Accident?

Question
I was saddened to find one of my sugar gliders dead today and am worried about the cause because I have two other gliders who I want to keep healthy.

My gliders have their own room, and I found her on the floor under a paper plate. The plate had been on a ledge about 6 feet high. My boyfriend's theory is that she fell at the same time as the plate and was unable to catch herself and glide because the plate got in the way.

Does this make any sense at all? I've seen them fall and knock things over so many times that I have trouble believing that this is possible. I hadn't noticed any of the gliders being sick and their last vet check was about 6 months ago. I think I will bring my two remaining gliders to the vet just to double check that nothing is wrong - is there anything extra I should have him look for?


Thanks so much!

Answer
Tho I am not a Veterinarian or qualified to speculate what really happened to your little one I am deeply sorry for your loss as I too have experienced this phenomenon in the past..

You are doing the absolute proper & responsible thing by taking your remaining gliders into the vet for a look over.. you sounds as if you take great care of your babies and I doubt that there would be anything seriously wrong with them physically..

Your boyfriend's theory is not an unbelievable one as that very well might have been the case.. as you know gliders reply on their membranes to glide & an interruption to that process very well could have caused such a horrific accident.. thinking of how small they really are to be falling form a height of six feet would be equivalent to you or I falling from a 2 story building..

as I said I too experienced this same situation.. finding my little guy on the ground of his new and much larger cage.. all of the other little ones were healthy as clams

In the wild there are plenty of limbs & things below a glider's playing grounds to break a clumsy glider's fall.. and unfortunately we are really unable to mimic that wild & natural setting.. tho we try..

Most likely she died by accident.. and sometimes these things just happen.. :(

Please do let me know what your vet had to say.. I wish you and your remaining clan the best of health & wishes for 2011 & beyond..

kaden O_o