Penis looks bloody

I have a 5 month old sugar glider "MOE" today he has been biting at his penis. It looks as if it is bleeding. He even fell off a branch biting at it and out of his bed he sleeps in. He rolls around on the bottom of his cage biting at it. I am holding him now and try to distract him when he starts to bite at it. I can tell he is irritated. He has, what looks like pink tinted fir around that area. I did give him a piece of strawberry two nights ago. He only ate about half of the quarter I have him. I read that can tint the urine. But he is just going crazy biting at himself. What do I need to do?? Please help. He is my baby. I do not know what to do. This is my first sugar glider.
Any advice is appreciated.
Tammy Anderson
Mobile, AL
251/689-7579

Do you have an E-collar if so please get it on him right away. He also needs to get to the vet NOW. These guys can do fatal damage to themselves in only a few unsupervised minutes.

Please RUN him to the vet now and update us as soon as you can.

I'll be thinking of you.

sounds like he is self mutilation his penis... you need to put a ecollar on him or take him to a vet now... asap! he can do serious harm to himself....

You really need to get him into an e-collar and to a vet RIGHT AWAY!

I tried to call but got your voice mail, so I left a message.

Do you have a vet nearby that you can bring him to?
Do you have the materials on hand to make an e-collar?
If not, you can wrap him up in a piece of fleece like a burrito and hold him snugly to prevent him from attacking himself while you get him to a vet.

As already stated, he is self-mutilating. IMMEDIATE VET CARE is needed to prevent permanent damage or death!

How to make an e-collar

Just got off the phone with Tammy. She's calling her vet to see if they're open today...

Tammy,
Once at the vet's you will need to have the vet run a Urinalysis and Culture & Sensitivity on the urine. In addition, the vet should do a fecal float & smear.

brb... have to switch computers...

Can someone direct her to Bourbon? I don't have her number, but I know she is experienced in this and willing to help if there is ever an SM emergency like this... I could do some searching for it, but not sure if it's ok to post...

Tammy is going to be calling me back shortly and I'll give her Bourbon's number when she does

Okay, I'm back online again now...

Thanks Suz, keep us updated!

Tried to call Bourbon but I got her VM... so I left a message for her to call Tammy.
Still waiting for a call back from Tammy. I'll update once I hear anything...

Tammy, I'm going to move this over to Health & Hygiene now. Please take a few minutes to register and then post your update for us after you get back from the vet's...

I can't get ahold of Bourbon, I'll try Jen Bailey (Xfilefan)

Just got off the phone with Bourbon, she did get my message and talked to Tammy... all is going okay now... Hopefully Tammy will post an update later.

awesome, thanks for the update Suz!

Hey everyone, thanks so much for everyones help. This place has been sooo wonderful.

Moe is resting now. I made the e collar and he is wearing it. He flopped around for a bit, I put him inside my shirt and he calmed right down. (he's use to being there). I'm not sure how the night will go, I'm thinking it will be a long one. I will let you all know how it goes.
Thanks for all the support and help.

Tammy Anderson
MOEsMom

Tammy,
Thanks for registering & updating us on Moe's condition. We're here for you if you need us & you've got my number...

any news?

I spoke with her late last night, he is in an e-collar and is trying to get used to it.. sleep deprivation is always a problem the first night of having one one.. the e-collar has bought her time to go see her vet.. she will be getting him in first thing in the morning. She has an emergency vet lined up if she does need to see him, right now, he seems to be urinating and defecating fine. so that is a good thing. she is armed with loads of info for her vet.

Bourbon,
Thanks for the update... I know he's getting the best possible care right now with you mentoring Tammy via the phone.

I agree suz, we can always count on Bourbon to be there! Thank You Bourbon!

Please keep us updated Moe's mom. I recently lost a glider under similar conditions and I am very concerned. I don't mean to scare you. But please let us know what the vet says.

We made it through another night, tho he did get out of his cage last night. I heard him scratching down the hall way towards my room (he's top heavy in this e collar)I jumped up out of bed, sure enough it was MOE, I reached down and he hopped right up in my hand. I think he was looking for me. I held him for awhile before putting him back to bed. I'm at work with Moe now,(he's in my shirt e collar and all and boy do I look lumpy haha).
The vet cannot see us until 3:30 today. I did ask her office if she was familiar with Sugar gliders and SM cases, they assured me she was.
I should thank Bourbon b/c with out that looooooong pep talk in the MIDDLE of the night Saturday night, I probably would have taken that e collar off for while as I felt sorry for him. By not doing that, I saved his life she said. Thanks again gal!
I know I said this in my last post, but you all are great and a great community, I'm so glad I found you all!!
I'll update after vet visit.
Tammy Anderson
Mobile, AL
MOEs MOM

Thank goodness. Sending prayers.

Hang in there MOM... thanks for keeping us posted..

Thanks for the update.

T-by the time I got your message, B already had it, and no one is better, so I just watched the thread.

Do exactly what she tells you with this guy (my first glider was an SM, same area, and without B I would have lost him), and let us know how the vet goes.

Hey Tammy-

It's Nancy- I'm home. Bourbon is just the greatest- I'm glad you did call her Saturday night. Moe has a very special momma and you were right on top of everything. Keep us updated and if you need anything- I'm just a lil drive away. Don't hesitate to call & we'll meet up soon.

~ Nancy

Tammy-

how did Moe's visit with the dr go?

MOEs VET UPDATE

The nurse said he's becoming mature and it's masterbation. I said OH NO!!!!! I was told you all were going to say that and I want more answers. He also advised me that I need another sugar glider, that it is unhealthy to have just one. (I want y'alls opinion on that, do I need to get another one?) Anway, The vet came in took a look at him (he was impressed with the e collar.) Part of his penis was dried on the outside of his body, he wet it with warm water to get it lose. It was purple and some damage, but he didn't think he was going to lose it or that it would have be be amputated. He said i'll put him on Baytril for infection. I said don't you need to check for a UTI or crystals in the urine and do a fecal smear? He said well I can, so luckly Moe deficated on the table and he checked that and no Giardia right now. I didn't have a urine sample and he didn't want to stick him to get one, but before the vet came in MOE did tee tee on the table and the Nurse saw it and told the vet that it looked clear. He sent me home with a syringe to gather the urine and he would check in on our re-check visit next Monday. Basically he wasn't doing much, until I asked him for the specific things that you all told me to ask them to do. He told me I could take the collar off in 2 days. I told him I wanted to leave it on longer. He suggested I take it off and at least clean him up and make sure no sores have developed. The meds he gave me are as follows:
Panacur 0-10#suspension
Metacam oral suspension
Bene Bac Pet gel 15g
Baytril Cherry suspension (12.5 mg/ml)
I got out of there for $102.80. Price didn't matter to me at this point. I just want Moe well!!
He did say none of that would hurt him and if he did have a UTI this would take care of it.

This morning when I got up and went to his cage he jumped over to the side to get to me. He jumped on my hand. He seemed a bit like his old self. I let hubby hold him, he crabbed at him and jumped back to me only about a foot. Hes still very unsteady and weak. Which leads me to my next question. HE WONT EAT. He won't eat the BML, or the activia yogurt, Won't bite on fruit if I hold it up for him. He will eat the origial baby mixture I was giving him, the evaporated milk with light karo syrup & egg yolk from an eye dropper. That's it! Oh, he will eat a yogurt drop treat as I hold for him. That's it. And he hated the meds that the vet said he would lick up. He crabbed at the meds and I stuck it in his mouth while crabbing (this was difficult) so he did get them. What should I do about this diet, he is losing weight? He looks boney.
I hope I haven't left anything out about the vet visit. Sorry the post is so long too.
Love to everyone!!!
Tammy Anderson
MOEs Mom

Does he like meal worms? If so you can get a tiny syringe with a needle from the vet and inject the meds into the mealie, then feed it to him. I had to do that with Stitch, that way I knew he was getting all his meds and none got spit out.

Keep up the good work, we'll be thinking of you.

I don't know for sure, but some gliders like ensure - if they have runny poop tho' it is bad for them. It seems it would be easy to eat and high calorie (or boost). What about pedialyte?

Personally I wouldn't change his diet right now (unless he's not on a healthy diet). You may just need to syringe feed him a few times a day. What diet are you feeding? (Sorry if it's here somewhere) I feed the BML diet and I had to syringe feed my two for a few months. I just let the BML thaw out then sucked it up in the syringe. My vet said to feed them a couple cc's four to five times per day. I did this during the day during their sleepy time. I usually couldn't get them to eat more than 1 1/2 cc's per feeding. I also had to blend up their fruits and veggies with some Pedialyte and syringe feed that as well. Twice a day I'd give them their meds first, then feed. Then I'd give them a mealworm or two (small ones) after the feedings so they'd at least get some sort of "treat". You might want to give your vet a call and ask what they recommend for Moe.

As far as another glider, it's highly recommended that you have at least two gliders. They are colony animals and most don't do well on their own. Since they are awake several hours that we are sleeping, a cagemate will give them someone to play with when you can't be there. Also they like to snuggle together while sleeping, groom each other, and talk to each other. There was a post on here a while back about someone who had a lone glider and thought it was very happy but decided to get a cagemate. She said she couldn't believe how much happier her glider was having "one of it's own" to play with. You just need to be sure to go through the proper quarantine period and have your vet make sure both are healthy before starting introductions. Then you need to do the intros slowly. There's lots more info on that here, and if/when you get to that point there'll be lots of help for you.

Good luck with Moe - sending and prayers to you both.

I'm glad that you insisted on the testing and got the proper treatment for Moe. You did great!
You may have to force-feed the BML to Moe as described by TracieB... at this point though, while he's in the collar, anything you can get him to actually eat is good... worry about proper diet again after he's out of the collar. For Mareki, when she was in her collar, I mixed BML with Ensure and she LOVED it! Be aware though that Ensure can really add weight onto a glider FAST!

Tracie is also right about the need for glider companionship... wait until Moe is feeling better and then get a companion for him. You'll be amazed at how much happier he will be

I took MOE to the vet yesterday for his week check-up. His penis is healing nicely. He has lost weight, 4 grams He is still in his e collar. They sent his urine off to be tested and will call me with the results. He has to say on the antibotics until this Friday. The vet once again insisted I get MOE a cage buddy. Hopefully soon we can set him up to be "fixed". I'm thinking about taking the e collar off this weekend to clean him up a bit (while in my lap) then put a new one right back on. (I did this last Wednesday and he groomed for 40 minutes then went at his penis AGAIN). How will I know when I can take if off for good?? The vet didn't have an answer to this.
Thanks for all the prayers.

You'll know when you can take it off for good based on how he reacts when you give him the breaks from it... If he can have it off for a long period of time without going after himself, then it will be time to try taking it off for overnight. You'll have to do it in stages and be very alert & wary...

Thanks Suz

Tammy- was he actually hurting his penis? Did he do damage? If I remember correctly- he's right at the age of starting puberty and once they discoverthemselves- some are very obssesive with them. My Serenity was always doing something with his penis at that age until he was neutered. Just didn't want to rule out the possiblities of it being puberty- because they will spend alot of time with their penis during those first few months.

When he goes at his penis- does he make funny noises? Could sound like a very odd crabbing sound?

Also if you need a recommendation for neutering- my doctor here in Ocean Springs has neutered my boys and everything went great. He charges $65.00

He is about 5 months. He chewed part of it off. It was forked, now it is not. The vet is calling me today with the urine lab test results.
I do plan on having him nuetered, it will cost about $152.00. When they call me today, if all is ok, I am going to set it up. Then after he is healed I will begin my search for Moe a cage buddy (female) I can't handle anymore testosterone in my household I will ask for help here on getting another one instead of going to the local flea market!!

i'm having the exact same problem with my glider, marcello. We've gotten him neutered now and i've already gotten another glider, they're still seperate, and he's still biting, he's now always in his e-collar.