GliderCENTRAL

Strange Behavior in My New Glider

Posted By: SuggieSamantha

Strange Behavior in My New Glider - 08/18/15 06:24 AM

Hi, everyone! I rescued my first glider on Sat. Right now he's in a rather small cage, about the size of a 20 gallon aquarium but I will be upgrading to a much larger cage this weekend.

I noticed he was exhibiting a few strange behaviors..

1. Last night instead of sleeping inside of his pouch (I made sure he knew where it was and how to get to it) he slept on the floor of the cage inside of a paper towel roll. This evening I removed the roll and added a tied-off tank top I'd been wearing all day as a second pouch and that's where he's sleeping now.

2. I've used paper towels as bedding for fostered gliders before, but he seems to be eating them. Once I caught him chewing them I removed them but I'm not sure what else to use as bedding. Carefresh scares me as I've seen several rabbits and hamsters eat it until they died (overnight) of blockages and that seems even more tempting to eat than paper towels. Puppy pads seem like they'd have the same result. I'm not a huge fan of wood chips because of the smell but I've heard cedar and pine aren't ok for them.

3. His sleeping pattern is very strange. I keep pellets and water in the cage all day (he was previously on pellets only so we're transitioning) and I add HPW, fruits, and veggies at night around 10pm. During the evening, around 5, sometimes he comes out to eat pellets then goes back to sleep. He'll wake up around 8, play and run around for a few hours, eat whatever fruit there is, then go back to sleep by 1am. I haven't stayed awake to see if he wakes back up. Most of the gliders I've seen are asleep until around 9pm and stay up the whole night until around 5 AM or later.

4. He LEAPS. Constantly. If you approach him, he doesn't always crab but instead leaps over your hand. During tent time we'll sit in the bath tub with the shower curtain drawn. He can't grip the curtain. He spends 95% of the time leaping at the sides of the tub trying to get out. He can actually jump onto the ledge of the tub if he tries hard enough. When the lady I got him from was trying to show him to me she opened the door and he LEPT out, across the room, and took off! She practically had to tackle him to get him back. I'm mostly worried about bonding here- I'd like him to be able to (eventually) ride around in my pocket and not worry about him leaving me. I love the gliders that are active and climb all over their owners without leaving. If he will always leap and jump everywhere that's ok. as long as he'll come back. I'll just keep him in one room or inside of a pouch.
Posted By: CandyOtte

Re: Strange Behavior in My New Glider - 08/18/15 01:44 PM

Actually ALL of the behaviors you are describing sound very normal for gliders.

He may have slept in the tube because it felt more snug and secure than sleeping ALONE in the pouch. Has this glider been previously housed with other gliders?

He may not be used to anything in the cage pan as 'bedding' and he is being curious about the NEW stuff to explore. Bedding in the cage pan is really not necessary for gliders. It is almost easier to remove leftover dropped food and waste by wiping the cage pan out each morning. Gliders will reach into the cage pan to retrieve bits of dropped food and the risk of them ingesting any bedding that sticks to the food is a real concern.

I prefer to use thin, precut paper sheets in my cage pans from Foster & Smith. I can easily roll up the sheet of paper each day to remove all the waste and food scraps.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=5059+15268+5909&pcatid=5909

If he is waking up to eat pellets at 5 - you can put his dinner in the cage a bit before that time so that he eats the HPW, fruits and vegetables you have chosen for him instead of the pellets. I would remove the pellets - he does not really need them.

Gliders usually wake up shortly after dark to eat, play, nap and repeat. They eat several times each night and it is very normal for them to take naps at night as well.

Leaping and jumping away from someone they do not yet know well is also very normal. The slick surface of the bath tub and shower curtain might be making your glider freak out a bit because gliders are used to CLIMBING to higher areas where they feel safe to observe their surroundings.

Using the tub may actually be setting back your bonding with him - he is spending all his energy trying to get AWAY from the tub and is not focusing on being on you.

Bonding with your glider requires building the glider's trust in YOU and in your hands. Try glider proofing the bathroom so you can sit on the floor and use treats to get your glider to come to you. Provide surfaces he can climb to get higher - if you are standing in the room, long pants might be worn so he can climb on YOU. Eventually you will become his favorite tree. If he can climb up curtains or even the door frame he may begin to jump to you and eventually glide. Use treats to get him to come to you.

Bonding takes time an happens on the glider's schedule not the glider slave's.

If he is a solo glider - I hope you will consider getting him a cage mate very soon. Gliders are colony animals and really need a buddy of their own kind.
Posted By: Feather

Re: Strange Behavior in My New Glider - 08/18/15 06:36 PM

Candy has given you great information. Specially about getting his new diet into the cage earlier.
Posted By: SuggieSamantha

Re: Strange Behavior in My New Glider - 08/18/15 10:42 PM

I feed him every night at 10 because that's when I KNOW I'll be home - I work 2 jobs. The produce and hpw goes bad by the next evening so I remove it and leave the pellets for a snack. He does still eat the HPW.

As for a cage mate, I plan on getting him one closer to Thanksgiving.

For tent time, the bathroom cannot be glider proofed. I live with 6 other people and there is not a single space in the house where he can't get into anything other than the tub, sadly. I will put off more tent time until he is a little more trusting. Right now, he will not take raisins, yogies, meal worms, or any fruits from my hands. He's just too scared. I've bonded with older untame gliders before using the tub but they never tried to run-just crab and bite.
Posted By: Ladymagyver

Re: Strange Behavior in My New Glider - 08/19/15 12:39 AM

Have you considered finding a tent that will fit on your bed perhaps? I use a Jengi ( or is it Genji?) I bought from Amazon. We place ours on a full size bed. The tent is a bit longer, but if it's centered and you're in it, it will stay put.
Posted By: Feather

Re: Strange Behavior in My New Glider - 08/19/15 02:17 AM

A small pop up tent would probably be your best option, you can take it down when your not using it.
Posted By: CandyOtte

Re: Strange Behavior in My New Glider - 08/19/15 04:52 AM

Quote:
The produce and hpw goes bad by the next evening so I remove it and leave the pellets for a snack.


The left over food can be removed in the morning after your glider goes to sleep.

Most gliders eat all they want and need to eat during their active periods over night and they do not usually get up to eat anything during the daytime.

If you leave a few pellets in the cage during the day - take them out at night when you put the dinner plate in the cage. Eating the pellets will fill your glider up and he will be unable to eat the all of the HPW, fruits and vegetables offered.
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