I can paraphrase, but not quote exactly, Douglas Adams:

"Humans assume they are more intelligent than dolphins because we have a system of money, can build and work, and we don't spend all day playing in the water. Dolphins assume they are more intelligent than humans for precisely the same reasons."

LOL!

This is a great thread! I to have seen many intelligent things from my gliders. My favorite happening about 2 weeks ago when I got a leu het female to go with my leu male. I was told when I brought her home she had been with another male and could possibly be pregnant. When I got her I could not look at her and see any evedence of a little one in the pouch, she was actually a little on the thin side for me. I put her in the cage with Casper and he immeditaley started the whole mating ritual. As quick as he started he stopped, grabbed Whisper by the back legs and turned her over on her back. Then he stuck his nose in her pouch. He new she was pregnant before I did. He then took her to the pouch and tucked her in. So smart they are.

I know mine are rather smart. I remember reading that when a glider bites you (in the beginning) Just take it and after a while they would stop. Or the other would be to 'pffft' as if to say no. Well I tried both ways. Then I started saying "No bite" They would immediately stop and go do something else. Well they don't bite however when grooming me they still get a little rough. I say "No bite" and they go back to grooming me.

The other thing is that they have this duck and the hat opens up. I decided to see what would happen if I put mealies inside. Well needless to say they found them. One night while I was in the bathroom with them I watched and Gabrielle climbed up on top and opened it. When finished she knocked the hat back down to close it.

I would love to see any studies or examples of glider intelligence. I know I read recent ones about crows learning to fashion and use tools to get to food which completely fascinated me on how smart they seemed for being "just a bird"!

One of our old gliders surprised me once with a "smart" move IMO--my roommate was bonding with him and he was in her bra. She had a pendant on that was a tiny mirror. He saw his reflection in the mirror and twisted and turned it in his hand, smooshed his face against it, then turned it over and checked the back--all the others were not new to me but to see him check if "that other glider" was BEHIND the mirror was awesome!

Agreed!

wow. when i started this thread i never would've thought it would've gotten to be so great. all of this that i'm learning is miraculous. i hope everyone else who reads this learns a lot too!

What a fantastic thread

Mine have puzzle boxes for hiding mealies in... Honey will sit next to the box and bark... down comes Chili, who opens the box and hands mealies to Honey... she always has acted like she thought she had to take care of her sister!

And Scout barks every morning at EXACTLY 1:45... because he knows I will wake up and come give him one-on-one playtime while the other gliders are all sleeping.

haha aww thats adorable julie!

I don't know if this is a sign of intelligence but Roo and Wynn will play 'peak-a-boo' with me. I'll hide behind the door and pop my head around it, saying, of course, 'Peak-a-boo!' I hide again and watch them in the mirror. I can see them straining to see me around the door. I pop my head around, 'peak-a-boo' again and they get all excited, running around in circles on the side of the cage. I hide again and they crane their little necks, holding very still, trying to see me around the door. I don't know who enjoys it more!

hahah awwww! you should video tape that