Does anyone know if it is normal for a glider to walk around and nip on hands, ears, etc...? It seems like she is feeling or checking things out. It does not hurt but is it a behavior that should be broken? She is only 10-12 weeks old.

It sounds like your baby is just getting to know you! Some gliders will explore things with their mouths. If you just stay still she will probably move on and stop nipping you. Have you tried giving licky treats? Having a treat or toy will keep her busy! There are some helpful bonding links and links about biting in this post: Covering the Basics

I agree with Erin, just like human babies, sugar glider joeys learn about their environment through taste, touch and smell (and their mouth). She is testing her environment and testing her limits. If she gets nippy, she may be trying to tell you she is hungry, or she may just be checking out if you are food or where her boundaries are. You can give a short hiss sound to try to change her focus and then distract her with something she is allowed to do (like playing with a feather.

Thanks for the reply. I will check out the bonding links about biting under (Covering the basics). After I posted I didn't realize that there were other posts about bitting and nipping. In my case, it doesn't seem like bitting. It seems like she is exploring because it is never in a threating way. I will also try some different treats and toys to keep her busy. Thanks again, Mike.

My 4yr old male (only been with me a month) LOVES ears! First thing he does is leap on me, climb up my leg, or do what ever he needs to in order to reach my ears. I can hear him "talking" and then he goes to town on my ears. I make sure I don't wear earings during tent time. Sometimes he licks then stops but other times he starts chewing on my ears. I've tried everything to get him to stop and nothing works. I have just learned to except that my ears are his #1 target

Our girl just started that with me in the tent last week. She had climbed up my back to my shoulder and nipped my ear, then was doing something else to my hair I couldn't see. My wife, who was watching her, said she was grooming me. Her ear nips aren't really painful, but they sure catch you by surprise and it's hard not to react. If she is on my shoulders I try to not give her the opportunity.