kazko, I read your article.
I can see, based on the topic and the nature of it, that it is only natural that your instructions would conjure some pretty scared and opposing positions.
I know this post was pretty empassioned, but I am going to try to bg=ring it back on topic, based on a method my wife and I have used that you all may find useful. In fact if any of you try this and can repeat the success we have had, it may be useful engough to share with a wider audience.
Certainly, it stands to reason that mimicking the behaviors of the gliders would be a good path to follow. And the use of positive reinforcement "after" is also a good idea. So I am in agreement with that premise, if not the specific execution you suggest.
The method you describe seems a bit difficult to execute on properly; however, and more importantly, I am afraid that "practicing" it - to get it right - may result in injury to the animal if practiced by either the more skittish or brutish of us.
We, too had had a really bad (female) biter who would routinely break our skin and make us bleed almost every day. We were heartbroken because we really love her and did not like the idea of simply limiting interaction with her. But we experiemnted and finally found an alternative to supress the biting...
Notice that when gliders bite, they have a tendency to "dig in" and put their mouths "on point." Anyone who has seen video of them tree-sapping or anyone who has been the victim of agressive head grooming will notice this. In an outright defensive bite, they also have a tendency to bear down at an initial angle.
They need considerable leverage to do this and they get the most purchase in the bite if their heads are at leasst initially partailly perpendicular to your skin surface (or of course if they are grabbing at a finger end or skin between fingers). Consider how a can opener is leveraged against a surface it is being used to open - it's kind of like that.
Here is the method:
Keeping his/her head flat against your outstretched hand, palm-up (with your palm drawn very taught), with the glider's chin and neck facing and touching the palm AND with another hand on top to "cup" them firmly in your hands. We have found this to be the first step in a workable solution.
Initially, you may have to "roll" them very gently in your closed palm to get them in to the right position, but I can tell you that once you have them soldily "cupped" it's a lot harder for them to bite.
In fact, they have a tendency to crab less and less as you tighten your hold on them, becuase it simlulates squeezing in to a pouch an guess what - they like that.
And if they try to bite your palm, it is a lot less painful than a glider getting purchase on the tip of a finger or the soft skin between fingers. It's also harder for them to actually bite in that position - espcically to bite your (stretched-taught) palm.
Yes, it is hard to keep your palm stretched taught and if you loosen up, she may get purchase on the bunched skin of your palm. So you may want to exercise by stretching your palm and relaxing, etc. before attempting this.
The second part is to be patient in waiting for the inevitable crabbing to wind down. We have found that soft cooing or singing during this period can be soothing to the animal.
The third part is when the crabbing subsides, slowly raise up a finger - the one closest to the front of the suggies' head on your down-pointing hand, and offer a yougurt drop. Of course, having another person offer the drop is the way to go since your hands are full, but you can first purse a drop in your lips and let it drop from your lips into the crack you make by lifting the finger if you are doing this alone.
But the only thing you are bending up and out of the way is one finger. More than that and she'll wiggle out and you have to start over.
With regards the mimicking of natural behavior, I believe this is a good thing and the firm cupping of the hands simulates a pouch and the (very gentle) rolling simulates how mothers stuff new joeys into the pouch (our Barbie does this with her partially OOP babies). And they know how to flatten out pretty well.
I know this method has worked for us and we don't feel like it is in any way cruel or extreme or hard to do.
Regarding the positive reinforcement, I think that is a great suggestion. In our method, this is accomplished with the cooing and the offering of the yogurt drop.
At any rate, from a practical standpoint, when we tried this method, we continued to take bites for a few months but with less frequency. She is over it now and we are so glad we stuck with her instead of just labeling her a "biter" and limiting our interaction with her.
Oh, one more thing. Timing is everything. Every time she lunges and bites, you have to do this. If she does it more than three times in a row, after three of these in the same session, just put her in the cage and let her sit. And give eyourself a break.
I hope this was a good share.