Saving The Joeys .. [2]

[sandragonfly]

hi, I would like to ask for prayers and thoughts for these little creatures who saved my life.

long story short: the day I found them all soaked and motionless before I was hospitialized, my friend took them in and took care of them for me. one seems is thriving very well and one is starting to not with a broken leg.

she, according to my friend, she said my little girl has been not eating very much in last 24 hours and is starting to look somewhat lethargic (not to the point yet?) when I got home. I ran over to the store where I remembered there was a care book about them. right now the most mandatory is to keep her warm so she can digest better and am giving her some warm droplets of puppy formula - she eats as much as half what syringe gives. that's very much all I can do until today (sunday) ends - I contacted someone at the wildlife rescue center and am waiting for the help response.

it's heartbreaking to see her like this, compared to the thriving male sugar glider.. I believe he is a he. so anyway, please keep her, my little girl in your prayers - I don't want her to die.

[Catty1]

Prayers for Joey...now that you have the information, I am sure she will thrive with your love and care!

[Karen]

What kind of creature are they? The only baby animals I know of that are called Joeys are kangaroos ...

[sandragonfly]

sugar gliders. I got it from the book, I guess any animal from the pouch is a joey.

since she's a tiny nocturnal wee and so fragile to handle, I must let her rest in little (aquarium) hospitank to keep her warm until tonight. I really hope she'll eat by then when it gets dark.

[koxka]

Where did you find them Gina? Have you got a response from the Animal Wildlife rescue center?
I google some links for your joeys:

An excerpt:
Sugar gliders in the wild feed on eucalyptus gum, sap, insects, nectar, and honeydew (an excretory product of nectar eating insects).
They will also eat bird eggs, lizards, small birds and other small prey items. This diet is pretty difficult to replicate in captivity. So a variety have food have been fed, in an attempt to somewhat mimic their natural intake and to see what makes them thrive in captivity.

A couple links:
Sugar gliders resource centre

Hand fidding your glider

I'm sure there are a lot more.Good look!

[sandragonfly]

thanks for the links! no, I haven't heard from anyone yet, I'll update as soon as I hear from one of them. just left a message at one vet clinic that does sugar gliders.

I found them by the road in a forest near a farm. strangely, they don't grow up here? I could be wrong but I hope someone didn't dumped them out.

I really can't give this girl anything the link listed until she perks up - I am afraid I'll do the more harm. suffering from hypothermia (and being dehyrated too?) can't help her digest or swallow efficently. warm puppy formula (esbilac kind - low in lactose) first with her in humidy tank then we'll try some sweetness with calicum powder next if needed or food alone, depends on how she's feeling. she only wanted 3 droplets (3 cc) of milk and didn't defecate or urinate when stimulated.. she is also a bit cold and pale. I'm afraid the broken leg is affecting her and not much we can do.

the other joey gets the wide offer of variety; canned marmoset diet, mango, papaya, halve grapes, apples, live mealworms and peas, is eating fine and stayed in his pouch-bag all day which says is very normal.

it's getting dark soon, this is exciting as it's my first night with them but at the same time I'm anxiously hoping it'll be a good night. thanks again for the helpful links, I'll read them in case I missed something in the book.

[jennielynn1970]

I found them by the road in a forest near a farm. strangely, they don't grow up here? I could be wrong but I hope someone didn't dumped them out.

I really can't give this girl anything the link listed until she perks up - I am afraid I'll do the more harm. suffering from hypothermia (and being dehyrated too?) can't help her digest or swallow efficently. warm puppy formula (esbilac kind - low in lactose) first with her in humidy tank then we'll try some sweetness with calicum powder next if needed or food alone, depends on how she's feeling. she only wanted 3 droplets (3 cc) of milk and didn't defecate or urinate when stimulated.. she is also a bit cold and pale. I'm afraid the broken leg is affecting her and not much we can do.

the other joey gets the wide offer of variety; canned marmoset diet, mango, papaya, halve grapes, apples, live mealworms and peas, is eating fine and stayed in his pouch-bag all day which says is very normal.

it's getting dark soon, this is exciting as it's my first night with them but at the same time I'm anxiously hoping it'll be a good night. thanks again for the helpful links, I'll read them in case I missed something in the book.

Gosh, I'd be as worried and confused as you are. Poor little sugar glider. Do they eat a lot of fruit like fruit bats? I have no recollection about what they eat at all. Will see what research I can find tomorrow at school on our reference database.

Just warmth and having her brother near her should help her feel better, so hopefully until you can get her to a vet to find out what is really wrong, that will have to do.

Big hugs to you for all your helping with them!

[sandragonfly]

well, good news - last night went pretty okay. the little girl did not come out of her little blanket in the hospitank (I'll have to take a picture of it later for you) so I picked her up gently and opened it up...her CUTE little big eyes and big ears looking up at me! I broke the dried canned marmoset food in a piece for her, she grabbed it out of my hand! it was frigging cute. but chewed like her mouth is in pain...munched way slow. so I took a look in her mouth, nothing looked so wrong. no reddish surface or anything. I was more concerned about her temperature and colorings; paleness. when I took her out, her furs were sooo warm but her body is a bit cold...doesn't feel right. anyway, I excitingly then gave her an piece of juicy apple (for some reason she didn't want some mango or papaya), she grabbed it too. had a very few bites of them then some of diet bits again and that was it. while that, I was watching the male pigging himself out in his own bowl - she DID NOT eat enough!! breaks my heart.. I so so wish I knew or would she tell me what's wrong. at least she ate she hadn't for two nights and I thought that was a sign of well, at least an improvement.. and the book said to not handle her too much, to let her rest. I put her in her new pouch-bag and back into the aquarium tank.

well, bad news - when I woke up and I checked on this little girl first thing, she was out of her pouch - in daylight? not good! she was sitting up curling up in a ball, ears shaking flat. I did not like that a bit I woke my friend up to take us to the vet office I googled up yesterday, tossed her back into her pouch bag and went. by the time we arrived, she seemed okay, sniffled outside of her bag. but we had her checked in anyway. the vet said she looks fine...crawled up from the vet's hand to his shoulder and GRIPS well. with many questions he asked, he thinks the problem is.....a male aggression. she was in the cage with only one pouch bag at entire time with the male until the night she refused to eat. my friend has been watching them sleeping together during the daylights and never heard any bickering or quarrels. so vet suggested me to not worry about her warmth, put the second pouch in the same cage and leave her for the day but to keep the room temperature above 80 degree; less stress for her. he did not think we should check her any further and let her de-stress and heal her 'weak developed' leg on her own. (it's not broken!)

but me, I still don't think that is the problem...it's just my instinct honestly. I swear she feels a bit cold than she should be and ...sigh. help? I am doing everything I can. I called the place that has a federal license on selling/rescuing sugar gliders the wildlife center recommended us and we will meet tonight in about an hour. I hope they can help us! second opinion is always good, things to think about.

jen, I don't think they are the siblings. the male seems to be a bit bigger, older and is way wilder than my little girl. the vet estimated ophelia's (I've named the little girl ophelia!) age to be about seven weeks old and said she was just weaned (at five-six weeks). here's a picture from last night of ophelia and of I'll-have-to-think-of-a-name-for-the-male!

my little sweet ophelia


and him. he's wilder than the tame girl, is still afraid of our hands.

wow! this is so long. sorry. do please keep this little girl in your thoughts while we are out again soon, I am already so attached to her!

[sandragonfly]

ok, we're back and I'm at end of wits. we went to the place, and found out it's mainly a reptile store. they do have sugar gliders raising in capivity there too. interesting place though.

two guys, one identified himself as a registered exotic vet took a look at my suggy ophelia and said mostly the same thing.

leg may have not just developed properly, "too young to tell." may be because of the male aggression because I fed her right diet, and kept her warm as much as I could. and just to keep the temperature right. they agreed that she should be left alone in the cage until so - "as all sugar gliders should be sold in a pair", needs a company to be with. or it will stress him/her to death. now this is probably is why I found those two suggies altogether. even at a different age.

so I guess, just leave her alone for now? this still doesn't look right to me for some reason. with symptoms she has, 'internal parasites' wouldn't leave my mind. she doesn't feel like eating however looks overall okay. well, all I know parasites do eat a creature up slowly and that's what I guess. no one should be cold. they said they didn't feel her too cold...well, I've held her all way there under my sweartshirt. since not a lot of people have responded to this, I just thought of a sugar glider forum, maybe I can find one. I don't think I can register until tomorrow on a computer.

she's (and thatcher - the male's) asleeping right now in their own pouch bag until their meal time soon. I sure hope they're right and that she's okay.

I'm gonna read the links again, maybe there's something else I find and thanks everyone for the responses.

[Karen]

At least they checked her over, and nothing obvious is wrong. Good for you for looking out for both wee little ones! Poor things, whoever abandoned them should be shut in a freezer overnight in their skivvies, and see how they like it.

[Scooter's Mom]

I agree with Karen.

They are very cute Gina. I love the name Ophelia for the little girl.

I don't know much about sugar gliders, but hope you can help these two little ones out.

Hugs,
Crystal

[Catty1]

Gina...maybe if Ophelia hasn't eaten for a while, her tummy has shrunk a bit and she gets full really easily. Maybe try feedings more often, but a bit less.

HUGS! I hope Ophelia comes around.

[sandragonfly]

in loving memory of ophelia ..



I took her to the exotic vet place she saw yesterday this morning - they were shocked then started off with I didn't do the set up and temperature right..

ophelia, I will be watching your buddy for you - I sure hope he'll be okay without you. send over me a friend for thatcher soon please. you're missed already!