sugar glider biteing

Question
QUESTION: hi i was wondering if you can tame a unfriendly glider? we just baught one and he hasent really taken to us at all, whenever we try to pick him up he will bite us like crazy we do not pull are hands away tho but he just dosent stop! we tried offering him treats but he wont come anywhere near us, what should we do?

ANSWER: Dear Stephanie:

Yes, biting glider can be tamed, but it takes a lot of time, patience and unconditional love.  Since you didn't provide some important information such as his age, is he neutered or not (if not I would have him neutered as soon as possible), has he had a vet visit to make sure he's healthy?  Other important factors would be his background, where you got him and what diet he is on.  But for now, I will provide some general information.

Sugar gliders generally bond to one person in the family.  While he may end up being friendly to others, he will generally bond with just one person in the family.  I would suggest that you decide who is to be the main caretaker and then have everyone else just back of for a while and observe.  

Don't try to pick him up for right now.  I would work first on getting him to trust just one person.  There are several different taming/bonding methods.  Here are a few:

1.  Sleep in an old T-shirt for a couple of days and put that inside his cage (you can put his pouch right inside of the shirt).  Sugar gliders bond by scent, so as much of your scent as he can get the better.

2.  Use a zipper or drawstring bonding pouch (during the day only) as much as possible.  Eventually he will begin to fall asleep in the pouch.  3 to 4 hours a day would be optimum.  An easy way to get the glider into the pouch with a minimal chance of getting bit is to open the bonding pouch, take his sleeping pouch (with the glider in it) and put the open end of his sleeping pouch into the bonding pouch as if you were pouring him in.  He will likely stay in the sleeping pouch until you sort of squeeze the from the bottom down (like a tube of toothpaste), the glider should then move down into the bonding pouch.  When he has, pull out the sleeping pouch and zip him up in the bonding pouch.  When you are done, you can just put the bonding pouch back in his cage and open it, he will come out and go back into his cage/sleeping pouch when he is ready.  

3.  Play time.  Your glider should have a couple of hours of play time each night.  For a biting, unfriendly glider, I would suggest a "bonding tent."  This is just a two person tent like the one you can find at Walmart for about $25.  Don't use an old camping tent.  Bring the glider (in his pouch) into the tent with you along with a toy and a treat.  You can unzip the windows so family members can watch and you can hear and see what's going on in the room around you.  The whole point of this is to let the glider come to you in his own time without you trying to "hold" him.  Right now he is frightened of your hands, but they are curious animals, so don't be surprised if after a few times, he runs and jumps on you.  The tent helps keep him contained while removing the distractions he would find otherwise in a room.

4.  Treats.  Whenever you approach this glider for any reason at all, come bearing gifts.  You want him to learn that only good things come from your hands and fingers.  So  offer him mealworms (usually their favorite) always by hand.  You can also give him dried papaya or mango and Yogurt drops.  Once you determine his favorite food, you can give that to him by hand as well.  He may be hesitant at first, but don't give up.  

5.  Licky treats.  After he is comfortable taking treats from your fingers, try coating your fingers with blueberry  yogurt or applesauce and let him lick it off your fingers.    Licky treats are a great way to begin to insert your hand into his pouch.  Don't try this for a few weeks, but once he seems to respond and trust you a little more, use licky treats to get close and then slowly slide your hand into his pouch.  Eventually, you should aim for sliding your hand in  during mid day while he is sleeping and groggy and see if you can't get your hand underneath him.  Then just leave it there so he can get used to your hand being there.  

This is a lot of work.  We aren't talking a few weeks.  We are talking months.  Don't measure your progress continually.  Just love him and work with him.  Eventually, you will look back and see how far he's come.  But if you are committed, eventually you will see progress.  Don't get discouraged.  He needs you.  Someone else might not take the time to even try to work with him.  So be happy with whatever he is willing to give and don't be surprised if you look back in 6 months or so and see a big difference.  

Laurie

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: thanks that is alot of help! he is an intact male and he is arround 3 years old and he eats fresh fruit and veggies along with the sugar glder sap mix, also, what if he dosent want to come aywhere near you wen oyur in the tent? what if he tries to escape and makes a loud noise? whenever he makes the noise he is verry scared. he will bite and nip whenever we try to feed him treats and he dosent like people at all! we will try the methods you have sugested and see where they take us.

Answer
No problem.  Happy to help.  Since he's intact, I would get him neutered.  The fact that he's a mature adult simply means he may take a little longer to work with.  The idea is tame him and to get him to trust you first.  Then you can work on bonding.  

As far a coming near you in the tent, eventually he will.  They are curious animals.  At first, just be still and watch.  Try using a feather teaser, like the ones they sell for cats to play with.  Make sure to wear sock, though.  Some of my gliders like to nibble on toes.  But if you keep it bare and simple in the tent, his curiosity will eventually get the best of him, especially if you bring treats in with you.  

He won't be able to escape from the tent.  Just let him explore and get used to the tent and get used to you.  He's very frightened right now, so don't ask a lot of him.  Let him come to you.  

That loud noise he's making is called crabbing.  You are right.  He's making it because he's very scared, but he won't get to know you if you don't work with him.  Eventually, he won't be so scared.  Just don't ask too much of him, like trying to hold him in your hand.  They are much more comfortable with walking on or jumping on you than being held at this stage.  

He will eventually trust you enough to take treats from you, it's just going to take time.  I wish I could show you Sara and Grissolm.  They were the most vicious gliders I've ever seen.  It took about six months for me to tame them to the point that they didn't bite me, but it was a very intense 6 months.  I've had them over 5 years and it's hard to imagine that they ever used to draw blood.  

You might consider getting him a friend.  They really do better in pairs.  The introduction should be made slowly, but you never know, if you get him a real tame, sweet, age-appropriate female, he might follow her lead and begin to trust you when he sees she trusts you.  Some of them respond well to follow the leader.

Best of luck,

Laurie