, it about the same.

On this thread:

http://www.glidercentral.net/ubbthreads/...ney#Post1414563

I tell a story about Dot's mishap journey, and this could have caused her sudden sickness. There was a lot of stress.

When we got home from our adventurous trip, both the girls' coat looked more cracked than normal. I'm guessing the conditions during the ordeal were not ideal for gliders. It took about 5 days of rest and getting back on schedule. Now they look great!

I do however feel that if it weren't for the fact that they were healthy, and on a balanced, healthy diet before the trip, it could have been a different story I tell here.

So, I'm going to thank Peggy (aka Srlb) for the Critter Love diet my girls are on. She has spent a lot of time, research with nutritionists, and money to give us this wonderful diet. Thank you Peggy!

Dot! So happy you're feeling better!

Sorry so late to reply, been slightly awol lately, still not back to regular routine, but I've been trying to at least check in to see what's happening, not always time to post.

Awesome! Wow! I am glad I have switched to a balance diet! I think they were in pretty good shape but now, I am much more confident! Glad to know you are happy with their diet and Dot's progress!

So, I finally bought more mealies... After feeding them a few days, we gave some to the girls.

I handed one to Fiona, handed one to Dot. Dot, where did your mealie go? The next one I hung on to. Or at least tried. I thought I was holding it plenty tight so she would get a bite of mealie, she pulled the whole thing out of my fingers, one swallow, it was gone.

By this time, Fiona finished her first, and was being patient. So I gave her one, and Got leapt out of the cage, and pounced right on top of the cup with mealies in it..." Shhhh shhhh. Hey,we don't act like that!" She looked up at me without taking a mealie, crawled to my wrist and just sat there and glared at me. So we tried again, I held the mealie tighter. This time she had to take a bite. Swallow. Bite. Swallow. Bite, until it was gone. Ok, new strategy, till I figure this out, you are done.

That was 5days ago.

This morning, Fiona hops out and on to my account for a ride to the fridge. She got 3 mealies. She chewed them up, and ate each of them quite lady like as usual.

I'm going to have to figure out what to do about Dot. Suggestions at this point will be appreciated.

Cut them up in little pieces! If she is going to inhale them small pieces would be better.

No wonder she was throwing up.

Feather, that's what I'm thinking. The last thing I wanted to do was try to peel a 3/4" long worm.

I'm hoping to reteach her how to slow down. I taught a dog, but he weighed 160 lbs. He also listened to commands. After I hand fed him for a week...

I will cut them up for now. I just hope Fiona doesn't pick up this habit, she is a bit careless, and gives me a good accidental nip once in awhile.

"Where's my mealie!?"

So, I was thinking... What if I tried to give them in the middle of the day?

I did! Fiona 3, Dot 4. I did hold them for her, and she sucked them almost like a straw and chewed. I was proud! I almost didn't get my fingers back though. By her last one, she was awake and wanted more!

Another update.

So I've been feeding mealworms a little more frequently than before.

I will feed 2-3 each about every other day.

Dot has finally decided to chew them completely now. She is actually taking as long as Fiona, which is very slow, like 50 chews per bite(so it seems).

I have started to make Dot wait till Fiona is done with hers. I keep them far apart when I do this, and just either pet Dot, or turn her head away from Fiona. She seems fixated on my fingers, as long as I keep them close to her, like she's still looking for a mealworm in them. I ignore Fiona until she's done. Then Dot will get her worm first, then Fiona. Hope this makes sense.

Glad to hear she's now chewing responsibly.

Maybe having them more frequently abolished the urgency of eating them????

Either way, great news!

Love the way you worded "Chewing responsibly". You nailed it! Lol!

And less mealies more frequently may have been a better idea. At least I was hoping so. Now I gotta figure out a portable mealie farm...

I hate to run out! Lol! I suppose it would be more healthy since I would be completely in control of their intake too.

Glad she has decided to slow down on the meal worms.

You can use one of these for a portable meal worm farm: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sterilite-Small-3-Drawer-Unit-White/10877957