My sugar glider Bo is 8 years old, he was healthy until his friend died about two years ago, he started over grooming but then I got him a new friend and he was doing well again. Now about a year later I noticed he wasn't near as strong as my other glider. And suddenly today I found him unable to pull himself up the cage. I don't know if he fell or what... I know have him in a small hamster cage. He has eaten some pine nuts and snap peas but he still seems very weak... I don't have a local vet that understands sugar gliders and I need to figure out what is happening. It is almost like his hind legs have some sort of paralysis, he can move them a bit but not enough to walk normally... Help!

If anyone can provide information please email me at kirsten.mcgall@gmail.com or reply here!

Unfortunately, your option at this point is to make a visit to the vet.

That said...what sort of foods does your glider eat on a nightly basis? Give me a typical night.

You also said that he can't pull himself up. That's front legs, not back. Which are giving him issues?

I agree with Aimee, you little old guy needs to be seen by the vet.

I recommend x-rays, check for parasites, a UTI and have them swab his cloaca and do a culture and sensitivity on that.

Metabolic bone disease (HLP) takes a long time to manifest, but there have been issues where gliders have started showing the symptoms of HLP, it came down to they had a bacterial overgrowth in the digestive tract and that was inhibiting the calcium the glider was getting with their food.

Please take a moment to register so that you can take full use of the forum.

And, please keep us posted on your little guy.

If you click on the blue word vet, it will take you to a database where you may have one in your area. Since you aren't registered, I can't narrow it down for you.

Hello everyone and thanks for responding! I created a new account since my old one wasn't working... I am currently trying to find a vet that understands gliders and I think Bo has HLP based on everything I have read. Unfortunately the only vet here that claims to know sugar gliders knows a fraction of what I do so I don't trust them. I may be travelling to get him to someone reliable... Despite his mobility issues he is still eating well and has his cute personality with his usual attitude... So I suppose that is a good sign! I will keep you updated...

Glad you are registered. It is possible your old account is not longer in our database. If you wish, send me a PM, and we can try to locate your previous one.

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In some cases HLP can be reversed or greatly improved with diet but it depends on the severity of the condition.

I am now going to move your thread to our Health & Hygiene Forum.




The portion highlighted in red is a very important question and may give us an insight to how this problem began.

I have found a vet that seems to think he can help. I'm driving over 2 hours to see him tomorrow. My gliders diet consists of the following:
- boiled chicken with corn to tempt them
- plain yogurt with agave nectar
- chickpeas
- pine nuts
- cantaloupe
- avocado
- snap peas or green beans
- watermelon

They always get their protein and yogurt and some combination of fruits and vegetables with a few pine nuts. They also have Glider Vitamins sprinkled onto their food. I have tried many other foods with my boys and they show zero interest in them. This is what I can get them to eat and I from all of my research it seems balanced.

I am hoping we can get him Neocalglucon at the veterinarian I found. He wants to see him and try to figure out what is going on so I'm very hopeful.

I found a vet to see Bo at 3pm! 1 hour to go...