I am writing this as a sugar glider health and care warning.
This could happen to you too if you do not take this advice.
I have changed the names of the gliders so as to avoid a controversy and hurt feelings.

Two, healthy, strong, young adult gliders we will call Tom and Linda are dead this week.

the backdrop...

A human couple cherished their gliders, but they don't have a lot of extra money and they both have a very busy work schedule. Not a good mix for a pet emergency. One of them called today to say they did the "best they could." This after several conversations with LGRS. Unfortunately, the most important part of our advice was not heeded.

So why are Tom and Linda dead?

First because you have to pay close attention to these animals and if you don't small things can go bad very quickly (that was for Linda).

Second because when you are given explicit advice on first aid, it MUST be followed up by vet care in this instance (that was for Linda in the beginning and Tom after her death).

Here's how it all played out...

Tom was neutered, but from time to time would try to mate with Linda.

That's normal even after males are neutered.

Trouble is, males often bite down on the back of a female glider's neck while mating.

That will cause a small cut from time to time.

OK so two days ago we got a report that Linda's back was splayed open and she was dead. That mess did not happen in one hour or even overnight. That takes days.

And two nights ago after Linda's death, Tom was not doing so hot and was not eating.

So of course we told the couple to take Tom to the vet and in the meantime to syringe feed it, hold it, keep it warm and watered, and to carry it to combat depression.

Lo and behold, two days later (last night) Tom was all of the sudden dead too.

Had they been to the vet? No.

Had they carried Tom so he could be watered and feed all the time? No.

OK now, let's dissect this situation and play it back the way it could have been.

1. Standing Vigil Over Cuts and Abrasions

First, one of the most important things you can do for your gliders is to check their bodies every day for cuts and abrasions. ANY cut or abrasion, whether it is from a fight, a mating wound, overgrooming - whatever - can be deadly. This means in the morning when you wake up, you take your gliders out and check over their bodies. This means at night when

they are done initially eating, that you interact with them and once again check their bodies. If you see a small cut, there are several things you need to do:

a. Separate the one with the cut from the ones that don't have a cut so the others do not overgroom it
b. Put an e-collar on the one with the cut so it won't pick at the cut itself
c. Get the glider to a vet for stitches and antibiotics
d. See item c.
e. See item c.

Now of course if you DON'T check your gliders in the morning and at night and just get too wrapped up in your own life, crazy work schedule, etc. then it's easy for a small wound to turn into an ugly, ulcerous, necrotic, infected mess.

What happens is the small cut will be licked at by the male glider in an attempt to "dress" the wound. They can't help themselves but will often over-groom it making the cut larger.

And in the process of the wound becoming larger, the male will infect it owing to the bacteria in his mouth. Then the next day it gets bigger and more infected. Then the next day necrotic flesh is evident and not too long afterwards, death is inevitable if it is not treated.

So if you are NOT checking on your gliders each and every morning and each and every night, something like a small cut can turn into a deadly mess like it did with Linda.

2. Standing Vigil Over Gliders Who Have Lost their Cage Mate

Now, what happens when a glider witnesses the loss of his cage mate? It is common that he will get depressed and stop eating and drinking. The most important aspect of not

drinking and eating is the drinking part. If it does not drink, a glider will lose a lot of water, become dehydrated within a day and die. If it does not eat, it can live longer, but not too much longer.

You must take action with a depressed glider:

a. If not eating, syringe feed watered-down honey, yogurt juice mixture.
b. If not drinking, put water in a syringe to the side of its mouth.
c. Keep the glider on your person so it can be comforted
d. Get the glider to a vet for treatment
e. See item d.

Depressed gliders will rip out the hair on their heads, self-mutiliate, and go on a hunger strike. Vets can provide medicine to calm them down and can provide subcutaneous saline injections.

You can't administer that kind of care. Only a vet can.

Don't just hope the problem goes away.

You are pretty much playing Russian Roulette with the life of your glider if you don't get him to a vet in these circumstances.

3. Suggie Ownership Reality Check

Here are a few things that are not real compatible with glider ownership. They may be hard to admit, but it's a good idea to be up-front about it especially when you are seeking help:

a. A Crazy work schedule. If you have a crazy work schedule that does not allow you to carry a sick pet, or trade those duties with your partner, then glider ownership is not a good idea. Sure circumstances change. But it is when those circumstances change that you need to be thinking about the welfare of the animals and maybe considering re-homing them in a better situation.

b. No money for veterinary care. If you can afford to adopt or buy a pet, but you can't afford to take it to a vet, that's a sign you should not have that pet. Get the animal into the hands of someone who can both love it but can also save its life.

c. Embarrassment. Anyone is free to call us and we can give first aid advice. But when we say to take your animal to a vet, we are dead serious. If you or your partner is too embarrassed to be up-front and say: "Look we are busted. We don't have the time to handle this because of work and we can't afford the health care." Embarrassing or not, that's what you need to say if it's the truth. Don't wait until after the animals are dead to finally say the truth. So like don't call us and ask for advice and when we give first aid advice and then tell you to go to the vet afterwards just say "yeah."

So being too embarrassed to be up front about the situation is not compatible with gliders becuase that embarrassment could be the death of them.

IN REVIEW, here are the lessons learned this week over the death of Tom and Linda:

1. A little cut can KILL because it doesn't stay little. Check the bodies of your animals in the morning and at night for cuts. If you find one, even a tiny one, get it treated by a vet.

Separate them and put an e-collar on the one with the wound.

2. Depression KILLS. You can't let a glider sit alone in a cage after its mate just died. They have feelings. They need reasurance, warmth and for you to cuddle it and carry it around until you can get it to a vet if it is not behaving normally or eating or voiding.

3. When someone who knows these animals very well instructs you explicitly to go to a vet, then go to a vet. If you can't afford a vet, then surrender them to someone who can take them to a vet. Or at least tell us you can't afford to go to a vet BEFORE they are dead, not AFTER they are dead. It's hard to give advice on a situation if you are not aware part of your advice is going to be ignored.

These deaths were both tragic and unnecessary.

We can only pray that this short lesson may save the lives of other gliders.

Thank you - Ed & Gail @ LGRS

Thats heart wrenching I cried when I read this. THANK YOU SO MUCH for making me aware, I check my gliders for cuts and injurys ever so often, now I'll make it a ritual to do it. Again thank you you may have saved my babies lives.

Thank you that probley just saved many gliders lives!!!! Now every glider owner should be aware and should check there glider every day!!!! When I get my gliders I promise 2 check them every day and love them soooooo much!!!!

Thank you, Ed. Sadly, this is a story we hear all to often.

I agree, if you cant afford to take your glider (or any pet) to the vet, you shouldnt have the animal. Its not fair to make any pet suffer or die because of selfishness.

Check your gliders and if you see a wound, or if your glider isnt acting just right - take them to the vet.