The other thing, the elephant in the room, I did not know Ace was pregnant and did not know she had given birth until whilst resetting the cage a little late one night a glider came up to me (I assumed it was Ace or Echo since the face seemed white but the lights were dim and also red.) then before i could grab one of my sneaky yoggie treats i keep palmed for these situations I saw the glider who at first seemed happy/excited to see me (based on the glider body language and general demeanor) got close then hopped back not even a little into the chocolatechip-sized yogu treat in my fingers. I followed up with that glider and did not recognize him but noticed his head shape was like Ace's (her face - to me- looks slightly more round and less pointy than any gliders I have had before. I would not say it is dramatic but one of those things you notice if you're a glider-human lol).

Yes, Ace has been overweight for awhile, and by that I mean basically since she was still a joey. She is VERY much an alpha, from day one. Even though she was the last of the current set, until baby, she took over and I have had to split their food up into separate areas of the cage so that she doesn't chase away the others. I have had gliders with weight issues before and usually they come around eventually. Phi-Phi was overweight for several years but is in shape now for example. Ace while chunky or "extra curvy" let's say, looked like PhiPhi when she was overweight. Nothing different.

I clean the cage regularly, wear them, play with them, and resetting the cage for enrichment/foraging, and somehow I never noticed that she was pregnant, I never saw PaleTail on her back or Echo's back or PhiPhi's back, never saw anything hanging out of her pouch, etc.

I had often wondered about PhiPhi even though she was always with a female and/or a neutered male and clearly I am not able to detect lumps like some of you all because, well, obviously.

Then on 15 December around 9pm:





should I be doing anything special food-wise besides the adjustments of vitamins and food for a 4th glider?

In my defense, November was a very rough month for me and my family as a whole. I lost my grandmother and an aunt within days - unrelated incidents, same side of the family, mother/daughter, and both healthy and "normal" until they were not. Yes one was 93 and the other 59 but in all honestly a very healthy, alert, and young 93. I am still coming to terms with this. 2 days before my grandmother's funeral/on Thanksgiving my aunt passed in her sleep only to be found by my cousin, her son. So truly my head has not been in the game lately. We often joked that they were like Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fischer (in many senses) long before last month. But this time "Debbie" went first. Anyhow...


I also should point out that almost with every set of gliders i have had be they 2 or 3 at a time i have almost always had 1 glider who would get chubby AND always have had an alpha female in every set. Only one of my male gliders has ever been overweight for a time, my first Frankenstein. The other two (PhiPhi and Ace) are females. PhiPhi is now trim.

I wanted to add that I have not been able to get in to see our glider vet yet because the earliest appt is in 6 weeks. That said, he seems to be healthy. He's playful, always trying to show off, *seemingly* trying to impress his dad at times - they hang out a lot. That's to say that they have more interaction with one another than any other matching of the 4 (including them). PaleTail eats but is not into treats yet. He drinks from the bottle and I do not think he nurses yet but i wouldnt know

I'm sorry that you had a rough month. My condolences.
As far as the joey, just add his portion of food and vitamin. He should be neutered as soon as you can book an appointment so that he doesn't mate with his mom.

first, thank you.

Also, thank you again. That is the plan just a question of getting him in. That said I do have a plan B in case. The newer vet I see with my gliders is somewhat inconsistent but closer and the vet is younger and she seems very engaged and does her homework to keep as current as possible.

the other is twice as far away, but a an old stalwart practice.

Even after all this time of having gliders since I have never had one have a joey when I started reading all the things i should have done or changed leading up to him (depending on what site you read): increase the protein, or get this vitamin during this time, or add this or that. Well needless to say I had done none of that. Ive stuck to the TPG diet/vitamins as per until he was out and about in the cage. Its then I started adding the 4th serving 1/8tsp vitamin addition.

He is so cute though. They all are but PaleTail is a sweetie. He is still learning me. He gets excited to see me, comes up to me -like the others especially if they hear or think they hear or think that they can schmooze a yogurt treat out of me- but when i go to pet him or give him a yogurt treat he goes and hides only to come out and come towards me again later.

I am guessing that since the cage is in my bedroom and my smell is also all over the fleece leaves, toys, bowls, everything, to that joey what constitutes glider-smell is likely a mix of my gliders AND me. BUT keeping in mind he only saw me for the first time when he was already playing in the cage, I reckon he associates my smell with safety, colony, yet I look nothing like a glider since I've started shaving... haha.. but i think he expects a glider and sees me and gets confused.