Bonding

[Rhianna]

i get the BIOPOT ones. its quite a large tub, and i get either the natural flavour or Mango, Passionfruit and Papaya?

Tescos have them in but i find them quite pricey there. i get mine from Morrisons.

[sonialouise]

Yeh he may be seeing if theres any buddies out there.  Dont fall into the trap of giving him attention when he barks, I used to get up and give them a treat doh........they then done it every night until they got a treat, I soon learnt

ups lol ive been giving mine attention when they bark, my partner said i shouldnt as like human babies they would keep demanding it. i guess i better stop that lol

[Marie]

Lol!  ATM though it is important he gets lots of attention until he gets a new friend.

[Rhianna]

i stopped running to mine. i only do it to one coz he barks soooo loud and WILL NOT shut up, no matter how long i leave him (lungs of a bloody opera singer that one), and i have neighbours to consider, but the others are not too loud.

[Maranwe]

I cannot wait to get to this point in mine and my Gliders relationship.
I've already held mine at the breeders house and I know Patience is required. They don't crab with me now and one even begun to run around me! It was adorable! Though maybe I'm lucky to have such naughty little babies!
Still it may be a different story when I get them to my home and they may become a little nervous, which I totally understand. I'd be a little timid in a place that is different and obviously smells strange. Still I can't wait! and bonding is the ultimate part of Glider ownership in my opinon and learning all about them is second to none! Though I'm sure when I get to the point of mixing foods that will be fun too!  :sg:

[Amalthea]

What I would do if I was bringing home new gliders is send the breeder a pouch for them to put in their cage, so it gets all stinky of them (unless they are already giving you a stinky pouch)...  This will help them settle a bit if they have something that smells of home

[Marie]

Ben could help you with the bonding process here, maybe he would put a piece of your worn clothing in the pouch so the joeys become familiar with your scent.  How old are they and how long til you get them?

[Maranwe]

Well I've left one of the pouches with him so that when the gliders come to me they will have the normal home smell and I think I will have to keep the other pouch around me so that my scent is in the cage also.
Do you think that is a good idea?  :sg:

[Amalthea]

Sounds like a good plan

[Marie]

Yep - that's a great idea, it's good for them to have something familiar when they move homes, it makes it a little less stressful for them.  I usually give the new parent the pouch they live in.

[Maranwe]

Well I'm glad you think its a good, it reasures me that I have the right idea. 
Ahh I still can't wait to get them!
The boy is going into the Vet for his neutering on Thursday and then the week after than on the Wednesday I'm getting them 

[stedgyson]

The yoghurt trick really helped me thanks, i did get bit once because i didn't move fast enough and he grabbed on with both front paws so i couldn't get away! I'm used to getting bit now tho, they go mental for Morio worms and if i don't wash the scent off the fingers i used to grab the worms i get nailed. Its a bit like shoving a drawing pin in your finger lol.

I've gone for mango flavour this time instead of strawberry but they couldn't get enough of it. Only a quid in Tesco.

[Rhianna]

ooh! ive never had a hard bite off mine, just nasty nips. Just like someone pinching your skin.

mine grab at my fingers too. theres only a couple i will let lick me coz the others are very deciving. they all nice and licky, then next thing you know, blood has been drawn.

mine love the mango too!

[stedgyson]

Funny i had a pretty nasty bite the first time (i say nasty, they are tiny!) he was hanging off my finger and wouldn't let go! Whole big incisor sunk into my finger a week ago, the puncture is still visible under the skin, like an internal scab.

Its the morio worms, makes them go beserk! I doubt ill get any more.

I'm always covered in tiny holes when i don't have a thick top covering my arms, its from their nails and i need to cut them, the wodent wheel isn't trimming them enough but i haven't bonded with them enough yet to grab hold of them without them trying to get away. Any tips on cutting nails on a glider that doesn't like to be picked up much? I'm probably just going to have to be patient aren't I?

[Rhianna]

yep. if you cut a gliders nails that arnt bonded to you or trust you 100%, it will cause them soo much stress.

even to bonded gliders, it soemwhat stressful even if done correctly and quickly.

imagine, the big giant you love to bits grabs you hand, nips it so you cant move then puts pressure on your nails. be quite uncomfortable.

imagine that again when the glider looks of you like you are a big scary giant.

be patient until they are bonded. im finding i need to do my lots nails too, coz my trim tracks just isint working for 6.