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Yellow Discoloration, possible diet or environmental reasons? #1422499
07/06/20 04:19 PM
07/06/20 04:19 PM
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 21
Chicago, IL
Charlies Offline OP
In Pouch
Charlies  Offline OP
In Pouch

Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 21
Chicago, IL
Hello all, I've had my babies for about about two and a half years now! Necco is almost four years old and Licorice is almost five.

I moved to a new apartment in February and they now have their own bedroom. They share the space with my overwhelmingly large shoe collection. I've grown concerned, however, because their coloring has really changed over the past few months. They seem to have turned very yellow now and I'm not sure why. To note, one is ruby leucistic and the other is platinum. I had been feeding them baby food for a couple months because my blender had broken and I was procrastinating on buying a new one. I was feeding the Priscilla Price diet but I have since changed to the HPW diet, using Exotic Nutrition's formula. I did this on the suggestion of a friend who also owns gliders. I thought this might improve their coloring but it has been several weeks and it doesn't seem to do much. Additionally, they just seen to get dirty more frequently than they used to! I've started giving them little "baths" with wet-wipes every couple weeks or so. Their coloring will improve after this, but then after a few days they'll go right back to being dirty! I don't think they have stopped grooming, as I have observed them grooming themselves on occasion. I have noticed that they will fall asleep in the toe of my boots on occasion, which could be the reason for their dirty appearance of late, so I've moved those out of the room and only let them out of the cage under direct supervision now.

Anyway, I'm wondering if this color change is simply something that happens with age? Will it perhaps take longer for the diet change to have an effect? Should I take them to the vet to rule out illness? Their activity level is still high, they seem happy and playful so I doubt there is any underlying health problem, but I'm concerned! They just seem to enjoy being dirty and yellow now, and I can't pinpoint the reason!

Thanks in advance for your help and advice!


heartheart ~ :plat: Licorice & Necco :cream: ~ heartheart
One kitty ~ Nightshade
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Re: Yellow Discoloration, possible diet or environmental reasons? [Re: Charlies] #1422503
07/07/20 02:16 PM
07/07/20 02:16 PM
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 43,318
LittleRock, AR USA
KarenE Offline
Owner
KarenE  Offline
Owner

Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 43,318
LittleRock, AR USA
The ages you posted are certainly not old for gliders, so I wouldn't attribute the color change to age.

I would, however, consider changing from the Exotic Nutrition to something different like Critterlove if you cannot feed the Priscilla Price like you were feeding before.

Yes, the worn boots could also contribute to the color change, but my guess is really the diet.

Critterlove Diet Center


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Re: Yellow Discoloration, possible diet or environmental reasons? [Re: KarenE] #1422506
07/07/20 03:35 PM
07/07/20 03:35 PM
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 21
Chicago, IL
Charlies Offline OP
In Pouch
Charlies  Offline OP
In Pouch

Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 21
Chicago, IL

Is a diet like Critterlove better than the Priscilla Price diet? I can go back to the Priscilla Price now, as I have a new blender. Perhaps my variation of fruits and vegetables is just not as good as it was in the past and I need to mix it up more?


heartheart ~ :plat: Licorice & Necco :cream: ~ heartheart
One kitty ~ Nightshade
Re: Yellow Discoloration, possible diet or environmental reasons? [Re: Charlies] #1422508
07/07/20 03:40 PM
07/07/20 03:40 PM
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 43,318
LittleRock, AR USA
KarenE Offline
Owner
KarenE  Offline
Owner

Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 43,318
LittleRock, AR USA
I personally prefer the Critterlove diet fed with the salad mixes she recommends.

If you feed Priscilla Price diet plan be sure to feed it exactly as she recommends.


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Re: Yellow Discoloration, possible diet or environmental reasons? [Re: Charlies] #1422511
07/07/20 06:32 PM
07/07/20 06:32 PM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 13,979
Wisconsin
Feather Offline
Administrator
Feather  Offline
Administrator

Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 13,979
Wisconsin
Originally Posted by Charlies
Hello all, I've had my babies for about about two and a half years now! Necco is almost four years old and Licorice is almost five.
I've grown concerned, however, because their coloring has really changed over the past few months. They seem to have turned very yellow now and I'm not sure why. To note, one is ruby leucistic and the other is platinum. I had been feeding them baby food for a couple months because my blender had broken and I was procrastinating on buying a new one. I was feeding the Priscilla Price diet but I have since changed to the HPW diet, using Exotic Nutrition's formula. I did this on the suggestion of a friend who also owns gliders. I thought this might improve their coloring but it has been several weeks and it doesn't seem to do much. Additionally, they just seen to get dirty more frequently than they used to! I've started giving them little "baths" with wet-wipes every couple weeks or so. Their coloring will improve after this, but then after a few days they'll go right back to being dirty! I don't think they have stopped grooming, as I have observed them grooming themselves on occasion. I have noticed that they will fall asleep in the toe of my boots on occasion, which could be the reason for their dirty appearance of late, so I've moved those out of the room and only let them out of the cage under direct supervision now.

Anyway, I'm wondering if this color change is simply something that happens with age? Will it perhaps take longer for the diet change to have an effect? Should I take them to the vet to rule out illness? Their activity level is still high, they seem happy and playful so I doubt there is any underlying health problem, but I'm concerned! They just seem to enjoy being dirty and yellow now, and I can't pinpoint the reason!

Thanks in advance for your help and advice!


The color change is caused by your diet change. Exotic Nutrition isn't the greatest food. A couple years ago a third party tested the Instant HPW and what is in the bag is not correctly reflected on the label. Gliders have died on Instant HPW, one owner opened a brand new bag of it and it was full of debris and pantry moths and larva.

I suggest you change to Critterlove with the recommended salad mixtures. We use salads one and three here.

Critterlove is one of the most tested diets out there for our captive gliders. In fact, my gliders have been part of that testing and we are getting ready to do another blood draw for the continued testing of the Critterlove diets.

I have seen gliders come into my rescue that have been on Exotic Nutrition or The Pet Glider diet and they go directly onto the Critterlove and with in a month or two I see their color change to the color they are supposed to be.

Let us know what diet you chose and how your gliders are progressing back to their normal color.


Kimberley
Feathers-Sweetie, Mister Peanut & Big Mack
Fur-Guinan, Mr. Spock, T'Mir, Cho, Toothless, Maverick & Maharet :bb: T'Pol, Elizabeth & Curzon :wfb: TY, TJ, Light Fury, Madison & T'Pring :rtmo:
Forever in my heart, Gizmo, Tucker, Khayman and the rest of my babies over the :rbridge:

Re: Yellow Discoloration, possible diet or environmental reasons? [Re: Feather] #1422572
07/27/20 12:04 AM
07/27/20 12:04 AM
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 21
Chicago, IL
Charlies Offline OP
In Pouch
Charlies  Offline OP
In Pouch

Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 21
Chicago, IL
I am going to go back to the Priscilla Price diet, and just pay more attention to the variety of fruits and vegetables I use. I think falling short on the 2:1 calcium ratio and not using a variety of protein sources could be the culprit (in combination with my lapse in judgement for using baby food for so long... i really regret that)

However!! I took her to the vet last week because I noticed that she had lost a tooth! I also have seen her make a strange movement, grasping at her mouth like she's trying to get something out of it. I suspected she had a sensitive spot where the tooth had broken, and I was right. They gave me pain medicine and antibiotics, which I am giving her daily. I will take her in again next week and they will see if it helped any. They also gave me a powder mixture that is high in calories because she lost a shocking amount of weight (10g!!) since her last checkup, albeit that was a year ago. The vet and I both assume that the reason she is so dirty is because her tooth is too sensitive to allow thorough grooming, and my other glider is less clean as a result of not being groomed by her. Her sensitive tooth is also preventing her from eating her staple food because it hurts too much to bite into.This explains the weight loss as well. She has always refused to eat anything if it was too cold and I now suspect that she must have had this sensitivity all along and the poor tooth finally cracked.

If the antibiotics and pain meds don't help, we will have to pull the tooth, but my vet is hesitant because she has never performed a tooth extraction on a glider before. She says their jaws are delicate and there is a high possibility that pulling the tooth could cause her jaw to break.

Needless to say, this terrifies me. I'm incredibly worried and I hope we can find a solution that doesn't include the extraction.

I might google some reputable sugar glider vets in Illinois and see if anyone has experience pulling a glider tooth. :/

If you guys or anyone you know have had a glider with a broken tooth or something.... I'd love to talk to you. frown worried upset


heartheart ~ :plat: Licorice & Necco :cream: ~ heartheart
One kitty ~ Nightshade
Re: Yellow Discoloration, possible diet or environmental reasons? [Re: Charlies] #1422573
07/27/20 07:53 AM
07/27/20 07:53 AM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 13,979
Wisconsin
Feather Offline
Administrator
Feather  Offline
Administrator

Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 13,979
Wisconsin
I had a rescue that came in needing several teeth extracted. No that they are out, he is doing great.

With you being in Illinois, Dr. Ness in Lysle Illinois if the best in Illinois. He has even owned sugar gliders.


Kimberley
Feathers-Sweetie, Mister Peanut & Big Mack
Fur-Guinan, Mr. Spock, T'Mir, Cho, Toothless, Maverick & Maharet :bb: T'Pol, Elizabeth & Curzon :wfb: TY, TJ, Light Fury, Madison & T'Pring :rtmo:
Forever in my heart, Gizmo, Tucker, Khayman and the rest of my babies over the :rbridge:

Re: Yellow Discoloration, possible diet or environmental reasons? [Re: Feather] #1422574
07/27/20 10:39 AM
07/27/20 10:39 AM
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 21
Chicago, IL
Charlies Offline OP
In Pouch
Charlies  Offline OP
In Pouch

Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 21
Chicago, IL
Thank you!!! I will look him up!!


heartheart ~ :plat: Licorice & Necco :cream: ~ heartheart
One kitty ~ Nightshade
Re: Yellow Discoloration, possible diet or environmental reasons? [Re: Charlies] #1422576
07/27/20 10:50 AM
07/27/20 10:50 AM
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 43,318
LittleRock, AR USA
KarenE Offline
Owner
KarenE  Offline
Owner

Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 43,318
LittleRock, AR USA
Here is the information:
The Ness Exotic Wellness Center
http://www.nessexotic.com/

Phone: 630-737-1281
Hours:Mon 9-8, Tues 9-6, Wed-Thurs 9-8, Fri 9-6, Sat 8-2


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Sugar Glider Help


Re: Yellow Discoloration, possible diet or environmental reasons? [Re: KarenE] #1422577
07/27/20 12:55 PM
07/27/20 12:55 PM
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 21
Chicago, IL
Charlies Offline OP
In Pouch
Charlies  Offline OP
In Pouch

Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 21
Chicago, IL
I called them and I have scheduled a vet appointment for next week. This is really starting to stack up, money wise. I hope a tooth extraction isn't too expensive...

Licorice's behavior has been strange the past couple days. Every time I give her attention she starts crabbing like wild. It's like it's the first week I got them all over again! I'm guessing she's just stressed from all the vet visits and traveling.... frown i hope she is okay


heartheart ~ :plat: Licorice & Necco :cream: ~ heartheart
One kitty ~ Nightshade
Re: Yellow Discoloration, possible diet or environmental reasons? [Re: Charlies] #1422592
07/30/20 08:46 PM
07/30/20 08:46 PM
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 21
Chicago, IL
Charlies Offline OP
In Pouch
Charlies  Offline OP
In Pouch

Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 21
Chicago, IL
Okay,

I weighed them both today and Licorice has not gained weight. Necco is the same as she always has been.

I gave them both a big handful of worms because I feel so bad that they are in such poor shape. When I got home from work today and peaked my head in, they were both disgusting. I've never seen a glider so gross & wet and icky looking!!! I have another vet appointment for tomorrow morning, I will ask for a fecal check and..? Any suggestions?

I'm so worried. Please see pics- honestly, it looks like "ick" which i've only ever heard of joeys having

https://imgur.com/a/5eOAzp5

[Linked Image]
[Linked Image][Linked Image]

Last edited by Charlies; 07/30/20 09:05 PM.

heartheart ~ :plat: Licorice & Necco :cream: ~ heartheart
One kitty ~ Nightshade
Re: Yellow Discoloration, possible diet or environmental reasons? [Re: Charlies] #1422593
07/31/20 07:36 AM
07/31/20 07:36 AM
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 4,305
SW Missouri USA
Ladymagyver Offline
Moderator
Ladymagyver  Offline
Moderator

Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 4,305
SW Missouri USA
If one of your gliders has bad tooth issues, they will lick a lot. To the point of being soaking wet.

Make sure they are getting plenty of fresh water.

What do they smell like? (Pee, poo, sour?)

Do you raise your own mealies or buy them? What kind of bedding are the mealies in? Bran(good) or cornmeal(very bad)?what does their poo look like? Too many mealies can make them have diarrhea.

Make sure to take fecal samples in a ziplock bags from each glider.

Are you still feeding the pricilla diet? Are you following this diet to the letter?

Glider digestive tracts are very sensitive to change and insoluble fiber. I can go in to more detail if you like.

As far as you ick, it does look similar and highly contagious. I haven't dealt with this, but know that their medicines must be given as prescribed and a strict daily cleaning regimen put in place. Your vet can tell you for sure.

I hope your vet visit goes well.

Please keep us posted.


Dawn

Be patient,
and
Trust your journey....

Grace :bb:

Ruby :grey:

Mom :grey:

Dad :grey:




Fiona, Dot and Stewie :rbridge: wish I could turn back time... Miss you


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