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New Glider Parents with Questions
New Glider Parents with Questions
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Oct 19 2017
02:25:19 AM
Hello! Last night I got my first pair of gliders! I bought them from a reputable breeder and have done a lot of research. I have a double critter nation cage, a safe wheel, OHPW diet, etc... But I still have a few questions I can't seem to find answers too so I thought I would try posting here.
1) At what age does the male glider have to be neutered by so that he does not breed with the female?
2) I have made several ice cubes of OHPW. Last night we put in fresh Kale, and ice cube and some frozen fruit. Can someone familiar with the diet tell me if I can make frozen "salads" in advance to go with the staple? I am so bad at keeping fresh produce fresh.
3) Also on the subject of diets, several sites say they need a multivitamin and calcium supplement. I have also read that OHPW was complete and didn't need anything else other than the fruits/veggies and occasional treats?
4) What can I expect from my gliders the next few nights? I work night shift and my husband was telling me that when he put them in the cage, with the light off they played and explored. When he brought them to see me, they crabbed at first in the pouch but when on one of us they were fine, except the girl was shaking I think this might mean she's scared? But she was quiet and liked to climb and sit on top of my husbands head (my husband is 6'8!) However, when my husband had gone to bed around midnight he said they hadn't found their kitchen with the food in it yet, but did find some of the kale we'd stuck in this toy pumpkin climbing thing. Will they eat good the first couple of nights or do they have to kind of get acclimated first?
5)When the lights go on, they freeze and don't play. I know they're nocturnal but do they really not do anything with lights on? How am I supposed to see them and play with them?
6) We had such a hard time getting them to go into the bonding pouch! Is this normal?
7) Anyone here own a chinchilla? I'm just curious if they poop as much as my chinchilla does, lol.
Thanks in advance for any help or insight.
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Oct 19 2017
02:27:00 AM
jennalynne Starting Member 3 Posts
P.S. One more question! I bought a cage set off etsy, which is fleece with hidden seams, but the top is cotton- not fleece and it has elastic to hold it onto the cage with. Am I correct to assume this is not safe for them?
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Oct 19 2017
04:24:30 PM
sjusovare Face Hugger Visit sjusovare's Photo Album France 694 Posts
hello and congratulation for your new gremlins.
I cannot answer all your questions abbout diet since I am not familiar with OHPW, but I can shed some light one other topics.

1) Male gliders usually reach puberty around 6 to 1 months, but some can start as early as 4 months old, so I'd say not later than 3 months old if you don't want to risk seing joeys.

3) Some diets do need to add calcium and vitamins, it is called for in their feeding instructions, other diets are "complete" as the vitamins and calcium are already included, I think HPW diets are completes since the vitamins are included in the wombaroo HPS. Not sure about the calcium though, but I'm sure other people can answer on that point.

4) During their 1st days in a place, they are discovering their environment, so their behavior can be totally different from what it will be once settled. It is not uncommon for gliders to not eat well during the 1st days (some do, some need to settle in), remember everything in your place is new to them, and scary.

5) It depends on the individuals, some can be active in a lighted environment, most however will just freeze and seek a shelter. Mines are not active as soon as the light is brighter than a computer screen.

6) I don't use bonding pouches, the few times I tried it's been really difficult to make them go in, I think it's something they get used to with time and practice, but it's not spontaneous.

Edited by - sjusovare on Oct 19 2017 04:28:49 PM
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Oct 19 2017
04:55:50 PM
ptamom Glider Visit ptamom's Photo Album 145 Posts
I am also a newbie and can only answer a few questions.

1) I buy my food from Critter Love and they have salad receipes that I freeze and pull out a few hours before they begin playing

2) For your gliders to go on the head and not run so soon after buying is great. I have had mine since July and they are fine as long as they are in the tent but if I let them out of the cage, NO BUENO! They run and explore and when I try to get them to put them back in the cage, they go the opposite way.
3) The Critter Love Complete has all the nutrients needed as long as you combine it with one of her salads mixtures (she gives you a choice of 4)
4) I am lucky that my gliders are ok with the lights on. We always leave a small kitchen light on (they are close to kitchen) at night. When I want to view them (hard to see in the dark even with the small light on) I turn on a light.
5) Bonding pouch's are hard and will eventually go in there willing; you may just have to coax them

Congrats on being a new owner. I love my babies (even though they may not love me)
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Oct 20 2017
09:49:21 AM
jennalynne Starting Member 3 Posts
Thank you guys for the replies! I thought I was so prepared and now that I have them I have so many new questions!
The pair I have are brother and sister. This morning I gave them an apple slices and they we're fighting and hissing over it! Kinda scared me. Then I wondered, is the apple slices too big? Can they have too much apple slices? Because they went to town on it as if they were starving. (They weren't, they had finished all their OHPW last night and part of the fruit/veggies that I blended together. I guess they like them better blended.
Well... Thanks again. I really appreciate any advice or help I can get.
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Oct 21 2017
08:21:51 PM
ptamom Glider Visit ptamom's Photo Album 145 Posts
I do not know about the size of the apples; the lady I bought mine from just put an 1/2 apple (w/o core or seeds) into the cage when I brought mine home.

I was told not to blend the veggies/fruits together (meaning blender). I think it is because they could be using some of the nutrients but I am sure someone on this board can tell you the real reason.

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Oct 21 2017
09:07:19 PM
Leela Goofy Gorillatoes Gliderpedia Editor Visit Leela's Photo Album Leela's Journal 2919 Posts
Blended as in put in the blender until its a slushy or puree we don't suggest because it forces them to eat insoluble fiber that they normally spit out and don't eat if the fruit or veg is just diced or cubed. Which can cause intestinal blockage ( impaction ) and or constipation. Neither are fun to treat or watch as the glider suffers. We also don't suggest nuts or seeds regularly because they don't get digested and we end up with the same issue as insoluble fiber from fruits n veg.

Now if you meant "blended" as in the fruit n veg chopped or diced and mixed up together that is fine mine like their foods separated but everyone's gliders are different so we all do what works for our gliders as far as presentation.
New Glider Parents with Questions

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New Glider Parents with Questions