My entire family got a lovely upper respiratory infection. (Which turned out to be Covid, lol, but I didn’t know it at the time.)
Little me has always been paranoid about germs. I don’t like sickness and I will never purposely go out of my way to be ill. But since getting gliders, my paranoia has grown.
It is true that many illnesses can’t be transferred between gliders and humans. The exceptions are parasites and a few illnesses. There are various opinions on whether or not humans can give gliders colds. Some say that we can’t pass on viral infections, but we can pass on bacterial.
Whatever the truth, I’m always overly cautious when it comes to sickness. Because my gliders had an upper respiratory infection last year, I was particularly freaked out when we thought our family came down with it. I spent a while re-researching how to care for gliders when you’re not feeling well.
Wash Hands
This is an obvious precaution that you should take no matter how well you’re feeling. You should always wash your hands before playing with gliders or getting their food/water. This just keeps your germs away from them.
It’s particularly important to do this when you’re not feeling well. Wash your hands with warm water and soap for about 20 seconds before getting their food/interacting with them.
Limit Contact
If you’re worried that you have something your gliders will catch, limit your contact with them. Don’t carry them around in a bonding pouch, don’t do tent time, and avoid touching them. Your gliders will be okay if they go a few days without interacting with you. They’ll miss playtime, but it’s better that they do that than get sick.
Wear Masks/Gloves
If you’re worried (like me) it doesn’t hurt to put on a mask and/or gloves when you’re getting their food or cleaning their cage. This is just another protection against germs.
Keep Kids Away
Children love deeply and express that love through their hands. Young children especially will be touching and coughing and sneezing all over the cages. Explain to them that gliders are very small and delicate. Sicknesses that aren’t serious for us can be life-threatening to gliders. Show them why it is important that they keep their distance from the glider and the cage until they feel better.
Move Their Cage Away From People
If you have the cage in the middle of the house, it might be wise to move it to a spare room/less used area until everyone is feeling better. This will just reduce the exposure to germs and will give them an extra layer of protection against the illness.
Don’t Cough/Sneeze on Them
This is obvious, but still worth saying. Don’t cough or sneeze on or near them. This is a perfect way to cover them in germs and you want to avoid that. Try to cover your mouth if you’re in the same room as the gliders.
Research
Learn about your illness. Figure out what animals are most susceptible to it. Learn the best ways to keep from spreading it to other humans and pets. The more you know about the sickness that you have, the better you can combat it.
Essential Oils
Essential oils are also wonderful at combating sickness. Be sure to buy good quality ones. Do not diffuse them around the gliders. There is much debate on whether essential oils are safe for gliders or not and if so, which ones are and which ones aren’t. To be on the safe side, only use essential oils/diffuse them in the main area of your home and not in a closed room with your gliders. This will allow the germs to be killed in your home without putting your babies at risk.
~Hattush
In what ways do you protect your gliders when you’re not feeling well?
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