Almost 4 months ago One of my gliders had an abscess on his neck. I separated the 2 so as to let the abscess heal. We drained it and used BNP ointment on it and it healed up fine. Every time it is all healed up and I put them back together the other glider opens it back up again by over grooming it or what ever he is doing??? I separate them again and then the same thing happens. I have recently tried bitter apple and that did not work. I took BJ to the vet last week and the DR gave me some Neo Predes Powder to put on the area to hopefully keep the other glider away from it and once again it did not deter the other glider so now once again I have to let that area heal. This is VERY frustrating to say the least and I know it stress the gliders being apart like that. Any suggestions???
They are father and son, 7 and 6 yearts old, both neuterd

Another vet I use said that I would have to keep them seperated or find a new home for one of them???
Thanks for any input,
Pat

I hope that your vet is wrong.

I've never heard of the products you are mentioning. However- do you SEE the grooming?

I thought that Boogie was over-grooming Jack. When I got Jack, he had an old scar which had healed several months previously. After putting him with Boogie, I noticed the scar area became quite red - and even opened up a bit. When I observed them one night, I realized they were squabbling over food. It was never a real fight - but sort of a crabbing and slapping fest. Once I began giving them 2 different feed bowls and two different feeding stations, the scar healed right up and has not re-opened.

Just a thought.

Also - if the abscess is healed on the *outside* but is still infected under the skin, the other glider might sense that there is a problem, and want to help. Another possibility- it could actually be a "mating" wound - gliders mount one another to express dominance. Having two feeding stations *might* fix this, too.

Hi,
BNP ointment is a like our neosporin ointment, to prevent infections, help in healing.
I have watched Boo-Boo "overgrooming" Boo Jr. No matter how well the area is healed Boo just licks and licks at the same area and will eventually open it up. BJ just sits there and lets this happen?
You said if the abscess is healed on the *outside* but is still infected under the skin, the other glider might sense that there is a problem. You are not the 1st person to suggest that but what should be done if that might be the case?
They have 2 dishes of food when I put them together and I have never seen them fight over food. They share very well actually.
Thanks fr the input :O)
Pat

That is a tough one.

You may need to keep the glider separate just until the wound is TOTALLY healed...no scab or anything...but if it is a dominance thing and the one male keeps injuring him, then it may end up that you can't keep them together...I wouldn't immediately jump to that conclusion though.

If that is the case (infection under the skin) maybe you could talk to your vet about putting them on a broad-spectrum antibiotic

I actually had the exact same scenario happen with my DaisyMae and her daughter Mareki... DaisyMae had sustained a mating wound from their mate Coobah. I separated Coobah from them but Mareki kept reopening the wound site. I would separate them for 6-8 weeks until the wound appeared to be healed, then put them together again. Mareki would reopen the site within a week. Finally, someone told me about the wound appearing healed externally but probably still not completely healed internally. So, back to the vet's with DaisyMae for debriding of the wound (cleaning back the edges), stitches and a course of antibiotics with SSD cream (a topical antibiotic). This time, I waited until the fur started to grow back in again on the wound site - about 4 months. I did not put Mareki back in with Daisy though. I put another solo glider in with her. She completely left it alone and it has never reopened again. I had no idea that it would take that long to completely heal, but it did. Gliders are very intuitive about infection and illness in other gliders - they have to be in the wild because of the fear of attracting predators to the nest.
In your case, I would recommend allowing at least 3 months for the wound to heal. Watch carefully for the hair to start growing back in again. Once it does, it should be safe to put them back together again. IF the son reopens the father's wound again after that, then you may need to consider separating them permanently, but I doubt it will come to that.
HTH

Thanks Suz for the info on your same experience. I am going to run all this by my vet this week.
In my searching for info on this I came across someone on another forum from the United Sugar Glider Network. This guy has been dealing with the same problem since May with NO luck. All the tests that have been done in the area of concern came back negative. I don't know If I can post links to this but here they are. There are pictures and a lot of info:
http://www.usgn.info/board/index.php?showtopic=1421

and the latest from the same person:
http://www.usgn.info/board/index.php?showtopic=2118&hl=

It is wonderful to have this many fellow S/G lovers. I help this all helps anyone else experiencing the same problem.
What did we do before the internet!!!!
Thanks,
Pat

Thanks "Everyone" for all your input. I guess it going to be a wait and see again and I will wait till ALL of the fur has grown back. I will let you all know how we make out
Pat

Hello Fellow Glider Lovers.
I Just wanted to post an update on Boo Boo and Boo Jr.
Today is day 3 of them being together again .
It has been since the end of last year that they were kept apart, with trial reintroduction, only to have Boo go at Boo Jr's neck and open it up. It took A LOT of supervised playtime only while they were in separate cages in the same room. I hated the separation part and I know they did not like it. I just had to tough it out for them and let BJ's neck heal completely up, and then some. So far so good.
It has been "HAPPY DAYS' and night's in the glider room as now I just let them both have the roam of their "Glider Proofed" room and I can hear them in there playing, playing, playing, at night after I go to bed.
That is the most wonderful sound in the world to me.
This is such a relief, for me, and for them.
I will still be holding my breath for a while and I check on them quite frequently during the day to make sure there has been no "neck chewing" going on.
Pat

Pat, I'm crossing all crossables and holding my breath with you. So happy things are OK so far.

Hope things keep going well for them (and you)! Glad to hear that they went back together ok!

I am happy to report another successful day and evening with the little guys, well maybe not so little
I can just feel the happiness in the glider room when I walked in this morning. They are loving being back together, and being out of cage all night again
YEAH!!!!!
Pat

Such great news. Thanks for the updates.

Hello again
Sorry to report that Boo-Boo "Overgroomed" BJ'S neck again after the 5th day together.
I am at my wits end here!!!
We are off to a new vet up in Flagstaff in hopes to get a handle on what the heck is causing this. It kills me to have to keep them apart again.

Pat

Awwwwwwwwwww...............praying things get better soon!

They both have plenty of water and drink routinely. They also have a "Glider Room" to play in with stuff all over to climb on, play on, etc. The Grooming always seems to happen during the course of the day while in their house. I have also seen Boo go right too the spot on BJ's neck when I get them up in the evening to visit with them. He just starts licking, and licking the same area, and I have to stop him.
Boo Boo is the most mellow glider I have ever seen, never really gets stressed. Just says "Love me, love me, love me, to who ever I give him to to hold. I would think there is a stress though while they are separated as they don't know what the heck is going on that they are kept apart but the 4 days they were together they were playing like mad, and snug as bugs in a rug in their house together.


The vet has but BJ on SMZ/TMP for 7 days for skin infection? Here's hoping. The DR is also going to call down to PX to talk to the Exotic specialist she knows down there to see what they say might be done to keep Boo-Boo from licking at that site.
I'll let you know.....
Pat

When one glider overgrooms another like this, it may be an anxiety thing or something akin to OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). Something herbal like calm pet or an antianxiety med may help for the one doing the overgrooming if no other underlying cause can be found, rather than separating an otherwise happy pair. Ozzi, sent you a PM.

BTW, SMZ/TMP is also known as Trimethoprim Sulfoxide something, and is a sulfa antibiotic (been a while, I'd have to look it up). Skin infection doesn't sound likely but there very well might be something still going on underneath. With a deep infection it can take longer than normal courses for an infection to be completely cleared. The only way to tell if it would eventually open back up on it's own, though, is to keep the gliders separated indefinitely. Did the vet give a reason as to why he prescribed this? (not saying it's wrong) It's true that a glider can smell an infection we may not see, and open it up in an attempt to help. It's why gliders with mating wounds need to be separated until completely healed, because the cagemate will keep opening the wound and it won't heal.

No reason for the meds. She is just going on what she thinks might be the cause. A starting point per say?. We will see what happens but once again I have to let the site heal completely again before I dare give it another try. I have no idea anymore so I have to put my trust in the DR.
Time to go visit the little ones
Thanks again....Pat

Just sending you some encouragement and hugs... I understand your frustration. Although, I m not going through the exact same thing, I do have a glider who is constantly overgrooming. No matter what I do, she overgrooms. The hair starts coming back in, but then she'll get upset about something and overgroom. I feel so helpless. I hope that you can find a solution to this. I know how frustrating it must be!

Erin,
So sorry to hear about the over grooming problem you are having. Is this glider by herself (just out of curiosity)? You might want to try the calm pet herbal stuff Jen (Xfilefan) mentioned. I asked her to let me know if she has any success with it. It is a VERY frustrating problem to say the least.


Pat

The story with mine is... She is my pair's first joey. I have been glider sitting for someone who just had 1 glider. We decided to pair mine and his. They got along fine and all was good. Well, then my glider,fuzzle, went with her new owner over christmas and back to me after. She probably moved to 4 different locations over that month. When I got her back, she started overgrooming. Fuzzle Ever since then, if I change one little thing, she overgrooms. It's been a really tricky situation. I know it's not health related. It's just stress. I don't think she likes being in the same room as her parents anymore, but I don't have any other place for her. But...today she is going home permanently with her new owner. I am going to recommend to him the herbal pet stuff. I need to ask Jen about it. Maybe it would help. She is a mess! And it's so weird because she was my calmest, most easy going joey. She was so happy and got along with everyone. Now she hear's a little noise and darts. I just really don't know what happened

That poor baby
That is so sad to hear. I wonder what the heck has her so spooked?
Will she be a lone glider with her new owners?
I hope she adjusts well and calms down in her new home.
Pat

No, she is still paired with the other glider. I'm hoping for the best!

For the folks that have been following this "Overgrooming" thread here is what I have for now.
I had just taken the boys out for their supervised visit last night and BJ was giving Boo a lot of head rubbing (scent marking). I got the camera quick and when I took this video Boo was starting to groom BJ and lo and behold Boo worked his way around BJ's neck and grabbed at his neck twice where the scab is still healing (at the very end if the video, had to stop quick!!!). In the video one would never know there is anything wrong with BJ's neck. It is mostly healed up although Boo managed to yank the scab from BJ's neck last week in an instant. Little buggers I tell you. Drives me crazy

http://s261.photobucket.com/albums/ii73/ozzitap/?action=view&current=GroomingNeck1.flv

This quick second video shows Boo Boo once again going after BJ neck.

http://s261.photobucket.com/albums/ii73/ozzitap/?action=view&current=GroomingNeck2.flv


BJ has finished his meds and now I have to let his neck heal all the way, and then some, before I have a go of letting them live together again. Even if the possible skin infection or what ever underlying problem is gone now that BJ finished his meds Boo will still go at BJ's neck if there is ANY scab there at all so I don't know at this point if the meds helped. Time will tell!
Tha saga continues....Pat

This is such a sad situation and I feel so bad for you and your gliders. Poor things. My gliders groom off any and all lumps, bumps, and scabs I have, so I know they do the same on themselves. If only you could just explain to them, not to do it! I wonder if, even after it heals, there is scar tissue that is making a bump that your glider is finding?

My vet suggested Rescue Remedy for my boy who overgroomed and lost some hair on his head. I have been mixing it in with his glider aid every day (has high alcohol content so must be mixed with water or juice) for over a month now and the hair is finally growing back! I think the glider aid everyday helped too, before I only gave it every other day. rescue remedy is available at nutrition stores and maybe walgreens too.

I would NOT offer rescue remedy to a glider! It contains flower essences, one being Clematis, which is highly toxic

Oh no! I've been putting it in their glideraid for about a month now! I hope that it didn't hurt them. It was just a drop in a couple tablespoons of water. I am really surprised that he would say to use it then, he knows alot about gliders!