Tinker is my little sugar glider and she is so sick. We think she has Metabolic bone disease. She was given to us a year ago and we knew nothing about caring for one. We were given some sugar glider food and told that she likes fruits and baby food every now and then. We figured the person we got her from knew how to care for her and never seconded guessed him. She has been fine up until last sunday, She was having trouble climbing up her cage but we though that maybe she had just hurt her paw and keept an eye on her. By that afternoon she was bad.... I took her to a vet Monday and they gave her some antibotics and told me to give it to her for three days and to give her protine mix for body builders with dark kayro syrup in it. He did not really knnow anything about sugar gliders and told me this but has seen many become "brought back" by this and felt strong that she would bounce back. thursday-Friday, she took a turn for the worse again. Now she is very dehydrated and wont swallow anything I give her. She is so shaky and cold and just is laying there now. I am very scared and this could be the end and I will never be able to forgive myself knowing now that this was completley prevantable and now she has suffered for over a week and we might lose her at any time. I Called a vet that does know some about sugar gliders, but the big problem is that my husband and I dont have alot of money right now and pay day is a week away, this vet was very pricy and was talking about lots of test and treatments and that it was probabley too late. When I asked her if there was anything I could do at home to try and help her until we get paid next week she said they would not tell my anything until they saw her and that I should bring her in to "put her down" that it is selfish to make her suffer. I love Tinker VERY much and have tried to do everything i can think of. I wish I had done the research sooner and she would probably be fine. I cant even think of the idea of not having her... I just feel like I have done her so wrong, I know I didnt know, but I wish I had of. I dont know what to do......

Is she using her back legs at all? She needs go get to the vet. Has she been on an approved diet at all or just the one that the previous owner gave you? It COULD be HLP (hind leg paralysis). I'm sure someone with more experience will come by soon.
I hope your little Tinker starts feeling better. She'll be in my thoughts and prayers.

Call more vets, keep calling even up to a couple of hour drive if you have to.

In the meantime, give her Activia Vanilla yogurt, Pedialyte (clear), watermelon, anything to keep her hydrated and keep her WARM!

I have taken in 2 rescues so far that had HLP (hind leg paralysis) along with many other problems and they both made it! While not always the case...don't let that vet take away her chance.

No, she is not using her back legs at all and i gave fruit and the boxed glider mix. i didnt know it had to be broke up in different amounts of foods. she is pretty much just lying where ever she is put down.this is by far the worse she has ever been. OMG i feel sooo bad!!!!!!

Do you have any pedialyte clear that you could try to get her to take with a syringe? You need to try to get her hydrated first. Someone will be on with more info for you soon....Will say a little prayer for your baby.

I am sending you a PM .. look for a flasing envelope at the top of this page in a moment and click on it.

Here is Suz's site. It shows symptoms of HLP and several other problems, but either way, your baby needs to get to a vet.
http://www.suzsugargliders.com/symptoms.htm

Check you PM now

I am so sorry this is happening to your baby. You did what you thought was right, you didn't know you were getting bad information. It is heartbreaking when we know our beloved pet is suffering and there is nothing we can do to help them. Talk to SugarBlossoms, she is well respected by most in this community and may be able to offer you some advice on what you can do for your baby. Again... I am sorry.

First thing is to get her to a vet, ANY vet, to get her sub'q'd! She MUST get hydrated and STAY warm.

If you need to call me please do so 620-382-3228 I will do whatever I can to help so that your little one can be seen right away.

Look take the help that has been offered here. Please don't give up on your baby you didn't know now you just need to get her to a vet and then when she is recovered join us here and learn what is right in taking care of a glider. Please also update us on how she is doing we do care and will help all we can.

I, too, have much experience with this. The truth is, you will not KNOW that she has HLP without a vet visit. She also could have an injury or an infection. There is much that has to be done AT THE vet office. PLEASE call either Linda or myself ASAP.

I am more than willing to help you out. I am here for ya. PLEASE call one of us ASAP.
Val 806-274-9177

anyone know if she is on her way to a vet?

Thank you Linda...I am very worried.

Tinker has my prayers!

I hope this little girl makes it!

Prayers for Tinker

dont put her down right now she needs alot of protein. give her chicken any type protein and calcium from the vet. i know someone who used rep cal with d3 on a glider and in 2 wks the hlp turned around. there is hope for her. many gliders with this have survived. dont give up

The suspense is killing me! Has anyone heard from her? Poor Tinker! That must be rough on her durring the Holidays...! I am sending her a PM! Merry Christmas everyone!

Still praying everything is okay with Tinker...HUGS

Maybe the vet will do a payment plan? Care Credit also works for situations like this.

Hoping for a Christmas miracle...

i will be doing another poston tinker and her vet vist today call update on tinker for everyone that has prayed and asked about my little girl..... thank you so much from the bottom of my heart.

Tinker went to the vet today. The vet knew alot about sugar gliders and I felt good taking her there. He said the her heart rate was very slow and that she was too sick to take blood, he was afraid that might push her over. He said she was very dehydrated and very sick. He did give her an injection of fluids in the skin behind the neck and a shot of meds that would last about 24hours or so hours. He said if she was doing better that he would give her the meds in liquid from on friday. He said the he does believe it is a metabolic(spelling?) problem and that he thinks that her liver or kidneys could be failing. She has not acted much better and I see white in the corner of her eyes that I have never seen before. I hope she will turn around but I just dont know.... Thank you to everyone who ha asked about tinker and prayed 4 her. it means so much to me to have so many people care for her. I hope everyone has a merry christmas. I will try and keep an update on anything i find out.

Thank you for the update. Sending big-time prayers and your way. I hope little Tink can take her meds on Friday.

I am so sorry she is not feeling well. I'm sending prayers for her (and you), I will be thinking of you both.

Thank you for the update!! I am praying hard for your little girl Tinker!

Sending good thoughts your way for you and Tinker...I'm so sorry she's going through this.

Sending holiday well wishes to you and your Tinker!!!!!

I hope that you and Tinker have a very Merry Christmas. I'm pulling for her!

Keeping a special candle lit, and many prayers for Tinkers recovery.
Many Blessings, and Merry Christmas.

Sending Prayers and Love out to you and Tinker.

Pat
Boo-Boo
and Bj

Our thoughts are with you and Tinker.

tinker is now making this sneezing sound, but she is sqeeking everytime she does this. Its about every 20-30 seconds or so. Is this bad? can i do anything to help her?

I can't answer that, but I am praying for Tinker to get better soon!

Tinker passed away just now at 7:27pm. She fought so hard and now is no longer in pain. I am very hurt right now and trying to help my 4 year old deal with this, she has never lost a pet before. Thank you for all the help everyone has given to me in this long fight. I wanted her to pull through this, but it just wasnt ment. Thank you so much and I still need prayers to get through this during the christmas season. Now she is in heaven looking down apon us, spending christmas with jesus

Oh I am so sorry to hear this. I will be sending prayers your way I know how much it can hurt to lose these little guys. But if you like we would love to have you join our community and when the time is right maybe you could open your heart to another suggie. Till then I wish you a merry and comforting christmas and remember she will always be in your hearts.

I am so sorry sweetie! I know how much you loved her and you did all that you could for her. She is at peace now and free of the limiting pain. She will always shine in your heart.
Godspeed precious little one.

Im so sorry to hear about your tinker. I will be thinking of you and your family as you get through this.

i'm crying now, for the both of you, also. i know what you are going thru. the pain is unbelievable, & it really doesnt go away. i killed my first little boy.
i thought i was doing ok w/them, but i wasn't. i had pages of cal-phos. ratios, what was safe, & what wasn't. this was all they ate. fruits & veggies that were on my safe sheets that i got off nutrition sites on this computer. no protien, no mealies, crickets, or waxworms.
the vet did an necr., & he wrote that gizmo look perfectly normal, nothing was damaged inside @all.
he was totally void of any fat on him.
i will live w/this guilt forever.
i do wish you every hope that things will turn around for you. we all do love you for your efforts to save your baby.
talk @ ya L8R
josefine

TEARS!!!!!!!

Oh sweetie!! I am so sorry!! I was praying Tinker would be okay. Please please let me know if there is anything I can do! In the meantime, here are a million of these

I told Peanut and Isabella to find Tinker and help welcome her over the rainbow bridge. I know they will. Yes, they are all with Jesus now.

Please check your PM's. I sent you something...HUGS

I'm so sorry, I was praying she would get better. She did get to pass knowing how much your family loved her.

I'm very sorry for your loss.
I'm glad we got to talk on IM a bit,
Don't let this ruin your Xmas stuff, for you or the kids.



Msg me if you need anything!

I am sorry for your loss, may your memories of Tinker comfort you in the days to come.

I'm so sorry I lost my Puff Daddy a year ago today and without a doubt, he's welcoming her with open arms. He was a snuggler and quite the ladies man. Your last vet visit sounds almost identical to mine too. R.I.P little Tinker. You now have a Christmas angel <hugs>

I am so very sorry


Pat

I am so sorry.

Awe Kristen I just now saw this and I am soooo sorry.