Batman died tonight. As I find I cannot sleep, I am writing here.

As some of you may recall, he was diagnosed with a middle ear infection in January, given antibiotics and seemed to steadily improve. His head tilt corrected itself, he stopped walking in circles, he had better manual dexterity and up until earlier today, ate like a pig.

We were going to take him in for a second follow up check up just tomorrow. Turns out we're going to call in the morning to see if they can do a necropsy & histopathology instead, as well as test for toxoplasmosis to see if perhaps he was misdiagnosed. I have to make sure my remaining gliders are okay, especially Catwoman, his cage mate.

I feel numb at the moment. Not to hear his little feet on the cage ever again...I think a part of me has died with him. My little boy was never very adventurous--being ever the "pouch potato", but tonight, right before we left to have dinner with friends, he crawled into a toy a made to take a nap among the pom poms--something I had always wished one of my gliders would do. When we came home, he was gone.

He's in a bag in the refrigerator right now. This puts me into a series of panic attacks because I have a desperate urge to get him out of there, to yell at my husband, "What are you doing? He can't breathe in there! It's cold...he'll freeze to death." Only...he's already dead. And that's what you're supposed to do when you're preparing for a necropsy. Suddenly, I understand all too well how difficult it must be for people to bury their loved ones. You know they're gone but you cannot treat them as anything but very alive. That part of your brain kicks in full denial. I find myself getting up out of bed every now and then to check their cage and only Catwoman is there.

She's sitting in her wheel, jumpier than usual. I hope she's going to be alright. My husband showed her Batman's body, she sniffed him, nudged him and then went back into her pouch. She knows. Yet, she, too, like me, searches for him in her cage. I am very sad for her, too. I may have lost my baby, but she lost her lover and best friend. Even the cage next door, the colony that belongs to the trio, is quiet. I think they also know, and there is a somber quiet in their cage.

A part of me has died with him tonight. We had only known each other a little more than a year. He was three years old and had come from two other homes that took him for granted--the usual story: bad cage, bad diet, stalked by cats in his last home, wrong wheel, etc. He came to me and we tried to make up for his bad beginnings by spoiling him with everything we could. I like to think that his last year was his best year, and I thank God for every day we got to spend with him.

Farewell, Batman...my baby Bat-Bat, Crabby McCrabberson, Mama's Boy. I love you, and I'll see you when my time comes.

I'm so sorry for your loss!

Batman has a special place in my heart! I love reading your stories about him. He was certainly a little character.

Hugs to you!

What a poignant post! I do know what you are feeling, I've lost many loved ones, human and furry over the years. It will get better with time and your sadness will eventually be replaced with happy memories. Until then, be gentle with yourself, give Catwoman extra attention and allow yourself to feel your grief. My best healing thoughts go out to you and Catwoman. Hugs to you.

I was so sad to see your name next to this post. I know I don't know you, but I've been following all your posts and had assumed Batman was better. I'm so very sorry for your loss.
Glide fee little Batman.
I hope the necropsy can at least give you some answers and help make sure Catwoman will be OK.

I lit a candle in memory of Batman, Glide free sweet boy and ((((HUGS)))) to you

Thank you! It's been hard but we're taking the advice of friends in celebrating his life, rather than focusing on his death. He really did seem like he was improving. I take comfort to know that he curled up to sleep and dreamed his way right into heaven.

I wrote a poem for him, my husband drew a couple of portraits, we cried and then got drunk.

Here's the poem in case anyone else is going through a loss, maybe it'll help, I don't know...

“One Tear At a Time”

I still see your eyes, they haunt me so
The way they pierced me in the dark
And hooked my soul
That, together, we’d embark
Like a ship and sea
You and me
Down a forever journey.

That time is gone, I can scarcely believe
That time takes what it lately gave
And hooked my soul
Down to your grave
And there is no reply
To my question of why
Save all that lives must eventually die.

I loved and lost, and I love you yet.
Messages sent in tears so wet
Marking joy as well as regret
And this is how I set you free:
One tear at a time
From the heart of me.

Oh sweetie, I just saw this....

I am soooo sorry. I know how much he meant you. I know you will never forget your sweet boy but I hope your heart heals quickly.

Thank you! It's been really hard. Walked to the grocery store to pick up some green bell pepper for tonight's dinner (we're having Philly Cheese Steaks) and almost broke down, thinking, "He never did like peppers." And then again at PetSmart, with all the bird toys and such.

He was my first sugar glider, or, as hubby likes to put it, "the one that started it all". If not for him, I would never have done such research on sugar gliders, joined any forums, found him a cage mate, etc. Every toy I have ever made, I made for him, trying to entice him to come out of his pouch and be a little more social, a little more acrobatic.

The day he died, we were putting Catwoman & Batman into the very first cage we got him. (The old cage had a loose bar and we didn't want Catwoman escaping and getting hurt in our apartment.) We just put up some hanging ball pits when I told my husband, "I don't know why I put these up; he never plays in them." Seconds later, he made me a liar and crawled into the smaller one, one filled with pom poms. He later curled up into a ball, fell to sleep and didn't wake up again. It was like he KNEW that was the one thing I ever wanted--to see him enjoy the toys I make--and he gave me that right before he died.

I have spent the day putting six inch crown molding up on a twelve foot ceiling. My working partner Maxwell curled up in my pocket. Had my third crown in two years installed today as well. The dental asistant asked if that was a rabbit's foot in my pocket. "well, as a matter of fact that is a sugar glider, wanna meet him?" three cameras came out in unison.
Now I am crushed beneath the weight of your loss. I have been where you are and I will be there again. It is so hard to say good bye to dear friends is it not.

So sorry for your loss :( glide free sweet Batman!

I'm so sorry for your loss. I know how it feels to lose someone you love. thinking of you.

Our vet called with the test results. He had intestinal cancer w/blood clots. Well, at least it's not contagious. I suppose that's good news.

Thank you all for your condolences. They mean a lot.

Usually it brings me some comfort to know what caused the passing of someone we love. I hope it brings you some peace and I know it is important for the other gliders in the family that he didn't have a contagious disease. RIP little Batman. How is Catwoman doing?

Well wishes and many prayers coming your way in hopes that your heart will soon be healed.
Glide high sweet Batman. Catwoman is also in my thoughts and prayers.

I'm so sorry for your loss. It sounds like he did have the BEST home with you even if it was for a short year.

She's been depressed but I think we were able to cheer her up with crickets for the last two nights. We took her to tent time and she went nuts hunting to her heart's content. Imagine a kid at an "all you can eat candy store" and that pretty much sums it up!

We think we're going to start intro-ing her to Robin again this Monday. Please pray that it goes through well and that soon I'll be celebrating with you that she has a buddy to play with. (I am hoping to get her integrated with the trio, and that I can say I have a quad of gliders...but one step at a time!)

I think her grief is slowly subsiding into the background, much like ours...and it's time to start moving forward.

She's eating a good amount, spends equal time in the pouch as well as out, crabs less...so I think she's letting life come back to normal.

I just lost my first Sugar Glider, I miss her so much... She was so young and although I did not know her long, she was very special to me and to my family. I'm very, very sorry for your loss... Time heals all wounds and I will be praying hard for you and Catwoman.

Sorry for your loss Lauren - was this the glider that had to have her arm amputated?

Responsed on my thread.

I am so very sorry for your loss...truly the worst feeling when you lose a member of your sweet glider babies.

for some reason, i didn't see this til today. i am so sorry for your loss, i loved your stories and pictures of batman.
i hope you are on the road to healing, and catwoman too.

I nearly cried reading this thread. I hope you are coping well with your awful loss.

I know you posted this a long time ago, but I thought its worth it to post. These times always come, we can't stop it only prevent it. In life there are bad times and good times. If we spend too much time in the bad time we lose all the good time. Like your friends said, don't dwell over Batman's death, but cherish and think about the memories you made. It is sad to be the victim of someone's death, even to think about being one. But your wound will heal with time and love. Batman is in a better place free from illnesses, he isn't hurting anymore. He had a great life with you and felt love. You did your best, don't bring yourself down. You and Catwomen can comfort each other.

Life is what you make it, don't waste your good time spending too much time in the bad.

I will be thinking and praying for you, Catwomen, and Batman <3