My sister and I decided to get a glider together, so we purchased a baby about a week ago. Now at first the glider was just horrid, always crabbing and biting, but after a while it got to the point that she'd let me pet her and I could stick my fingers in her pouch with out her crabbing, she would sit on my desk and I'd go about my day and she would stick her head out of the pouch to watch me without making a fuss. My sister took her out of the pouch yesterday when I really didn't want her to, I wanted the glider to come to us on her own. When I said something about it my sister said that she needed to be hand trained, that she needed to get used to being handled and get out of the pouch. (we're both mothers, so I didn't argue.) So she let her friend play with the glider for a while, and you could tell the glider wasn't really enjoying it. She wasn't crabbing or biting, but she was darting around (I think looking for the pouch) and she had a wild look in her eyes. So after they had their fun, they put the glider back into the pouch to go to bed for the night. The next morning I went to feed her and she would not stop crabbing! She screamed at me and lunged to bite. It was like the first days of training her all over again. I have her settled down and trusting me again, I'm guessing because she remembered the smell. My question is, was my sister right? Are we supposed to take her out of her comfort-zone to get her used to being handled?

I personally don't in the beginning. I keep mine on me with minimal contact with anyone that won't be a part of their lives....for me, basically that has turned out to be NO contact with anyone other than my immediate family.

When they are on me... I'm the safe zone...I will touch and pet them...similar to what you describe when you let her stay in her pouch. Yes, she does need to get used to being handled but that can be accomplished while she feels safe.

They normally don't like being awakened during the day anyway, so if your sister did this, she probably wasn't too happy about it...then mix in the fact that she's still getting used to you both, her surroundings, and now some new person she has never even smelled before.... I'd say that's a recipe for a cranky baby.

Keep her on you, bond with her as much as possible...and I personally wouldn't let anyone that isn't going to be regularly handling her even touch her for about a month. Let her get her confidence with you first...and I think in a month when you hand her to a stranger (to her) she'll jump right back to you.... and that's what you want.

This is just my opinion and how I would handle it. Others may have different views that could suit your situation better.

i agree bonding with you is the first step and it lets her know she is not alone in she safe.

When I first got Tessa she was awful, biting and crabbing all the time if she was awake she was crabbing. I finally cleared my schedule and started on a friday morning as she was getting ready to go to sleep I put her in the bonding pouch and carried with me until sunday night except when I was sleeping an in the shower I hand fed her in the pouch (I changed the pouch everyday because I didn't want to make her sick in a soiled pouch)on Sunday night I turned her loose in the tent and sat in there until 4:30 am then I put her back in her cage and went to bed the next day I waited until she got up and put a piece of fruit in my hand and placed my open hand in front of her until she was ready to climb into my hand and eat, she is now very bonded to me and there was a huge difference in her attitude after the three days. She was pretty young and scared now she hardly crabs and doesn't bit but she was so bad in the beggining we almost took her back to the breeder. While this may not work for eveyone or all gliders its what worked for me.

Totally agree Mama..... Every single joey I have brought home has gone right into my shirt from the second they cross my threshold and they remain on me all day.

I leave them be at night to explore their cage.

Next morning they go right into my shirt again. The longer you can keep this up the better.... I am a firm believer that the time spent has a direct affect on the bond.

Granted if you get an older glider you may have to modify that and take your lead from your glider.

Im pretty new at this myself but i wouldnt let outsiders mess with her till you have bonded, handle her/him as much as you can and their are alot of people here that is alot of help