Posted by nate351 on March 18, 2003 at 02:08:00:
Hi, one of my male gliders gave me a scare tonight. He is about seven months out of pouch and believes himself to be full grown. He is a big boy, but the smallest of my three males. Anyway, tonight he came out to play on me and took about a two foot leap at the bookshelf. Unfortunatly for him, the books don't provide good purchase, and he went sliding to the ground. He seemed to land fine like he has a million times before, but then jumped again and smacked into the bookshelf again. When I got him back on my arm, I noticed the familiar tinkle of him relieving himself, but then noticed something odd.
He had his ears laid almost flat, sort of forward. he arched his back and raised his head like he was thouroughly enjoying his pee. Then all of a sudden he started biting and clawing half-heartedly at the air in front of him, and a big drop of drool filled his mouth and just about started running out. Then for a few minutes he was very listless, and then quit moving completely. He had sort of a blank stare in his eyes and his ears quit pivoting at every sound.
So I sat him down, turned the light down low, and began to sooth him. He didn't respond for what seemed like five minutes (probably aobut 30 seconds), and then pretty much snapped right out of it. He hopped up and started running about again, and ate a wax worm greedily from my hand to tell me he was all right.
So, What it looked like to me was like he was rabid or having seizures, or something. We will get him to the vet ASAP, but I am really wondering what sort of thing the vet can really look for. I am personally a reptile guy, and so these irratic behaviors are more foreign to me than the easy things like an iguana not eating or a gecko not moving.
Has anyone had any experiences with something like this? Do you think he just bumped his head and went loopy for a minute or two? I imagine Bugs Bunny hitting his head and having a halo of stars float aobut for a few seconds as he grows a lump about 12 inches high.
Anyway, any input would help.
thanks,
nate.
