I have had my glider for one year, and early on, I introduced him to bath water and i actively and completely bath my animal. He loves the warm water to run on top of his head, and it puts him to sleep. He also can swim. and I wrap him up in a towel, lay him in the sink, and he absolutely loves to lay there and fall asleep while the warm water runs all over his body.At first he did not like the water but i would hold him and let him know that he is safe, now he is a pro at taking baths!

Can anyone else tell me if they bath their animals and how they react to water and if this is safe for my pet. so far no problems and he loves it!

My main concern would be letting water get into the gliders ears and cause infection or anything. I haven't bathed my gliders. I have bathed my rats and they don't fight it to much. I have a hedgehog that I am going to try to bath since they seem to get dirty faster (walking in their litter). I would ask your vet about bathing the glider. Be careful with it falling asleep while in the water. Don't need a drowned glider.

I do not bath any of my gliders as they keep themselves clean. I did have a glider that was under vet care for a while and she walked through her nectar mix. I just used a warm, damp face cloth on her to wipe her clean and made sure she was dried afterwards.

Gliders really shouldn't be subjected to water like that as it can lead to a number of issues including stress, infections, chills and possible death.

On occasion I give them a bowl of low level water short term. I never considered anything more because I know a few gliders have drowned in buckets or toilets. Of course they couldn't get out either.

Gliders are just like any other animal, they can be taught things and they have diffrent personalities, My glider can stand water pretty high, and will not drown. Because I have taken the time to train him and teach him. I watched him carefully and have taught him. I am confident, that if he falls into water, he can survive awhile until he is found. He will not freak out because he has never been introduced to water before.

Also, what I have found is that not everyone knows everything about gliders, we are all seeking more and more information about gliders. I am only sharing my information with everyone. And my glider can safety handle water without a problem. I am not telling anyone to subject there glider to water, but if you never introduce them to water, and they fall into it, they will freak out which will cause them to stress out and die of drowning or just from stressing too bad.- however, not all gliders will take well to water so be careful. and I never let water get into his ears or eyes.

Booky: the reason gliders drown is not because they freak out, it is because they get water in their lungs from going under when they fall in or they tire out quickly and drown. What you are saying may be taken the wrong way from a newbie and is dangerous to even try.

I would love to comment more on this thread but seeing I'm already grumpy today I will just leave it at the thread I posted earlier and reiterate gliders are not water animals and shouldn't be forced to do so just to satisfy an owner's whim.

I think this is interesting. We really don't know everything about gliders and some of what we do know we have learned by people being brave enough to try new things.

Once I knew a man who kept his gliders in an outside cage here in Florida. He told me that in the summer time he would run water on the cages and his gliders would come out and play in it. Now, I can't verify that because I don't keep mine outside.

But if you think about it, wild gliders get rained on. And I'm sure the rain helps keep them clean. They learn at an early age that rain is nothing to fear and if they want to eat on a night that it is raining, they just have to go out in it.

VERY good point, Anita!!!!

Um I don't get it are you saying it's okay to get wet or to swim or both?

Anita In the wild yes gliders can get wet but it also depends on the actual weather conditions, winter, wind, heavy rain and how hungry they are. You have to remember their coats are thicker and acclimatised to the conditions as opposed to gliders that have been bred indoors.
They come out as they need to do so for necessity but will often go into a torpor rather than forage in extreme conditions. I have gliders outside. On cold,wet nights, they come out and feed and play a little but spend most of their night in bed as opposed to Summer where they are playing all night.

I don't think the issue is getting wet.Sure they can get wet and not have any issues. A wild glider will know it's limitations and comfort levels though.

However my issue is the human intervention in all of this. Purposely putting them in water to train them to swim? I am quite sure some gliders may quite like it, but why risk getting them stressed, or water into their lungs, a chill from not being dried off, drowning because the owner is distracted in some way etc etc just because the human wants to do it?

At the very best, maybe 1/2 an inch of water in a bottom of a sink might be okay but to make them swim and put them in deep water? Buy a duck for that.

Are you asking me or Booky? If you are asking me I am not saying either. It's just that we all seem to have these pat answers that we never vary from. These are things that we were told and we just blindly pass them on to the next generation. But some of those answers will be oblolete at some time. And others will prove to be correct time and time again. All I am saying is we know that a glider WILL drown in a toilet or a bucket of water. Is that because the glider hates water? Or is it because the sides are too steep and too slick that they drown from exhaustion? And it doesn't seem natural for a glider to hate water. Maybe it is more likely that it is unnatural for them to have a fear of water. OK, this is getting deep. Pardon the pun. LOL

Ko, since you have exposure to wild gliders. Do you know of gliders to swim in water? There are a lot of animals who fear water naturally and don't have stress levels like gliders. I'm just curious since we are referring to their natural instincts. Thanks.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Anita Rae

Are you asking me or Booky? If you are asking me I am not saying either. It's just that we all seem to have these pat answers that we never vary from. These are things that we were told and we just blindly pass them on to the next generation. But some of those answers will be oblolete at some time. And others will prove to be correct time and time again. All I am saying is we know that a glider WILL drown in a toilet or a bucket of water. Is that because the glider hates water? Or is it because the sides are too steep and too slick that they drown from exhaustion? And it doesn't seem natural for a glider to hate water. Maybe it is more likely that it is unnatural for them to have a fear of water. OK, this is getting deep. Pardon the pun. LOL

---

I guess I am trying to show the difference between gliders having the choice to get wet or not . Most animals outside aren't going to be too happy about getting wet especially if the weather is windy and cold to go with it. You see all sorts of animals outdoors trying to find some shelter when it does rain. If they have to wander out in the weather to eat, then they make that choice.

I think gliders drown in toilets and buckets of water simply as they cannot get out.There is another side to this. If a glider is conditioned to like water, is there a chance it will actually seek it out in a bucket, a toilet or even a filled bath?

I am sure that gliders could swim if need be but I am just uncomfortable with the fact, that people could be training them to swim/paddle or whatever in water without thoroughly thinking through the consequences.

A lot of owners are very conscious of their glider's needs and would try to make sure their gliders are dried afterwards, put in water which is an okay temp and not likely to get water into their ears and lungs. However, what if the glider panics and goes under even with an experienced owner? What if it gets an ear infection or similar? What if the water was too hot or too cold and it burns or gets chilled? Too many what if's to make it a safe practice especially by those who do not have a lot of glider experience.

Anyway I guess in the end it's the owner's decision but I think it is imperative for people to think these things through thoroughly first. Hopefully this discussion will help with that.

well i dunno. first off when im cleaning rockets cage i put it in the bathtub/shower and we got a shower bird perch for rocket. he loves having the water on his back and to him its no big deal. i didnt force him to do this. he was watching me clean the cage and decided to see what was coming from the big metal thing in the wall. i think if bookys glider likes water and the gliders safe from harm then why are people making such a big deal? different gliders have different personalitys. nuff said...

quote:

---

Originally posted by mel

Ko, since you have exposure to wild gliders. Do you know of gliders to swim in water? There are a lot of animals who fear water naturally and don't have stress levels like gliders. I'm just curious since we are referring to their natural instincts. Thanks.

---

I have never heard of wild gliders swimming in water naturally but that would not be to say if they found themselves in a situation where they ended up in water, they would not have the natural instinct to swim to safety. It is a guess that they would have the natural instinct to try avoid getting in water where possible.

They say cats don't like water as a rule. but you put a cat near water and it starts a mad paddle like action fair different from a struggle to get away, I'd say the instinct to survive would be fairly strong in most animals and no doubt even gliders may have a natural instinct to survive in water if need be.

On another similar note I do know of someone who had a glider that drowned in a rockpool in their aviary. It was neither deep nor difficult to get out of which makes me wonder if the glider fell in from a glide, knocked itself out and was unable to get to safety. Previous to that the glider avoided the rockpool totally.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Anita Rae


Once I knew a man who kept his gliders in an outside cage here in Florida. He told me that in the summer time he would run water on the cages and his gliders would come out and play in it. Now, I can't verify that because I don't keep mine outside.

---

In Summer here we do the same thing with our cages. We have brushwood fencing over the tops of our cages and on the walls inside as well. I spray these down during the day to keep the cages cooler from the hot sun. The gliders never come out to check out the water as they are always asleep, but I have been known to put ice blocks in their drinking water and offer them a small container of water in their nest boxes just in case they get thirsty before night. This is more for my piece of mind as they very rarely move in the heat of the day. At night there is no need to run water on the cages.

Once I read the first listing on getting your glider wet, i desided I would try it because my Bindy who is 9 weeks now, just hasn't learned to clean her self totaly. So I put a heater in the bathroom and got the temp up almost to the point I could not stay long, I ran a little water in the sink and put her in, she did great almost as if she liked the water. After i cleaned her with just water no soap, i dried her as mush as i could then i put her in a small carry case with lots of little blankets, i checked on her very offten to make sure she was not shaking. Needless to say she is still alive and looks and smells alot better. On the other hand my other little girl, i feel like shes to nurves and i would not try this with her.

Okay here is my comment! Thumbs up to you Booky!! Not many people are that open to post what they have tried out of fear of being judged! I think it's great you learn when you work for a vet that not every animal is the same and some pets really love things that others would not. I think if you pet enjoys this and you are not getting him chilled then hey what a neat and exciteing way to have fun with him. But like any animal you must make sure that they don't get chilled. When I bathe dogs in the winter I have to blow dry because they do catch colds. Every animal gets wet at some point in their life outstide I don't see the harm if he enjoys it!

This is NOT about being judged it is about all safe considerations taken into account. Please remember many people who come through here are new to gliders. Many are young and inexperienced not just with gliders but life itself. Many do not thoroughly research and are learning. We know glider research is extensive and incomplete as it is. When something out of the ordinary is posted and particularly when it is a possible safety hazard and quite frankly against their nature it should be addressed. Particularly by veteran glider owners. There is no need to address it as an insult OR to take it as an insult. Many newbies come through here and many will take a post as truth without one thought as to who posted it, what experience do they have, etc. If no one questions the legit concerns then there is nothing in the thread to compare it to. In this case the posters offering other considerations ARE veteran owners that you should heed warning. I have never seen this addressed and quite frankly concerned for not only the well being of this glider but others who may be influenced by this post. I KNOW we will ALL make our own decisions regarding our pets. The forums ARE to learn. What will be learned by this thread if no one offers the possible consequences to this "play" time.

Maybe I am missing something but I don't see anyone being offensive or anyone being offended. This is the way people learn. Someone makes a statement and then people give their points of view. So if a newby came here and read this post, they could see several sides and make an educated choice.

A few years ago, all coating that could be used on wood was considered taboo. After all, a glider could chew on the treated wood and die of poisoning. Then someone was brave enough to come along and said "hey what about shellac?" It was debated and scrutinized, and finally most realized the shellac was OK. Later, other wood coatings became known as safe. Now that doesn't mean that you can let your glider lick it off of a spoon. Right?

Ok, some have said that exposure to water is unnatural. And that it could be stressful. But then, nothing we do with our gliders is natural and unstressfull. Is it natural for a sleeping glider to be scooped up and pulled out of its nest? But most of us know that if we stick our hand inside the pouch and take that little critter out while they are young, they will not fear it when they are older. And even though it isn’t natural, some gliders actually look forward to it.

Now as for most animals looking for shelter when it rains, I have to tell you a story. Two years ago during the hurricanes, gray squirrels showed up on my back porch looking for the feeder that I normally keep out there. I had moved the feeder inside because I was worried about it getting airborne and flying through a window. Ninety mph winds and pouring rain didn’t stop the little beggars from show up. LOL So what does a squirrel mommy do in a situation like that? Well this squirrel mommy braved the wind and rain and took that feeder out for those hungry brats. What can I say? I’m a sucker for bushy tailed animals.

I agree it's as if some of these people get pissed becaused of what others are doing. I thinks if we love our animals enough to sit here for hours reading all of this stuff, then most of us are not tring to put our babies in any real danger.

I suppose that's the problem with writing. I seem to be misunderstood. I am not "pissed" as you put it and I don't think anyone else is. My explanation began with...This is NOT about being judged it is about all safe considerations taken into account.

I see experienced persons explaining getting wet and swimming are 2 different things. I see explanations given that this is not safe or natural and why. I seemed to already mention that these explanations from another point of view are necessary to inform the newbie looking for "fun" things to do with their glider of the alternative SAFETY risk and that it is NOT a judgement. Hmmmm....I guess it's just a misinterpretation of what is being said here.

Well i do understand that with typing you do not hear the tone in someone's voice, maybe you should rethink your wording so not so many persons get offened.

I would just be too worried about inhalation and pneumonia. Too scared for me to try it with my gliders.

It's cool that yours like water. Some cats like water too. But the only time I bathed my cat, I came back with much less skin than I went in with. Haven't done that since! And yet, some cats like water too.

I don't think teaching them to swim will help them survive if they fall in a bucket or toilet. I've seen to many dogs who know how to swim drown in swimming pools. Can't get out, get tired, they drown. But again, it's cool that your gliders like water. I don't want to risk it with mine.

I agree, it can be dangerous, especially for those who are newbies and i apologize.

quote:

---

Originally posted by FaceHugs

Booky: the reason gliders drown is not because they freak out, it is because they get water in their lungs from going under when they fall in or they tire out quickly and drown. What you are saying may be taken the wrong way from a newbie and is dangerous to even try.

---

Dear KO- I agree, it is dangerous, and should not be done just at a owners whim as you put it, however, just like you train your children to watch out for strangers, you should also prepare your animals for dangerous situations, I train my animal out of love for it and I am not doing it at my whim thank you.
However, I agree it can be dangerous especially for new owners, so i am apologizing for posting about the water I did not take that into consideration while posting my story. and I do not encourage anyone to put gliders into water.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ko

I would love to comment more on this thread but seeing I'm already grumpy today I will just leave it at the thread I posted earlier and reiterate gliders are not water animals and shouldn't be forced to do so just to satisfy an owner's whim.

---

Dear Anita Rae,

Thank you for your post. it confirms what I have already said, we are all still learning about our gliders, and we learn from one another. If no one was brave enought to try different things with our gliders we would not learn from them. - As said earlier, I am a very confident owner who has spent countless time with my glider, I love him like my children, and I teach him like I did my children who are grown now, However, some have come down on me pretty hard for this but it is ok.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Anita Rae

I think this is interesting. We really don't know everything about gliders and some of what we do know we have learned by people being brave enough to try new things.

Once I knew a man who kept his gliders in an outside cage here in Florida. He told me that in the summer time he would run water on the cages and his gliders would come out and play in it. Now, I can't verify that because I don't keep mine outside.

But if you think about it, wild gliders get rained on. And I'm sure the rain helps keep them clean. They learn at an early age that rain is nothing to fear and if they want to eat on a night that it is raining, they just have to go out in it.

---

Dear Ko-

Isnt it interesting how you can write something on a post, and have people mis-interpret what you have written?

I think it is so interesting that people concoct all kinds of things in there heads about what has been said. Anyway, who in there right mind would put a glider in deep water?

also, who would get distracted while their beloved animal is being trained to swim? Please lets not blow things out of proportion ok? it sound crazy?

Also, open minded individuals will understand, that not all animals are the same, you can have two gliders who love water and do not fear it, and another animal who you cannot get to touch the water. when you have an animal like that you simpy DO NOT FORCE THEM TO DO ANYTHING! - THIS IS COMMON SENSE. but if you have an animal that is willing to try then move forward. It all comes down to how close you are to your animal and the bonding and the personality my animal trust me bottom line. how many of you can say that? I noticed a lot of people on these boards do not even spend time with their animals, and that is why they cannot fathom what I have done with mine.

Where are you getting that people on this board dont spend time with their ainmals>?

Dear Mel,

Dont get me wrong, I totally understand your concern, and I think it may be a valid one, as I apologized in an earlier post to those new owners, and stated that I do not expect them to submerge gliders in water.

however, with that being said, you are the kind of person who, in life, probably makes a big deal out of everything.... you also, are probably the kind of person who at work, is always saying no, I dont want to try anything new, I am used to doing things one way, because it has been a proven way. Without those of us who are not afraid to step outside the box life would not be so exciting and rewarding... new things would not come into existence.

Dont be so concerned about safety for our gliders, because those of us who truly love our animals are not going to let anything happen to them like our own kids... You treat us as though we dont have common sense. Each glider owner will do what feels comfortable for their gliders provided they love the animal and are bonded. Please dont make such a big deal about what I have done with my glider. I only wanted to share my story and it does not have to be scientist tested to be true. the fact that I have successfully done this with my glider is proof enought and he has never been sick, or had a chill because again, I take care of my glider and spend much time with him checking on him etc...