Hi, me and my girlfriend will be getting a same sex pair of gliders within the next month or so from a rescue home pair thats just had little joeys.

We went last night to see a few from a woman selling a single female primarily, but she had 2 females expecting oop joey's in january and february.

Thing is the single female (which was beind sold because of inbreeding worries) had about 2-3mm clear spots in the centre of its eyes. This to me is very worrying and the glider was crabbing constantly for 20 mins. It never came out the pouch where the other 4 were all over.

I've only just found out about gliders on wednesday but have done a lot of research and to me it was probably blind. Seller was definately trying to get rid of the poor thing. The story also became a little confused because when i finally asked about the eyes she said the "previous" owner had gave her too many nuts, this doesnt hold up with the story of a female from a previous litter.

One other thing, one of the pregnant females was very sluggish. she got out the pouch and wandered to the top of the cage and just sat there. We were there an hour and she stayed there until eventually going back to the pouch, getting her hind legs caught in the mesh somehow (didn't look caught on anything). Apparently this glider had ate her first litter so im assuming its got the hind leg deficiency problem and will probably eat this litter too.

One of the gliders, the male father, was very fat and the owner was just making a single dish for all gliders. I think he was getting most of it and the female was suffering because of it. Also i think she was using a large bottle full of water and another smaller bottle full of apple juice. Im sure that the normal apple juice from a store will be way to strong for the things, although she said they loved it im sure they would.

So basically, did the single female have blindness and was the pregnant one suffering from deficiency causing immobilisation?

You are probably right about both gliders. Nuts contain a lot of fat and if fed exclusively will cause fat deposits on the gliders eyes. They will also cause a females joeys to be born with fat deposits on the eyes.

The glider with what appears to be what is referred to as HLP sounds like what you think. Calcium deficiency. If caught in the early stages this can be easily reversed with addition of calcium to the diet. It is usually treated by giving liquid neo calglucon for a few weeks.

The store bought apple juice is ok for gliders but should only be used as a part of a mixed slush or as an occasional treat. It should not be left in the cage as a way of substituting for water.

Keep in mind that these gliders are rescues and may need extensive vet care. There is probably nothing the vet can do to reverse the blindness in the one female. But with proper care blind gliders can make wonderful companions. The HLP can probably be corrected but needs attention quickly.
Charlie H

Thanks for the confirmation. I'm quite pleased that I managed to spot all these things within a day or two of research. I'll feel a lot happier when I get my own gliders.

The visit last night was more for our own selfish benefit and not really to purchase.

The ones im off to see on sunday are already oop for a few weeks and are both male. The owner runs a rescue centre and she wont allow them to leave the parents until they're feeding for themselves and not from the mother.

I will contact the owner from last night and suggest feeding all the gliders separately, im sure the fatty was eating the lot. Also special attention needs to be given to the female expecting or she's surely going to eat her joeys for nutrients.

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worried2.gif" alt="" />

If you decide to purchase the two male joeys you should arrange to have them neutered at about six months oop. Intact males will sometimes exhibit homosexual actions if left caged together after reaching sexual maturity.
Charlie H

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/offtopic.gif" alt="" /> Still amazes me when religiouns say its against nature, yet many of natures creations display this behaviour. Anyway getting off topic.

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thanx.gif" alt="" />

The rescue centre breeder will defintately have a good suggie vet for me to take them too. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumb.gif" alt="" />