Afraid Judah, one of my original two, crossed the rainbow bridge this afternoon. I noticed he had gotten slower since Christmas but I've been a bit slower myself with my own issues and he seemed to be eating alright. I was planning on taking all four in for their physicals in March but the beer bug and then my own issues interrupted those plans. I saw him tackling melon with gusto just a couple nights ago. I thought he had a slight bump on his nose but it was hard to tell because he was always the crotchety old man (even as a youngster) who would yap at me to leave him alone and go hide in the corner or in a pouch until I left. Last night, he actually came up to me in the cage and hopped on to me when I opened the door.

After I got him off my shoulder and onto a forearm, I was shocked to see a huge growth on his face and how light he was. I let him rest on my forearm until he decided to get off onto one of the wheels and resolved to call the vet after I got done with my own medical appointment today. This morning, I couldn't see him before I went out and when I got back, I had to look hard to find him at the back of the cage (it's 6' x 4' x 2' with black-coated wire so he was always difficult to find). He was hanging sideways, just about at the bottom of the cage and so still I thought he had already died. I went to find a container for him only to see he had moved toward the front of the cage but still hanging sideways and very still so I scooped him up in a pouch and called the vet.

Unfortunately, my experienced sugar glider vet was completely backlogged today and tomorrow with regular appointments not available for 3 weeks so I called around and got a pet ER that was willing to look at him. The vet there was very gracious but she said he had a very low heartbeat and was wheezing while trying to breathe. We decided the kindest thing to do was ease his pain and let him go. He nearly made it to 11 years old but he's free to glide now.

I am not sure if a necropsy will be useful. I'm sure the growth is either cancer or an infection of some kind. I'm told CSU will do necropsies and I'm willing to drive up there if it would really help anything but I don't want to have to store him in the fridge for long.

Hey, I'm so sorry for your loss.

I wasn't able to keep my 3 gliders annual check-up due to the pandemic, and we were shocked when we lost Fiona in May to kidney failure.

I know you did the right thing for him, and he had a great (almost 11years) life.

Please take care of yourself, prayer and thoughts for you...

Glide free Judah!

Thanks. Honestly, my only reason for doing the necropsy would be if it was needed to provide more information for the glider community. Personally, I'd rather give him a good cremation this evening and scatter his ashes amongst my rose bushes immediately.

I feel your pain we had to help our Vino over the bridge 2 months ago and i still get upset thinking about it..

I am very sorry for your loss. May you find comfort and peace in your memories of him.

Glide Free Little Judah