So I recently bought a 12 week old sugar glider from a pet store. When we first brought her home she would bite us really hard, but would show interest in us. After the first couple of days the biting has stopped and she has been running out her cage as soon as we open it to feed her or even adjust something in her cage. We currently have shirts in there with our scent to get her use to our smell and are having her on us in her bonding pouch for 2-3 hours daily. I am just worried that with her running out her cage every time we open it and us having to chase her to get her back Into the cage that's it's going to teach her to not trust us holding her or touching her and have a reverse effect on us trying get to bond with her. I'm not sure what else to do wit her to try and get her to stop running out her cage and being scared of us trying to catch her. It's been going on daily like this for the past two weeks we have had her so far and I just would appreciate any advice anyone would have before things get worse.

Hello again, and I have a few questions.

Do you have a sleeping pouch for her?

How big is her cage?

Are there any toys or a glider safe wheel?

Usually gliders don't care to be held in your hands initially. They must learn to trust you. When she gets loose, try holding a piece of fleece (about 12" square) and catch her with that so she won't associate your hand with being caught.

It sounds like your glider is intrested in bonding with you. Have you considered finding her a buddy? To help with bonding, you can cut up fleece in 3 or 4inch squares, tuck them in your pillow case, or laundry in order to get your scent on them. Then tuck into their sleeping pouch so they can sleep with your scent and get accustomed to you.

Anytime you see a word in blue, you can click on it and it will take you to that topic and you can read more.

This is a great place to get updated info. We do not judge here. We are here for the good of the glider and want to help.

Again, Welcome to Glider Central, feel free to read everything you can, and there is no such thing as a dumb question. We are here to advise you for a happy and low stress experience with your new baby.

I did find this:

http://www.glidercentral.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=intro_bonding

Yes, I do have a pouch for her to sleep in her cage. Inside the pouch and outside the pouch I have cut up some fleece with my scent on it to put in her pouch and cage. Her cage is about 3 ft wide and 5 ft tall. I have a larger cage as well, but currently have my other glider in it. I was holding off on placing the new glider we got with my other one until the new glider was bonded with. In my gliders cage she does have some toys to play with, but I didn't see her playing with them when she knows were up. I'll defiantly try catching her with a cloth instead of my hand that way she doesn't associate it with something negative. Thanks for the information.

You're welcome!

I didn't know you had another glider, that's why I asked. That's great!

So since this one is number two, you already have a diet established?

IMO, it might be good to start bonding with her before intros, especially if she has been in a bad situation. She may only know to run away, and giving her a safe place is awesome!

You may already know to talk to her, sing lullabyes. I use a certain tone, kind of a sing song. The girls perk up and know I'm in their room, and about to open their cage. I talk to them as I change out their hammocks, remove their dinner dishes. If I'm there too long and talk too much, Dot raises her head to see if a treat might come her way. Usually it's just a scratch between her ears.

Please keep us posted on her progress.