Overgrooming but not sick.

As far as I am concerned, the cage is a good size for a quad - especially with the amount of out of cage time you give them. Toys are kind of a tricky subject...lol. Some people believe they need more open space in the cage than others. I generally put 1 or 2 toys more than the number of gliders in a cage - just so they can each be playing with their own toy if they want and they can move to a different one if they get bored. At least one of these toys in each cage is what some people consider a "reset toy" - more interactive and they can carry pieces or toys away and do what they want with them. I also have 2 wheels in each of my quads' cage and they seem to be just fine with that. I also have at least 2 pouches in each cage so if they don't feel like sleeping together some nights, they have a comfy place to be apart from each other.

Some gliders do stress out more than others and that can cause overgrooming. You could try different types of toys or a different diet (check out the diet section here) see if anything helps? I haven't had any problems with overgrooming except this winter which was particularly harsh and dry and my Tika started in on her eyebrows - purchasing a humidifier to keep the humidity in their room at "comfort level" seemed to do the trick. I don't know if she is like her mama with itchy dry skin or what, but it did seem to help.

I hope others with more ideas will chime in soon. Good luck!

Hi! This is long, I'm sorry! There is so much that can cause overgrooming. It happens to many gliders at some point or another. I have some questions that might help you figure out the cause, that's why this is so long. I'm happy to help you out.

First, I'd have her vet checked again. The last visit was more than 6 months ago, and you want to eliminate parasites or illness as a cause.

Second, how is she eating? Other than treats, her regular foods?

Does she play with the other toys in the cage, other than the wheel? What is her favorite?

Does she play with the other gliders, or is she kind of standoffish? I know you said she interacts as the peacemaker, but you also said they won't take food from her, so this may mean that she is kind of isolated within the cage (kind of like the odd kid out at school).

How does she react to things? Like, cage cleaning, vacuuming, bags or other noisy items rustling nearby? Are there other animals in the house? Where in the house is her cage? What other people live in the house, and ages (Adults, teens. kids, toddlers?)

I tend to view overgrooming as a stress issue, more than an illness. However, you have to rule the illness out first. As far as the fur goes, I have some gliders that look like show gliders, and others that look like rag-pickers. All on the same diet. Sometimes it's a sign of illness, but if that hasn't changed since you got her, it's lower on the likelyhood scale.

Good day..
Is the cage covered at all? If not try covering it leaving the front open. Also I have a few cages who area bit jumpy with loud sounds at times so for instance when I clean cages and rattle the cage paper they come flying out,I turn on the radio or tv and gradually turn it up. They seem to adjust to this and don't get as upset.

Her fur is fantastic looking, I wouldn't worry about that. I can see where she's overgrooming, but it's minor. To you, it's huge, I understand that. You are right to get on top of it before its bigger.

Try bonding time with just her a couple of days a week. Also, try the cage cover, if you don't have one (a twin size sheet with some folding will work perfectly). See if you can change your routine so that the noises that scare her, are away from the cage. I know it's not always possible, but anything will help.

I had a glider, Dexter, that would stress almost to the point of being ill, if I moved a single thing in his cage, or moved where his cage was, by even an inch. Literally one inch. He did not stress about cage cleaning, as long as I put everything back.

So, there are some gliders that stress quite a bit over very tiny things. It takes a lot of trial and error, and really paying attention to everything you do, and how they react to it. I know Val has some gliders that react very strongly to bags and vacuums.

Your little one really does look fantastic! I would not worry about her fur one bit. Sure, if compared to your others it might be different, but it is not at all bad.

I have many gliders that overgroom very badly. One of them has been overgroomed for years. Here is a picture of his overgrooming:

I only show you this to let you know that your little precious girl's overgrooming is not at all severe. That is not to minimize your concern, but to offer you some comfort that she is not in a serious situation at this time.

As you know, I have a house full of gliders. I have had over 100 gliders pass through my home in the past 2 years alone, and probably double or triple that over the course of the 4 years I have been rescueing. So, I have the pleasure to observe a wide variety of behaviors and personalities. I have some gliders with pretty significant anxiety and several who are just terrified by the sounds of plastic or paper bags or the vacuum. One thing that I have noticed is that those gliders who react more strongly to having their cage moved or to sounds in the environment often will also have greater anxiety with out of cage time. The new area might be fun for them, but it also stresses them out as well.
And, possibly she IS wanting more alone time. One thing that you might try to help you determine whether either of these are the issue is to remove the other two gliders for out of cage time every other day, but leave Luna in her cage. If she reacts by looking for them or by calling out for her buddies, then she likely is not wanting more alone time. IF not, then this might be the answer for her. Let her out every other day and see if that reduces her stress.

Also, you could try changing out the items in the cage more or less frequently. Maybe she needs more variety or maybe she needs less change. These are usually the first things I try.

Overgrooming can sometimes take many, many months to narrow down the cause. It is a trial and error process. If this does not work, then we will continue to problem solve with you.


Here is some info on vitamin E - I use it in my staple mix occasionally throughout the year:https://thesweetspot.forumotion.net/t1265-vitamin-e

I wanted to let everyone know that I haven't been washing the cage for the past two weeks but I still clean the pan out and the fabric items and her hair has almost completely grown back.

This may or may not play apart but I feel it is important to note any possible reasons of success to eventually rule all else out.

Good news! Thanks for keeping us in the loop.

In July I discovered that the issue with my whole cage was the oldest female I incorporated in December. I separated her and had one on one time for a week. She is now back in the cage and Luna's eyebrows are fully grown in. I think the older female was taking out her frustrations on the other three girls by picking on them so all three of them coped differently, Luna plucked her eyebrows. After the week I had alone with her, her demeanor is completely different, she no longer runs from noises or movement, she lets my hand near her finally, and she does not pick on the other girls. Some how I think that the trust she developed with me transcended into a better and more social cage environment for all my girls.

Great news!

That's wonderful! Even just a little one on one bonding can do wonders!