Sorry in advance....

Hi everyone. I am a really new mom. I just picked up my babies a few days ago, but I swear it almost feels like they have been with us forever. Both are girls just under a year and they have had only one other home.

I did a ton of research before deciding to adopt ( I sort of feel as if I were studying for a PHD). Four days in and even with all of the research, I have a bunch of questions.

Is there a time when tent time should be introduced? I have been letting the girls reactions guide my next steps and I do not think they are ready.

So far, they have stopped crabbing while in the bonding pouch, let me put my fingers in the pouch without nipping or freaking out, they come to the cage door when ever they hear me talking (if they are awake), and my smaller one actively engages if I put my arm in the cage at night.

I think the bonding is going well, but that could just be my wishful thinking.
Is it common for gliders to bark then click when I walk into the room with them? Or for them to groom my ears? We had an incident yesterday morning when she ran up my arm and sat on my head, then decided my ears were not clean enough. It was the hardest thing ever to laugh and scare her.


I have read many opinions on bonding pouch time. I take the girls to work with me during the day. Is this too much time to be in the pouch? They were both really content and seem to enjoy the extra closeness.

I am sure I will have many silly questions along the way, but I am really excited to have somewhere to ask them:)

sounds like it's going well so far! Also, sounds like you're doing the right things.

As far as taking them in a bonding pouch all day, there are many that do that, and if during their regular sleeping time it's not too long. The only issues would be if you 1. Extended the time in there for too much longer than their sleep time. 2. Your gliders were light sleepers and were not getting sound, restful sleep. and 3. Climate, being whether transporting them when it's either too cold or too hot. Other than those, if your gliders are settling well in bonding bag all day, and many do, you're doing fine.

As for the "tent time", do you have one ready? Or, a safe, small space? Many use the bathroom, glider-proofed first of course.

You should be able to determine when their ready, and when you are ready. It's important that you are ready first and foremost. You need to have the confidence and a plan to getting them out of the cage to the play area, and back again. This can be tricky both when you're not confident and their not ready. But you being confident will carry over to them, helping them feel safer with you, and that also will contribute to building a trustful relationship.

Hope this helps, and keep up the good work, and the research.

Hi! And

I have to agree with Terry. You have come a long way in a little bit of time!

Barking and clicking together are a great sign. They are happy. They will bark for many reasons. Mine bark if I ignore them. They also bark at unusual noises or shadows. I've learned the differences. That takes a little time.

Grooming you is a sign they have accepted you, but sometimes gets out of hand. You can use a toy or a piece of fleece to try to distract them. But they do become fixated. You can make a glider noise like "tsss, sssst, or shhh". Which in glider talk means you don't like what they are doing. It takes a bit for them to understand sometimes.

My family think I'm nuts how I talk to my girls. But they listen... Most of the time...

Anyway, please ask any questions!

Keep us posted on your progress!

Thanks!

They are such a hoot. I think sleeping with fleece squares and putting them in all of the pouches is by far the best thing I have done.

It does work for most gliders