GliderCENTRAL

Practical Marsupial Medicine.....

Posted By: Anonymous

Practical Marsupial Medicine..... - 05/18/09 10:32 PM

So I was reading around today and looking for research when I came across the fact that some gliders are used as models for seratonin-deficiency depression. They do this because its easy to induce depression by simply housing gliders by themselves.

If your interested in reading more, please PM me for the articles. Thank you.

Has anyone ever had their vet prescribe these types of meds to their gliders? My gliders do not have a need for this but it got me curious as to how normal this practice is.

On another note, this same paper clued me in to people possibly doing home made neuterings as recommended by this ISSG!!!

Book reference: Practical Marsupial Medicine
Cathy A. Johnson-Delaney, DVM, Dipl ABVP (Avian) / Section #130 / "Sugar Gliders (Petaurus breviceps)" / Pg 53 - 55.



People don't really do that do they? Just wondering what your thoughts are smile


Posted By: sugarlope

Re: Practical Marsupial Medicine..... - 05/19/09 12:37 AM

I haven't heard of this before (the use of antidepressants for depression in gliders). I would think that in most cases it would be much easier to just correct the issue that caused it (diet, working to get the lonely glider a friend or spend more time with him/her). dunno

As far as the neutering - it was never considered a good idea or condoned, by any means, but I do remember (years ago) when there were a few breeders that did so. This is where the info came from for the ISGA. The ISGA website has not been updated since 2003 and has A LOT of outdated and even dangerous information on it at this point. I have tried contacting a webmaster several times and the e-mails always return. There is still a small e-mail group that is occasionally active and I wonder if that is the only reason the site is left up. But I wish there would be someone that would take the page down or at least take the bad info down. shakehead
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Practical Marsupial Medicine..... - 05/19/09 12:58 AM

They're claiming that prolonged exposure to sunlight kills gliders and that the best beddings are things like moss and wood shavings? Eeep. I'll say their stuff is outdated. That's like... the complete OPPOSITE of what everyone here says.
Posted By: irie888

Re: Practical Marsupial Medicine..... - 05/19/09 01:01 AM

9 years ago I actually had a vet give me Prozac for my first glider. She had always been petite and a little sickly. I don't know if it worked with her because I didn't "ask her how she felt"...lol, but it didn't hurt her. We didn't necessarily give it to her for depressions. She was having other health issues and my guess is that it may have also been used to increase her appetite since at her heaviest she was only 60 grams.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Practical Marsupial Medicine..... - 05/19/09 01:02 AM

I think the intention was to use the meds for critical and extreme cases. I.e. when the animal will attack any other sugar gliders and can not be bonded to a group. The other one mentioned was for SM. The medication would be sort of like a crutch....

Glad to hear about ISGA... well, at least that its outdated and may not be intentional. It needs to be updated though because thats pretty bad info.

Would love to hear any stories on this one even if the topic comes up later on!
Posted By: sugarlope

Re: Practical Marsupial Medicine..... - 05/19/09 10:09 PM

I had forgotten about this thread, but there was a vet that discussed 5 HTP (which is a precursor to serotonin). dunno

http://www.glidercentral.net/ubbthreads/..._HTP#Post736558
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Practical Marsupial Medicine..... - 05/20/09 12:26 AM

Originally Posted By: irie888
9 years ago I actually had a vet give me Prozac for my first glider. She had always been petite and a little sickly. I don't know if it worked with her because I didn't "ask her how she felt"...lol, but it didn't hurt her. We didn't necessarily give it to her for depressions. She was having other health issues and my guess is that it may have also been used to increase her appetite since at her heaviest she was only 60 grams.


Did the medication helped for whatever it was prescribed for? I take it this was a short term solution?

Originally Posted By: sugarlope
I had forgotten about this thread, but there was a vet that discussed 5 HTP (which is a precursor to serotonin). dunno

http://www.glidercentral.net/ubbthreads/..._HTP#Post736558


I wonder how the glider in the mentioned thread turn out. It is very interesting that you should bring up the 5 HTP since that got me thinking about melatonins as well.

Anyways, this topic seems to be pretty new so I guess is a good idea to keep in mind in case a vet you havent worked with tries to prescribe any medications along this line. I do wonder what some of the more experience keepers and their vets would say regarding the topic.
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