GliderCENTRAL

The Wild Child-Question for Breeders

Posted By: ValkyrieMome

The Wild Child-Question for Breeders - 01/23/11 07:35 PM

A question for breeders!

We've all seen completely wild gliders, who were obviously not socialized correctly. People get in gliders and say "I can't believe they never handled this baby!" and they have lots and lots of work ahead of them to domesticate the little demon-child.

However, as a breeder, I have had joeys who come out like that! I've handled them from day one, just as I do all my gliders, and they still act as if they've never seen a human.

I have one here now who is scared of her own shadow. She "bear stands" and lunges when she hears my voice. Her sister is calm as can be, and just watches the wild-child like she lost her mind. Additionally, I recently got a girl from another breeder. I know for a fact this breeder doted on her girl. Daily. And yet, this little girl crabs every time she hears my voice!

So - to breeders:
What do you do?
Do they go through a stage where it is more important to work with them daily? Is there an age/stage they pass through that can "make or break" them?
Are these little monsters who've been held from day 1 and are still wild just destined to always be wild?
What do you do with them? If you sell them, what do you tell the new owners?
Some are calm, but become unglued when separated from their parents. Then what do you do?

I'd just like to have thoughts on this kicked around, if possible, by both breeders and people who have worked with such gliders.

When I see people write, "She was obviously never handled by her breeder" I think in my head "Not necessarily!!"
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: The Wild Child-Question for Breeders - 01/23/11 07:45 PM

Peppermint is a perfect example of this. She was a sweetie until about 8 wks according to her breeder. Then she just came unhinged for whatever reason. She had her mommy crabbing too, after about a week! She lunged, she bit, she was NOT a happy girl. Once you got her out of the cage she just ran and ran away from everyone. I got her home to me, stuck her with a pouch protective pouch, and let her run around every other night or so and burn off some of her extra energy, and she's been a little angel. You saw her Alden, when I got her, and she crabbed at a Sweet N Low packet. Now I rattle whatever I want without issue. She was genuinely afraid, but not now.

I think what needs to happen is for breeders to let their buyers know the joey's temperment - but that it may very well change when pulled away from their parents and the only home they've known. They need to be available to talk new owners through bonding and behavior issues, or know who to refer them to in their area.
Posted By: Guerita135

Re: The Wild Child-Question for Breeders - 01/23/11 07:54 PM

Haha, I was just signing in to post about Peppermint. tounge You beat me to it Jessica! roflmao

Her mom is one of my sweetest gliders and her dad, although a bit nippy, hardly EVER crabs and is a playful boy who always wants to come out and spend time with me. So, I'm not sure why Peppermint turned out the way she did. :/ She was sweet up til 6 weeks, at which point I had to pull her dad out(he had a small injury). After that she went psycho. frown

If I ever have a joey with a really bad temperament like that then I'll find them a pet-only home with someone I trust and won't ask any adoption fee or anything. IMO, an adoption fee is to cover the time and effort that we put into a joey, which SHOULD result in a sweet, tame joey. If that's not the case then I don't feel that a fee should be asked.

BTW,in the case of Peppermint I think that we narrowed down the major problem being that I used a cage cover on her cage. It made her extremely cage-protective. She would hide behind the cover and then lunge at me whenever I reached into the cage. That being said, I no longer use covers on my breeding gliders's cages to help prevent similar issues in the future. Do you use covers Alden?
Posted By: Dancing

Re: The Wild Child-Question for Breeders - 01/23/11 08:24 PM

Quote:
Are these little monsters who've been held from day 1 and are still wild just destined to always be wild?


Chevy came to me from Anita. Anita has some of the sweetest joeys and gliders I've seen but Chevy came unglued when he was removed from mom and dad. He was so terrified of EVERYTHING.

Now he is one of the sweetest boys.

One little one I had born here was so vocal and did that bear stance/lunging thing. Her two siblings were really sweet and calm but she was really influencing them. I gave her to Sherri. I knew Sherri would spend the time with her that she needed to help her calm down. Sherri has told me that Grenna is no where near like I described. She is much better.

I think sometimes gliders are just not where they need to be (physically) and that finding just the right person for them is key. Sometimes just a change of physical location and change of caretakers is all it takes.

Right now I have one very vocal little boy. He has been vocal since the day he came oop. He doesn't lunge or bite but he sure speaks his mind. I don't know if that is a temperment he inherited from his grandpa Zach or if it the environment here. His two little sisters are nothing like him. But when he cranks up, so does one of his sisters. The other just looks at them both like they have lost their minds.

But those are very good questions and points Alden. Just wish I had answers.
Posted By: ValkyrieMome

Re: The Wild Child-Question for Breeders - 01/24/11 04:32 AM

Bump -

Now that "the big game" is over - I'd love some more thoughts on this!
Posted By: carolinasuggies

Re: The Wild Child-Question for Breeders - 01/24/11 04:38 AM

IMO some glider's just have their own attitudes some just prefer not to be bothered by us humans! But I do believe that all glider's can be loved enough to where they may ALWAYS be vocal but with not giving up they will stop lunging and biting! I don't think there's a point where you should give up! Some glider's are just more stubborn than others! I think you should alway's tell the new owners that they are having whatever behavioral issues! We had one baby girl she was sweet as pie until we took her away from her parent's at close to 9 week's and she went straight to evil she already had a new mommy waiting for her so we went to her home with the glider and spent hours explaining how to handle her! We had another she was the cutest and so sweet TO MY HUSBAND but if she even heard me speak she went into kung fu mode! Strange little girl that one was!
Posted By: SugarCrazy

Re: The Wild Child-Question for Breeders - 01/24/11 03:44 PM

I'm not a breeder. And I don't really know the background on my Mo. But I am working with Elena cuz of this very problem. When he and his cagemate came to us he crabbed all the time, hid, and never relaxed when I could get them in a bonding pouch. Needless to say, I didn't do much with him. Things just kept getting worse to the point I was getting lunged at and bit at every time I put my hands in the cage. We now have him in an open cage pouch, have given him licky treats by spoon and now my fingers, and have been able to pet him a few times. He hardly ever crabs now. I think he will always be less loving than the others but have great hopes that he will eventually be able to spend time in a bonding pouch and I will be able to pet when I want. We'll see in time.
Posted By: IslandGliders

Re: The Wild Child-Question for Breeders - 01/24/11 04:53 PM

Alden, I am so glad you posted this! Such a great topic. I've often thought about this very thing. I've spoken to one clueless girl who seemed to think sugar gliders come out, assembly-line style, all sweet, cuddly and "pre-bonded." Uh, no. shakehead They all very much have their own personality.
Posted By: ValkyrieMome

Re: The Wild Child-Question for Breeders - 01/26/11 01:43 AM

I'm sorry - I'm bumping this again.

I need some real advice! The "wild child" in question who prompted me to start this thread is getting out of hand!

Starting when she was about 4 weeks OOP, I tried carrying her in a bonding pouch with my other joeys. I had 6 joeys - including her sister - all roughly the same age. The oldest was about 2 weeks older, and this girl and her sister were the youngest. Even prior to the "group bonding pouch time", this little girl would crab hysterically if held or in my bra.

During the group bonding pouch time, she would come unhinged and strike out at the other joeys, including her sister. All the other joeys, between 4 and 6 weeks old, would just curl up together and sleep. I finally resorted to just working with her alone for daily bonding time -but it has never gone well at all. She has always fought it.

Now, the two joeys that are staying here are weaned, over 10 weeks old, and living happily in a cage together. This little girl - now 9 weeks old - is with her parents still. Her sister has left for her new home. This little mouse WILL NOT accept the other joeys.

I've only seen her out in the cage twice. For all I know, she may be still nursing! Her momma has two peanuts in pouch. This girl still acts like a little joey. She hides in the sleeping pouch and doesn't come out. She doesn't come play. She doesn't explore. I think her Daddy is staying in there with her for the most part, also - as if she were 2 weeks old instead of 9!

HELP! What do I do!?
Posted By: cryingoutloud37

Re: The Wild Child-Question for Breeders - 01/26/11 02:08 AM

I am sorry this isn't gonna help..... but it will bump it back to the top....But I have a little girl exactly like this. Exact same scenario. I had a family lined up an everything and had to encourage them to back out an wait for a different glider to be oop. I had a bunch of joeys at the same time and all were sweet as well as her and then she hit five weeks and turned. I even took her to the vet to see if there was a underlying problem. But nothing showed up...the vet said she is perfectly healthy.

I don't know what to do either so I am hoping for someone to have some suggestions for you that will help me also...
Posted By: suggiemom1980

Re: The Wild Child-Question for Breeders - 01/26/11 02:41 AM

Originally Posted By: ValkyrieMome
I'm sorry - I'm bumping this again.

I need some real advice! The "wild child" in question who prompted me to start this thread is getting out of hand!

Starting when she was about 4 weeks OOP, I tried carrying her in a bonding pouch with my other joeys. I had 6 joeys - including her sister - all roughly the same age. The oldest was about 2 weeks older, and this girl and her sister were the youngest. Even prior to the "group bonding pouch time", this little girl would crab hysterically if held or in my bra.

During the group bonding pouch time, she would come unhinged and strike out at the other joeys, including her sister. All the other joeys, between 4 and 6 weeks old, would just curl up together and sleep. I finally resorted to just working with her alone for daily bonding time -but it has never gone well at all. She has always fought it.

Now, the two joeys that are staying here are weaned, over 10 weeks old, and living happily in a cage together. This little girl - now 9 weeks old - is with her parents still. Her sister has left for her new home. This little mouse WILL NOT accept the other joeys.

I've only seen her out in the cage twice. For all I know, she may be still nursing! Her momma has two peanuts in pouch. This girl still acts like a little joey. She hides in the sleeping pouch and doesn't come out. She doesn't come play. She doesn't explore. I think her Daddy is staying in there with her for the most part, also - as if she were 2 weeks old instead of 9!

HELP! What do I do!?


My only thought is to get daddy neutered and let the little girl stay with her family. Some just come unglued for some reason and we don't know why. I had a little girl born here who crabbed, ninja'd and lunged from first day OOP, before her eyes ever opened. She loved my neighbor tho, who came to see her once a week. Finally, when she was about 8 months old, I couldn't stand to see her miserable any longer and gave her & her brother to my neighbor. Now, she's the sweetest, happiest glider ever. Just as we humans don't like some people (and sometimes don't even know why), gliders are the same way. There is no forcing them to like other gliders, when they just can't.

Is Lemur still having issues? You know it breaks my heart and I'll take her back if you think that's for the best for her. We can work out something on Kanani. You know I'd love to have Lemur back and will do whatever is in her best interests.
Posted By: ValkyrieMome

Re: The Wild Child-Question for Breeders - 01/26/11 03:05 AM

Connie - Lemur is more pouch protective. She's fine out of the cage. She has a neutered cage mate now - actually it is her uncle - and it has helped her calm down a lot. She's cute as can be, and she's vocal but not a brat. You recognized her when I said I have a girl who was "doted on by her breeder"? Knew that was Lemur, huh?

The one I'm mostly concerned with is Niacin's platinum het girl. She has loathed the site of my face since her eyes opened. I think I'm going to try to find a home that is willing to work with her.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: The Wild Child-Question for Breeders - 01/26/11 03:34 AM

I strongly suspect that gliders already have some personality traits when they are first oop. I have a glider who is just under three months old and I think he was fully tame whey he came oop. He just loves to hang out with me and stays on me when I take him out of the cage. His parents are sweet too.

I wonder how your wild child would react if you took her away from her parents (only if she is fully weaned) and put her in her own cage. Leave her alone and don't bother her for a few days and then see if she is ready to make friend with another joey.
Since gliders are colony animals, she might be more willing to accept a cage mate after spending a few days on her own. Or do you think this would be too stressfull for her?
I have very little experience with joeys so I don't know if this would help or make the problem worse.
Posted By: suggiemom1980

Re: The Wild Child-Question for Breeders - 01/26/11 03:48 AM

Yep, I knew you were talking about Lemur. LOL! And my offer will always stand to take her back.....ya, I know...never gonna happen. smile
Posted By: hwh4ev

Re: The Wild Child-Question for Breeders - 01/26/11 03:53 AM

alden, i seem to be having the opposite problem of what you are talking abt. i had a girl joey that was sold to a woman who got her a female friend. i would check to see how she was doing, all was well or so i thought. she contacts me abt. a month later and tells me she is a biter and that her husband and son want nothing to do with her. so she stops taking her out alot less. i advised to take her out every night and come and check out bonding, she is on gc also. i dont know what went wrong as i take my joeys out every night and they are not biters. now she is selling the pair on gc because of her sons allergies.

it seems to me like your glider might need a different and experienced home like you suggested. hopefully a new slave will work one on one with her.

in my case i think maybe my girl joey should of stayed here or went to a home that was more experienced with gliders.

hope you find some answers and everything turns out ok.

regards,
nancy in detroit
Posted By: Glide_Bye_Lily

Re: The Wild Child-Question for Breeders - 01/26/11 04:07 AM

We have one that we bred. Sam.

He is from the SWEETEST parents (who usually have vocal babies). He was the perfect little angel up until he turned 4 weeks old. Within a period of 3 days he went from sweet to attacking my face if I got too close to him! He was handled every day and was shaping up to be a real gentleman until then. We don't know what happened!

He is 5 months old now and he is still with us. We're working with him. We gave him some space to chill out and pretty much started socializing him like he had never been handled before. He is still a little crabby and lungy but knock on wood he's improved about 80%!

I don't think they are 'destined' to always be that way. Some maybe, but lucky for us-Sam wasn't. smile
Posted By: Lulu1105

Re: The Wild Child-Question for Breeders - 01/26/11 04:42 AM

My newest glider Jack is like this. he is so jittery and scared of every movement or sound. He is extremely pouch protective (until he bites me and realizes, hey that's Mom). He is hand shy except for in the pouch, where he'll nip if you stop petting him. Jack will walk onto my hand and greet me at the front of the cage, but will fly back into the cage at the slightest movement around him. He can also be very panicky and will bite and run like crazy when you try to catch him after something hs triggered his flight response. He was a Pocket Pets baby and he's about six months old now. He has improved greatly since I got him as a tiny little joey. He is nothing like Lulu, my 1 year old also from pocket Pets. He seems like he wants to interact and play soooooo badly, but he doesnt know how or is too scared. I am hoping that one day he'll learn that he can trust me and turn into the cuddlebug I was hoping for.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: The Wild Child-Question for Breeders - 01/26/11 04:53 AM

I got a glider at 12 weeks and she was the biggest crab/lunge/bite girl I've ever had. Very knowledgable gentle breeders, both parents as docile as can be. It took her almost a year to calm and aside from leaving her parents (she was "wild" before she left them) she's had a quiet untramativ life. So my guess is as good as yours. Shes a big baby now though, squishy like playdoh.... Hehe
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: The Wild Child-Question for Breeders - 01/26/11 07:04 AM

Alden, I think your little girl needs a magic sweatshirt pouch like the one I put Pepper in roflmao then she will groom your face 3 days later.

Ok, I haven't had problems with babies other than Pepper being so crazy for like the first day and half I got her. Once I got her away from her mom, she chilled a lot. And I had her on me like 20 hours a day that weekend (you know, the time I didn't sleep). After the first week she wasn't crabbing at anything. Still doesn't, unless I show her my hands from above or hears the zipper to the cage and it's like a half-hearted "but mom, I'm sleeping". She either snuggles down and then lets me pet and love on her, or wakes right up and wants to play. At Nicole's house she just wanted everyone OUT of her cage and was ready to take on all comers. She was all spazzy, hated being touched, and only yoggies would keep her teeth off you and that's if you had one right then.

With your girl, I would take her away from her parents, so she HAS to wean if that's what is messing her up. And I would work with her solely one on one, since she won't take to the other joeys. They are revving her up or something, because the group mentality should be calming her down. I'd take her out, let her run around and play and wear herself out, and then get her back in a pouch and start with licky treats on a spoon if she's lunging and go from there. Oh, and did no one tell you I am a sucker for taming down the wild ones? LOL. I started with Skittles, who was probably about 5 at the time, my first glider, given to me with the name "she-devil".
Posted By: HagridsHut

Re: The Wild Child-Question for Breeders - 01/26/11 08:52 PM

Originally Posted By: ValkyrieMome
What do you do with them? If you sell them, what do you tell the new owners?


Although I have not (yet!) personally been in this type of situation, I have often wondered about it! I'm not certain that this particular question has been answered directly, so I would like to pose it again in a different manner.

Is the consensus that these "wild child" personalities should be given (free of charge or for a significantly reduced fee) as "pet-only" to an experienced owner who is both fully aware of the glider's temperament and is willing/able to put forth the extra time/effort necessary to make these little one's lives the best that they can possibly be?
Posted By: Dancing

Re: The Wild Child-Question for Breeders - 01/26/11 09:02 PM

I think it is important for breeders to be honest with the new owners about temperment. But they also need to discuss with the new owners how changing environments can make a wonderfully docile sweet "give me chin rubs" baby into a scared little one that is terrified about everything.

How a glider is in one home could be entirely different in a new home with new people. Regardless of starting temperment or age, it is stressful for the glider to go to a new home away from everything that is familiar.

In some cases, this has helped "wild child" gliders to calm down. In other cases it has created "wild child" gliders from sweet calm bra babies.

I think the key is to understand what the glider is going through and to work one on one with that glider AT that glider's pace. It can't be forced but at the same time, the new owner has to be persistant and CONSISTANT. You can't give up.
Posted By: 1daddyglider1

Re: The Wild Child-Question for Breeders - 01/28/11 02:41 PM

Alden:
I don't understand why you carried her around with other joeys. The parents may have over compensated with smelling marking because she had orther colony smells on her. This may have put her on gaurd to be defensive toward anybody and other gliders too. Just a theory to try to find out the cause first. never mind re-read your above post.

How did she act when you first were taming her? Did she get super scared while being with you? Is she doing almost like a high pitch squeal like stepping on a cat's tail. Like you are killing her when handling her? Not just baby cry or crabbing.
Sneak in their room at a different time than your normal time in there and see if she is out eating and exploring. What did she look like when she detached, fully furred, peach fuzz.
Art
Posted By: hpyhwn2003

Re: The Wild Child-Question for Breeders - 01/28/11 03:11 PM

Originally Posted By: HagridsHut
Is the consensus that these "wild child" personalities should be given (free of charge or for a significantly reduced fee) as "pet-only" to an experienced owner who is both fully aware of the glider's temperament and is willing/able to put forth the extra time/effort necessary to make these little one's lives the best that they can possibly be?


If a breeder has tried everything in their arsenal then yes most will move them free of charge on to an experienced owner/breeder/rescuer who is known for working with this type of behavior.

I've been contacted by other breeders with joeys very similar to this little one of Alden's and had gliders come to me who neded more time with a different person. For whatewver reason they just wouldn't make the flip for their breeders. I've a good track record with working with these gliders turning them around and finding them a good home. In these cases I never charge for the gliders, as I wasn't charged, and I disclose their history and current temperment to the new owner. I am also on hand to help them if the need arrises. In the years I've been helping like this I've moved all but 1 boy. He is still working with me as I've found he has some quirks. He is doing SO much better but still hates sleeping pouches and bonding pouches. He also refuses all intro I try to make. He also doesn't like coming out of his cage, it's his safety zone. He no longer lunges, bites, or crabs at me or my hubby but don't let a stranger get to close or he'll scare the willies out of them. He was given to me for two fold reasons. He had behavior issues due to his quirks and I had always dreamed of a leu. So this boy was given to me not only to work with but to keep. After all he and I have been through, I had him since Mother's Day 2010, I'd never consider rehoming him unless I had no other choice.

Alden- We've discussed the steps I'd take over the phone. Have you tried them and if so how is it going? You know I'll help in anyway I can. hug2
Posted By: krysKritters

Re: The Wild Child-Question for Breeders - 01/28/11 04:22 PM

I think that gliders react to different people as well... a glider that is a "wild child" with you may not be with someone else.
I got Eclipse & her sister from Lynsie at the same time, Lynsie handled both and they were both sweet but after arriving here Eclipse acted like she didn't know what a human was. Her sister bonded within normal limits but Eclipse.... well I had Eclipse for years... even had to remove her from her sister b/c they turned on each other.

Eclipse would not take a glider companion... only attacked them, and me!

Well, one day Heidi and her hubby cam eto visit and her husband reach right in and picked her up! Eclipse crabbed a bit but didn't even bite him! I was in complete shock! Eclipse drew blood on me...

I knew then that as much as I loved Eclipse... she wasn't happy here. I gave her to Heidi & her husband and she is now a bonded, tame, sweetheart again.

I think sometimes, like pairing gliders... sometimes the human/glider pairing needs work too.
Posted By: HagridsHut

Re: The Wild Child-Question for Breeders - 01/28/11 08:13 PM

Hi, Elena! wave I both value and appreciate your opinion, so I appreciate your direct response to my question. -Alicia
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: The Wild Child-Question for Breeders - 01/28/11 10:51 PM

Originally Posted By: hpyhwn2003
Originally Posted By: HagridsHut
Is the consensus that these "wild child" personalities should be given (free of charge or for a significantly reduced fee) as "pet-only" to an experienced owner who is both fully aware of the glider's temperament and is willing/able to put forth the extra time/effort necessary to make these little one's lives the best that they can possibly be?


If a breeder has tried everything in their arsenal then yes most will move them free of charge on to an experienced owner/breeder/rescuer who is known for working with this type of behavior.

I've been contacted by other breeders with joeys very similar to this little one of Alden's and had gliders come to me who neded more time with a different person. For whatewver reason they just wouldn't make the flip for their breeders. I've a good track record with working with these gliders turning them around and finding them a good home. In these cases I never charge for the gliders, as I wasn't charged, and I disclose their history and current temperment to the new owner. I am also on hand to help them if the need arrises. In the years I've been helping like this I've moved all but 1 boy. He is still working with me as I've found he has some quirks. He is doing SO much better but still hates sleeping pouches and bonding pouches. He also refuses all intro I try to make. He also doesn't like coming out of his cage, it's his safety zone. He no longer lunges, bites, or crabs at me or my hubby but don't let a stranger get to close or he'll scare the willies out of them. He was given to me for two fold reasons. He had behavior issues due to his quirks and I had always dreamed of a leu. So this boy was given to me not only to work with but to keep. After all he and I have been through, I had him since Mother's Day 2010, I'd never consider rehoming him unless I had no other choice.

Alden- We've discussed the steps I'd take over the phone. Have you tried them and if so how is it going? You know I'll help in anyway I can. hug2


But but...he came out of the cage for meeeee and no biteys lol...just a sample taste.
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