So I've had my twin boys for about 5 months now and they will be a year next month. This is kind of a long post because I need to set the scene.

I do tent time in a huge mosquito net tent just about every night for anywhere from a half hour to 3 hrs. after they've eaten some of their dinner. I keep the same routine and bring in a few toys and hang some braided vines, etc. Chip will climb one side of the tent, across the top go halfway down the other side and jump to me then repeat or climb down the front of my shirt out the sleeve then to the side of the tent and so on. Dale barely likes to climb and runs around the bottom playing with toys and trying to bite my toes and jumps on me regularly especially if he gets startled. He will sometimes climb in my hood and groom or nap for a bit.

Tonight we had been in the tent about 45 min. With everything exactly the same as over 100 times before when Dale suddenly ran all over me frantically then sat next to my leg barking (I was sitting crossed leg on the floor). I cupped my hand over him and he just slid half way under my leg and let me stroke him constantly (this is strange in itself cuz he never lets me pet him this long). He was also trembling and his heart was beating really fast. Every time I tried to pick him up to put him in my pocket he would repeat the frantic run up and down me and around and then back next to my leg, barking the whole time.

Chip just froze upside down with all four feet attached to the tent and stared at his brother. He usually is moving or hanging by two feet and letting me rub his belly. He wouldn't let me touch him either and he is my sweeter boy. Normally he needs to be super nosy whenever I talk to his brother or hiss at him for biting and he will come down and make sure Dale is behaving but he was a statue.

The boys normally bark around 3 a.m. every night for 15-20 min. I know that its partly my fault cuz I used to get up and talk to them and they would stop. Some say they have no idea why they bark. I have heard anywhere from the gliders wanting attention to a warning system and even that they are telling a story. I can sometimes even tell which boy it is.

Well I put them back in their cage and Dale climbed into his tent and kept barking and Chip hung on upside down in the corner frozen. I gave them each a yogurt drop and it was like I flipped a switch and everything went back to normal. They are playing like nothing happened but I'm left wondering what the neck happened? Does anyone know? I'm kinda lost on this one!

Glider Barking......

I have seen a lot of people asking what glider barking means or why do they do it? And I thought I'd touch base on some of the reasons why.



1. Glider's bark when they are new to a home or there are other new animals, smells or noises in their established homes.

2. Glider's have an alert bark as well. They let you/ other gliders know when something isn't right in their home. They've alerted me when a glider has gotten hung up in a pouch or a toy. I've had gliders bark to let me know another glider was loose or once an outside door was open and they barked up a storm till I woke up, saw the back door was open and shut it and they all went on with their normal nightly routine. They can also hear things outside that we may not.... strange animals in the yard, etc. They are also aware of storms that are coming in.

3. Gliders are really good at training us for treats. I had a couple of gliders that barked every night at 3am..... I got up offered treats to try and settle them down and I'd go back to bed. This happened for quite some time till I was made aware that they were training me to get up to give them treats every night. I stopped getting up to that particular bark and they eventually stopped doing it at 3am. Lol.

4. Some gliders like to talk to each other by barking while others I swear just like the sound of their voice.

5. Some gliders like to bark when they are genuinely lonely or bored and are seeking out attention.

Every bark either means something or it doesn't. Barks sound different for different things, so pay close attention to why or when they are barking and you'll soon be able to notice what they want or why they are barking in the first place and you'll be better prepared when walking up to the cage, either with a treat, pouch for bonding time or you will know when something is wrong.

Courtesy of Sherri Lamb ~ Newby's Glider Nook

She just posted this the other day and it was easier than typing it all out and wording it myself before my coffee sinks in

In the past during playtime if ONE glider barks ALL the others freeze and do not move during this time. Usually they will stop barking after 2 to 5 minutes and all the gliders start moving again.
I took this as a warning bark, one gets scared there is danger around and barks a warning, all the others freeze for safety, once the barking stops the danger is gone.

We are on day 3 of rainy weather and I think that is what is causing the upset. Both last night and tonight Chip decided to start barking around 10 p.m. in his cage just sitting there. He is usually my 3 a.m barker and is the sweetest boy. I have triple checked them all over for injuries and their cage for anything that could cause injury. They also haven't eaten a lot these nights and have been back in their pouch a lot during the night. This rainy weather is making everyone want to cuddle up and whine so I feel for them.