Hi everyone! It's been a while since I updated everyone on Chance and Hope. I just wanted everyone to know they are doing well.
Chance is a piggo and Hope is just a midget. They are both pretty small and I'm not sure if this is going to be a problem. Is it bad that they do not weigh that much? I feed every few hours and they eat until they are full. I will have to get the exact weight tomorrow at work.
I have attached some pictures so people can see how they are doing. Besides for being on the small side, they are doing well. Chance has learned how to jump on the top of the incubator and crawl around up there. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Speaking of, they are still in the incubator b/c they are still too small for a cage of any kind. I still don't think they are big enough to retain their own body heat and just want to be on the safe side. This week they are going to be able to play in their new cage, but not sleep in there.
Anyhoo, here are the pics...
Re: Chance and Hope week 7
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#66113 10/31/0512:18 AM10/31/0512:18 AM
Awww...too sweet!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> They are soooo little yet!
Glider Kids - Badger and Bonnie, Pepsi and Grace, Victoria.. ahem..I mean ummm..Victor! and Isabella <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Re: Chance and Hope week 7
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#66117 10/31/0512:50 AM10/31/0512:50 AM
I have been wondering how they were doing. They are still so small, but have grown so much since the last pictures I saw. You are doing great with them. Maybe Hope is just going to be petite. What are you feeding them and are you still hand feeding them? Keep us posted.
Becky Guardian of Stryder, my Grandson's Sugar Glider
Re: Chance and Hope week 7
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#66118 10/31/0501:34 AM10/31/0501:34 AM
I'm not hand feeding persay... They eat on their own out of Gerber babyfood lids. I'm still doing half formula and half babyfood. They really like the babyfood. It fills them up faster too. So far they've tried squash, sweet potato and applesauce babyfood. Next is carrot. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
I worry b/c they are so tiny. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />
Re: Chance and Hope week 7
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#66119 10/31/0505:09 AM10/31/0505:09 AM
[:"green"]Tina, they look great! I really wouldn't worry about their size at this point. They're about the same size that Sugar was at that age - here's a picture of her in her cage when she was about the same age. Sugar is now fully grown & to look at her, you'd never know that she had such a "rough start". I think Chance & Hope would be okay in the cage now with a heating pad under the bottom of it, but it's really up to you & your comfort level. Thanks for the update! You're terrific!!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" />
Okay, I guess I'll put them in the cage tonight and see how they do... I have a small bird cage I'll let them test out before they go in there big boy and big girl cage. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Well, they're in the little bird cage now. I put them in a parakeet cage just to see if they'd like it and use the bars. Of course, the little crapper-doodles are just sleeping all cozy under their froggy stuffed animal and bundled up in the layers of fleece I put in there... I guess they can retain their own body heat better than I thought! I touched them a little bit ago and they were both still warm.
Now they're crying, but probably b/c Hope doesn't like Chances [censored] in her face while she sleeps. LOL
I'm going to put them back in the incubator for night night time tonight and put them in the small cage during the days...
Thursday is week 8 and I hope they can eat just the babyfood. (praying and hoping!!!)
Thanks for all the support everyone! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Re: Chance and Hope week 7
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#66125 11/01/0506:24 AM11/01/0506:24 AM
Hubby and a I have been following the story of these 2 precious angels since day one and have to say they have made HUGE steps and grown so much. It is a credit to you Tina, awesome glider mom.
I am unfamiliar with different colors, but these 2 look like they have a brownish color to their fur. The hair looks raggedy like it is different lengths almost a shaggy appearance. They do look very small for being almost 8 weeks. I know when my little Pandora came home she was only 4 weeks oop and her fur was fluffier, but her tail still wasn't fluffy. By 8 weeks though she had puffed out, and she ran on the wheel every night so her musculature was nice and well formed. I kept her in a hamster cage as it had a solid wheel and the bars on hamster cages are horizontal where as bird cages seem to be mostly vertical. She had her little pouch in there with her blankie and didn't seem to have a problem keeping warm. But we live in Florida and this was in April so spring was already warming up stuff.
These 2 look like they will need some extra weeks of TLC, but they are doing so well, I am sure they will catch up in no time.
Great job again Tina. Kudo's to you for being such a wonderful Glider Mommy.
Re: Chance and Hope week 7
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#66126 11/02/0503:19 AM11/02/0503:19 AM
Aww, thanks. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Their mom was a cinnamon and their dad was a white faced blonde. Or vice versa... I can't remember. LOL Either way, Chance has a bit of cinni in his body with a lighter face, but not quite blonde all the way. Hope seems to have the standard grey body with the white face. So cute!!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Chance keeps hurting my feelings by biting me though. LOL Oh well.
They are pretty tiny for almost 8 weeks... They are still in the incubator, I let them stay in the small bird cage last night and they got a bit cold, probably not a big deal, but I want them to be warm. I let them play in it during the day and at night they go in the incubator. I'm going to switch that when they hit 9 weeks so they get to play in the bird cage at night and sleep in the incubator during the day. I want to make sure they get their natural nocturnal instincts rolling.
So funny thing happened today. They snubbed the carrot baby food. LOL I mean, took a lick and went dashing off to the nearest finger they could find to latch on. Ben said they looked so funny and then refused to eat it so he had to go make another batch with mango babyfood. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Re: Chance and Hope week 7
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#66127 11/02/0507:59 AM11/02/0507:59 AM
[:"green"]It's funny how picky they can be about what they do & do not want to eat. I'm always amazed at how their likes & dislikes seem to go together by clan, too. One clan may love one thing & another one won't touch it! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/nixweiss.gif" alt="" /> Who knows why?!? Glad to hear they're doing so great. I think your action plan with the cage & incubator sounds like an excellent one. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" />