Hello all

I have two gliders that are over a year. Both are about half way through the bonding process. I'm trying to get my guy use to being hand held, but the biggest issue is their nails! Every time I'm holding my guy so he doesn't bite me, he digs his nails in and it's like being stabbed with a needle. I've tried trimming his nails just a bit, but that hasn't really helped. Am I just not trimming them enough? Is there maybe a better method that what I'm doing? Scrapes are ok, but it's definitely hard when their is blood, haha.

This would lead me to my second question. My guys are doing pretty well with my partner and I. They're taking food from our hands and getting use to us being around. It seems that the next step is that we need to get them use to being hand held. I don't want to traumatize my little guys so I'm not sure what approach is correct. I've seen videos by people who suggest holding them in your hand with you thumb under their chin so they don't bite, and getting them use to being there. This is where my little guy takes nails to my thumb, haha. (It's mostly his thumb nail that's the problem, if that makes and difference.)

One of my gliders is way more skittish so I'm not sure if he would need a different approach. I don't want to get my gliders use to me by force, but they are kind of at the point where they need a little firmer hand. They've been having play time with us and running all over us, so they're getting pretty comfortable being around us. I'm just unsure how to transition them from running all over us in play time to getting them to stay as well.

What would be the best method for them getting to being hand held? Should I be cupping them in my hands or still going with the bounding pouch? Should I maybe not keep pushing them and letting them continue to warm up to us? Or should I move to a bit more firm approach? My instinct says that they will not really move past the point they're at unless we use a bit of tough love with them. But I just want to check with ya'll.

Thanks!

Gliders have different personalities. Only one of mine likes being in someone's hand. The others just like the be in my shirt or bra.

If you just want them to get use to your hand touching them then pet them and show them your hand is not a threat. You can pet them while they sleep on you or in thier pouch.

Sugar gliders are nocturnal. They love to play at night. Mine never stay still at night. It's during the day they are little cuddle bugs. try holding them during the day and letting them sleep on you. I find it helps build trust faster.

I wouldn't recommend using force. You can't force trust on anything. You just have to be patient and earn thier trust.

As I said before, each glider has its own personality. What works for some may not work for yours. Good luck!

buy a nice nail clipper about $3 and make one of these pouches with a hole.
get a partner to help pull legs threw hole and cut nail but NOT the quick.




I feed mine treats during this but now they just start poking their heads out the hole for a treat and I have more trouble getting to the little legs.

I'm dealing with the same situation with my little one. We've definitely made progress but she's still a little skittish and handling her is a challenge. She knows what "no bite" means but she still tries to test occasionally. Just recently I put my hand in her pouch while she was sleeping and cupped my hand over her for awhile. She seemed to like this and like 'lilsistar' said, it shows your hand is not a threat. I'm at the tough love stage as well because I'm so anxious for her to bond more. But this is a long term relationship and ultimately trust and patience will go a long way and make for a better relationship. As far as their nails, I actually went to the vet last week to have them do the nail clipping. It took 2 of them (1 to hold and 1 to clip) to get the job done and I don't always have someone who can help me. But I think the pouch that 'BYK_Chainsaw' recommended is a great idea and I'm anxious to give it a try.

Yeah, I don't want to try and force my little guys. I'm just unsure what they need.

When you place them on you to sleep, do you just put them in your bra or what? I'm sure my guys would just climb right off of me (because they've learned to climb all over me) so that's kind of what I'm trying to figure out.

Also, I'm a little worried about biting. I think I've been being a bit to careful with putting my hand in the pouch etc because I've been a little worried about getting bit. I know that it'll happen at times, but what would be the best recommendation so that I can get bitten less? Lol. I kind of worry that when they're in my shirt I'll get bit trying to get them back out. What would be the best way to avoid scaring them to death and getting bit?

So when I comes to having them sleep on me I usually stick them in my shirt. Two of my gliders I stick in my bra. The ones that won't sleep in my bra sleep on my tummy or in the space between my chair and my back. The key is consistency! They try and leave I put them back. Some take a bit to fall asleep others are instant. After a while they learn that the inside of my shirt is a safe place and that is where they stay... During the day at least. It's ok to adapt to your glider. Some like pouches so you can get a bonding pouch, put it in your shirt with them in it. You don't have to have it zipped. You can put your hand in it too.

When trying to grab or let them move your hand slowly. If they crab just stop. Don't move closer, but don't remove your hand. When they stop you can try and move closer. If they lung, chances are you're going to move your hand without thinking. That's ok. You can also bribe them with treats. The best thing is to be patient and adapt to your glider.

Getting them out of the shirt is easy. Go to the cage, lift your shirt, and nudge them in. Works for me! Good luck.

Haha, thanks for explaining all that. Makes more sense now. People always say to just put them in your shirt, but I've wondered what way is best. I use to have rats for pets, and they LOVE being in your shirt. But I wasn't sure how different that be with an unbounded glider.

Thanks!!

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Originally posted by HoneyB33

Yeah, I don't want to try and force my little guys. I'm just unsure what they need.

When you place them on you to sleep, do you just put them in your bra or what? I'm sure my guys would just climb right off of me (because they've learned to climb all over me) so that's kind of what I'm trying to figure out.

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during the day ours just want to get in a pouch and sleep. once my wife gives her glider a chance to pee/poo, she will give him a chance to go in the bra (she started by just putting him in there) once inside a nice dark and warm place to sleep they should stay there, of course you may need to have them a few MONTHS with pouch and training before they stay.

quote:

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Originally posted by HoneyB33



Also, I'm a little worried about biting. I think I've been being a bit to careful with putting my hand in the pouch etc because I've been a little worried about getting bit. I know that it'll happen at times, but what would be the best recommendation so that I can get bitten less? Lol. I kind of worry that when they're in my shirt I'll get bit trying to get them back out. What would be the best way to avoid scaring them to death and getting bit?

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sounds like you should give your guys more time pouch training, just during day let them sleep in zipped up bonding pouch while you have pouch around your neck.
a good second step my wife did was to take sleeping pouch out of cage in daytime while they are sleeping in it. she would make a fist and put her fist in the sleeping pouch, this fist makes it much harder for them to get a good bit on you. she would leave her fist in the pouch, they would give up biting and just go to sleep with her hand/fist. this would get them used to her scent.
The 3rd step after the glider was less scared and more bonded was for her to put them in her bra. usually she has just one in her bra, but she has gone as high as 5 at once, with more then one they will feel more comfortable and less scared to have a buddy to share body warmth.

Thanks for your reply!

Yeah, everyone tells you to "bond" with your guys. But they fail to mention those transitional steps, and that's what is confusing to me. I've had my guys in the bonding pouch through the day. Though yesterday I let them have just a solid day to really sleep in their cage and not be woken up so much. I think that actually did wonders, because they were really receptive to my partner and I during tent time. Think they just needed time to NOT be messed with, haha.

I tried getting my guy to try the bra and he did NOT like it, haha. I am very sure that this guy will be a bra baby because he hardly leaves his blankets. But I think it just scared him too much. So after that I left him alone for the day. think he needed the break.

I am aware I am being a woos with getting bit, but they draw blood! It ain't no small thing, haha. So I appreciate the advice about making the fist. Our guys are very much getting use to our scent and aren't too afraid of our hands, but I'm trying to figure out the best way to transition them from being ok with us, to now being with us, on us, bonded to us.

Hi Honeyb33,

I'm a new owner too! It's been an exciting (sometimes frustrating) experience. I know every glider is different, just want to share my experience *maybe* it'll give you an option to explore.

I have 2, Effie is mild and sweet. She gets grumpy sometimes when I disturb her sleep but she's generally ok. Ellie is very skittish and tends to lunge/bite at anything moving near the entrance of her sleeping pouch. I'm thankful her bites never draw blood but I'm nonetheless quite afraid. Even when I come with peace offering (treats) she'll crab and lunge at my finger, only upon tasting the treats she stops crabbing and looks inquisitively for more yums.

Few days ago, I had both of them in a bonding pouch while doing some desk work at home. It was late morning and they were both sleeping. Every time I move (or accidentally move the pouch) Ellie will crab. If I open the pouch to take a peak, Ellie will try to lunge and attack my fingers. One time when she fell asleep again, for some reason I decided to put my hand into the pouch, gently, and just leave it there. It was quite an enlightening experience for me.

I had my hand in the pouch for about 2 hours. The first 2 times she woke up, she crabs and bit my pouch-hand. I brought the pouch near to me and made 'psst' sound. She stops. When she wakes up the third time, she seemed fine with my pouch-hand ever since. After, Ellie still wakes up if I accidentally move the pouch, she'll crab and try to attack the outside of the pouch. She's fine however, with my pouch-hand, establishing it is safe. Ever since, every time she crabs, I use my pouch-hand to pet and assure her and she seemed to crab lesser and lesser. From this I gather, it wasn't really my hand she fear. She fears the unknown, whatever it might be, outside the pouch. To her, the pouch is safe, my hand lurking outside the pouch, not knowing what it is, is not safe, my hand inside the pouch, is safe. I think this is her logic. I'm trying to work around her logic.

Effie on the other hand, wakes up from time to time, moves around, nibbles on my cuticle, licks a little, and goes back to sleep. She's a sweetie. I felt loved!

So yea, I haven't had much success on actually handling them, but this is my pouch experience thus far, my milestone with my skittish, crabby Ellie.

All the best to you =)