Lonely Glider

Question
This will be a rather long story, but I need to make sure you know all the complete details to help with the answer process. Last night our heater unit just shut off. Without warning. I woke up this morning pretty cold. Our house was about 62 degrees F. My first thought was my sugar gliders. I keep them in my closet in their cage where it's darker and quieter during the day and it traps heat and it's warmer in there than the rest of my room. I take them out at night around 6-7 so I can feed/play with them and everything. I turned the light on and looked inside their cage and the older one was on the bottom of the cage. (They were sold to me at 5 and 7 years old. One is the father of the other, they are both neutered. I've had them for around a year now.) Horrified, I immediately picked him up. He was cold to the touch and barely alive. I put him back inside the pouch with the other glider and ran in a blur to get a heating pad, fresh water, grapes, etc. I ran back, plugged in the heating pad to get it started, took the sugar gliders, ran to my mom to tell her to get ready to go to the vet. She woke up and started to get my nephew up (she babysits him). I took the gliders out of their pouch. The older one was almost dead and the younger one was alive and alert but shaky. I put them on the pad and tried to get them to warm up and rubbed their skin. I fed the younger one some tiny pieces of grapes and put fresh water on their lips to try and get them to be more alert and get the older one to come out of it. My mom came into my room to tell me we couldn't get out of our driveway. Just my luck. I sat in my room for hours keeping them warm and feeding them. The younger one is fine but the older one passed away. I'm pretty heartbroken but I can't imagine how Nibbles (the younger glider) feels. He's been around Ralph(his father) his whole life. They've never been separated. Our heat is back and everything seems fine. As soon as I can, I will take him to the vet and make sure. I was wondering if I could get another glider for him to have another buddy. I don't know if a young one or an older one would be better. A male or a female. If you could give me any information on bonding them once I get a new one and which one to get it would be very appreciated. I'm going out after I go to the vet to get a space heater, too. This is one thing I never want to happen again. Any information would help. Thank you.

Answer
Dear Jamie:

I am sorry for your recent loss. It is very sad when something like this happens and my heart goes out to both you and Nibbles.  

That being said, I am sure Nibbles will be better off with a new friend.  I suggest that you find him an age appropriate mature glider (at least a year old), either a female or a neutered male.  Since he has been housed with a male previously, it shouldn't be a problem.  However, these little guys have minds of their own and you never know how the other male is going to react.  I'd say about 90% of the time the introductions go off without a hitch.

Until you have located the glider you plan to introduce as a  friend for Nibbles, I would spend as much extra time as possible with him.  

Once you bring the new glider home, make sure to get him vet checked and quarantine him for at least 3 weeks.  Following his quarantine, you can move his cage into the same room as Nibbles.  Begin with two cages across the room and switch the pouches back and forth every other day or so as you move the cages closer and closer together.  End up with them about 8 inches or so apart so they cannot grab each other's tails and injure them.  

Watch for signs of aggression.  After they have been next to each other for a week or two, you can attempt to introduce them.  I would choose a neutral spot and have someone there to assist you in case they begin to fight.  

If they seem to get along, watch them very closely for the next few days.  I have seen problems occur up to three days after an introduction.

I hope I have answered your question.

Happy New Year to you and Nibbles.

Laurie