GliderCENTRAL

what should i do?

Posted By: glider slave

what should i do? - 05/06/04 06:34 AM

i have a glider that according to a friend, is showing possible signs of mutilation (none yet, but thats how hers started out) he acts like he is in a fight with another glider, but there is no marks on him, and he only does it while in his pouch...other than haveing a UA done, should i try to put him in with a female? according to his previous owner he has never been around another glider since he was taken away from his mom. what should i do???
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: what should i do? - 05/06/04 03:11 PM

Carol, I think I would def. take him in to be checked out by your vet. Bourbon has a sticky in Health & Hygiene that addresses this. I am going to go ahead and move your post there (Health & Hygiene) so it gets the attention it needs. Keep a very careful eye on this little guy until you get some help with him. Good luck, and let us know what's going on with him. Will keep you and he in our thoughts today..
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: what should i do? - 05/06/04 03:29 PM

It'd be a good idea to have him checked for a urinary tract infection or other problem... maybe he is in pain. But sometimes glider self-mutilate for problems not known. Neutering might be an option... but in the meantime, keep a very close eye on him and have the materials to make an e-collar handy!
Posted By: Bourbon

Re: what should i do? - 05/08/04 06:24 AM

Carol, I gave you a lot of information and lots of reading material to keep you busy, I didn't hear from you today, I guess that is a good sign, could you give me an update, as to how he is doing?
Posted By: glider slave

Re: what should i do? - 05/08/04 06:15 PM

Well I can sum last night up in one word....BAD...We were on the phone for a loooong time, and after we hung up, we finally got the ecollar on him about 6 am. it stayed on, his nose was pink, and he stopped fighting it after about 10 mins. so we made a makshift feeder, and gave him the water bottle.

I went in there this morning, and he had his buried in the cotten towel, and his food was gone, andso was his water. ok i thought this was good. at least i knew he could eat. Well i woke him up to check onhim, his collar was wearing all the food..lol poor guy....then i looked at his nose. it was like a purple blue-ish color. i tried to loosen it, but i couldnt get the tape up. so i cut the whole collar off.

its now 2 hours later, i am still watching and listening tohim and he is sleeping like a baby. BUT i have another collar ready just in case. We are also thinking about making different kinds of "jackets". Ill let you know how the rest of the day goes as it happens!
Posted By: Xfilefan

Re: what should i do? - 05/09/04 03:54 AM

Carol, collars can be difficult to fit, I agree. But it only takes a minute for them to damage themselves. We had to make 3 or 4 before we got one we could fit properly and sometimes it seems like these guys have no neck. We solved this by putting an extra little ridge of molefoam around the neck of the collar, 3/4 of the way around and underneath the moleskin, leaving about 3/4 of an inch or so at one end, and that's where we overlapped and taped the collar to fit. The ridge made it more difficult for him to get it over his head, but didn't choke him either. Give me a sec, and I'll upload and attach a pic of one of our collars. I can't stress enough how important it is to keep one on him, though, unless you're prepared to constantly watch him 24/7 and let him bite you instead (I did that awhile). And do you have a vet appointment, yet? Please get him in for urine and fecals. Also, how old is the little guy? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worried2.gif" alt="" />

Attached picture 224860-ECOLLAR.jpg
Posted By: glider slave

Re: what should i do? - 05/09/04 04:44 AM

Well we got another ecollar on him. its nicer. we made it differently. we got the smallest cat collar we could get at petsmart, cut it shorter then attached it to the plastic with the moleskin. im attaching a picture of it b4 we put it on him..im trying to get a pic of him with it, but he wont sit still. its a good collar, he doesnt fight with it and he just lets it be.
this one is nice too because you can put the collar "together" slip it over his head, and once its in place you just pull it tight. then you put the pin in the hole, tape it and youre done!

Attached picture 224878-HPIM1255.JPG
Posted By: glider slave

Re: what should i do? - 05/09/04 04:46 AM

ok i got one of him with it, its not the best but its on him at least

Attached picture 224879-HPIM1253.JPG
Posted By: Xfilefan

Re: what should i do? - 05/09/04 05:01 AM

Looks okay if the weight still allows him to raise his head. I recommend some tape on the overlap and trimming any jagged or protruding edges on the plastic so he doesn't get caught on any fabric, or hung up on the holes in his cage. Watch he doesn't get a claw caught in the collar webbing, either-my Riker seemed to be determined to make a point of getting his caught if I was at all late with trimming! I'll keep up with your posts-please keep us updated! Your little guy in my prayers! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumb.gif" alt="" />--Also, when Riker was in his collar, the little bird feeders helped with drinks and BML-he could get the collar around it and lap up stuff, but it didn't make a disaster out of his collar so fast.
Posted By: glider slave

Re: what should i do? - 05/09/04 05:05 AM

Well we have the mole skin around the collar part and then tape on the other part.....the edges have been filed down so there are no sharp or jagged edges. he runs all over the place like he isnt even wearing it. so im pretty sure that its not heavy for him. i think this kind of collar would be best for "new e collar wearers" ..lol its very easy to put on as long as you have 2 ppl..lol and it stays on. we didnt have to fiddle with the tape while trying to hold him still and keep the sides together.

Attached picture 224887-HPIM1260.JPG
Posted By: glider slave

Re: what should i do? - 05/09/04 05:06 AM

that last pic of the collar above was b4 we putit on him, and b4 we filed the edges thats why there are jagged spots....fyi <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />
Posted By: Xfilefan

Re: what should i do? - 05/09/04 05:19 AM

Sorry-it just looked a little ragged in that first pic <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />- I still think a tiny piece of tape on the overlap-for some reason it always seems to work its way around to the bottom and then they catch it, fall over it, or (and don't ask me how!) manage to get their teeth on it and chew on that inside edge. Riker managed to get his bottom jaw stuck on the overlap once and after that we taped it. Let me know how it works, though-it might be an alternative for others who are (like me <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />) engineering challenged! Riker hasn't had to wear his in almost a year, but we had a heck of a time finding molefoam and in a pinch that might work if we had immediate need and were out of materials (we keep 4 extra on hand just in case, but you never know!)
Posted By: Judie

Re: what should i do? - 05/09/04 05:50 AM

Any update as to what kind of medical problem is going on with this little guy?

When wearing a e-collar...usually the glider needs to be hand fed so he is not wearing his meal.
Posted By: Xfilefan

Re: what should i do? - 05/09/04 05:58 AM

Judie-apparently he's started mutilating but I'm not exact on where or if he's been in for any tests yet. At least a collar's on now, so he can't make any holes in himself. She's been in phone contact with Bourbon, though, so hopefully a more detailed update soon. I worry about all these little ones after what we went through with Riker. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worried2.gif" alt="" />
Posted By: glider slave

Re: what should i do? - 05/09/04 06:53 AM

well we let him have the collar off for a bit tonight, we put him in a hamster ball and let him just run, he LOVED it. then we got the collar back on, we got the other feeders tonight so he can eat better. but he ran in the ball for over an hour! ive never seen him look so happy b4.
im finishing up the questionaire on him. we have been using the nepsporin+pain, and Vit E. and we looked at it tonight and it didnt look half as bad as it did lst night. we are going to put him in our room tonight to take him from the stress of going from never being around another glider to going into to a room with 21. but ill keep you posted <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
right now we are going to play. we got him his wheel in the cage and we bought him "special boy" toys tonight. hes getting alot of extra attention.

PS

I want to thank Bourbon and Mary for the time they took to talk to me personally on the phone in the middle of the night to help me and robert through this.
THANK YOU!!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" />
Posted By: Bourbon

Re: what should i do? - 05/10/04 12:23 PM

Jen and Judie, when I made my last post, I hadn't heard from here that day, the night before we spoke on the phone for several hours, at that time, no damage had been done, the day I made my Post, I called and she was already speaking with Mary, it seemed, that she had him with her all that day and everything was fine, he slep alot but was acting really normal, no sounds or nothing, when she got home however, he did manage to get to himself, this was before the stuff for the e-collar was together, after the damage Mary and I spoke with her and robert throughout the night, trying very hard to get a collar on him.

the good thing is the damage is NOT on the cloacal area itself, as far as we all know, it is more between the cloacal and the base of the tail, there was a little split there, his area around the cloacal area was extremely painful for him, which would indicate to us that this is anal glands. however Jazz has a long way to go, he is going to need many tests to be run, and I know that these tests are sometimes very expensive. And the monies may be an issue. She does however have a contact with a vet that Mary has often consulted with, Carol and Robert will do what they can, as much as they can, to help Jazz.

She has our prayes for a full recovery of Jazz, but she is prepared for his "special life" each one of these cases, people see the hard time we all have putting a collar on them, each time, we suggest they try to work on a jacket. One of these days, we hope those efforts help us get closer to saving more. As the collars require 4 hands, and both hands take serious bites.
Posted By: glider slave

Re: what should i do? - 05/11/04 09:30 AM

Another update:

Jazz has been doing extreamly well, I took another look at the spot where we thought he had bitten himself, theres nothing wrong with it. we gave him a wheel and went and got him new toys, and he seems to be very content and happy. i have kept an eye on him 24 hrs a day, even at work with me, i have the e collar ready by his cage, and he has let me practice putting it on him, and it takes me 5 minutes or less to get Roberts modified collar onhim, and i cando it alone. no bites or stuggling. i am very happy with him but i am still very cautious. we are also still working on the vest idea that bourbon mentioned. he also seems to enjoy the 1 on 1 attention, like he is the most special glider inthe world type of thing,lol. i hope that things stay this good, but if not i have had so much help between mary and bourbon, that i have a wealth of knowlage and alot of people to ask for help! ill keep ya posted! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frostyangel.gif" alt="" />
© 2024 GliderCENTRAL