Message PreviewHello!! 
I recently became the fourth owner of sugar glider named Eva now called sugar mama and her daughter Eleanor. After having them for a few weeks we learn more about them from the previous owner that they were not on the best diet they had had a third sugar glider that was the father of Eleanor and for unknown reasons he had died. Poor Sugar Mama's a widower at 3 years old!! But now we are having some problems with sugar mama with some missing hair on her back towards her tail area. Is it self-mutilation is it over grooming is Eleanor over grooming sugar mama, is she depressed from loss of her mate, is she not adjusting well to her new home or Diet? After we receive them we took them to an exotic vet in our area and they both got clean bills of Health and fecall testing and Eleanor had to have emergency surgery to have a Botfly larvae removed I can go on more about that if anyone's interested later!?!? Any suggestions that might help would be greatly appreciated!!! Thank you in advance Sugar Mama's Daddy! Michael!

Sugar Mama's bald spot

I'm not an expert, but I would say that looks like self mutilation. There isn't a whole lot that can be done as she did just lose her mate. A few things that might help is spending more time with her. Do lots of tent and out of cage time with her. Also, try a few different foraging toys to keep her distracted. Also, I'm not sure how true this is, but I have heard that sometimes gliders might do better on their own for a but. I wouldn't really trust this, but maybe smeared them one night and see if the baby is bullying or annoying the mom. If she is, maybe you could give separate the mom for a short bit. Also, it never hurts to talk to a vet one more time For some extra advice.
Hope this was able to help:)
Like I said I'm not an expert but thought I would share this incase it might be help:)

Doesn't look like self mutilation to me. That would mean she has open wounds she caused to herself. This looks more like over grooming or as if something is rubbing her fur off.

I'm no expert. The only place I've seen over grooming in person is on the head.

That is NOT self mutilation.

I'd be more inclined to think she is rubbing the fur off by something in the cage. Can you post pics of the cage and everything in it ?

Are you the one from facebook with the bot flies? There was a case not long ago on there if your not you'd be the second case and I definately would like to hear more about it.


If you guys would like to see what self mutilation actually looks like, I can show you some pics, but they are very graphic.

I would like to see it if you don't mind.

I don't mind at all. I'll get some pics together when I get home have some errands to run first

I made a separate post with them.


While I was typing on that one I remembered I wanted to mention if it's NOT something in the cage causing the fur loss ( I think it is though and can help you figure it out if you post some pics ) you might consider having a bacterial C & S test done by the vet.

Thank you everyone for your replies I greatly appreciate it!! lots of good information and things that I think will help!!

We think sugar mama is over grooming or Eleanor is over grooming her. The previous owner told us when we got her that the hair was being rubbed off by a coconut house so we immediately removed that and got some new safe cage accessories I'll post a picture. We spend as much time with them as we can they are with us most of the day. They're separated for most of the day to help prevent over grooming from Eleanor if that's the case and have quite a bit of play time together out of the cage. going to get a tent today for tent time!! :)) Sugar Mama and Eleanor are going to a new hopefully more experienced veterinarian in September and hopefully we'll get some more answers as to what's going on and will ask about having more testing done just to make sure everything is medically okay with them. I would be interested in seeing some pictures of self-mutilation I've seen a few I know it's a pretty rough! We have not posted our story of the botfly on Facebook but I would be interested in seeing another case of a botfly in a sugar glider!?!? I will post a separate post about Eleanor and her botfly!! Thanks again for all your help!!!!

there is something black hanging with loops near the rainbow sticks n beads In the first pic that I'd remove, and the woven basket thing could also be causing it.

Thanks for the great advice! I took them out last night hopefully that's the problem!!

Thanks for the great advice! I took them out last night hopefully that's the problem!!