Jen, I think your post reiterated what we have said from the beginning, that at any time, these gliders get out of their comfort zone and feel unsure that they can and will use their natural defenses.
The TRUST BUILDING techniques you all are using requires that constant awareness of theirs as well as your own anxieties. we all are told regularly, that they feel what we feel, they feel when we are stressed and unsure, and they will react to that. just as you all are learning that what they feel you also are reacting to.
those that have been really nailed by their glider in the past has worked hard to overcome that apprehension. and sometimes it creeps back in especially after a night you had jen. this is just a reminder to sit back and be sure you set that apprehension aside and really understand that getting them back to their comfort zone is important.
also for those reading this especially new owners. this technique is far from a quick fix, there is no quick fix, however, what we have done is removed reason for them to feel fearful, so that they can begin the trust building process. We show them that they have other alternative ways of showing their distress, we do it all in a positive and fun way for the owners as well as the gliders. Everyone here has done that by learning their glider, learning their body language. and this is an ongoing process. by you learning their body language, and listening to it, you are in the first stages of actually communicating with your glider, each new body language you learn is another sign in their language. and it is communicating, learning each other is the best gift you can give each other, soon those signs will become your foundation.
the first thing they are doing is getting their glider into a comfort zone for the glider, then they work on trust issues, there is talk of
bonding with these gliders, but it is not from those that are doing the work. the people on this thread knows that trust building is a stepping stone , the
bonding starts with consistency and never ends. also there are different types of
bonds between gliders and their owners.
example, Robins gliders bella is
bonded to robin, she is sweet docile and loves to be held, petted and she sees robin as her other half, whereas Donna may end up being a playtime glider who doesn't want that intimacy, that cuddling that touch of being held, but that doesn't mean that donna is not
bonding with robin in her own way. She may have already started
bonding with robin, it isn't for me to say,
bonding is a connection between 2 people or objects, so since they have already started to communicate between each other, they have already started
bonding. how deep and intimate that
bond gets, is on an individual basis. that is up to them to decide how to define their
bond.
the same goes for each and every one of you and your gliders, it isn't up to anyone to decide what
bond is right for you or your glider,
you all have already learned so much about each other (your gliders and your gliders about you) you all are learning to coexist in a comfort zone that is beneficial to YOUR relationships.
what you all have learned is already proving to carry forward to each and every glider in your home, now and in the future.
the
bond I had with Baybe didn't just happen it was something that grew each and every day I spent with her. but also keep in mind, I also had a
bond with smokey, it was a different type, he was my adhd neurotic one, we were
bonded, but in a different way, he had a different personality, different character make-up, and different ways of showing me he loved me as well. but it didn't change the fact he was STILL a
bonded glider.
bonded gliders still have issues, we as owners have our own issues, it is how we react to those issues that stand out and remind us, we are not perfect, not one of us.
bonded gliders CAN still bite,
bonded gliders CAN still crab,
bonded gliders can still be afraid of their environment, but aware owners will do everything in their power to be there for them to calm their fear, to reduce their feelings of need to show it in such an aggressive manner
prime example is when the gliders are out of THEIR comfort zone, those lunger's and biters that used to bit down hard and break the skin, are only placing their teeth on you without any pressure. That intense crabbing that used to fill their voices and eyes with terror is just a garble and very slight crabbing. look at how far you really have come, and be proud of it all.
be proud of the relationships you have built with your gliders, you all (your gliders and you) have worked very hard to get where you are. NO ONE knows your gliders better than you, YOU live with them, YOU know whether your glider is afraid of you or it's environment, which in the end means only YOU can define the kind of relationship you have with them, you have a lifetime to build and build on that
bond.
Maybe my Ranger will come along just like yours Deanna. 
