I have two gliders, Helios and Selene. I've had them for about two weeks now. I won't say the bonding is going badly, it's not. They are now finally allowing me to pick them up without much fuss and put them on my shoulder to hang out. They do squirm about when I try to pick them up initially but they don't bite nowhere near as much as they did. I think that bonding is going well. However, they are pouch protective. I heard that talking through the pouch, licky treats and treats in general help a lot with this. However, Selene just crabs and crabs by just looking. I don't even have to try to get my hand in before she starts lunging. I've heard about the pouch protective pouches but what would I do with them when Selene just crabs by sight?

It sounds like they still may be getting used to having you around them. This is not unusual. Do you have a bonding pouch? Carrying them around during the day in a bonding pouch may help your progress. You could even buy one that you could safely clip in their cage at night and in the morning you could zip it shut (probably some initial crabbing here) and wear them around so they get more used to your sounds and smells. Hope this helps

I do indeed have a bonding pouch, one for each. Helios just goes right to sleep but Selene crabs the ENTIRE time she is in it. I felt I didn't want to cause her anymore stress so I just stuck to tent time only. That and I'm sure she would wear herself out but nope. Crabs for an hour if I keep her in there that long.

I'm seeking advice. I've had my babies for a month, yesterday. As of today, they are 12 weeks OOP. I don't feel bonding is going horrible. It's not going amazing either though. I'm wondering how to proceed. Here's the sitch: when they are in the pouch, they will crab, lunge and bite for blood. Even just talking to them near the cage sends them into that lunging frenzy. When out of the pouch they will let me pet them, though they tend to scurry away. They will now let me scoop them up and put them on my person. They will hang out on my shoulder and back but if I'm near the cage they will quickly jump off. I do have a tent that I use tent time for. In the tent they will climb on my hand if I put it near them but jump off almost just as quick. They do licky treats but I wonder if I'm not offering it as much as I should? I give them a licky treat when they are on my hand and when I first invert their pouch to get them out and stop the crabbing. Any suggestions would be wonderful. They aren't very fond of the bonding pouches and quite frankly, I work from 8:00 to 5:00 Monday through Friday, so I don't think they'd be very useful anyway. I may be wrong on this. Again, any advice would be amazing. I love my little critters and I want them to bond to me in the best way possible.

I had the same problem the squared fleece worked great they crabbed when i started to carry them in the pouch but after a week they stop once they got use to it now i can carry them in my pocket.Its so great!!!

My first two girls were extremely pouch protective for about 2 months, and even now, from time to time, crab at me if in the pouch.

Does your bonding pouch have a window? I have found that as long as my girls have a window they're content. No windows and they're EVIL. lol

I have some kiddos that just hated the bonding pouch from the beginning, they do not like to be zipped in. You can try to take out the entire pouch that they are sleeping in (in a glider safe room with everything closed), and put them underneath your shirt and talk softly to them for a while. Do this continuously and I am sure they will become more comfortable.

Received my protective pouch today in the mail. They don't know what to make of it. Selene actually got so hyper, she's just flitting around like wildfire. Helios still crabs at my voice and I think that I will start assignment one from Bourbon's teachings and start by opening the door, saying everything is going to be okay and then closing the door. I wonder though...do I just stay still until Helios stops crabbing or say everything is okay while he's crabbing and then shut the door? Hmm...suggestions?

Day 2. They were not in the protective pouch when I woke up but when I walked away they did snuggle up in it. Helios jumps right out when I come near but I do talk to them and Helios crabs his little head off. He will however, let me pet him and he'll even jump in my hand if not just for a little bit. Crabbing all the way but much less lunging and NO biting!

I am so glad there is some improvement!

ben you are doing fine, just continue what you are doing, you already have made positive moves forward, he is not biting you, the lunging is less, baby steps, but in 2 days you have already moved some mountains..

Day 3 has come. They are IN the pouch ladies and gentleman. What's even better is they DIDN'T JUMP OUT when I came near! Sure, they crabbed their little fuzzbutts off but I could still PET them. Helios lunged but there was no latching on to my skin this time and he let me pet him. Crabbed a little while I pet him but he let me pet him nonetheless. Now it's time for the licky treats! They take them off my hand willingly but I think I'll try to backtrack a little while Helios is lunging and use the sticks. I think it's all going really well though! Soon, Helios will be my little angel fuzz!

Well done!! Seems like everything is coming together now.

This is the same problem I have , one has a calm personality, still not bonded but she is calmer and lets me touch her at least. In the pouch the other crabs the whole time and after a bit the calm one will get involved.

The idea of the pouch protective pouches, is to open up a glider's world. They can't see, in the bottom of that pouch, what is coming toward them or how close or far it really is. They just know something is near and it's SCARY SCARY SCARY so we CRAB CRAB CRAB. Please do call Bourbon and ask her about bonding pouch protective gliders. Her number is in her signature. Selene needs to feel safe and secure in a pouch before she can bond to you while she's in one.

So guess who this is?!



It's HELIOS!!

It's day four here at the critter cabode and let me tell you, they are doing FABULOUS! Selene doesn't even make a peep anymore. Just lets me do my thing and licks the treats. She loves it. She practically jumps to the door for those darn treats. Helios hasn't LUNGED TODAY! And no lunging means NO BITING! It's awesome! Bourbon, I couldn't have done it without your advice, I will be forever grateful. Another thing...my mother stopped by and just went ahead and put her hand in before I could stop her. Red flag right? WRONG! Helios let her pet him...he didn't even so much as CRAB!!! I was so surprised. It was amazing. I can't wait for the days to follow and for my gosh darn' tent to get here!!!

Great news!

WOW, congrats!!

You are doing awesome with them and you sound like you are making a lot of progress. Keep it up! I had a couple brave souls that have reached into my girls' pouch to pet them and it sure made me nervous. They handled it much better than I thought they would.

We are on day six of the protective pouch training. I have been "studying" or better yet "feeling" the way Helios is. I think quite frankly he will always be a little crabber. He doesn't lunge at all anymore and he hasn't bit me since day two. He's a good little boy. Tent time goes well, he will now get in my lap when before he wouldn't come near anywhere that wasn't my foot or shoulder. He'll let me pet him for a few seconds before going and running off to play. Crabbing is his personality and he sure looks cute doing it. I am very satisfied. Selene is great. In all honesty, she is the one I wanted the strongest bond with because a year from now when I intend to introduce an intact male into the mix, I want that bond to allow me to interact with her while she has her joeys. She will let me scoop her, hold her and pretty much do whatever with not a peep. She even falls asleep in my hands. Bourbon, I thank you for your advice. I'm sorry I haven't been able to call you. Life has been hectic these last six days but I assure you the time I spent with my gliders has been one of relaxation and fun. I'm so excited to have gliders again that will let me pet them, hold them and love them. I thank everyone for their advice and trust me, I will be sure to post ANY future questions I may have.

Thank all of you!