I went to check on my 2-3 week OOP little boy this morning and he was laying on his back with his legs curled up not moving. I rubbed him and he didn't move, usually he cuddles under mamma. I grabbed him out of the pouch to see him better, and he was barely breathing and seemed dehyrdrated. I rushed him to the vet, and they are giving him oxygen,, sub-q fluids with sugar, going to try oral milk replacer if he perks up (very lethargic) and an abx. The vet is going to treat for infection and hypoglycemia. What other ideas could it be?? What else should I suggest? The vet has seen gliders before, but says he is no expert. Please help, this joey was doing so well up to this point!!

sounds like the vet has got it covered. Was the baby cold this morning? for you and baby. I hope for good news soon.

Check this page for some info: http://www.suzsugargliders.com/handraisingajoey.htm

Also Suz says on her site:

Phone: 440-953-0904 -or- toll-free 866-399-4476

(please call before 9 p.m. New York time unless it's an emergency, in which case I'm available 24/7).


She is very experienced with joeys. I would call her asap. I'll be praying for the baby.

Heather did call me & we discussed her joey on the phone. The vet has all the bases covered and she will call me if there are further questions... Val, thanks for giving her my numbers

No problem Suz!! You have mentioned many a times to call, so I knew it was ok. You are so awesome for always willing to help! Thank goodness we have you here!

So glad to hear everything is being handled properly! You know how those vets can get sometimes!

Thanks suz and Val!! I just got off the phone with my vet and told him everything that Suz told me, the joey is still hanging on, so its a wait and see for now.

Crossing my fingers!

Let us know about the baby. How alarming! Sending good thoughts your way!

I hope that everything is going ok please update us when you gat a chance

keeping you both in my thoughts

Anything yet?

I just called my vet to get an update on my lil boy, and he said that he had given him Sub-Q fluids and oral feeding and he perked up a bit, crabbing and trying to jump away, but when he checked on him when I called, he was back to being lethargic. So I am supposed to call again at 5pm to see if we are gonna bring him home and care for him here or leave him in their care. I think momma and daddy rejected him, as they haven't once gotten up to see where the baby went, they are acting like nothing is wrong. So I am gonna have to handraise I think.

Awww... so sorry...I hope he is doing well enough for you to be able to take him home.

Poor little guy. I hope he's able to come home and then make a complete recovery. for both of you.

Awww I wish you all the luck in the world.

I hope your little glider will be okay. Please let us know how he's doing. We'll be thinking about you both and wishing for good news.

Hopefully he'll be doing better soon so you can bring him home. Have you gotten all the supplies you need for hand raising him? Call me again if you need me...

Update on my lil guy: we brought him home as the vet said there wasn't anything they could do for him there that I can't do here. They sent us home with formula and syringes and a catheter and an abx (forgot to look what it was) and I have him on me in my shirt while the critter keeper is warming up. We are gonna nurse him thru the night and see what happens in the morning, if he seems to not be any better or is worse, then the vet mentioned euthanasia. But I am pulling for him, he is mainly lethargic but gets bursts of energy and fights the cath with his paws during feeding, so we shall pray and see how he does. I am in for a long night, luckily my fiance is here to help. I tried reintroducing him to mom and dad, they licked his face and then wandered off, not seeming to be interested. sounds like they rejected him...poor little mite.

i'll definately keep praying for your little one, any updates yet, i sure hope he pulls through

Its 10:06 my time (east coast) I have been feeding him every hour and using a q-tip to stimulate him to go potty. He is mainly still lethargic but he fights the cath and squirms while I stimulate him, so he is still hanging in there. I still have him in my bra, and I peek and stroke his head every couple minutes. Please keep praying and fingers crossed we get through this.

Ok - sounds good so far. Wonder - is he lethargic, or just sleeping alot? I mean, he *is* a joey - he is supposed to sleep alot!

Did you look on Suz's site - where there is a pic of what the little full belly is supposed to look like?

Keeping you guys in my thoughts. He sounds like such a sweetie!

Oh - and I *THINK* (not sure, you should check) that you only need to feed him every 2 hours?

Suz's website does say every two hours, thanks Valkyrie. My vet said every hour, I didn't think to verify that with suz. I'll update again probably around the midnight feeding.

glad to see he's still hanging in there, i'll be leaving work here soon and will check for all your updates over the weekend , and ofcourse the prayers coming as well, you're doing a great job!

Well its midnight and he's still hanging on, he still seems really lethargic, he opens his eyes when I stick the cath in his mouth and he tries to push it out with his tongue, but other then that and little squirmy movements he stays still. I also haven't seen him poop at all since I brought him home and the vet said he didn't poop there either, so I am wondering if there is something wrong with his intestines . Will update again later.

At that age, he will not be able to poop on his own. Take a wet q-tip or wet tissue and gently rub his clocoa to stimulate him to go potty. This is something that his parents would normally do for him. (oops, I should have read all the thread first, I'm sure you already know this)

Also, you can feed every hour IF he will take it. Some will, some won't. IF he does, he won't eat as much. The main thing is really to keep him warm and hydrated.

I am rubbing the clocoa with a wet q-tip, not sure if he has peed or not, but def no poop. He doesn't seem interested in eating at all, I am basically having to gently forcefeed him.

We have poop!!! I just fed him again and used a wet tissue and he pooped! Really loose and kinda an orange brown color, but it means he is getting something in him. He also made a mess this feeding so I wiped him with a warm wet cloth, and he fussed at me...I was so happy I almost cried!! I let him wiggle in a towel to dry off and he was quite active for a few seconds. He is now resting in my bra. I want to try to get some sleep and let my fiance take over, but I don't want to put lil one in the critter keeper, I am so attached lol.

Tears of saddness and tears of joy! I could almost feel your heart rushing when that sweet little one was fussing. Just wanted to tell you that you and your baby are in my prayers, and no advice needed from me here, you've got a great group of people already helping! Keep up the good work your gonna make a terrific surogate mommy

Well its 5am here, I managed to catch a lil bit of sleep, and my fiance minded the baby. He said he ate about the same for his 4am feeding, but when I got up he was moving around a lot more in the critter keeper!! He seems stronger. I currently have him stuck down my bra again until the 6am feeding.

That's so good to hear! Please continue to update us often

Its almost 8, and he seems to be doing much better, he's getting vocal (hissing and chirping) and swallowing more of the formula on his own. I have him in my bra again, and he was licking me earlier, so I offered him formula and he took it. He isn't so lethargic either, he has been trying to crawl, he's really shaky, but he seems to be slowly getting stronger. I know its gonna be a long road still, but things are looking more promising.

Oh,,, i am so happy to hear he is doing better, Thank you so much for updating us on everything that has been going on. We are all worried with you.
My prayers and thoughts are with you and the baby>>>

sounds like the little guy is a fighter! Sending suggie hugs and kisses.

I am glad you are seeing some improvement from him. We are keeping fingers crossed here for him. You are doing a great job and it will be a long road but well worth every once of energy you have. Best Wishes

I'm glad to hear he's doing better. You are doing a wonderful job! Keep us posted. Prayers & going out to you and your little one!

Glad to hear he is doing better. We will keep you in our prayers.

Its 1pm, and he is still doing okay, he has pooped twice on his own without stimulation, and he has definetly peed on me at least once, I have never been so happy to be peed on lol. He is holding his own, opening his eyes more, so things are still looking up. I am really really tired, but its so worth it. My fiance asked me last night if he made it were we gonna keep him. I kinda stared at him to see if he was joking, then told him there is no way on this earth that little baby is going anywhere.

LOL, FaesMomma- seems like fighting this hard with him, it would be hard to let him go!

I'm so glad he's doing better!

My best guestimate is he is about 3 weeks OOP based on where he is developmentally and when I saw him OOP...I was trying not to mess with the family too much once I knew she was pregnant again, as they rejected their first set of twins, and I had hoped to avoid that with this lil one. But we are making it thru so far.

Hi Heather,
How's he doing now? It's been almost 24 hours since your rush to the vet's with him...
I'm glad he finally pooped for you. It is not unusual for them not to poop at all during the first 24 hours after being rejected. I believe this is because they don't really have anything in their system to expunge. Since he's pooped twice already for you, that's a very good sign The consistency will be somewhat thin, unformed and a bright yellowish-orange color... all that is normal when first switched over to hand-feeding. As his system adjusts to the new food, the stools will become firmer and more like normal glider poo
Please keep my numbers handy & call me again if needed. I'm available 24/7 for joey emergencies

He is doing really well, he has been taking little hops and really scooting around, and looks a lot more alert. He is also taking more each feeding, esp since I added the peaches. His poops sounds exactly like what you described Suz. He still tires really easily, esp about 1/2 through a feeding. But I am betting that is an age thing.

Yeah my baby girl tired really easy after eating and she was 8 wks!!

I am SOOO HAPPY to hear he is doing better!! Congrats!! I'll be praying that the improvement continues!

Keep up with the updates, and hope he keeps improving! Those of us not good with very young babies are watching, even if we don't say much. Great news!

Wow i just read this and am so glad the little one is holding on! I will keep u and the baby in my thoughts and will watch this post closly! Huggs from me and gizmo!

It is with tremendous sadness that I have to say we helped Chance cross the rainbow bridge about 30 minutes ago. He started having seizures and would crab and looked to be in a lot of pain, so we made the heart wrenching decision to take him to the ER vet to help him cross the bridge. Thank you to everyone that helped us, and prayed for him. He is no longer in pain, and is in a better place. My heart is broken...

awwww...I'm so sorry, been watching this thread pulling for this little guy

Im so sorry for your loss, sending you a big overseas hug

No No NO!! I really was so proud of this boy and you. I am horribly saddened by this news.

I'm so sorry. I know you tried so hard to save him.

I want to say that from the description, it really does sound like there was some internal defect that his parents must have sensed. He was getting GOOD care from you. I think if it wasn't something congenital, he would have pulled through.

I am so sorry to hear this. Many huggs from me and gizmo and we will keep u in our thoughts. You did your best and made his last hrs full of love and tender care.

Wow. I am so sorry for your loss. Chance knew he was loved and cared for for his short time here on earth. That is the best you oculd have possibly done. *hugs*

I am so sorry.

RIP little Chance

i'm so very sorry, i definately think you did your best for the little guy, i'm at work trying hard to not cry right now, i can totally understand how devestating this is, as i've got to take a few pets to be put down. I have so much trouble bringing myself to do this as well, i get so worked up. I'm again so very sorry you lost the little fella, but as i say to myself to comfort me when i loose one of my pets, he's in a bigger better place having the time of his life with God, and all the other little critters that have gone over the rainbow bridge.