MAJOR HELP

[tidlin]

You may have seen my post in the Health problems forum.  I thought Jam was doing better, but now he is, in my eyes, going crazy.  I really need help.  The only vet I know in my area who has a clue about sugar gliders is on sick leave for 2-3 weeks.

Jam is eating, but his poo is coming out a crystalized orange colour.  I feed him one of the pre-made-workedout-diets papaya, fig, apple, mango and iams cat biscuits.  He is eating fine but he is crazily burrowing into me/the couch/anything around him.  I can't get to the vet.  He is totally unsettled unless he is burrowed into me.  I've done the whole "when your glider is cold and limp" procedure.  I have no idea what else to do.  Please help.

[Amalthea]

I really don't know...  Maybe give Marie a call at the shop and have a chat with her, cuz she won't be back on here til after they close (although, I think that's realtively soon now).

[tidlin]

Thanks.
This morning he was up and having a walk around the cage.  He seems a bit better now.  It's strange. 

[Marie]

You NEED to take him to the vets for a check up, tell him/her about the poo, s/he may want to take a sample from him. 

Keep a really close eye on him, make sure he's eating and drinking and make sure he stays warm.  The poo colour could juts be a reaction to a different diet, do you know what he was fed before you had him?

[tidlin]

I am taking him to the vet, although I don't know how much use they will be as the exotic pet experienced vet is on sick leave.

His poo was normal before though, which is strange.  He was fed BML I think.

[Rhianna]

ine sometimes  have orange poo's if i feed them butternut squash, papaya, peach and figs in one sitting. i think its so much orange going in! haha its usally just the first poo too, then they go back normal.

[tidlin]

Oh!  That may explain.. I've been feeding him lots of papaya in order to get him better, maybe that's it.   He's completely fine now, I know I keep saying that but he's just.. fine.

Still taking him to the vets tomorrow, I really wish my vet wasn't ill. 

[Marie]

Lol - fingers crossed on the orange coloured poo! 

I would concentrate on trying to get him to around the same weight/size as Toast.  Give him extra out of the cage, to put weight on and improve condition (if necessary) I use oatmeal and apple sauce, a teaspoon of oatmeal, a little bit of applesauce, pour on a smidgen of boiling water and stir to a thick paste.  My lot get some as a treat occasionally anyway.

[tidlin]

I'll do that Marie, thanks.  I'll give him that with some of his fruit mush too, and maybe some added papaya for goodness?  I checked in the Tesco down the road from me but they don't have applesauce, it's only a wee Tesco.  I'll have to wait til tomorrow to get that.  Any substitutes?

Haha, I don't know if he'll EVER be as big as Toast.  He's absolutely MASSIVE.  No wonder though, with his two helpings of dinner every night.. 

[Marie]

Apple sauce, it's usually with the mint sauce and tomato sauce, that kind of thing, some weirdos have it with pork apparently!  If not apple sauce, a small amount of honey. I don't normally give honey, but a small amount in the oatmeal won't hurt