"Glider-vision". That's what I'm calling it. I've been lucky enough to spend every night but one over the last two months with Lucy and Wendy. I've been experimenting with different levels of light and been using a color changing bulb (with a little built-in Bluetooth speaker!). Seems the lower level of red and orange is ok for Wendy but Lucy likes it too be completely dark in the room before she comes out. But they both agree that John Coltrane and Stevie Wonder make for darn good exploring music. Given that, I'll sometimes say hi, give out licky treats and then just sit or lie down and chill while they work their way around the room and go "hunting". Occasionally I'll leave the room for whatever and when I come back is when "glider-vision" comes in handy. Watching the shadows and utilizing the small amount of light that seeps in through the window I try and find out where and what my little ladies are in to. Of course hearing (glider ears?) Plays a pretty big part as well but even with everything tuned to "high" someone will still manage to sneak attack my head or worse, shuffle over and stuck a curious tiny tongue on one of my toes.
Unfortunately after an hour or two in this environment the senses are still on during the next day. Especially at home where I know that "someday they will escape the cage" I always think I see or hear a sneaky glider shooting under the couch or even sometimes nuzzling a shirt sleeve. It's like when you have your cell on vibrate for so long that you often "feel" it ringing in your pocket even though it's on the table in of you.

I tried to weigh them the other day and I guess I should be doing these things while they are sleeping but I hate to wake them. I think Lucy who was three months old when I got her, don't know if that is age or out of pouch time. So that makes her about five months at 60g. Wendy is about fourty-ish and I think two months younger.
If you have been reading then you know I haven't tried to cut the nails yet. I bought everything I need including a magnifying visor but I just haven't done it yet. One little reason is that my to girls look so much alike that the nails are really the only easy easy to tell them apart. Any suggestions on differentiating? Once they start moving around and interacting I can usually tell them by their personalities but sometimes they act differently.

That's about it for now, I hope everyone had a great New year's!

Beets are yucky!

Now back to your topic:

My gliders seem to do well in red and orange light, I'm sure they do prefer total darkness, but believe they learn how to adjust to low lighting or certain colored lighting. I understand blue and green are not as welcoming as red and orange. Also, intensity is a factor, if you have light diffused, it will be more accepted I believe. Opaque shades covering light bulbs does wonders of difference.

When I used Red bulb, it was in a torche-style floor lamp with opaque lamp shade
.
When using multi-colored Christmas string lights, I tucked them in a opaque Dixie-cup holder (for bathrooms).

Currently I have an orange bulb in my ceiling fan light fixture, it is covered with a ball of opaque white glass.

Lucy will most likely learn to adapt to low lighting with this exposure. Mine will now still come out of pouch to eat with one of my task lights on. The one closest to and facing cage. Of course, the side of the cage it faces (which also gets exposure from window) is double-covered with the flat bedsheet used as cage cover. Since I use a twin sz, flat, cotton sheet to wrap around the cage. I wrap so the right side is facing cage, so looking in its esthetic to the eye, lol. However, the extra length is then folded back on the side facing into the room (where light from window or lamps hit). The other side and back are against the wall. This makes the room facing side look more pleasing to the eye, while providing a little extra protection for when I need lights on in my room. However, they still have some indication of light on that side, and it's a little brighter in the room which is also detected from the open front of cage (not covered).

Nail trimming, this is something that obviously varies per glider, however the experience, regardless of your method will always be better when going in with confidence. Remember, you can work up to it, be ready with supplies, but don't force the issue. Try confidence building in yourself and in your gliders. Then, when you feel ready-go for it.

Happy New Year!

My gliders have a kind of night light, as the outside light for the next door building shines in their window.

It is different for every glider.

Two out of twenty isn't bad.

So I got set up and surprisingly, Wendy pretty much went right into the crown Royal bag I was using. We settled in and she started munching on the treats in the bag. and I took advantage of the little hind leg that was free while she munched on a freeze dried chicken neck. I had my glasses on and also a magnifying visor but they obviously didn't work together very well. Lol. But it was hard to see.
Wendy quicky realized what was going on and I spent the next hour calming her down then trying to fish a foot out of the bag. Repeatedly. Amazingly enough, ( and I'm counting this as a win); there was no crabbing. At all. Even when I was trying to hold the leg in and the teeth out. But she was very protective of her foot knives. So I kinda gave up and she stared at me and I rubbed her tiny head and ears. Something I don't get to do at play time. It was nice. She hopped right back in the sleeping pineapple and I'm pretty sure started explaining to Lucy all the horrible things I tried to do to her. I saw them talking.
Oh well I'll try again tomorrow. Maybe if I make it a routine thing for her it will be easier.

The good news is, you only have 14 nails to trim on a glider! On the hind feet, only two of the toenails get trimmed, on each. You'll be able to tell because the three that don't, are kind of together, and the two that do stand apart.

Routine helps, in all things!

Every once in a while you need to trim the grooming toe nails.

I trim the grooming toe nails on my gliders about 3 or 4 times a year.

If the gliders start looking a little unkemp I check their grooming toe nails.

Well I was kidding when I said that they were talking about me but I guess not because when I went in at the normal time for a play time they were still in their tent asleep or pretending to be asleep so I went took a little nap came back around 2 a.m. and still asleep in the tent so and then when I walked by there was crabbing and there hasn't been crabbing for a while. So being a worried dad I lit up the tent looking for anything out of the ordinary. Nothing.
So being the worried dad that I was I put a couple treats and some vegetables towards them and they were munching on them but they still won't leave the 10th so I guess they're mad.

Sad face.

Mine got their nails clipped about 3am yesterday morning. And as I handed them to hubby, trading Fiona for Dot, Fiona curled up and fell asleep in his hand. After I was done with Dot, she just started to chill. Not sure, but I think the cooler weather might have something to do with that. And tonight, or 1am, they woke up to play for about 10mins and went back to bed. They seem fine, just a lot of naps. Long naps.
Gliderd, especially joeys, can sleep 18- 22 hours. Not all at once, but through out a 24 hour period.

I've tried them with my Ollie. They were not successful for us, but in some cases, I'm sure they're ok.

A several people like them... if you decide to go that way, be sure they have potty/pooped. Because it gets all over them and your hands.

Small hole in an old pouch used to work for me for Dot.

I saw your post and ordered one. :-) I'll let you know how it goes. When you have 6 to cut it can be a challenge.

The Trim Trax on the new Raptor wheel worked AMAZINGLY well for Princess who's in one cage with Buttercup. So well I took them out because her nails became too trimmed. The trim trax for the Freedom Wheel.. Well, they suck. Being on this inside of the wheel messes with the 4 girls in that cage when they use it. It ruins their running stride because it's more elevated in the wheel than the rest of the wheel. I see them run in the wheel and land on it and they don't run as fast. I'll be taking it out the next cage cleaning and letting them run free in that wheel.

I have something similar but it isn't so easy for me to use as my ladies insist on changing positions. I ended up buying a pocket pet trimmer and although it still wasn't easy (due to movement), it did go faster.

I actually told my son we needed something like that before I found it on Pocket Pets.

Good to know because I have trimmed those nails on my last set of gliders but didn't realize it was less frequent than the other toes. I also put them in a bonding pouch and sat at my table bringing one limb out at a time. It helped give me control and kept them from taking off plus it got easier each time as they and I got used to the trimming!

Ditto! Very good to know!

When my were tiny & adjusting to everything new after coming to me, I used an AA powered string of deep red LEDs. None of them put out much light, but laced around a small room it gave me just enough to see what was going on (& find them if hiding). They have since adjusted to low-levels of normal lights without complaint.

As far as trimming, my primary means in sandpaper attached to their wheel. When for whatever reason that doesn't cut it, I keep a couple files around like you find in the nail care aisle. 1-2 quick passes per foot are all I've needed & above how long they'll hold still. I do have a trimming kit, I've just never had to resort to it & mine seem to prefer it that way.

"when that doesn't cut it"....
Pun intended? Lol
I LIKE that idea. Going to try it asap.
So people put sandpaper on the outside of the wheel? Interesting.
Well I have to go but I have some good stories for next time and a few dumb questions. I'm remodeling the upstairs apartment and I closed the bedroom door to remove some quarter round and prep for sanding, and the freaking door locked me in!! Who installs a bedroom door that looks from the outside


???!?!?!

Anyway taking the hinge thing out, lucky I had done tools fight do squat,. So I had to take the lock thing apart with a nail and a broken Swiss army knife. Took about an hour funny know why I'm sharing just glad to be free I guess.

I'm punny like that, lol! (Couldn't resist it then or now.


Yes, several of the common brands you'll see mention on this site even have 'kits' available. Both my raptors came with them.


Can't wait! The only dumb question is the one not asked... though I can't promise you won't get a look anyways

Seriously though, we're here to help.


Well, I have a few ideas, but none appropriate for a PG forum...

I did have a bedroom lock break (while locked, of course) & also had to remove the hinges. With only a small pen & a quarter to help pry, it took a little while >.< I'm sure the furballs were glad you made it out too, mine hate it when their food is late hahaha!

A pen and a quarter huh? That's some good ole you know who stuff right there! I once built a plane with an unripe kiwi, some ball bearings and a harmonica..... Hee hee

Agree. Maybe a ripe kiwi, but no way with an unripe one.

If we're going there, I once, as a child, found my way home from being lost deep in the woods, by just following breadcrumbs from the only source of food I had when I was led out there by my parents. Hehehehe.

you guys are lucky, mom and dad just slowed the car a bit, opened the door and yelled "tuck and roll billy! TUCK AND ROLL!!""

. Tuck and roll.

Just an update on these. I ordered the small because the description said if they were a normal size glider and not fat or fluffy that size would be fine. Wrong. It's way too small period. For even Roxie who's the tiniest of my 6 it was small. She was panicking in there. If anything the larger version would be better but she kept flipping over in when I tried to cut her nails or move her paws. A waste of money for me tbh.

Same, I purchased the small one for Ollie based on size description. My girls are larger than him, but were never any trouble with nail trims anyway, just Ollie. I did go ahead and order the large one after he didn't fit in the small size, being desperate. What I ended up with was one way too small to enclose him in and one too big to hold him in position, he could turn and roll all kinds of ways in there.

I use them for holding other things though, at least the larger one for now holds all the trimming accessories (nail clippers, cutters, emery boards, blood clotting powder, ect.)

I made my own. Similar situation. One was too small and one was too big...

Feather, when/if you get a chance to make a nail clipping video, I would like to see one with a new/young not so bonded glider. I just saw one that the glider must have been on prozac. Way more mellow that I have ever seen.