GliderCENTRAL

houston we have a problem!

Posted By: Anonymous

houston we have a problem! - 12/03/06 07:25 AM

Mom is a rescue glider that came to me with 2 joeys IP and no father to speak of, long story. She was not pregnant when I got her, or at least didnt look preganant but was for sure a couple weeks after I got her, never paired with another male at my house. I didnt have a male, or female to pair with her... so I knew their was a chance for rejection... but i swear before I left they house I checked on her, gave her 5 mealies and both babies were still IP and wiggling in her tummy!

I came home after being out for 4 hours to my rescue female running in her wheel with 1 joeys on the floor of the cage under her wheel where she was still running, and the other one in the sleeping pouch dead. The baby on the floor under the wheel was alive, barely and COLD . They were both in pouch and alive 4 hours earlier im sure.

I am a vet tech so I gave the little one SQ fluids (10% of body weight approx) and some very dilute wombaroo ( was prepared with every imaginable supply for fostering). She is on a heating pad and I misted her with some warm water to see if she can absorb some through her skin or lungs. Anything to keep her from further dehydrating. There is no chance of burning I have a heating pad that has no hot spots and stays at a constant 102 degrees. She cries but makes no noise, I cant get any calories in her. Her tummy seems to be full of air and she wont swallow. I am so afraid she wont make it. Any ideas to get food in her? any ideas period? Here is a pic of her. she is very twitchy and is breathing really irregually is that normal for one this young? I have hand fed before but only after 1 week OOP.

If you dont have any advice moral support would be nice too! I know Ill be up all night watching this little one and trying every 10-20 min to get some calories and love into her. I wish I could have helped her sister cry.


Attached picture 4659-dec0306joey.JPG
Posted By: Dancing

Re: houston we have a problem! - 12/03/06 07:31 AM

ahh hun...I'm sorry this is happening to you. Often when moms are really stressed, as this one probably is, they will pull their joeys. Usually they will canabalize them. This little joey looks really really young and probably a good week or more early from coming out of pouch. I suggest reading up on Suz's site about rejected joeys but honestly, this one looks very early and frail.

http://www.suzsugargliders.com/handraisingajoey.htm

I wish you the best of luck with her.
Posted By: gliderdad79

Re: houston we have a problem! - 12/03/06 07:34 AM

You can read this about Handraising joeys. Puppy milk will work great, you feed with a #5 cath. I know this is and can be a tough time, my thoughts and prayers are with you and the little one
Posted By: thefotokat

Re: houston we have a problem! - 12/03/06 07:35 AM

I don't have any experience w/joeys, but I do have plenty of good thoughts and hugs and prayers to send your way. Let us know how things go. hug2 hug2 hug2 hug2
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: houston we have a problem! - 12/03/06 07:41 AM

I was a little suspicious this one is too early to come oop, she does have little front teeth though, and she can open and close her mouth, what worries me is even now that she is nice a warm she is starting to move around more and breathe more regularly, but wont take formula, water... nothing, she wont swallow and her tummy seems to be full of air.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: houston we have a problem! - 12/03/06 07:45 AM

I would try a little honey and water or maple syrup (the real thing) and water just to get enough sugar in her system to perk her up and give her the energy to eat. Or subQ her with Dw5 or sweet ringers if you have it.

She will absorb a little of the simple sugars directly through the lining of her mouth and stomach, so try to get a little in her. Her blood sugar may be low enough that she just does not have the energy to eat.

Godspeed

Angel cloud9
Posted By: myprideandjoys

Re: houston we have a problem! - 12/03/06 07:54 AM

Keep trying to feed her by placing small drops of milk on her lips and if she makes it til monday go to a dentis office and see if they can give (sell) you a seryng they use for cleaning out socket after a tooth has been pulled. Check out suzsugargliders.com on hand raising joeys. 1 thing I did was kept my little girl with me 24/7 in my shirt.This kept her warm and no worry about her getting burned. Make the Wambaroo the way it is suposed to be made. That is where her calories are. Some body will be along soon with more help.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: houston we have a problem! - 12/03/06 08:08 AM

A thin layer of olive oil applied to her skin will help keep it from drying out and help prevent additional loss of body fluids from evaporation.

At one time premature human infants were kept in sandwich bags or wrapped in plastic wrap for just this reason. I am sure there is now a much more expensive custom product that serves this purpose.

You might try to potty her...stimulate her cloaca with a damp Q tip. If she is bloated and needs to evacuate, she will not eat.

She is very thin. Poor baby.

We are including you in our prayers.

Godspeed

Angel cloud9
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: houston we have a problem! - 12/03/06 08:28 AM

she is pottying great, its one of the first things I did. She made 2 poos and little drops of pee every 30 min so far. still not taking formula, or honey. I know the wombaroo is supposed to be made thicker, but i know food into a very dabilitated animal can shock the system too, so I wanted to introduce it slow for the first hour or so, just trickling calories in so the body could recoperate. I made an incubator for her, and I have misted the inside. I have s very tiny syringe i am feeding her with. She is crying some now, making a little noise. I am afraid to fall asleep.

I cant keep her in my shirt right now myprideandjoys, but I will after tonight. I want to make sure she makes it, and I will have to nap a few times so I dont want to squish her!

I dont want to sound to hopeful but its been 4 hours since I found her and got some fluids in her... she seems better I made another pic, seriously I think she is looking slightly plumper already. i guess I am just trying to cross my fingers here, thanks all of you for your late night support!

Attached picture 4660-decemberjoey2.JPG
Posted By: sugarglidersuz

Re: houston we have a problem! - 12/03/06 08:49 AM

First of all, 102 degrees is too hot for a joey. The set temp needs to be around 90-95 degrees. Place some layers of fleece or toweling between her and the heating pad so that she doesn't get burned. Gliders have a lower body temperature than humans do, which is why the heating pad needs to be cooler than what we use. I normally use 2-4 layers of toweling, then a couple layers of fleece on top of that. Don't spray the joey directly with the warm water. Spray a fleece blankie and place the damp blankie underneath the other layers of fleece. This will provide humidity within the incubator without getting the joey too moist.
Mix the Wambaroo with Pedialyte, Liquilyte (apple-flavored) or Gliderade. The joey will probably like the flavor of it a bit better. It concerns me that the joey won't drink for you at all. Although she does look a bit better in the second picture, she still appears dehydrated. You may need to give a second sub-Q injection to her. The first one is probably the only reason she is still alive at this point.
Gently place a drop of the formula on her lips and then gently rub her nose. This will encourage her to lick and thus consume the drop of formula. You may have to repeat this a few times until she gets the idea of lapping to get her formula. Right now, she's used to sucking, not lapping.
Good luck & please keep us posted on her progress.
Posted By: myprideandjoys

Re: houston we have a problem! - 12/03/06 08:52 AM

It's going to be hard. I just went though this with my Jade. She was 1 day oop and had not ate since she and her twin came out. Mom got sick and it hurt for her to feed them. She had a pouch infection. I hope she makes it. Take it minute byminute. I'm sorry for the loss of her sister.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: houston we have a problem! - 12/03/06 09:15 AM

thanks suz, i didnt realize they needed to be cooler than us, i thought maybe they were like dogs, who run a temp of 102 degrees, I cooled her off a little. That explains why she kept trying to crawl out where it was cooler. Since I cooled the temp in the incubator she has been more still . I dont know if thats better or worse. Still regular breathing and no more weird twitching. I think the honey helped with that, I didnt have any maple syrup angelskates.

I also and mixed in some gatoraid into the formula. Still no dice, so interest at all, wont even swallow. I rub her little nose, blow in her face, best i think I got down her was 4 drops in 4 hours. but I do see a small hint of white now into her tummy so I think I did actually get some in. Im going to give her a good 30 mins to recouperate from handinging and a second SQ. Ill set an alarm and try to take a 30 min nap too.

How can I love something so tiny so fast? I know that even though she has pretty bad odds, my hope for her is so big. I wish love were enough.

Posted By: sugarglidersuz

Re: houston we have a problem! - 12/03/06 09:26 AM

Quote:
How can I love something so tiny so fast? I know that even though she has pretty bad odds, my hope for her is so big. I wish love were enough.

I wish love were enough, too. I don't know how we can fall in love with them so quickly, but I've been there so many times that I know exactly how you feel. I'll continue to pray for her survival. hug2

I hope you can get a good nap in & that the 2nd sub-Q helps. I'm going to bed now, but call me if you need me: 440-953-0904...
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: houston we have a problem! - 12/03/06 09:26 AM

I use baby BML thined with vanilla ensure, she will need to eat about every 30 minutes around the clock. She looks quite premautre but I never give up hope.
Can you get a wieght on her? She does look better and stronger in the last picture. With joeys that small we keep them on us 24/7 and my hubby and I do 12 hour shifts. Do you have anyone to help you with her, it makes it much easier. I keep them in my bra and hubby keeps them wrapped in a blanket in his pocket when we have a joey to care for.
Keep up the good work! We have raised some very small joeys that were rejected and also orphans over the years and they are doing great and grown up. My thoughts and prayers are with you and this baby.
Angie
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: houston we have a problem! - 12/03/06 10:46 AM

nah its just me, round the clock. I have an alarm set for every 30 min, but i do think she is trying ot give up on me. I wish I could make her more comfortable.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: houston we have a problem! - 12/03/06 11:07 AM

Thanks so much everyone, but my little girl gave up. she died in my hands. I wish I could have given these baby girls a better shot at life.

I did still save momma from an aweful place. And she seems otherwise fine through all of this, so my attentions are back to her. I dont blame her for this tragedy. She seems to be a young one, and well she had no glider support for these babies. Im suprised they made it this far.

Thanks again, I really am greatful all the support and help in the middle of the night, You guys are great.

...goodnight baby girls...
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: houston we have a problem! - 12/03/06 11:52 AM

I am so sorry, my prayers remain with you and I want to say thank you for helping the gliders! Its a hard thing doing rescue, if you haven't experieced all the emotions its a little hard to really understand.
((((hugs))))
Angie
Posted By: sugarglidersuz

Re: houston we have a problem! - 12/03/06 01:03 PM

cry I'm so very sorry. I had the greatest hopes that she would make it. cry
Know that you did everything your could for her. It's good that you're not angry at the mother and are ready to focus your attention back on her. You're going to be a wonderful Glider Angel for her mlove

Moving this thread over to Real Stories now...
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: houston we have a problem! - 12/03/06 04:14 PM

sending love and hugs your way.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: houston we have a problem! - 12/03/06 04:33 PM

that is so sad that a person who took a rescue and did what you were doing to save the little ones had to be witness to such a tragedy. Wpuld have been wonderful to see the baby live.. thanks for doing all you could. cry
Posted By: BeckiT

Re: houston we have a problem! - 12/03/06 06:00 PM

I am so sorry you lost her frown
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: houston we have a problem! - 12/03/06 06:02 PM

resonance,
for the breif time you had her you did make her as comfortable, and loved as you could. Do not give up on the suggies. This will pass and give you more ambition to love, help and care for them. Im so sorry she left you but know you did all you could do for her. Sending my prayers.
Posted By: TracieB

Re: houston we have a problem! - 12/03/06 06:38 PM

I'm so sorry she didn't make it, and for the earlier loss of her sister. You did all you could for her. Be sure and give mom lots of love - I'm sure she's stressed right now, too. Thank you for helping the gliders.
Posted By: thefotokat

Re: houston we have a problem! - 12/03/06 06:45 PM

Sending you and mama our thoughts and prayers. hug2
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: houston we have a problem! - 12/03/06 08:56 PM

This has never happened to me so I have no advice for you but I am sendnig lots of hugs, love, and prayers that the little one makes it! hug2
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: houston we have a problem! - 12/03/06 10:37 PM

i am soooo sorry i cried after seeing her picture and cried more after reading the end of this post... i am so sorry .. she tried to make it but maybe her sister wanted her over the rainbow bridge so they can be together.. you are truely a glider angel for what you did...
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: houston we have a problem! - 12/03/06 11:55 PM

thanks guys. Yeah, i know its part of the circle of life, or maybe even the circle of rescue, it dosent make it any easier to accept. I'm really okay now, thanks for your kind words. I see a lot of death in my job, even sugar gliders dying. This was not the first to glider to die in my hands, but it was the first of my own to go this way. Im sure it never gets easy.

I had high hopes for her and her little ones. Im holding onto to those high hopes for this adult rescue I have at home. She has already come so far from her malnurished uber crabby self. She has come around to taking treats from my fingers and comming out of her cage on her own to explore.

© 2024 GliderCENTRAL