Taking a bite?

[Marie]

Ok, who agrees that you should 'take the bite?'.  Do you think it depends on circumstance?  What would you do if your suggie came up to you and bit you, tore off a strip of flesh and ATE it!!??  OR bit you and then lapped up the blood??!!!  (Those are 2 examples I've seen on some of the US forums).  I find it shocking that people would actually LET their gliders do that because they've been told to, or they believe they should take the bite!!!   

[Amalthea]

All I've got to say is "Ehh?" 

I've been bitten a few times by some not nice gliders, but they've never started to eat me!!! 

Although, sorta related...  When we had a very large boa, I reached into his viv as a kid and he was close to shedding (stupid, I know) and he went for me.  I just stood there and waited for him to let go, cuz I knew I could hurt him if I pulled away, not to mention ripping my skin would hurt more.  Is that what you mean?

[Marie]

Small part of the thread!! 

Nope, she tore off a small piece of flesh, ate it, and went back for more.

[TessG]

Are they raising vampire gliders? ring fighting sugar gliders? I have got a really bad tempered female at the moment who lunges and crabs but it's all show. I've never had one actiually do any damage! How would you get one to cut you up that badly anyway (not that i've got any plans to share in that particular activity)? All sounds a bit wierd to me. I think that is taking bonding with your gliders a bit too far!

[Marie]

Apparently the glider walks up to this person during playtime and does it! How incredibly bizarre!  I don't know what's more bizarre the suggie doing it in the first place or the person letting the sug do it!

[jungleflockmom]

I think that "taking the bite" originally meant not screaming and slinging the sug off your hand and has morphed into a parody of masochism.

I know that gliders will lap blood. And why wouldn't they? It's a part of their wild diet as they don't kill their prey then eat it, they just begin eating it so until it dies, it bleeds.

I had my gliders in a place I shouldn't have and just took the bites when they tried to climb out of my cami until I could get to the restroom and put them in the pouch I had in my purse.

But during training and taming, I would never do that. If at all possible, it's best to redirect the glider before it has a chance to bite.

And, of course, neutering the little males is a big help w/hormonal, territorial biting - especially if that can be done before sexual maturity.

[Amalthea]

Yeah, that has got to be the oddest thing I have heard of in a long time!!  Sure you don't fling a glider off if it bites, but you don't feed him your hand!?!?     Craziness...