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 Strange behavior?

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RandE

RandE


Posts : 40
Join date : 2010-03-07
Location : WI

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PostSubject: Strange behavior?   Strange behavior? Icon_minitimeMon Jan 03, 2011 7:32 pm

We have a female glider named Sugar whom we've had for about 3 years now. She's currently housed with her neutered mate and her neutered son. She's always been sweet, I've barely ever heard her crab. She's never bitten me on purpose (mostly mistaking my fingers for food when she does bite) but today when I went to say hello to her and her family members she started hissing at me and bit me! Over and over again! HARD (I'm bleeding pretty good in 3 spots on my index finger)! This was after I had said hello and got her son and hubby out for cuddles. So she knew it was me.......

.....anyway. After that I put her pouch back in the cage she came out and hissed at me through the bars again. She then proceeded to poop and then eat it! She's NEVER done this before. It wasn't just one dropping. She kept pooping and picking it up as it came out and eating it. Like 4 or 5 droppings. Does anyone know what this could be? Should it be something I should be concerned about? I gave her a yoggie and went back in to pet her a while later and she seemed ok. I'm just concerned that my normal and sweet glider has suddenly become rather vicious and started eating her own droppings.

She's on Candy's Blended with fruits and veggies and Happy Glider dry food on the side.

Any help or ideas would be great! Thank you!
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Usha77
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Usha77


Posts : 1808
Join date : 2009-12-13
Age : 46
Location : Greeley, CO

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PostSubject: Re: Strange behavior?   Strange behavior? Icon_minitimeMon Jan 03, 2011 7:56 pm

I know that a change in behavior or personality could mean illness or injury. I'd probably bring her to the vet if it continues. Were there any different noises or scents or anything else different in the glider room? Did you use different soap or lotion?
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Something_To_Believe_In
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Something_To_Believe_In


Posts : 4565
Join date : 2009-12-10
Age : 50
Location : Texas

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PostSubject: Re: Strange behavior?   Strange behavior? Icon_minitimeMon Jan 03, 2011 8:01 pm

Yep, as Brenda said, a change in behavior indicates a need to see the vet.

Gliders - just like every other animal - will eat their feces if they are lacking something from their diet. It is possible (and I say this because I am not a vet, just a person with a lot of experience) that she has an infection or illness that is causing her body to not be able to absorb all the nutrients she needs. Therefore, she is eating her poop in order to get the most out of it. This is not a normal behavior for gliders and is, indeed, one I would be concerned about.

The change in behavior coupled with the eating of feces would have me rushing out the door to the vet.

I'm very glad that you know your glider so well and recognize this change in behavior. This could make all the difference.

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BindiAndScrubbie

BindiAndScrubbie


Posts : 2013
Join date : 2009-12-14
Age : 51
Location : South Florida

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PostSubject: Re: Strange behavior?   Strange behavior? Icon_minitimeMon Jan 03, 2011 8:51 pm

My girl, Bindi ate her poop when she was younger. She did it a lot. So much so that I had her re-tested three times after treatment, out of paranoia. (She had giardia when I got her.) I believe her little body had just gone so long malnurished and was unable to get what it needed during treatment and before coming to me. (I got her underage and severely malnurished.) She had a rough beginning in life and every so often will do the poop eating thing. I haven't seen her do it in a while now and her fecals are always clean. But yes, I do believe it indicates that something is 'off' in the system.

I would just take her in to be on the safe side.
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Jill Marie

Jill Marie


Posts : 27
Join date : 2010-12-03

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PostSubject: Re: Strange behavior?   Strange behavior? Icon_minitimeSat Jan 08, 2011 3:56 am

The only time one of my gliders ate poop was when I stopped giving them yogurt regularly. It was just one time that I know of, and never seen it since. It was explained to me that she may have done that to "kick start" the gut bacteria again from the loss of the yogurt, as they became "dependent" on it.

I agree though that 2 odd behaviors for your glider warrant a vet visit.
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