Gliders should definitely be able to keep themselves clean. If they are sick or in desperate need of assistance with grooming, just a damp cloth should suffice. I don't think anyone here would ever advise you to bathe them as normal practice. It is not considered safe.

This is FAR from one of the worst things I have ever seen(this week alone),this was actually very mild IMO.


This is the US Forest Service in action





How about the Trump brothers?

Now those are some of the worst things I have ever seen. . .
Nothing like feeling hopeless.

Those pics just turned my stomach! I guess this just goes to show the different tolerances of individual humans.

We've all seen news coverage of parents that do unspeakable things to their own children, like chaining them in a closet. While the majority of us feel like there is a special place in HELL for people like this, for some reason they don't have that "thing" that tells them this isn't acceptable.

And I think as with any hind sight Helen probably realizes this isn't the worst thing she's ever seen. I'm sure if she could change the title she would add: Worst thing I've ever seen in the sugar glider world ~ or something to that effect.

We used to bathe Omi and Kai from the neck down of course and they didn't care for it. That glider does not appear to have a problem with it. I somewhat agree with Kazko about getting outdoors more often. The only place we differ is that there are things far worse than that on youtube, happening in our pounds, and in our neighbors backyards or homes even.

Wow, what to say first. I'll start with: This is not a good example of caring for your glider, it may encourage other's who also don't know better to try and they may be less careful. Second, I have to ask how dirty was that glider? and how necessary was it to bath and at that lather twice? Next, I'd have to comment, we don't know what kind of soap she was using, she could've had a shampoo in that dispenser, (people sometimes refill dispensers with other product) maybe even one to be used for small animals, even gliders, so can't really harp on the issue of dangerous soap. Also, I have to agree with the thought that this glider was used to baths (poor thing), it really could have ran away from her arm in the beginning when the bowl was first being filled with water, but stayed close by. I conclude that in this video, the glider was being carefully bathed, although un-necessarily, it was not in grave danger. I do think it was over-excessive bathing, and went on way too long, although that poor little glider handled it a lot better then my doggie.

As said in beginning, my biggest concern with this on YT is that it will encourage more careless people to try, and in that case, those gliders would be in grave danger.

Perhaps we are hyper focusing on the title a bit? She was probably just appalled that anyone would still bathe a glider knowing about the health risks. Maybe this person didn't know, I don't know if they did or not. But as much as we all preach about "Don't bathe your glider!!!" - perhaps it was just shocking to her. While it's not "horrible" for the glider in this video, there are people (I can only assume...at least some) that have inadvertently killed their gliders bathing them.

I liken this to seeing a CL ad where someone is clearly not doing "right" (in our mind) in the care of their glider and just getting upset about it. The closest I have come to "bathing" has been wet wiping my hand fed baby because he enjoys "wearing" his milk. Gotta do it though...so he doesn't end up with a skin/yeast infection. He absolutely HATES it and he has been hand raised.

And Scott - those images are horrible and the situations surrounding them even worse. Complete tragedy. Truly. I wish that this video WAS the worst there was to see. It's a shame it's not.

It's nowhere near the worst thing i've ever seen. I think I was just abit shocked when I saw it. It made me cringe a lot! But yeah, i'd defo change the title now if I could lol.

Reading back I feel well embarrased! Christ knows what mood I must have been last night ... *hides face*

Lol, please retract the comment about me being American :) Lol, and sorry Kaz, not really seen many of your posts. Didn't realise you were just a sarcastic little bugger :) x

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Helen88uk</i>
<br />Lol, and sorry Kaz, not really seen many of your posts. Didn't realise you were just a sarcastic little bugger :) x
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oh you have noooooooooo idea what a bugger he is! LOLOLOLOL! You will learn to love him! He is good peeps, for sure.

Awww Helen - no - I think you are completely British. You have a gift of hyperbole. Goes back in your culture all the way to Shakespeare, and probably beyond! I know it wasn't "the worst" thing you've seen. Just shocking to you at the time.

No need to be embarrassed, really. Lord knows I've done and said some deeply embarrassing things! But - life's too short to waste on regret and embarrassment! Shrug it off and move on - we all know you are really an excellent glider owner full of great advice!

Helen, it is one of Terry's many talents. I agree with Kim that Don't bathe your gliders is religiously preached. They'll clean/groom themselves. Ours don't. They are dirty stinky little boys. Okay, they clean their belly's. They don't groom each other, much less themselves. We did stop bathing them over the Winter for fear they would get sick. No, they don't like it but I suppose my daughter really wishes they'd get it that they need to clean themselves. <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Helen88uk</i>
<br />It's nowhere near the worst thing i've ever seen. I think I was just abit shocked when I saw it. It made me cringe a lot! But yeah, i'd defo change the title now if I could lol.

Reading back I feel well embarrased! Christ knows what mood I must have been last night ... *hides face*

Lol, please retract the comment about me being American :) Lol, and sorry Kaz, not really seen many of your posts. Didn't realise you were just a sarcastic little bugger :) x
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<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by DoubleBogey</i>
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And Scott - those images are horrible and the situations surrounding them even worse. Complete tragedy. Truly. I wish that this video WAS the worst there was to see. It's a shame it's not.
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I agree!!! Sadly, the pictures I posted are even a little mild compared to what is out there

For all we know, these people live in a dirty village somewhere and it is filled with fleas,ticks, parasites ..... and this could be to keep this glider from dieing. I would think you would want to wash your gliders every once in a while if they were bra babies.

Why Scott? I don't know about you but I wash between my boobs. I agree but, I think using a damp washcloth may be less stressful.<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Catman</i>
<br /><blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by DoubleBogey</i>
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And Scott - those images are horrible and the situations surrounding them even worse. Complete tragedy. Truly. I wish that this video WAS the worst there was to see. It's a shame it's not.
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I agree!!! Sadly, the pictures I posted are even a little mild compared to what is out there

For all we know, these people live in a dirty village somewhere and it is filled with fleas,ticks, parasites ..... and this could be to keep this glider from dieing. I would think you would want to wash your gliders every once in a while if they were bra babies.
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Even if you wash - the skin oils turn the gliders yellow after a time.

Not the worst I have seen but poor glider :(