Prevention of injuries and illness

Never leave the toilet seat up! Gliders drown quickly. Make sure you have covers on all large drain holes.

Water should ALWAYS be available for your glider to drink. Use either a shallow water dish or a water bottle designed for small mammals. A good way to check if your glider is dehydrated is to pinch the skin right behind your glider's head. If it snaps back into place quickly then he/she is fine. If it slowly sinks back into shape then you need to give him/her liquids quickly!

Food should also always be available in pellet, unsalted crackers, shredded wheat, or fresh fruit (apple, grape, or orange)

Never feed chocolate, or allow them to eat houseplants or give them access to chemicals or toxins.

Calcium deficiency can cause paralysis and even kill. Make sure that your glider has vitamin/calcium supplements.

The resting heart rate may exceed 300 beats per minute.

Normal glider temperatures range from 85 to 95 degrees.

A normal weight range is from 90 to 150 grams, with males weighing more.

Healthy eyes are black with no flecks of white or clouding. They should be bright, alert, and responsive, and not sunken in.

A healthy nose is pink and moist with no discharge or crust. Any noise while breathing is a sign to take your glider to the vet.

Gums and membranes should be pink. Should be free from lesions, and not appear or feel dry.

The ear should always spring back to its original shape. No wax should be present. Look for ear mites.

Feet should be pink and soft. Check for injured toes. Trim toenails with small toenail clippers, or an emery board. Always have a jar of styptic powder handy in case you trim the nails too far. Avoid the pink portion of the nail. If it is cut, apply styptic powder and pressure until the bleeding stops. Check glider's grasping reflexes, and make sure they use all their toes and fingers when grasping. Make sure they grasp with both hands and both feet.

Make sure that in females, the pouch is not sticking out.

Coat should be smooth without any missing patches. (This does not include the "bald spots" on males where the scent glands are).

Stool should be checked for parasites.

Be aware of diseases and illnesses found in sugar gliders. Diabetes, pneumonia, urinary tract blockages, and other maladies are a few of the things to which gliders are susceptible. Gliders usually only show signs of ill health when they are near death, so it is important to react quickly when abnormalities are noted.

You should have a vet before any health problems occur. Ask your vet if they have treated gliders before, and what training has they had specifically geared towards treating gliders. The Vet database may be of help to you in finding a vet who knows what he is doing where your glider is concerned.

If you notice any of the following symptoms rush your glider to the vet as quickly as possible!

Legs not moving correctly, feet not grasping, or stumbling.

Glider moving around blindly, banging into walls, or acting as though he cannot see.

Vomiting, Diarrhea or constipation.

Self mutilation, loosing hair in patches, or flaky dry skin.

Like my gliders would say, a lot of things are just common sense when it comes to the health and welfare of these little guys.  Be alert to unusually behavior.