I just adopted a new buddy and it seems like he may be a little slow compared to the others. I also adopted his brother who is perfectly normal and the previous owner says they are both from her breeding pair so I don't think it's inbreeding. His tail is also really short and appears to be that way naturally (as in not cut off). I love him to death and have no desire to get rid of him at all but I was wondering if anyone could pitch me some info on sugar glider retardation because I cant find ANYTHING on google or other forums. I just want to make sure I'm doing everything I can to keep him healthy.

I don't know if there's any research on it, but I know I had a joey about five years ago that had a squished face that...didn't quite look right, it was round and her eyes were squinty, not wide and sugar glider like. She was rejected and I had to hand raise her and noticed that she was slower to figuring things out and learning then any other glider I've seen. I think there was something mentally wrong with her, but again, I haven't come across any research supporting it myself.

Hopefully someone else has!

I've never heard of this as an issue. Doesn't mean it can't be, just never seen it discussed. Lots and lots of gliders have abnormal tails though. Why do you think he's slow? Could it just be different personalities?

He doesn't seem to have the... I guess "sugar glider instincts" is what I'm trying to say. He doesn't seem to really acknowledge certain things the way the other gliders do and he moves awkwardly. I can just...tell. Others have commented on it too, I think you would see it if you met him too.

Has he been in for a well check?

Well think about it,...as Celeb said, hers was rejected. There may not be too many mentally challenged gliders out there because they are normally rejected by mom.

I guess my worry would be the "slow" one being picked on or brutalized by the others because they sense something is wrong.

And as much as I hate to point this out, it may not have as long of a lifespan due to this issue so if it were me, I would give it extra love and care for as long as s/he remains on this earth.

Not by me, I got him from a friend and she said their vet said he was fine but I don't know how much he knows about gliders. When I take him to the vet I don't know how they would check for something like that.

Jazz, ur right. I've considered the shorter lifespan and it kills me, so I make sure to spoil him extra. As far as being brutalized by the others, they were just introduced yesterday and I've been watching them really close and they seem to get along great, which makes me overwhelmingly happy! And not even my dog seems to mind the slow one. She's defensive around the others but this one crawls all over and she doesn't pay him any mind whatsoever, like maybe she senses something is wrong as well?

I have a glider that is a little special. She's not the brightest crayon in the box, but I still love her to pieces!
She's not unable to feed herself or anything, but she is one of those teethy gliders that puts her mouth on anything, perhaps because she can get a feel of it better that way. She also doesn't seem to know her own strength when it comes to grooming her cagemate, or me, so she's constantly getting a strong No from me or Cybil. She also tends to scale the top of her cage in a circle for hours at night...

My first glider would run in circles in the top of his cage and when I looked it up I found out it can be a sign of anxiety? But I'm no professional so don't take my word for it. It could just be a dull crayon thing

I would wait a bit before writing him off as having retardation. I wondered the same thing about Batman but he recently JUMPED and he never did before. He can be fast when he wants to but it's just part of his personality to go slow and act very scared and still.

His history is different than yours, though, because he was about 2 years old when we adopted him and he had 2 cats that stalked him and his previous owner liked to get drunk and chase him around the room. He was also kept in an abysmally small cage and fed primarily apples. He has rehabilitated immensely.

Idk about your glider but I would just wait and see. It may be that he is just playing submissive in the hopes that other gliders will leave him alone? Not everyone is dominant and they survive by keeping their head down? Keep a journal so you can see his progress.

Yes, running in circles at the top of the cage or doing repeated backflips is a sign of stress.

All of our animals hide pain and dysfunction rather well. But all of these behavioral signs and other symptoms could also be caused from pain. I've had pain before where all I wanted to do is sit still and also to where all I wanted to do is keep moving...

Such things could also be a result of blindness or modified eyesight or other senses going awry.

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Originally posted by Kazko

All of our animals hide pain and dysfunction rather well. But all of these behavioral signs and other symptoms could also be caused from pain. I've had pain before where all I wanted to do is sit still and also to where all I wanted to do is keep moving...

Such things could also be a result of blindness or modified eyesight or other senses going awry.

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For Batman that would make sense. He had an ulcer in his right eye that was never properly looked at (from too much fat in his diet, this was before he came into our home) and the vet said his vision in that eye is most likely compromised.

my female sugar baby has a short tail but she geya around good but as for the little slow one she should be fine like most animals that need extra care you just got to get use to the way she dose things in a little time to deal with. My first sugar glider i had was slow his brain worked different then the others the vet told me to keep a close eye on him but he was great i took him with me every where i went that way he knew he wasnt alone. after you do your vet check just give a little extra time in your soon learn how your little dose things in that should help you figure out how you need to do things. My vet also old me that it happenes every once in a while its do from the birth like he was born to early or a little to late but other then that he was fine as can be.Good luck to you in i wish you the best