Introducing... my sugar gliders!

[Jessika]

Banjo is being such a jerk. We can't handle him at all. We were able to bond with Kazooie quickly (ironically, she's the "mill breeder" suggie and he came from a breeder), but we are going above and beyond any methods we used with Kazooie and they just are not working with Banjo. In fact, he seems WORSE now than when we brought him home. He will dart out of his bonding pouch or cage with no warning and then we're chasing him around the room trying to catch him... he bit my boyfriend so hard yesterday he wouldn't let go of his finger until I pulled him off of him. Of course he bled pretty good.

He lunges at us, crabs at us, tries to bite us....... I don't want to give up on him but we are obviously not doing something right. We are following all of the methods being suggested to us ("tried and true" methods) and he just seems to be giving us the middle paw... at a loss. It's stressing my boyfriend and I out so much now that we're starting to get into arguments with each other over it... ugh.

I know bonding can take months, but surely you should start to see baby step improvements, not huge jumps backwards?????

Gonna try to call the breeder tonight to see if she has any suggestions...

I'm only putting this information here not only for advice but for potential sugar glider owners so they know that this is NOT always a cakewalk with these guys and they do require a LOT of work and commitment...

[Freedom]

Oh they ARE cute! In that first photo, can you please identify which is which?

And that cage - PVC a DIY project? Super cool!

Do speak with the breeder; and maybe a specific online forum for them will offer ideas as well.

Here in RI, you must obtain a permit before you can own them. Sure, folks don't know and do get them, but then later on they often find themselves in trouble.

[Jessika]

No permit needed in Missouri... which is how mill breeders are allowed to trick people into buying them.

Banjo is the mosaic on bottom, and Kazooie is the standard grey girl on top

We're attempting tent time again tonight... any other time we've tried it with him he will NOT come out of the bonding pouch... We both signed up at http://glidercentral.net and that has pretty much been our main source of information and advice throughout all of this.

[Jessika]

Small baby steps of progress with Banjo... for awhile I thought he may be pouch aggressive, but he lets me stick my hand into the pouch with him even while crabbing/lunging and does not bite me... and he settles down pretty quickly when I do so. Considered switching to an open-environment type cage set but if we're seeing improvement doing what we're doing, I'd hate to think I "wasted" a lot of money on cage items that I can no longer use... (cage sets aren't cheap...).

Kazooie, of course, is sweeter than ever. I walked into the room ~10pm last night (typically before they wake up) to grab their diner to clean it and get their food ready and her little head was sticking out of the cage pouch. As soon as I opened the door she JUMPS from the cage pouch onto my shoulder. Hung out on me the whole time while making their food, too, and tried running off with a few bits of strawberry...





This was one of the first good looks he allowed us to get of him since bringing him home. I noticed it looks like he has food all over his face or hasn't been grooming well! It's been about a week since taking that pic, and he seems to have cleaned up, but it made me worried thinking he was too stressed to groom himself properly.

[chocolatepuppy]

Aww, cuties! I hope things continue to go well!

[Karen]

Glad things are going better with Banjo and still so well with Kazooie! Such cuties!

[luckies4me]

If you need help please refer to my previous threads. You can search under my name for posts pertaining to suggies. I run a rescue and occasionally breed and can offer you assistance if you need it. If you private message me I can provide you my email address. They are both adorable. It can sometimes take months for a bond to develope between an owner and their suggie. Please do not give up. It will be soooo worth it! Has his attitude changed since he's been neutered? How old is he? What is his lineage? Any lines from P.P.?

[Jessika]

If you need help please refer to my previous threads. You can search under my name for posts pertaining to suggies. I run a rescue and occasionally breed and can offer you assistance if you need it. If you private message me I can provide you my email address. They are both adorable. It can sometimes take months for a bond to develope between an owner and their suggie. Please do not give up. It will be soooo worth it! Has his attitude changed since he's been neutered? How old is he? What is his lineage? Any lines from P.P.?

Hello Thank you for the offer. We are seeing small improvements with him, especially with tent time, but we still cannot handle him and he still crabs at us when we pick up the cage pouch to transfer him to the bonding pouch, etc. His attitude has not changed since neutering (he was neutered nearly a month ago if not longer). His OOP date is Nov 3 so he just turned 5 months old (wow!). I do have lineage on him; he came from one of the original suggie breeders (Judie Hausmann), so I highly doubt there is any chance of having mill breeder blood in his lines. Our girl DID come from PPP, as previously mentioned, but she is sweet as can be!!!!!!

[kaycountrygal]

May 26 2013.
I just found this thread that started Feb 2013. The babies are absolutely adorable. (no, I will not be getting any) I'm wondering... how's it going with them now? Is Banjo more friendly now? Did you keep him?

[Kelly02]

They are so Cute!!

[Jessika]

May 26 2013.
I just found this thread that started Feb 2013. The babies are absolutely adorable. (no, I will not be getting any) I'm wondering... how's it going with them now? Is Banjo more friendly now? Did you keep him?

Sorry to miss this! We switched to an OE (open environment) cage set for them and I have noticed huge improvements. We still cannot handle him, but there is significantly less crabbing from him when we handle the cage pouch, transfer him to the bonding pouch, etc. I can rest my hand in the pouch with him with no crabbing, he takes licky treats and regular treats from us (sooo sooo gently, too! It is so sweet) without hesitation anymore, and when I'm just hanging out with them on my days off during the day I keep their bonding pouch on my lap unzipped, and he is getting brave and will venture out just a tad (but ducks back in if I look at him or move my hand to pet him, etc).

Just bought a new beautiful cage set for them (I am beyond excited for it, it's St. Louis Cardinals themed!!!) that I was getting ready to switch out today!

[Karen]

Sorry to miss this! We switched to an OE (open environment) cage set for them and I have noticed huge improvements. We still cannot handle him, but there is significantly less crabbing from him when we handle the cage pouch, transfer him to the bonding pouch, etc. I can rest my hand in the pouch with him with no crabbing, he takes licky treats and regular treats from us (sooo sooo gently, too! It is so sweet) without hesitation anymore, and when I'm just hanging out with them on my days off during the day I keep their bonding pouch on my lap unzipped, and he is getting brave and will venture out just a tad (but ducks back in if I look at him or move my hand to pet him, etc).

Just bought a new beautiful cage set for them (I am beyond excited for it, it's St. Louis Cardinals themed!!!) that I was getting ready to switch out today!

Oh, how fun! But expect much complaining!

[snakemama]

Hee hee, so cute!! I love them!

I remember when a woman I used to work with rescued a suggie from a man who had been keeping him in a ten gallon tank (!!!). Since they are illegal here she had to learn a TON in a VERY short time, and when she described all the work she put into her suggie's habitat and diet it left me in awe of people who keep these little guys. Not for the faint of heart but SO worth it!

Her son named her little rescued fellow "The Guy in the Box" because it took him forEVER to feel comfortable around them, and he hid in his little box for a LONG time.

I also remember how nervous she was when she took a weekend road trip to smuggle a friend for him into the state. Luckily, it was worth it as his new friend was VERY social with both Guy and her, and it helped poor Guy come out of his shell.

Anywho, I've rambled enough, your suggies are adorable!!

[Jessika]

Awwwww, how nice of your friend!

This is a major breakthrough for us with Banjo; he let me trim his nails Friday!! Crabbed the whole time, but I was easily forgiven with a cranberry after we were done. And no biting!

[Karen]

Awww, yay! One of these days you should nominate him for Pet of the Day!