Hey guys,

To start off I have never had gliders before but have been researching about them for a little while. I have a cage setup and ready to go with hammocks and toys. I have food (HPW) just need to get a safe wheel.

I did contact a breeder and am on a waiting list. I have been looking at online ads too and had originally started there and I was replying to some. Those went nowhere but I did contact this recent one that seem to fit more what I was looking for. I've been talking to the owner and she said "We do handle them "when we can" they are quite vocal lol sometimes they also nip, it doesn't hurt a lot, it just mostly shocks u lol" " hoping to rehome them asap as we will be moving soon"

Anyways, I'm just wondering if I should stick to the breeder or try these girls? Would nipping be something, as a newbie, I should be concerned about?

Just want some more experienced opinions. :)

Personally I prefer a respected breeder, because then I know they are well taken care of and stuff, but adopting is really great if they are healthy(or can afford to get them healthy) and you can give them a good home.

Honestly, nipping is probably just something you are going to have to live with, no matter where they come from. After a month and a half of having my girls, they finally stopped nipping at me, they still nip at me if I do something they don't like. For instance stopping them from going into my girlfriends shirt to cuddle in her bra. If I catch them and pull them away, they will give me a quick little nip before running off to play.

thanks for the input :)

No problem, and just to clarify, the nipping really isn't bad. Occasionally they might get you good, but usually it's more of a quick "warning" nip, like you can tell they are saying "Stop that", but it doesn't hurt. At least with my girls, they tended to do it specifically with my fingertips, and the more time I've spent with them, the less often it happens.

that was my impression of the nipping also, so no worries

I'm a fan of taking in rehome gliders but it doesn't come without it's risks, and great rewards.

The risks are:
unseen vet bills if the gliders aren't as healthy as the owner claims.

Cage and accessories usually need replaced ( which you already have )

Behavior issues from lack of stimulating toys and or lack of being handled enough.

Most males aren't usually neutered, if your getting 2 girls that's no issue.

Unforeseen vet bills is probably going to be your biggest concern though. I would want to go have a look at them before committing to buying them.

Make sure their eyes are clear and bright, their nails look healthy they maybe long from lack of regular nail trimmings and that will need addressed pronto.

Make sure their nose is dry and pink, but nose might look purple if they have just woken up that is normal it should go to pink once their awake.

No lumps or bumps around the jaw line and mouth. Tail should be thick and plush, fur should be grey not brown but brown fur can be addressed with a good diet and will usually return to grey after getting them off pellet foods.

The rewards are watching the transformation from a neglected glider to a well bonded happy glider. Every milestone is celebrated even if it's something minor it is a victory. Being part of giving gliders a second chance and an environment they can thrive in is a wonderful thing, having the gliders accept you as part of their colony is an honor.

Many of us here have taken in a rehomed glider and are willing to offer help and advice for issues you may encounter.

I will say that if you don't feel you can provide the care and extra time they may need then stick with the breeder. There are far to many gliders that get "tried out" just to realize it's to much for them and they want a joey instead.

These poor gliders end up in a continuous circle of being recycled. If you are going to get rehomed gliders be committed to them and make sure your home is going to be their LAST home their forever home no matter what!

There is no shame in realizing it maybe to much of a challenge BEFORE you get them rather than after you got them. Your the only one that can determine if they may be a fit for you and your family or if you'd be better off waiting on the breeder.

thanks Leela

I'm going to look at them today and those are some great tips.

I contacted one guy that had a brother and sister pair, and the guy said he wouldn't adopt them to me because I talked about getting the male neutered. Yet in his ad he said make sure you've done lots of research.

some folks just aren't to bright, but a vet may have told him it wasn't advised to neuter males, some vets that aren't experience with neutering gliders tell people that instead of telling them they have no experience with that procedure but other vets do.

Make sure to ask what this pair of girls are being fed too what diet/supplements they use...

If their cage has any corrosion or rust on the bars try to have a look at their feet to make sure there are no lesions or blisters or anything

"give them fresh fruit n veggies every day and once or twice a wk i give them yogurt or apple sauce!" Is what I got when I asked about diet but I'll have to see what she gives me as their "stuff" to take home with.

oh lawd, well it's better than pellets I suppose but they def. need more than that I'm sure you already know. I think I read you already ordered a staple diet?

yup. I have it, just need to make it up in a blender. :)

awesome sounds like your all set then!! if you end up getting them please keep us updated and post some pics lol we love pics

I got them :) I will try to get some pics tomorrow. They seem like their in good shape but their nails were horrible long. I tried trimming them but I'm sure I missed some. She had them in a towel and their nails kept getting caught and then she complained how much they scratched her.

they also went straight for the HPW when I stuck it in. The lady was making some sort of mix that had 12 eggs in it?

awww congrats if they are letting you trim their nails the first night that is awesome!!! Sometimes I think they know it helps them to get around better. Of course theyre going to scratch when you don't trim their nails, people are just stupid I swear! I'm glad they now have a better home!!

Never heard of a diet that using 12 eggs that's a ton of protein!!

I have a pair of gliders and trimming my girl's nails are a breeze, I have her done in less than 2 minutes and she doesn't treats or to be shoved in a bag or anything.... My male on the other hand is a nightmare when getting his nails clipped. I have to stuff him in a bag with treats (and he's fat) and it still takes me like 5 minutes or more to get all his nails trimmed... little brat.

I was clipping his nails one day and I notice blood on the fleece I was using. At first I thought I cut a quick, nope. Little bugger had gotten a nail caught on my skin and it was MY blood. The nice thing about glider nails is that quick is very easy to see. I've been clipping glider nails for over a year and haven't cut a quick yet.

I did have them in a bag to trim their nails but at least they didn't crab about it. I don't think they've had good experiences with their feet, the lady said that they nip you if you try to help free their feet. Like when they were getting stuck on the towel. Then the little girl said the same thing when they got their foot stuck on a shelf in their cage.

It's a wonder they didn't rip a toe off, sounds like they got stuck a lot. My Simon was like that when we first got him, He is great about getting trimmed.

My female on the other hand thinks it's time to play "catch me if you can" and she usually wins though her nails aren't over grown like Simon's were and she has never been stuck or snagged on anything.

But her nails feel like acupuncture needles if they don't get trimmed. She is on my skin a lot, Simon prefers his pouch...

Still for the first night that's awesome that they let you trim them without any fuss. It took me a couple weeks to be able to do Simon I had to work on his pouch protectiveness before I could get to his nails.