Hi all,

I have read all the posts I can find concerning this topic but can't find anything that I feel directly pertains to my case. I have two female gliders and Nova is definitely packing on the weight. I haven't officially weighed her but I can tell she is getting bigger. She doesn't have "boobs" yet but if she continues as is, she will. Luna is a good size


The gliders get tent time every night for 2-4 hours, at least 1-2 of which I am with them and they are always very active. I have a wheel in the cage that gets used often but I'm not sure if they are both using it. I think usually it's Luna using the wheel. I've recently removed the hammocks and platforms from the cage to encourage more activity and hanging. But just last night I was up around 5:15am and luna was running around the cage like crazy and I think Nova was already tucked in her pouch for bed.

I've cut back on the treats and only give Nova half a treat for every mealworm or 2 Luna gets. Nova is always at the food bowls and I think she eats most of the treats I hide around the cage for "foraging." I'm not really sure how to keep Nova from eating the sweets out of Lunas dinner. They eat a little all night long so I can't just take the food bowls away. I have them on the bml diet but for their current batch I cut the honey in half and I'm only giving one piece of corn in each bowl (though I suspect Nova is still stealing both). I may make the corn a treat and take it out of their food bowl. And I've added more peas and removed some of the more sugary fruits.

What else can I do to help her lose weight without starving Luna. I change the cage around often and have lots of things to do so they don't get bored. I'm considering getting/making some new toys but haven't found anything good yet. I'm not sure what else I can do besides separate them but that would be stressful and probably make her even less active. Any suggestions would be great!

I love this topic and first I have questions

How old are the gliders and how much do they weigh?

When it comes to weight there are a lot of things that can factor in, here's a few to consider...

gliders much like humans come in different sizes, weights and even body shapes. It is not uncommon for one to be heavier than the other.

Gliders don't really hit a plateau on their weight until they are between 1 and 2 years old, up until then they are still developing and filling out. Usually by 2 they will level off and be at their adult weight which should stay pretty consistent within a few grams up or down.

It is fall..... colder weather is coming and some gliders gain a little weight in preparation for winter and torpor. When gliders gain this type of weight it is usually in their chest area, the boobs or moobs are safe fat storage in case their body goes in to torpor, the fat is their reserves that the body utilizes to stay alive. Boobs/Moobs are not indicators of being overweight.

Every glider has their own role in the colony, ones job may require more activity than another gliders job... so one may use the wheel more than another.

Often we think gliders are over weight when in actuality they really aren't. Same with underweight. Especially owners in the states, our standards for gliders are quite high...

I've got some gliders ( adults ) that are petite and are barely 70 grams and I've got others that are 164-178 grams and one girl that is around 180-190 grams, others with weights in between. The only one that I personally consider "overweight" is the last one and even she is healthy and isn't obese. She is a corn hog though

If you are really concerned start weighing them and keep a journal of their weights... it's a good habit to do anyways as weight loss can be an indicator of illness. Use a digital kitchen scale, weigh the gliders around 1 pm every time prior to any treats and well after their last meal. This will give the most accurate weights.

To really tell if a glider is over weight feel the patagium. If the patagium is smooth and thin the glider is not over weight regardless of what it weighs.

If the patagium is thick or feels "lumpy" the lumps are fat deposits, THEN the glider is overweight. Only then would I worry about the glider losing any weight.

When I first got my big girl I tried to get her to lose weight... I regulated what food that cage got, how many treats she got, and I worked with her to stretch and climb more........ she never lost a gram. The only time she has lost weight is when she had a neck wound and infection. She lost about 30 grams and looked great weight wise. Once she healed she gained it all back with no changes in diet or anything else. I've come to the realization that she is just a big girl and I don't stress over it anymore.

Thanks for this ! I have the exact same situation with my gliders.

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Originally posted by Leela

I love this topic and first I have questions

How old are the gliders and how much do they weigh?

When it comes to weight there are a lot of things that can factor in, here's a few to consider...

gliders much like humans come in different sizes, weights and even body shapes. It is not uncommon for one to be heavier than the other.

Gliders don't really hit a plateau on their weight until they are between 1 and 2 years old, up until then they are still developing and filling out. Usually by 2 they will level off and be at their adult weight which should stay pretty consistent within a few grams up or down.

It is fall..... colder weather is coming and some gliders gain a little weight in preparation for winter and torpor. When gliders gain this type of weight it is usually in their chest area, the boobs or moobs are safe fat storage in case their body goes in to torpor, the fat is their reserves that the body utilizes to stay alive. Boobs/Moobs are not indicators of being overweight.

Every glider has their own role in the colony, ones job may require more activity than another gliders job... so one may use the wheel more than another.

Often we think gliders are over weight when in actuality they really aren't. Same with underweight. Especially owners in the states, our standards for gliders are quite high...

I've got some gliders ( adults ) that are petite and are barely 70 grams and I've got others that are 164-178 grams and one girl that is around 180-190 grams, others with weights in between. The only one that I personally consider "overweight" is the last one and even she is healthy and isn't obese. She is a corn hog though

If you are really concerned start weighing them and keep a journal of their weights... it's a good habit to do anyways as weight loss can be an indicator of illness. Use a digital kitchen scale, weigh the gliders around 1 pm every time prior to any treats and well after their last meal. This will give the most accurate weights.

To really tell if a glider is over weight feel the patagium. If the patagium is smooth and thin the glider is not over weight regardless of what it weighs.

If the patagium is thick or feels "lumpy" the lumps are fat deposits, THEN the glider is overweight. Only then would I worry about the glider losing any weight.

When I first got my big girl I tried to get her to lose weight... I regulated what food that cage got, how many treats she got, and I worked with her to stretch and climb more........ she never lost a gram. The only time she has lost weight is when she had a neck wound and infection. She lost about 30 grams and looked great weight wise. Once she healed she gained it all back with no changes in diet or anything else. I've come to the realization that she is just a big girl and I don't stress over it anymore.

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My gliders turned 2 in August. I haven't weighed them yet because I got them when they were 8 months old and though friendlier, still aren't hand tamed. I don't have a kitchen scale and they are rarely in the pouch separately for me to weigh anyways so I've mostly just been judging by what she looks like.

I'll try to feel the patagium and see. I knkw when I got them they were younger and on a dry food diet. Now they are on BML diet so they might just have filled out to their appropriate weight.