Sugar Glider Central

So unfortunately the first post on the new forum is a sad one.

I came home from work today and found my 4 year old suggie, Gumby dead on the cage floor. At first I thought he had choked on something, because I gave them some turkey, but after I took him out of the cage, I clearly saw that he was most likely attacked and killed by his cage-mate, Pokey. He is apparently a brother to Gumby, and he has always been missing his toes on his back left foot. He's almost got one big toe.

They had always fought, but never to the point of drawing blood. Maybe they got too aggressive over the meat, I hadn't given them meat in a long time, but I gave them more than enough. Either way, both of his eyes were gone, and one socket was almost picked clean. Also, it looks like his anus was eating too.

Does this strike anyone as odd? I know that in the wild its usually like one male and a bunch of females, and naturally having two males together is not ideal.

I just have never heard of sugar gliders randomly killing each other.

If anyone would like to see the picture of it, I can email them. I think they would be way too graphic to put on here.

I've seen this in the past, it's possible one of two things happened... he either died and out of instinct his brother was disposing of his remains... or they did get in to a larger than normal tiff and one ended up killing the other but I find this less likely personally. Two intact males isn't an ideal situation, how ever if there were no females to fight over it isn't likely they'd fight as if there were. Food and attention would be the only real reasons they would fight at that point. Hard to say though... I'm sorry this happened to you and your little one. Keep an eye on the one that is left for lethargy and being lonely (ie stops eating or drinking... etc).

As far as being intact, I had them both fixed when they were between 6mo and a year old, because they were fighting so much. it was kinda like play fighting, but a bit more serious.

Like I said I had given them turkey, but I've given them meat a number of times before and no real problems, maybe because its been a long time since I had given them meat last?

I wouldn't think so... but any thing is possible. I would more agree with the idea that maybe he died from something and the other one just ended up picking on him afterwards. Poor little guy, how is the brother doing?

Hes doing ok I think. He's always been very quiet and timid. I'm trying to pay a bit more attention to him now that Gumby is not there to keep him company. I plan to get a brand new bonding pouch and taking him around with me when I'm not working.

Gonna give him some grasshoppers tonight and hes been loving his yogurt treats now that nobody is there to steal them from him.

I've seen a glider fight that ended in death before. It doesn't sound like that is what happened here. He sounds like he was too 'intact' for it to have been from a fight. A friend of mine had a mating pair several years ago. When Delilah got pregnant and gave birth she stopped spending all her time paying attention to Samson and he got jealous of the babies. He kept picking at them. One afternoon when my friend got home Samson had gone after the babies for the last time and had disembowled Delilah. Begore she died she decapitated Samson. It was a REALLY REALLY ugly scene. This behavior is also not typical of gliders. Just a representation of how nasty the result of a fight between gliders is. This is why introducing gliders to an existing colony is required on neutral ground and under strict supervision. There is nothing at all nice about gliders fighting.

If I were you I would probably take Pokey to see a vet. Just to make sure he is on the healthy side of life. He may have the same issue his brother died of. Losing one is tragic enough. Losing both would be devestating.

Good luck with your little guy.

PS...I have several gliders. I have never had any fighting more than a quick crab when one snatches a treat from another. Extreme fighting among them in an established colony is UNCOMMON. Don't let this deter you in anyway from keeping Gliders.

Matt

I am so sorry! ((((HUGS)))) I would def. take remaining glider/gliders to the vet for a check up and fecal float and smear and urinalysis if they pee on the vet table. It could be though that the glider died and the other was trying to get rid of the remains but that is pure speculation. Lit a candle for your glider.............glide free little one.................

Yea, it seems like gumby died not at the hand of his brother.

As far as taking Pokey to the vet, what would he be sick with? I know gliders usually do not show symptoms until its too late. Gumby didn't show any symptoms, he was the same all the way until after I fed him last. Is there some sort of disease that can kill a glider with basically no warning? Or maybe this guy was just overly covering symptoms?

It is a gliders instinct to hide illness until they are very ill and near death. It is to keep them from predators. Without a necropsy(sometimes no answers are found) it is hard to tell what your glider died of but it could be bacterial or a toxin or anything really. I cannot urge you enough to take your remaining glider to the vet. This sounds like one of the things that has been happening to gliders, sudden death and the cagemate disposing of remains. An antibiotic probably would not hurt and your boy is going to need lots of attention now without his buddy.

Wow! I'm so sorry that this happened to your baby! I'm sure this must be devastating for both you and Pokey. I would definitely take Pokey in to the vet to be sure he is healthy. It's very possible that Gumby had an illness and tha't what he died from. You will want to make sure Pokey doesn't have the same problem.
It's just speculation here, but I would guess that Pokey was just trying to dispose of Gumby's remains.
Pokey will need extra attention from you. And when your vet says the time is right, you could start looking for a new cagemate for Pokey to help keep him from getting depressed.

Karen