Awww, that is so sweet! Such a special moment.

Ollie was a meanie butt again last night and this morning to my girls over the food.

I placed the food in earlier than usual, 4:30pm. They all slept in a little due to the nail trims and mealie feast. I placed one f/v bowl on shelf and one on floor under a toy for cover as I've been doing.

I wasn't in the room when they got up the first time to eat, so I don't know who got up first.

I'm planning on getting the food in there earlier every day, while I can and figure out how to handle any schedule changes when I start working again.

He seems to be more aggressive on the floor, so I'm thinking of ways to offer both stations off the floor. I will see what I can work out and try different ways until I find what works.

I was wondering though, as some of you know about the changes in my life this past year, you are aware that my poor babies have not had consistent out of cage playtime scheduling they had before I moved the first time earlier this year. They've had some more recently, prior to the second move, but went a long period with none. Is it possible that being "pent up" could cause the change in Ollie's personality towards the food?

I realize that changes in my schedule with feeding them is a most likely factor and the fact that the girls are up now when or soon after the food is being offered most of the time. Ollie boy is used to being the first one to have access to the food and eating his first meal alone. I have seen them eat nicely together at times, but there has been a lot of fussing going on lately again. I can't help but wonder if the changes in all the routines has taken an effect on him.

The good news is it wont' be too much longer before they can get into a routine with out of cage play, I know it makes a difference in their attitude towards me.

It's almost 5:30pm, I place their dinner in cage just after 5. I had wanted to do it a little earlier, but lost track of time.

I went ahead and placed the f/v bowls in the usual places this time. I placed in the food and left for a couple of minutes, then I went back to check on them. I heard chewing as I was entering the room, but had to turn on another light to identify who it was, lol. Luckily, light didn't disturb them, I thought it was Ollie at first, then Skadoosh and who I thought was Lulu popped out of the pouch. Skadoosh went right to the floor bowl and the other came out and climbed around to the shelf. I was curious to see Ollie's reaction to Lulu. Lol, it turned out it was Lulu on the shelf eating already and Ollie coming around to join in the feast. I don't really know how I could mistake Lulu for Ollie, but the light wasn't that bright, and I couldn't see her head front on, or I would have been able to tell for sure.

I enjoyed watching them for a little while.
Anyway, Lulu and Ollie ate peacefully from the shelf bowl while Skadoosh enjoyed picking out all the corn from the floor bowl tossing aside green beans and bok choy.

I checked back on the two on the shelf before leaving the room. At this point Lulu was on and hovering the bowl, Ollie walked around her to get another green bean, Lulu enjoyed the okra first.

They were up around 3:30 snacking on some Happy Glider, while I was placing clean fleece items inside their cage.

I did some cleaning in the cage this afternoon, and changed out a few toys and some rearrangement of some accessories. All the commotion woke my little brats and of course they ended up coming out and looking for food , they got into the forage toys, I had just filled.

Earlier this morning when I was taking out food dishes, which were emptied pretty good (they had a feast of brussel sprouts and apple with a little of their regular mix), they had full bowls, plenty of food, and while I was cleaning the food shelf, Ollie came out looking for food, all the forage toys were emptied as well at that point, so I gave him a couple of nibbles.

I placed their dinner in just after 5pm this eve. Lulu was up already and first to get to the shelf, and Ollie was joining her within seconds, then Skadoosh made her way over and all three were eating well together again, as they've been the last couple of evenings. I'm not hearing as much fussing, only occasionally later at night or early morning, but sometimes it could be I'm just too sound asleep

When I rearranged some items, I sat their branch up vertical for a change (as I usually do every couple of weeks), so I decided to try one of the little barn diners I used to use (seen in earlier post of this thread). I'm curious how this will be, I'll have to really listen out tonight, because these are small with one way in and out.
I've been nervous about using them, but I thought it would help hide the food bowl, but I'm considering putting both bowls back on shelf if they seem to be eating there fine all together. I'm not sure what is best to do.

I didn't hear any fussing in the evening, but in the morning around 6am, I got up to take my dog out, and hear Ollie boy fussing away. They were on the floor of cage but ran to the front when they saw me. I gave them quick hello pats, but that wasn't what they wanted.

I made sure they had over the 2tbs of f/v per glider, and Ollie was chasing someone away from the diner on the floor. I did add a second one to the floor this morning, on the other side (another small barn). I got out the third food bowl out and will place 3 bowls of their f/v in tonight to see if it helps.

I'm thinking what is going on is when food is placed early enough, for the most part Ollie seems ok sharing from the start. As the night goes on and the food becomes more limited he gets guarded over it. Does this make sense?

I really have to keep speculating and trying different things. I'm hoping when routines get in order, this may help as well. I'm a little concerned though still over his change of behavior, maybe it is just he's trying to raise up the chain.

I'm at my wits end, not sure what else to try. The extra food dish had to be moved from the diner and placed on the shelf with the other bowl. Ollie started out fine but soon guarded both floor diners. He sat on one ( in the back right corner). When Lulu went to go into the diner in the front left diner, Ollie ran right over fussing and chased her back across the cage and up halfway,

I know that they all had ate quite a bit from the shelf bowl, and I believe that's when Ollie gets guarded over remaining food.

He hasn't hurt any of the girls so far, and no one is loosing weight, but I don't like my girls being treated that way.

You may have to rig up another ledge for them.

I'll try and see what I can do to work that out.

I was considering about getting some type of shelf for the cage, but already having the one corner shelf, I really didn't want to take up that much more space. So then I realized I'll have to resort to a hanging diner of sorts, I don't really like diners. Anyway, I stopped at the Dollar Tree after finishing up some Christmas shopping earlier today and got a container I thought I could rig. I got it home, melted holes where I thought they should be to attach some chain I have. Melted the entrance holes on opposite sides, but I couldn't get the darn thing to hang too good. I ended up having to melt holes for chains on the other two end. Here is a photo, it does get a little slanted, and I was hoping to get the photo when there was a glider or two, that's right, two gliders were inside eating at one time. My phone does this thing where the SD card removes itself, so I had to take my phone apart to get the picture, everyone was back in the pouch by then.



You can see it's hanging from the corner shelf where I still keep one bowl (used to be able to serve both bowls, now up to three in three locations )


Here is where the other diner is in the right back corner.

Have you tried taking all of the dishes out of the covered areas to see if that might make a difference. They may feel confined in the enclosed space and that might contribute to their food sharing issues.

Most of the time the bowls are not in an enclosed structure, I just recently tried those and they failed. I have however always tried to place the bowls under something to try to keep food clean, they seem to like to sit or hover over their bowls.

This is what I've tried more recently:

Placing a bowl on center of shelf, under hanging structure to give access to the bowl from all around, the structure hangs low enough to prevent hovering over. I've been placing a little over 1/3 of f/v combo in bowl.

I place cage mount feeder under shelf, it's out of view but has room for them to sit on, in, or hover as I can't control distance of the bars of cage wall. I've been placing about 1/3 or little less of f/v combo.

These two are placed in cage by or before 5pm usually.

A third bowl containing 1/3 of f/v is saved for later placement. I take remaining combo from shelf bowl and empty leftover contents into the cage mount feeder, then replace with new, full bowl.

I have tried the food replacement method at various times to see if there is a difference. I'm still working on comparing the times for improvement, but so far it seems that adding fresh bowl before 10 pm seems to have better results over later than 10pm. I've heard fussing after then or later prior to replacing the bowl.

It's so bazaar, I have heard/ seen him fuss at girls where there is no food on occasions and have seen them eat peacefully together at several times. Ollie's behavior usually changes later in the evening to early am. Rarely will he fuss starting out.

Two things I've considered:

1. Ollie was an early riser, looking and waiting for food, some occasions he would be in the pouch and come out as soon as food was placed. I feel he had been up and went back to pouch to wait though.

The girls are now getting up earlier, sometimes one of them, either Lulu or Skadoosh will be up before Ollie.

He may feel he's loosing first pickings.

2. Because most of the time the fuss starts later, and there is less food to choose from, he may be guarding remaining food. By placing a fresh bowl a little later may help give more selection.


Something that I just considered over night: I have been using mixture, several varieties of fruits and veggies offered every night. I cannot remember when I started to prepare them that way, but believe it was before Ollie got fussy.

I'm now considering on going back to offering several different and smaller varieties like I used to do.

I cannot be sure if it's the larger variety or just less food to pick and choose from that could be causing the change.



I do leave pellets in the cage, and have recently (being home all day, while unemployed) noticed one of the gliders getting up early in the day looking for food.

These gliders are not starving, I've yet to get a scale, but none appear to have lost any weight. They all look and act very healthy and activity level is normal. There is usually some leftovers in at least one of their f/v bowl and occasionally of their staple nectar, but that's usually finished.

The three of them sleep in same pouch.

Another thought if you have not tried it -

When I feed frozen mixed vegetables (limited to once a week) Sassy chases the other gliders away from the dish they normally share peacefully until SHE has had all of the corn out of the mixture she wants. She considers it HERS.

Every other night I feed one fruit and one vegetable along with their staple on a single divided plate placed in the middle of the cage floor. All 4 gliders in the colony either eat at the plate together or grab a piece of fruit or veggie and take it to their own favorite spot in the cage to munch on.

The ONLY time there are squabbles over food is when there is a small amount of one item (corn) and Sassy wants it all. My other 2 colonies have no issues over food at all.

They still get a variety because I feed a different pair each night so the get at least 7 fruits and 7 vegetables each week. I do count peas & carrots and mixed vegetables as ONE veggie of the 7 and the usually get one or the other of these each week, not both.

I have no picky gliders - they all eat what ever I offer each night.

Thanks Candy, I was thinking of going back to different, smaller varieties each night, I used to offer one or two of each f/v. I have two full batches of mixed medley of several f/v both frozen and fresh that was chopped and frozen. There is about 1.5 - 2 weeks worth in each, plus a couple of more nights left in another batch. I may be going away for a few nights this weekend, if my sister will feel comfortable feeding them a few nights. I will try to figure a way to sort through and divide up into several different smaller variety serving and store them that way when I get back, and see how it goes.

I've seen divided plates at Dollar Tree and considered them. I have read that you and others use them, but I'm too particular about them being all over their food, sitting and stepping in it, even going to potty in it.

My gliders are pretty good about gathering around the plate and eating from the sides. By morning they sometimes slide it under one of the shelves and it gets some droppings in it but I think they eat most of the food before they start moving the plate around the cage.

Your gliders must have better manners than mine, lol. If there is room above the dishes they will sit in or on and hover over the dish. The cage mount feeders are larger and they have room to climb on and into them due to the bar spacing, the bowls, if there is space, they will hover completely over it I'm concerned they will climb right onto the plate, but maybe I'll pick up one at the Dollar Tree if they still have them and give it a try, however, I cannot see me putting their liquid portions on one, what a mess they would make. They do sit around their "Wormy Wednesday" dish (a round,shallow glass ash tray) pretty well, but that gets scarfed up so fast, not really time to trample all over it.

It is official, I am going to New York for a few days, leaving Saturday am and returning Tuesday, early afternoon most likely. I'm going with my sister and nephew, he is performing with a group at the Lincoln Center (he plays the base). My oldest sister will feed the fur brats for me Saturday through Monday. Monday will be the trickiest due to her work schedule, they'll get fed later, but that's bound to happen at times anyway, I just hope they don't give her any trouble. I used to be able to place their dinner in anywhere from 5-7pm before they'd get up, I don't know why they all started getting up looking for food so early this year. All I can think of is the time change when we moved to AZ, and the time was 2 hours behind the time here, so when it was 4pm there, it was normal feeding time here. Is it possible that the time difference messed up their feeding schedule? All this started after the move, plus in the Spring when the clocks move forward, it was then 3 hours behind. Oh I wish I kept better track of when all this exactly started to see if was after DST. If this is the case, could it be possible that they'll start getting up later to eat again after adjusting to the new time change? I know gliders can tell that it got darker earlier in AZ than it did here, and if they use daylight to determine their schedule.

This morning there was little more f/v scraps in both dishes and almost half the liquid left, this happens rarely. They ate all their pellets as usual (I usually leave in forage toys, and they usually eat all or most). When I went into the room this morning around 6, Lulu and Skadoosh were running in wheels and jumping about the cage over to the door to greet me....for food. Ollie was in the pouch, but popped his head out when I called him. I was getting ready to give them their last Wormy Wednesday for the year, when I thought I may trim their nails (they're due this weekend)before I go instead of when I come back. So I gave each one, but then they argued over the second round and I ended up giving them pine nuts. These fluff balls are not starving like they want me to think

I went to the Dollar Tree and bought one of those divided plates. I will wash it and try it tonight, and maybe again tomorrow and see if it helps.

Should I also serve a small bowl of f/v on the shelf just in case?


I'm anxious to see because if it works out, it may be easier for my sister feeding them.

Ok, so I placed 2/3 of their f/v on the plate, the last 1/3 I put in a bowl.

I placed only the plate on the floor around 4pm. Ollie was up and waiting on the shelf for his dinner. I showed him the plate and then placed it on the floor. He had his first pick'ns the way he likes. Then Lulu came out and ran to the shelf looking for food, then Skadoosh came out and headed to the shelf, but she noticed Ollie eating on the floor. Ollie went into the tree house and Skadoosh followed him in. He had eaten all the corn on the plate . They ate from around the plate at first, like good little gliders, than Lulu climbed onto the plate and sat right in the middle. Later, Ollie was all over the plate.

I put the bowl of 1/3 f/v mix on the shelf and left remainder of plate on the floor, after they went back to sleep.

I also rearranged their cage floor, swapped the wheels, and changed a couple of other furnishings around the cage.



As for the f/v mixture, I did the best I could with what was already in freezer mixed together. I had 2 full and 1 empty containers, so I split up the rest three ways. I removed corn from 2 containers, 1 without corn has blackberries and no okra, the other container without corn has okra, no blackberries, and the third containers has full mix minus the blackberries. This was the best way I could change them up, the next batch I will make three different batches of fewer different f/v combinations and see if that helps, but that won't be for a few more weeks. I will in the mean time figure out which combinations to create and then alternate them.

I'm trying everything I can after the usual efforts have been ineffective. I guess it comes down to figuring out the trigger and then finding a solution.

If the time changes effected their wake time and contributed to triggering his food aggression, then time will tell as they adjust to daylight hours here again.

If it's the too varied mixture of f/v combo, that will gradually be re-adjusted to resolve the issue.


I'm going to try the plate for the next couple of nights but I'm not sure if it's best to place the other 1/3 in the bowl at the same time as serving the 2/3 on the plate. On one hand that offers two feeding areas for f/v but then I can't "refresh" food amounts later. Which would be best to do?

When you finish the combinations you have on hand, try a week of offering only one or two vegetables and one or two fruits each night and see if it makes any difference. They will eat what is available and if there is nothing in limited supply they cannot fight over rights to eat the 'favorite' item in the mixture.

You will still be feeding a wide variety - just spread out over a week. Everyone will get a share of each food offered and the nutrients they contain. None of them can avoid eating the same food every time - there for not getting those nutrients at all.

When I offer mixed vegetables I am positive that some of the gliders never get to taste the corn and they always leave the carrots for last so I know some of the gliders are never eating any of the carrots which I want them all to eat. If I offer only carrots they will eat them.

If feeding only one or two choices does not change things you can go back to mixing it all together. The only advantage to making mixtures is for the convenience of just scooping food onto the plate. There is no nutritional advantage to combinations.

Candy, how do you prepare and store them that way? I've made smaller combos prior to the big mix, but always purchase the variety and then have to prepare and store in freezer so they don't spoil.

I buy most of my vegetables frozen so they are ready to serve each night.

I buy mango (dole brand), blueberries, black berries and cherries already frozen. I cut the cherries in half but the others are served as is.

For the watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew melon and papaya - I buy either whole or in large chunks (Publix sell them in a bowl already peeled and seeds removed). I cut each one up into glider size pieces and freeze the pieces - separated on a wax paper covered cookie sheet. Once frozen, I pop the pieces off the wax paper and transfer them to a zip lock bag to store in the freezer. I do one fruit at a time and once I have a bag of each, I only need to do one a week to keep the supply replenished. By pre-freezing the pieces they remain separate in the freezer so I just pull out the amount needed for each colony's dinner plate.

Instead of large containers of a mixture of fruits and vegetables, my freezer has zip lock freezer bags with individual items. I just choose a fruit and a vegetable bag each night to serve from. I just rotate through all my available produce each week. It is easy to see which items I need to purchase when I go shopping just by looking at the bags in the freezer.

Thank you Candy.

There was more fussing later in the evening and also this morning.

They left about the usual amount of f/v scraps on plate, bowl was empty. The nectar portion was almost completely gone, and they ate all the pellets in the cage, both in a forage toy and some I placed in a dish, hoping that would last a couple of days.


I've got to figure out the best but easiest way for my sister for feeding them. When I get back I'll work on trying other techniques until I finish the f/v mixes I have prepared, then change the way I prepare those.

I'm sorry if this is going on so long, but I've tried the 2 and even 3 feeding areas. I've also tried placing food in early, but they or one of them anyway gets up earlier, it's almost impossible to succeed with that. I've kept pellets in the cage for daytime snacking or if they get up prior to dinner being served. I've tried more open feeding stations. I do not know what else to do until I can try changing the f/v mixture.

I'm beginning to think this is something me and the girls will have to live with if I can't find a way to stop it. No one is getting hurt or loosing weight, so should I just accept this at some point? How about my girl's feelings, are they going to be affected by this?

Oh my gosh,that Ollie! He had plenty of time for first pickens from the plate, but still fussed,chasing Skadoosh away, Lulu ate from bowl on the shelf in peace.

So I took the plate out and emptied contents in cage mount feeder and attatched under the shelf. The girls ended up eating from that,then Ollie joined them, they all did fine.

Just now I was looking in on them and Ollie was fussing and chasing Skadoosh from the floor in front of the floor wheel, near where the plate was,only it's not there anymore and no food is on the floor at all.

Why is he being like this? I'm feeling so sorry for my girls, but I love him too, and they do get along when in the pouch and at least half the time they're awake.

Maybe Ollie is a control freak? sounds like he's just being a lil snot cuz he can.

I just don't know what to do about it.

If it was a kid, you could talk to them and do "time-out"s... But for a glider.... Idk. Let the girls give him "what for" when they're ready.

How sweet! I treasure my special moments with each of my girls. They are both only 5.5 months old, and they bring tears of pride when they do something sweet or special. Dot has turned into a sweetie, but still guards the pouch. She's started jumping up and crabbing with the fight eyes on! But once I start to shush her,she sees it's me the eye cover goes away, and does the gurgle crab that I guess means I didn't like to be disturbed. I will pat and rub the pouch till she calms down. But Dot surprizes me with her sweetness when she's wide awake.

I got back from NY early this morning and greeted my doggie (missed me terribly) and my fur-brats. Lulu was up and I went ahead and gave her a pine nut, then Skadoosh came down and took it, so I gave Lulu another one. After that, they both came to the door for them. Ollie stayed in pouch, but looking out, so he was given a few while in the pouch. I had to go to bed after being up all night.

After I got up this afternoon, about 2pm, I put them in their bonding pouch to hang out for a while. Around 4pm I fixed their dinner, in three feeding dishes and placed the food in their cage: Bowl on the f/v on the floor, a cage mount feeder just below their shelf, and another cage mount feeder up as high as I could place in on same side, but towards front of cage.

I let them out of the bonding pouch one at a time: Ollie at the bowl on the floor, Lulu at the feeder below the shelf, and Skadoosh at the top feeder.

I watched for a bit to see how they did, they all ate from the dishes I placed them at for a bit, then I went to get my phone to take photos. Ollie, by this time headed up to the shelf and looked back and forth between Lulu and Skadoosh. He ended up sharing the feeder with Lulu, they did fine together. Then Skadoosh made her way to the floor bowl.

Here are the cute photos, please excuse their "bed head" they were just let out of their bonding pouch,

This is Skadoosh at the top feeder


Lulu


Ollie joining Lulu


Skadoosh at the floor bowl, where Ollie was started



Everything seemed fine until just a few minuets ago, I heard some fussing again


Anyway, not much new, but I wanted to share the photos of my little fur munchkins, 'cause they're so cute anyway.

I hope when I get to start new mixture, things will improve. I will post an update when I have the new mixtures fixed and log how it goes. Of coarse if any new developments occur before hand.

I had to update, it was so cute last eve when I placed the food in. It was just a bit after 4pm (still early) and Ollie was up already. He got so excited to see me, or the food dishes, I'm not really sure which One of the girls was popping their cute head out of pouch as I placed the food in the cage. Ollie went right to the floor where he started the day before, Lulu went to the feeder she had the day before, (Oops, I have to retract and correct) Skadoosh did go to the floor bowl, and Ollie did chase her (I almost forgot about that), she ran to the tree house. I was able to scoop her up after a couple of attempts and I placed her at the top feeder. I can't believe I forgot that, I was remembering that Ollie and Lulu seemed to remember where to go, but then Skadoosh did end up at the floor bowl, so maybe she was confused and thought it was hers, lol.

I didn't hear a lot of fussing either, so if there were any squabbles, it had to happen when I was either deeply sleeping (which happens once in a while) or out of ear-shot, which could have happened, but I can usually hear them if I'm in the living or dining room. The dogs did bark at each other quite a bit, so that also could of muffled the sound of the squabbles upstairs.


Oh, I also wanted to note that I've noticed when giving out treats or watching after feeding time, that Ollie and Skadoosh have taken treats and food (on occasions) from Lulu, she just lets them have it without a fight and comes or goes for another. I have also noticed that Ollie has tried to take treats or food from Skadoosh, she will usually not let him have it, but sometimes he does get it. I have not seen Lulu try to take treats or food from anyone and I haven't seen Skadoosh try to take any treats/food from Ollie. When it's a piece of food, it doesn't happen often, but sometimes they'll all be eating fine, then either Ollie or Skadoosh will see Lulu eating something they want and take it from her, she will still get food, just has to get another piece from the bowl. I have not seen this happen.