My family lost one of our babies in a tragic, horrible, devastating accident. This past Friday, we went out to dinner to celebrate my daughters birthday and came home to an awful sight. My dog (he's a little dog, but a dog), was chasing my Sebastian. My daughter was able to scoop Sebastian up, but a few feet away lied our Meeka girl. Dead. It was horrible. Before we left for dinner, my daughter had opened the cage to leave a couple of treats just in case we weren't home before they woke up and were ready to eat. She mistakenly did not fully latch the lock and they came out looking for us. We are all devastated.
Sebastian was in shock, no blood, anywhere, but I noticed immediately that he was not walking right. A trip to the vet and X-rays didn't show anything physical, but he was definitely in shock and traumatized. Since then, his walking is better and he has been eating and drinking. But I am so worried about him mentally. He's been with Meeka his entire life.
They haven't had a stable life. 2 owners before me. They have been with us for about 6 months. When I adopted them, I got them out of their small cage and into a roomy cage filled with toys. I changed their diet to Candys Leadbeaters diet, and my daughter and I bonded to them. Meeka had lost weight (she was on the heavy side) and she became friendly. She was so afraid of everything when we first got them and she began to accept us. Their coats became healthy, they both seemed so much happier than what they were in the beginning.
Now this happened, and I am so scared for Sebastian. I've kept him with me almost 24/7 since Friday, and although he seems to be calmer and has been content with me in his pouch, I know he's grieving. My daughter said it almost looks like he is crying. I have to agree. He will accept me petting him and rubbing his head and will even groom me, and he gave me a kiss. But he just looks so sad. He won't come out of the pouch unless I get him out, he won't crawl around me, except for a few minutes today and then went back in. When I put him in the cage, he'll run on the wheel, roam around the cage for a few minutes, and then back to the pouch. I'm so worried about him being depressed and in shock and completely traumatized from this nightmarish tragedy. I want him to be okay.
I know he can't be alone. He is a cuddle baby. Loves to snuggle and was always cuddling with Meeka. But how soon is too soon to get another cage mate? Also, I'm worried about him bonding to another sugar. To the best of my knowledge, he is about 3 years. I'm thinking a baby may not be a good idea. But I don't know if adopting an older one is a good idea either. And-I don't even know if I'm ready to bond to another.
I'm so heartbroken about this. And my daughter (it was her 10th birthday which makes it even worse), feels terrible and can't even bring herself to talk to Sebastian without crying. She just keeps saying, "I killed Meeka. It's all my fault, and now Sebastian is going to hate me." She can't even look at him without crying.
It's so hard for me to see him alone and not have Meeka right there with him. She was our little girl. And I'm just completely devastated that she's no longer with us. I just can't imagine the pain that he is dealing with right now.
Please help. Any words of encouragement, advice, anything will help us right now.

I'm so very sorry for your loss and for what your Sebastian is going through. Give him lots of love and comfort. Wait for him to heal, but you will need to seriously consider finding a cage mate soon, as there is a usual quarantine of 30 days. Even for him to hear and smell another glider in the home will hopefully keep him preoccupied so that he doesn't become too lonely and begin a decline.

I am sorry for your loss. Please tell your daughter that mistakes happen and to love on Sebastian as he needs her right now. Tell her he will feel better if she holds him and loves on him. She can not turn back time but she can help him though this.

I would get a cage mate ASAP and I feel a young glider is fine to get. You can get a Joey and see how he does with him. Be on standby to make sure he is OK with him/her.

(((hugs))

It's usually not advised to put a joey in with an older glider in cases like this, a mature lone male that has had past/current trauma and has lost his bonded mate. They should be relatively close in size, you don't need to match "age" so much other than the glider be over 10 months or so and filling out into their size and beginning toward more of a mature nature.

Thank you. We are so sad. It's been a rough few days. Sebastian was more active last night than he has been since the accident. But he was also barking a lot. Broke my heart because I feel like he was crying out. I stayed by his cage for hours with him. He wouldn't come out to me though. Which is unlike him. Typically when I open the cage, he will jump to me or crawl up my arm. He wouldn't do that last night. Needless to say, he probably had more treats than he should have and I didn't sleep much. It broke my heart.
I've been searching today for suggies to adopt. I found a 7 month old little girl. I've been emailing the owner for more information.
I just hope that he can recover from this. I hope we all can.

Offering my deepest sympathy for all of you.

So the owner of the little girl got back to me. She asked me what happened to Meeka. I wasnt going to lie to her, so I told her. Now I feel like I'm being judged. She said she wasn't sure that my home was the best place for her glider. I wanted to say, how dare you! You're the one who got a pet you can't commit to, and now you're trying to sell her. Ugh... But then I kind of feel like, is she right? I mean this shouldn't have happened to Meeka. Is Sebastian safe with me? And even though I know he is, am I going to get this reaction from everyone I contact about adopting another? I just feel awful that this even happened. I feel even worse now. And now I'm wondering if Sebastian would be better off with someone else. What do I do?!

Don't let the person get to you, I had several people ( when I looked into getting more gliders) tell me why do I want more if I got that many now. I point out I have more free time than most do to spend with my pets and I enjoy spreading the spoiling around so I don't have a bunch of furry meatballs with tails that plop instead of glide.

I feel for you. I had one of my little girls get out of her sack while a friend
was holding her. She got under the base boards and squished herself. It has only been a couple weeks but I think her sister Jarrah is still missing her. She eats but sleeps a lot. I only had them for a week before this happened and I didn't know who to talk to. I am still trying to bond. Jarrah is crabby and still bites. i think i am trying to give her time and I am afraid she will do the same thing I guess. This is such a great site to talk to you all and get support. Take care and bless you for loving these little guys!!

Wow, I am so sad for you.

I a new to this community too and I don't have a lot of advice on getting a new glider, but just wanted to tell you that accidents happen, it could happen to anyone and you and your daughter should just focus on your boy instead of the guilt that you are feeling.

Just take comfort in that fact that you can heal Sebastian and make him smile again before you know it.

I am so sorry for your loss. Accidents happen, unfortunately. You just learn from them, that's all. Everything happens for a reasons...there's a lonely glider out there waiting to meet your Sebastian! You will make a very nice home for the new glider, and I'm sure you and your daughter will take excellent care of her!

Poor babies I'm so sorry for your loss...

I am sorry for your loss.....

Freak accidents happen all the time which sucks!

Take care of yourself... Gliders can sense when you are not doing well… They will also act out of whack if you’re depressed…

You may want to look for a new friend to help "ease the pain" of the loss... I know it is hard and you will never be able to replace the lost glider...

Best Wishes to you!

Thank you everyone for your kind words. I am looking at gliders to adopt. I'll post anorher topic, but I've primarily been looking for females. I thought I read somewhere that more issues can arise with two mature males. Is this true? Also, I'm seeing more pairs available for adoption. Mostly one male, one female. I was comfortable with two gliders, but I'm not ruling out adopting 2 of them and having 3. I'm just concerned about having 2 mature males. Thoughts?

If you have more than one male you will need to make sure that they are neutered. This way that they won’t be as inclined to show dominance

Good Morning,

I am so very sorry for the loss of little Meeka.

Unfortunately.. It is true freak accidents happen all the time and it was completely out of your control.

It is very depressing for gliders to lose their buddy but it is also very important to try and stay strong for your baby. They sense it just like nerdyhails described..
I lost my baby boy Blue in January, his brother since has not been himself at all.. They change in personality, in effects them as it would us if we had a sibling we spent every single day with..

My mother bought me another suggie joey who has been the sweetest little guy.. They have met through cages and they are currently in the same room.. I won't put them together until they are relatively them same size but I have them slowly getting used to each other until the time is right ..

There is also 30 day quarantine you have to get fecals done at your vet's office etc. before even thinking of putting them together.
As far as getting a joey to go with him.. it takes time

Your doing what you can, spending time with him.. He will begin to change for the better once he has a new buddy as my Nerf (Blue's brother) has been visiting his new brother and saying hellos .. and little by little hes becoming more like his old self very gradual but they grieve like we do just give him as much love as you can !! <3

Again I am so very sorry may your Meeka G.I.P