missing arm

my baby just got here but he is missing an arm!!!!! i cant tell if it's broken and sucked into him or something or if it just isnt there. it looks like its just not there and i cant get ahold of the breeder!!! HELP!

you need to get to a vet now!

did he just come by airlines and the breeder didn't tell you he had a missing arm?
Get him to a vet asap... and that way you will also have proof that the baby had a previous injury that wasn't your fault? how was the baby sent to you?

Is this an open wound .. ?? either way .. VET … if you think something is wrong .. now… we will be here…

Please keep us posted…

he seems perfectly fine..he's climbing around the cage and exploring and he doesn't seem to be in pain--i got a hold of an emergancy vet and they said they'd take a look at him but they suggested i just wait until monday (there's no open wound..) but i'm so lost on what to do.

I would take him to the vet to make sure that

A) if it hasn't healed that it will heal properly

B) if it HAS healed that it did properly with no infection

C) also to have the vet verify that he came in this way so if there is any legal actions that come of this you have the proof. Because there is no way that he could of lost his arm/leg in one day and have it healed. (this is only IF the arm has healed already)


Gliders can live long happy lifes with missing limbs. But if the breeders sent you a glider with out one and you not knowing I would be a little upset.

I have a glider with no back legs at all. She is around 5-8 years old and so strong and healthy. I have no idea what happened to her, I took her in from a person who was breeding her But she is very strong and healthy and gets around just fine, does it a little differnt and some times takes longer then her friend, but she can still do it

yea, i would without a doubt bring him to the vet, even just to make sure that you get a professional account of his condition upon arrival. That is CRAZY!! You can also send the breeder the bill for the vet visit seeing as they didnt tell you about it if it really was like that... i cant believe that.. keep us updated

ok you've all convinced me we're going to take him in right now. thanks.

Thank you - Please keep us posted!

Goo idea.
I do hope everything works out well!
Keep updating!
=)

thats a good idea.. i think it might even save you money in the long run. and let us know what the breeder has to say about it.. i'm curious

Moving this over to Health & Hygiene now... please update us when you get back from the vet's.

So, my boyfriend and I took Coconut to the vet and sure enough, he's missing his front right arm. Other than that he's completely healthy, and he's actually really friendly. He crabbed a little but he's been letting us handle him and he even didn't make a fuss about the antibiotics we had to give him. The vet had no clue as to what caused his injury--whether it was a birth defect or a traumatic injury, but we do know that we love him and he's beautiful. Coconut is lighter and smaller and Azazel is darker and more muscular. My boyfriend absolutley loves them already but not as much as me. We will take the best care of them we can, if anyone has advise on how to make life easier for a three legged sugar glider please let us know. So, all's well that ends well. Thanks : )

Let me get this right, a breeder sent you a glider that was missing a leg and didn't tell you in advance? I would be livid!

that is soo funny! you got a very special little guy there! you should contact the breeder though, i cant believe they sent you a glider that they KNEW was handicapped and never told you about it! i dont think i would buy form them anymore.

p.s. i want pics

Can you please email me the name of the breeder to Hope_for_gliders@yahoo.com
I am stunned that you would be sent a glider with special needs and not even be told about it.. This practice is beyond terrible and if its happened to you the chances it has or will happen to others is there. A healthy glider is hard enough to care for but sending out one in this condition could lead to disaster for the glider and owner. I am so relieved that you got him to the vet and posted about him.
We have several gliders with missing limbs, most do really well getting around. You may have to move things if he has any problmes, we use lots of hammocks so if they get tired they can rest. Be sure the pouches are accessable, you may want to put one on several sections of the cage for him. If you need any more help you can email us and a board member will be in contact also to give you more hints or just support if you need it.
Thank you for helping the gliders!
Angie

I had a feeling you'd fall in love with this little glider. Bless your heart for giving him a happy home. I agree that it was an unethical business practice for the breeder to send you this glider with no communication about his arm. You should get a partial refund at the least! But even if you don't, it warms my heart to know he'll be loved. Let us know how he's doing.

Pictures please....

There is a thread in Special Needs about Amputee Gliders that you will find very helpful...
I'm so sorry that you weren't told about the missing arm in advance of receiving him. That must have been quite a shock. However, I'm very glad that you've already taken him to the vet to be checked out and have fallen in love him. I'm sure he'll have a wonderful home with you.

Yes, I would expect at the VERY least a partial refund from the breeder, regardless of the fact that your new glider will be a wonderful pet for you. Just the fact that they didn't tell you about the missing arm caused you to have to take him to the emergency vet and they should pay for that. If you'd known ahead of time, at least you wouldn't have had to go at night on a weekend and could have waited to get the well check at a glider experienced vet during regular office hours.

Good for you for being willing to open your heart and home to a glider that some would have considered "defective". However, if you will be housing him with a glider of the opposite sex, make sure the male is neutered because if it was a birth defect, it is probably best for him not to breed.

I would be concerned buying a glider from a breeder that didn't handle their joeys to notice a limb missing... If they don't handle thier joeys how are you going to have a handtame joey?

who is the breeder? I think we should all know, so we do not have this happen to us, unless we wnt a special needs glider!!

Please don't post the breeder's name and such on the board, as it's in violation of GC Rules. You're more than welcome to take it off the board though for personal discussion

can you please PM the name of the breeder since you can't post it here? i would like to know for future reference because i am going to be purchasing a glider soon.

Does this mean that I can post the website?

I really want to talk to the breeder about what happened before I email everybody with the information, which I WILL do regardless, but I want to be able to have an understanding of what happened attached to the emails as well.

Yes, you can post their web site information as long as it is kept within the context of the fact that this is the breeder that you ordered your glider from... BUT make sure the post is kept to the facts about the transaction, and that it does not stray into opinions instead...

I know that it is against GC rules to simply put the breeder's name up as Becki said.

However, a breeder who would ship a handicapped glider such as this without notifying/discussing it with the future owner first...I cannot see how this is anything other than really poor and unethical breeding practices.

I hope I am not overstepping my bounds here or breaking rules, but I really think this breeder's name should be posted in the "buyer beware" section on the website as the mods have done with other businesses who have been unethical for various reasons. I do not want to bash, but I am saying this because if I was looking for another sugar glider from a breeder, I would want to know that it was this breeder, and I'm sure others would want to know as well so they could deal with this person with caution.

While many of us would be happy to take in a handicapped glider, and I'm so happy he has a good home with you and is doing well, I think it is extremely unethical that a breeder would ship an animal like this to somebody without prior notice. If this breeder thinks that this is acceptable, could they also think it is acceptable to ship other sick or wounded gliders? I think it's important for us as a community to take a stand against this kind of practice.

Just my two cents. I am SO happy you are making provisions for him to have a long and happy life and that he is with you cozazelnut

I am curious as to what the breeder said when you told her "Hello, the glider you sent me, lost an arm along the way". How could the breeder not KNOW that? Even if the only time the breeder saw it was when they were sexing it and packing it in a crate. Kind of an obvious thing?

I'd like to know what they said. Or, was this an injury that occured in shipping? Just so odd.

i totally agree 7glider7 it is without a doubt unethical and everyone should be forewarned for the good of the glider community. Like BeckiT said, as long as there are no off teh wall bashing comments or oppinions, ect i think a fair warning is ok.

I'm certainly no expert...not even close...but from what I understand, this was not an injury sustained during transport as he is not in pain, with no visible scrapes or sores - he simply is without an ARM! I think it is quite obvious, and such a shame really, that the breeder was in fact very aware this little one was missing his arm and didn't feel it necessary to inform the new parents of his special circumstances.

I always try to give people the benefit of the doubt, or just plain trust them!, but honestly, anyone who has handled a joey, especially a "Breeder", I would think should know the difference between three arms and four.

This little glider is very lucky he arrived into a family who was willing to accomodate his special needs, and love him regardless.

It is nice to hear there are good people out there.

I agree with everyone else about this breeder i would not want this to happen to me with out knowing ahead of time i hope he has a happy and long live with you .

I, too, would like to know who this breeder is. I am always looking around for gliders, so please keep me informed as well.
I am so glad that he found such a good home, other people may not have been so understanding about his situation. Good job to you.

Okay, update time. Coconut is still pretty friendly but his arm looks even worse than yesterday. the vet said he may have a secondary infection but it is looking bad. it is kind of red and it is oozing. i have been giving him his meds but they are so hard to administer. azazel is just crabbing his head off whenever me or my boyfriend tries to touch him. he wont even get into his bonding pouch. He tries to bite us when we try to touch him and the sound of our voices (softly telling him its okay) drives him crazy. he wont even take papaya treats from us. could this mean he was mishandled? Or is he just not adjusting as fast as coconut? I''ve read alot of books on sugar gliders and done all my research etc but as it is i am new at this. Any thoughts or advice would be much appreciated.

it takes a few days for gliders to adjust... but with the one glider having a wound and the other doesn't sound tame...
here is a good link for you... sorry wish I could be more help....
http://www.sugargliderinfo.com/index.html#bases

we were following all of the bonding rules that we read about but between having to hold cocunut down to get him his medication and azazel getting upset when he hears coconut crabbing, we can't help but try and calm them down. i guess maybe that's just making things worse, though. oi i just want them to be happy!

and thank you, ALL of you; your support is making this a LOT less scary than it would have been if we had gone into this alone.

((hugs)) hope the glider breeder gets back to you asap! keep us updated....

awww, i'm sorry that this had to happen to you. i hope the poor little guy decides to get better. i'm sure when he's feeling better he'll be much freindlier. it's really horrible what the breeder did. i really do agree w/ every 1 else that they should give you a refund or pay the vet bills. very very unethical. my breeder keeps me updated on how Misos is doing.
we're all glad he found you !!

I'm willing to bet that once you no longer need to disrupt coconut with the meds or any other uncomfortable invasive thing like that, azazel will calm down - while I bond with my mellow boy aiden, if anything bothers my crabby girl julz aiden gets so upset and scared, just from hearing her crab...

Was this breeder info posted anywhere? I think it is worthy of a Colony Alert.

The breeder of my dog sold her to me, knowing she had an inherited congenital defect. He offerred to "give me another puppy" -- which I declined. Defect or no, she is my baby and I adore her! However I did insist that he refund my money. He didn't want to. But what good would another puppy do? - they have birth defects! And, besides, he would just destroy my baby! Or breed her. So, I held my ground and he refunded my money.

It is terrific that you love your baby glider! Of course you do. Having 3 legs doesn't make him less wonderful.

But everyone on GC needs to be aware of who is conducting these practices. It is actually not just unethical, it is illegal in most states.

Valkyrie, I could not agree with you more. I DO think the breeders name should be posted. I dont think anyone here would bash, but it would be nice to know so someone else doesnt have to go through what these guys are having to go through with coconut.

It would be one thing if the breeder TOLD you it was missing a leg, but to not be told.

PLEASE pm me the breeders name.

FUNNY!?! right! I would be livid. Not only is this extremely poor breeding practice. You also have a glider who is requiring vet care. These are the reasons the animal welfare act are in place. The breeder was responsible for the care of that joey. They should have gotten all the medical care needed for this baby. Now you say his leg looks worse. This is not fair to you or him. He is lucky to have landed in a home that cares for him but it should have never come to this point. If the breeder was going to sell him they should have made sure he was well enough to travel. Making sure there was no risk to him on the trip. I would be filing a report with the USDA and THEIR local animal welfare groups. At this point it appears they have broken the law. I pray you are able to get the area better and give him a quality life. However, I truly believe the breeder should be held accountable for his care. Not warning you before hand is just plain unacceptable.

I also think it is fair to let others know who this is so they don't end up in this situation in the future.

I would also liked to be PM'd the information please...

thank you... and good job to you for taking such good care of them... they will come around....

Ya'll are awesome

I just have to know who this is. Could you PM me the info, please?

This is ridiculous breeding practice! I can't help but be upset. Look at what you are having to go through now not to mention your poor glider. This should not be the experience a glider parent has with a new baby. I would be utterly embarrassed if I were this breeder. I let my new parents know everything about their new little down to the length of the tails! I include detailed pictures of their growth and development and I include current and TRUE updates of their ever growing personalities. Were you ever shown a picture or anything of this little one? I just can't believe a breeder wouldn't mention that!

I wish you the best of luck!

i meant funny in the fact that it is more ironic... the person sent her a glider that to mmost would be defective and "worthless" but instead, its a sweet little loved animal.. sorry i didn't clarify... i would be livid as well, however i would be happy just to have a sweet glider and be happy that the little guy made it to me and NOT to someone who might do god-knows what to it.. or worse, send it back to the breeder..

i trully understand you love coconut. but really the breeder should have told you about the condtion of the glider. you should get a FULL refund even then its just NOT RIGHT.

good luck with coconut and hope she heals quickly.

You guys really are amazing to be so concerned about this situation. I will tell all of you EVERYTHING you need to know about the situation, including the breeder information (through pm'ing or posting the website) but I want to wait until tomorrow after I've talked to the breeder. At least that way there's two sides of the story.

However messed up the story is.

Anyways, I'm taking Coconut in to the exotic animal vet tomorrow that the emergancy vet recommended and we'll find out more about his condition then.

Really, you guys are amazing.
Oh, and once I get Coconut to sit still for long enough I'll post a picture of him and his crabby adorable brother, Azazel.

i am also going to be getting my suggie a friend very soon, could u please pm me with the breeder info. once you contact the breeder and find out what really happened if she did ship him to u missing an arm i agree with cyndiekb you should definatly call the usda and report them, what if his parents have birth defects and they are breeding them, just my 2 cents.. but you are awesome for loving him for the way he is , i would do the same thing..sending you

You may want to PM Glidrz5 (moderator)-she has a little girl named Carina that doesn't have the use of a front arm (might as well not be there as she can't move it away from her body, and is missing most of the hand on that arm)-Chris is very nice, and should have some good tips for you.

I have a nuber of special needs gliders-and one thing I've noticed is they tend to make up for physical imperfection with their personalities, and are absolutely priceless. Keep us updated on the little one.

thanks for that tip, will do : )

I think it is VERY responsible and mature of you to give the breeder the benefit of the doubt. I realize that everyone wants to know who the breeder is. After, reading this post, the pressure on you to tell is enormous. You guys, don't you think we should let her work it out with the breeder first before she reports them/gives out their information. Give her a little time.

I am glad that Coconut found you...You seem very concerned and loving. I have always said things happen for a reason. Coconut was sent to you because you are the perfect Mommy for his special needs. Congrats on you little bundle of joy.

It's true - I mean in all fairness, though it would be a huge mistake, it could be something minor like an address switch up. Maybe someone out there was surprised to get a suggie with both it's arms!
However, if this turns out to be a more irresponsible situation, please notify any of the moderators who can/should in turn contact any of the mods on the other boards, and they will keep an eye on this breeder. Please keep us posted and get us some pics STAT!!

Have you talked to the breeder yet today? I've been following your ordeal and I just can not believe what you are having to go through. I'm very curious as to what this breeder has told you.

Hi Morag, I have been watching this thread. As Jen (Xfilefan) said I've got a little girl also who came to me missing her hand. She had come into the pet store that way & they were the first ones to notice it was gone & were in a panic that she'd gotten it caught in the crate during shipping. It turned out that was not the case, but rather that it was an old injury which according to my vet most likely happened when she was either IP or just barely OOP Like you it amazed me that no one noticed tho with Rena it was probably a good thing. Since she came from a large breeder it's most likely she would have been euthanized when they reallized she was not perfect & therefore not sellable. But she had an angel watching out for her who brought her to me, just as your Coconut has an angel who made sure he came to you where he could be loved.

As to how she gets around in the cage........ well you would never know that she was "special needs" She bounces all over the cage like a hyperactive ping pong ball. She is able to climb & run on the wheel like the other gliders (better actually since they are "fluffy" & lazy) About the only change that I've made to the cage was to make sure that I place her food dishes on a ledge so she can sit to eat. With only one hand it's harder for her to climb, hang & hold her food all at the same time. I had also initially had more hammocks & ramps but found that she wasn't using them.....my fluffy boys were but Rena would go right off the side & bounce to the other levals so with her they turned out unnecessary. I would recommend tho that you have them at first until you see how your little guy gets around, but he should adjust fine to only one arm.

Please update us on what the vet says about your baby, & feel free to PM me if you want to talk about one armed gliders.

Update Please????




....................................Cora

I love the name Coconut and am so happy he made his way to you regardless of his missing arm. I realize that had to be a big shock and we all know the cost involved with our sugars, however, as you well already know, missing an arm doesn't make him one gram less of a suggie. Congrats on your new baby! I hope all is well with you and the breeder.

Any pics yet

O-kay, BIG update. Sorry I didn't update yesterday when I talked to the breeder but it was a long and crazy day.

First, what everyone was waiting for--the breeder. As it turns out, she just got an eye surgery (which now that I think of it I remember her mentioning earlier) and true enough, accidently sent me the wrong gliders. She did refund Coconut, and she told me to keep her updated on how he's doing. I'm not quite sure yet how she's going about vet bills. Also, she told me that Coconut's mother bit his arm off IP.

Now, for Coconut. Yesterday I took him into the exotic vet and the told me that because he'd lost his arm that way, there was too much bone for the tissue to be able to grow over. She told me she needed to preform a sugery on him to shave down the bone if the wound was ever going to heal right.

I left Coconut there for a few hours because I had to go to class (which I brought Azazel to, who is actually starting to warm up to me), but I rushed over immedately after to pick up my baby.

Coconut is the saddest little thing I have ever seen in my life. They had to put a cone on him to keep him from bothering the wound, which makes it nearly impossible for him to move. It was hard enough missing a front arm, but now he has to inch along like a caterpillar, thrusting his head out and scooting his body up to it. His fur is matted and covered in gooey baby food because while he was there he didnt have anybody to feed him and he made a mess of himself trying to eat.

Even worse, now he's so terrified that he won't even let me go near him without crabbing his head off. He seems terrified of Azazel now and the two are staying away from each other--when one goes near the other they both start hissing and crabbing.

Last night I fed Coconut and pet him to sleep (and accidentally fell asleep--I havn't slept for three days now trying to take care of that little guy) but this morning he was flopping around his cage looking terrified. What can I do to make him more comfortable? I put down paper over the bars so he isn't dealing with those and I helped him into his sleeping pouch but I don't know what else to do : (

Since he is now in an e-collar, you will have to set his cage up to accomodate his limited mobility... You can do that by making a No Sew Shelf Hammock that is 3/4 of the size of the cage and placing it about halfway up. Then you can put other hammocks in strategic places as well, if needed. For his pouch, you can put it in one of the bottom corners of the cage and use a plastic clothespin to pull the middle of the back, top edge of the pouch back into the corner so that the pouch is held wide open at the top - this will make it easier for him to get into it. If possible, have the top of the pouch in line with the edge of one of the hammocks so he can crawl into the pouch from the hammock. (See pouch & hammock in this picture...)

For feeding, you can put his food into trough-style bird feeders. (See feeder in this picture...)

(Note that the cage in these pictures is very small - this is one of my hospital cages that I set up specifically to limit the chance of falling and further injury when I have a sick glider...)

I would put fleece over the bars instead of paper, just in case he decides to chew on it. As for the rest, I am not sure, but some one that Has more experience with Special needs gliders will be along shortly

THANK you those are wonderful tips

I sent you a PM on a medicine our vet gave us for a injured Glider back during Christmas of last yr. It's called Scarlett Oil. This Glider went from an open wound to the bone showing to a place on it's leg within a week that had no hair and could hardly tell there was a wound there.
here is the link to the story of Cassie
http://www.sugarglider.net/ubbthreads/ub...true#Post196582

Some has called this a miracle cure for the Gliders we just are thankful we had a god vet and helped save her life.

You may wish to ask your Vet for this scarlett Oil and apply it to the wounded area.

James

Sending prayers for coconut. He is very lucky to have ended up with someone as special as you, even if it was by accident...

I am glad to hear that the mix-up was accidental, though it is still a bit disturbing. That is a pretty major mitake. I am glad she refunded your money, but really, she should also pay whatever vet bills there are related to this, at least the initial ones.

Best of luck with your special little guy.

When I had to give my suggie liquid meds, I put it in a grape-their favorite fruit. I halved a grape (red, seedless), squeezed as much of the juice out of it as possible, and injected it with the antibiotic. The vet said the meds had a sweet flavor to it anyway. She always ate it no problems! Also, I left the skin so that it would help hold the liquid. They don't eat it, just the flesh. Or, you could mix it in with a little yogurt. My girls love yogurt too. Just take the meds/yogurt mix, put a little on your finger and have her lick it off a little at a time. The best part is: this is also a good bonding trick! Make sure Azazel gets some too so he gets some love too (non-medicated yogurt). Ta-da, both problems solved! Good luck to you! It sounds like they found some good slaves for themselves!

Thank you for updating us. I am glad Coconut has you. I will be thinking of both of you!

its good to hear that coconut is in good hands, but i think the breeder doesn't have all that much of an excuse. I don;t mean to be ruthless or not compassionate, but what she did to that glider by shipping him in the condition that he was is was wrong. If she had surgury on one eye and couldnt see enough to tell if your glider had all his limbs, or see if she got him out of the right cage, there is something wrong. I mean, if she was really that blind form the surgery, how did she get the shipping info right? It just seems like a cop out.. i'm sorry if this is mean to anyone, but i still dont think that shipping that glider is excusable.

happy thoughts going to you.

bless you for all your work and time spent to see that this glider has a chance at a happy life.
i am glad you found each other, sometimes things change for a good reason.

I have not talked to the breeder so I cannot speculate the validity of the excuse firsthand; however, perhaps she should have someone helping her do her suggie work - I mean if an armless suggie can accidently be shipped, how are these guys accurately getting cared for? I agree she should pay for the vet bills, and considering the details you've given, i'm suprised vet attention wasn't given to this guy before hand? Hmmm... keep us posted on this story!

The bottom line, though, is he is truly lucky to have found you! Aside from the will to do so much for a little unfamiliar life, which most wouldn't, a lot of people wouldn't have been able to do what you did. Time wise, financially, emotionally. You are a great person and I have a feeling you two will ultimately be buds . He is in a new place with new movements, sights, smells, food, etc. and to boot he's not healthy so mentally and instinctively he's probably just losing it a little. Be patient, he will come around


Next on your to do list (after sleep catch up):
PICS PICS PICS! ::

Good Luck! Coconut & Azazel are in my prayers! I'm glad they have you!

I've been following your post here about Coconut and I just wanted to tell you how badly I feel for all of you. This is a very unfortunate situation for everyone involved. Being your first time suggie owner I have to say that I am totally impressed with the way your handeling everything. The care and the love that your giving to this poor little baby is incrediable! Your willingness to step back from expressing anger and passing quick judgment towards the breeder is highly admorable. Taking one step at a time and gathering all the facts and evaluating everyones suggestions couldn't be done any better.
I pray that this poor little baby will recover and live a happy life with you. It's not easy, but I can see that your going to get thru this and prevail.
God Bless you and your little ones.

Linda, I couldn't have said that any better - so I'll just say "ditto"! (How original is that?). I'd also have to agree that if it was indeed an accident that he got shipped to you, it's the best accident of his life! Thank you for seeing this little guys heart and potential and not just his missing arm.

and prayers being sent your way.

Oh, and by the way, Welcome to Glider Central cozazelnut!!

I believe in 'everything happens for a reason'. Sometimes, we as humans don't always understand the reasons at first. In this case, they are well understood. It seems you were meant to have this suggie and that's all that matters at this point.

Since the money paid for Coconut was refunded immediately, I wouldn't doubt the lady, personally, I would drop it and go on . Coconut has an awesome mommy that loves him and is taking care of him now. I think we all should not keep inquiring as to who his breeder is. She has enough on her mind without making those kinds of decisions under diress from us. JMO

God Bless

You guys are the sweetest people ever. I really, really, REALLY appreciate all of the support you all have given me and my little guys. They are reaping the benefits of all of your advice, and I honestly hold all of you responsible for any composure I had in this situation. You guys are great.

Finally I have pics! : ) !!...i just can't figure out how to upload them?

Ayy..

Select file manager below the box where you enter text to write a message. Then browse and find the picture on your computer. attach the picture and when you are finished, submit your message. It should be there.

HTH!

You can only get to the File Manager by hitting the Reply button, not just by using the Quick Reply feature. Just thought I'd throw that in there!

These are of Coconut before the operation..

These are post-op...

And here's Azazel!

Firt off-he's a handsome little guy!

I had a glider in an E-collar (the cone) for 3 months-it's there to keep him from trying to chew at the surgery site, as a glider in pain will do. Here are some tips for caring for him while he's in it:

First: keep an eye on that collar. If it wasn't designed with molefoam & moleskin around the neck specifically for a glider, it could cut his neck. Watch that.

Second: Although I know scarlet oil worked well on the above glider, it does contain several compounds that could cause damage or be toxic to a glider, and wouldn't recommend it unless directly supervised, and washed off before the glider was left alone at all (which could be difficult, because it is oil based), along with not knowing how much absorption could cause problems farther out with a glider as far as organs or neurological issues. My preference on one of mine would be diluted Betadine on the wound (which rinses off easily)-it is both an oxidizer, and promotes healing (almost no bacteria that won't kill), and absorption risk is minimal if any.

Third: Bathing. When in an ecollar for more than a couple days-this is a MUST. And it can be done (they cannot groom themselves in them). I never used shampoo or soap on my Riker (my cloacal Self Mutilator),but warm water only. You want the water temp as follows: If you put your wrist IN or UNDER the water, it should feel like it's almost not there at all. That is the proper temp. I'd submerse Riker (after sanitizing the sink with cleanser and bleach and rinsing THOROUGHLY) up to his neck-holding in a washcloth and gently rubbing to both control him, and rub stuck in food out. A bathroom sink worked best for us, because if he did get loose, he could stand in the water without his head going under, since it was shallow, but deep enough to immerse. After this, gently rub any excess food out with a washcloth, then transfer glider to a dry handtowel, and rub down with plain Kleenex (it helps dry a lot faster than terrycloth). Keep the glider on you and warm until completely dry.

Fourth: Feeding: Sometimes they can't eat in the collar, and can't hold food to their mouth. We used the bird feeder/waterers (plastic) from the pet section at Walmart, or the grocery store, using babyfoods, slightly watered BML, or Ensure, and drinks in them. They will fit inside the collar so the glider can feed himself and they only have to lick the food up.

Sleeping: you may have noticed a normal pouch is out of the question. Hammocks or tunnels that can accomodate a collar, plus hammocks to avoid a fall (that can kill or seriously injure a glider in a collar) are your best bet. Also remove any hard toys, etc, that could cause injury if fallen on.

Watch for depression (a collar is most definitely not a glider's favorite thing).

Good pain med is torb, or torb with valium if the glider is unusually stressed (valium is anti anxiety). Also keep in mind that pain meds tend to constipate, so watch the poops, and push fluids.

Keep us updated on the little guy!

Your babies are both adorable! But that poor little Coconut in his huge collar. I know it's necessary, they just always look so pitiful in those things. Hopefully the healing process will go quickly and smoothly so that he'll soon be out of the collar and into mischief! Thanks for posting pics for us.

Awww - look at those sweet little babies! They sure are lucky to have found such a caring momma! Methinks this was no accident at all!

Thanks for the pics. Coco is adorable in his e-collar. Be sure to give him love for me. I likethe one of Azazel in the wheel. I am so happy that things ae going better for all of you.

First off, your babies are adorable. Secondly, I do think that the breeder is telling a story, but at least she refunded your money. She should have taken care of this guy when he was younger - his wound must of kept opening up while she had him too. I'm very distressed over this. Hopefully Coconut will pull through - he is definately lucky to find you!

Being shipped to you is probably the best thing that could have happened to this little guy! The breeder may be telling a story, or just unusually stressed out and it was a true accident (we've all done abysmally stupid things in our lifes) but Coconut was not getting the care he needs. Chances are the breeder was letting "nature take its course" which would have ended sadly for this little guy. Kudos for you for keeping him and helping him - with the love and support he is getting, he will hopefully make a full recovery. (Three-legged pets can be wonderful - my dog, Bob, lost his leg at a young age and lived until he was fourteen. Watching him trying to lift his leg on the wrong side was always wonderful entertainment!)

they are both beautiful. thank you for the updates and pics.

They are gorgeous! Good luck with everything!

they're both adorable!!

awww... what cuties! Sending little coconut lots of healing vibes... ((hugs))

OMG they are SO PRECIOUS! Those little faces... too cute... made me decide to go home on my lunch to get mine lol!

PLEASE keep us posted on the progress!!

Jen - as always EXCELLENT advice!! A lot of what you said makes PERFECT sense but I wouldn't have thought of it! (for instance them struggling to eat, the higher risk of falling, etc.)

Oops...I didn't realize how big those images were

Here's another, smaller one of Coconut, passed out in my hand

Aww poor little sing! (yes, said that in a "baby" voice lol)
Poor tuckered out little guy... thank GOD he has you!!

You know, this guy couldn't have had a luckier day than the day you picked him up. I'm so proud of you for being such a good suggie parent! Coconut needed you and you came through for him. I think it's a match made in heaven.

Cozazelnut, I am a late bloomer on this topic and have just found it.

1) I am truly touched by your caring embrace for this little Coconut angel!!! What a beautiful story. You were meant to be together...a special glider for a very special lady!

2) If this is posted elsewhere, I apologize for missing it, but is there an update on your little one?

3) I am sending continued positive energy and hugs your way. These are for ALL of you...gliders and people alike. I love it when people let kindness flow instead of judgment. Bravo to you and to your beautiful, caring soul. I appreciate you.

My thoughts and prayers go to you and your baby.....

What a lucky little glider!

It is so kind of all of you to be thinking of Coconut. He happens to be one of the most amazing little dudes I've ever come across, and he's doing great. The cone came off and he seemed to just bloom--he went from being a sweet, explorative little guy to being a full blown investigator with a heart of gold. At one point, he, Azazel and I were staying at a hotel. I put them in the bathroom with lots of food and toys only to find him missing the next morning! I called the hotel security and informed them that a little marsupial was most likely running around their hotel, while I searched the room high and low for him. I was so traumatized at one point that I layed down again to try and think where I'd go as a little sugar glider when suddenly he popped out of my pillow! I guess at some point in the night he had found his way out of the bathroom, recognized the bed and curled up right next to my face under the pillow cover. Now, how is that for sweet? He and Azazel are dearest things in my life and I feel so lucky to have them. And thanks, all of you, for remembering his story : )

I am so happy for your little furbut his collar is off!!!!

OMG... I would of had a heart attack...

Well i'm very happy that he is doing great... All the suffering you went through will def. pay off.

Congrats

Cozazelnut,

What great news...hooray! I am sorry that I must be the last person to have read this story, but so glad that he's doing well!!! I'm very proud of you both!

I'm so glad that he is doing so well~ You have done wonders for this little guy!

Yay!! LOL he must really like you!!