It can be heart-wrenching to find that your sugar glider has suddenly and unexpectedly passed. Unfortunately, sugar gliders will often not show any disease symptoms until they are nearly at death’s door. And sometimes, the only sign we see that something is off is when we find that they have suddenly passed.
If you find that your sugar glider has suddenly passed, please don’t feel alone, and don’t blame yourself. Instead, this article aims to help you navigate this distressing time.
I will be discussing topics such as how to know whether they passed and what you need to do with the body. If you do not feel that you are ready to face these topics just yet, but need the info, please ask a loved one to relay the important points to you.
If you are unsure whether your sugar glider is dying but seems critically ill, please get your glider to a vet as soon as possible. This article also contains some helpful tips on things to look out for.
Also, if you are at a point where you might be considering euthanasia, please have a look at this article for more info on the topic.
Why Do Sugar Gliders Die Suddenly?
Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for sugar gliders to die suddenly without any signs of ill health. This is often called ‘mystery deaths’ and is due to sugar gliders hiding symptoms of disease. There are many possible causes of sudden death, and a necropsy is the only way to determine the cause of death.
It is human instinct to try and find the fault in our actions and try to blame ourselves. However, I urge you not to be too hard on yourself. It is impossible to account for everything that may have caused your sugar glider’s health to decline.
Remember that wild sugar gliders’ survival depends on their ability to hide symptoms to prevent them from being a vulnerable target to predators. They are experts at seeming totally normal in the face of a debilitating disease, and it is easy to miss very subtle signs.
How Do I Know If My Sugar Glider Is Really Gone?
You may feel helpless when you find your sweet sugar glider collapsed and unresponsive. If at that time you are unsure whether they have passed, you can look for the following signs:
The signs of death include the following in order of occurrence in most but not all cases.
- Cessation of breathing
- Dilated pupils
- Absence of pulse (heartbeat)
- Blue or grey tongue and gums
- Tightening of muscles
- Decreased body temperature
What Signs Will I See If My Sugar Glider Died?
Agonal Breaths
This refers to the last breath, often seen as a gasp. In some cases, there may be a few agonal breaths. The sugar glider has already lost consciousness at this point. Due to the lowering of blood oxygen levels signals the autonomic nervous system to take a breath, causing the body to use the last ”energy” in the muscles to gasp.
This may look frightening, and it is no fun to witness, but be comforted that your sugar glider can not feel anything at this stage due to brain oxygen depletion leading to unconsciousness long before this point.
Leaking Of Fluid From Body Cavities
It is common for all animals to urinate or defecate shortly after death as all muscles relax. There may be fluid draining from the mouth and nose as well.
Depending on the cause of death, the fluid may appear blood-tinged. Do not be alarmed at this. The leaking of fluid and the appearance of the liquid does not necessarily indicate a prolonged or painful death.
Rigor-Mortis
Rigor-mortis refers to the tightening of muscles after death. This can start 10 minutes after death and is complete in 6-8 hours. It will be nearly impossible to bend joints or adjust the body’s position at this point. The muscles will relax again around 24-48 hours if the body is kept at room temperature.
Malodor
You may notice a foul odor around the 12-hour mark if you have a sensitive nose. The peak of smelliness is around days 2-4, and the smell will start to subside around two weeks.
Why Was My Sugar Glider In An Odd Position When I Found Him After He Passed?
When a sugar glider or any animal dies, the muscles are depleted of oxygen, resulting in a cessation of energy production by cellular metabolism.
There will, however, still be energy present in the muscle cells and potential (signals running along nerves) in the nerves. This can lead to the contraction or tremoring of muscles within the first few minutes after death. However, this usually only lasts a few minutes and may result in the body pulling into an awkward position.
This is commonly either a curled-up position with the head tucked under or an arched position with the head extending upward.
There is no correlation between the position after death and the cause of death, as this is mainly determined by the amount of energy and potential in different muscle groups and nerves at the time of death.
If you find your sugar glider in a strange position, it does not indicate a painful death or death due to suffocation. It is simply the result of the physiological process of death whereby energy in nerves and muscles are ”used up”.
What Are The Options To Have Cause of Death Investigated?
If you want to know the cause of death to have closure or investigate possible causes of death that may be a risk to other sugar gliders, a post-mortem (necropsy) can be performed. Some vet clinics and veterinary universities offer this service.
Speak to your local vet about your options. If they do not offer the service, they should be able to point you to someone who can and may be able to help with shipping if needed.
If you desire a post-mortem, it is ideal to ship the body to the lab as soon as possible, as normal post-mortal changes can obscure the findings. Ideally, the necropsy should be done within 48 hours of death, but if the body is stored well, up to a week after death will still be acceptable.
If you cannot deliver the body to the lab immediately, place it inside a waterproof plastic bag (preferably two to prevent accidental leaking of body fluid) and keep it somewhere cool, preferably a fridge, to delay post-mortal changes that will interfere with the findings of the post mortem.
In some cases, a post-mortal investigation can provide valuable information about the cause of death, but not all post-mortems provide exact and definite answers. In addition, some causes of death can be complicated to determine unless advanced and often costly diagnostic tests or imaging are pursued.
What Is The Best Way to Handle The Body?
The first thing you need to do is remove the body from the enclosure to prevent the other sugar gliders from trying to ”clean up.” It is natural instinct for sugar gliders to destroy all evidence of death to avoid attracting predators, so you really can blame them.
Pet Vet Tip: To read more about why sugar gliders may cannibalize others, have a look at this article on the topic.
If you are not in a state to be able to handle the body, ask a brave loved one to help you. If you are unsure whether you want a post-mortem done, you need to keep the body in the fridge, but if you are sure that this is not the case, it is best to freeze the body.
Tightly wrap it in a hand towel or small blanket, place it inside a waterproof bag, preferably two, and put it in a freezer, separate from food, until you are ready to decide what to do with the body.
Cremation
This is something that your local vet can help you with. Vets commonly use pet crematorium companies that usually collect bodies from the clinic and cremate them at a dedicated facility.
There are usually options available to have individual cremation whereby they can return the ashes of your individual pet if you wish. Usually, there are various options for returning ashes, such as a little wooden box or a candle or pot plant.
The options are endless, actually. I know of pet parents who had the ashes of a special pet made into jewelry. You can do with the ashes whatever feels right to you.
You can try to contact a pet crematorium directly, as this may sometimes be slightly cheaper than working through your vet clinic (depending on pick-up and delivery options).
The most common and least expensive option for cremation is to have the body communally cremated, which means you will not get any ashes back.
Burial
You can also bury the body in the garden or a large pot plant. Just keep in mind that some local authorities may have laws against burial on residential properties.
Another option that has brought comfort to pet parents after losing a special pet is burying the body in a beautiful. It can serve as a reminder of your very loved sugar glider when it blooms.
Other Memorial Options
If you do not want to keep the body or have the ashes returned, other options include engraving name tags or framed paw prints. Again, your local vet clinic should be able to help point you in the right direction, depending on the option you choose.
What About My Remaining Sugar Glider(s)?
Sugar gliders do not do well by themselves. If you only have one remaining, it would be a good idea to consider the options of getting another glider or rehoming them if that is the best option for your situation. However, before getting another glider, it is vital to take precautions if an infectious cause of death is suspected.
In the meantime, make sure your remaining sugar glider gets lots of attention from you to prevent them from getting lonely. This article contains some tips to ensure that your glider is comfortable and happy.
Quarantine your remaining sugar glider(s), especially if you suspect an infectious cause of death. If you decide to get new sugar gliders, they need to be quarantined for at least a week to prevent the introduction of diseases. Thoroughly clean the cage and bedding before introducing new sugar gliders, and follow a safe introduction protocol to avoid fighting.
If you choose to go the rehoming route, you can browse Facebook for local rat interest groups or look for your nearest sugar glider shelter.
Tips To Heal A Broken Sugar Glider Parent’s Heart
- Realize that it is not because you did something wrong. No matter the circumstances or cause of death, you did the best you could with the information you had, and that is enough.
- Chat with someone. It is never a good idea to hoard negative emotions. Talk to a friend, partner, family member, or psychologist as long as you voice your feelings after a traumatic event. There are many sugar glider parent groups on Facebook and forums that can also help. Many sugar glider owners have gone through this experience and understand the turmoil you are experiencing and will offer words of advice and comfort.
- Remember the good times. Remembering all the happy times or funny things your glider did can be incredibly healing. Look at old photos and share some of your happy memories of your rat with your close friends or family or fellow sugar glider enthusiasts.
- Cry a little or a lot – do what you need to do. They were more than just another sugar glider, and nothing could replace the void that they left.
- Give yourself time. After losing a beloved pet, it is normal to mourn for some time. Be patient and kind to yourself. It might not feel that way right now, but the horrible feeling you are experiencing will pass with time.
Resources
- Banks, R., 2013. Exotic small mammal care and husbandry. Hoboken: John Wiley, pp. 157 – 168. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/book/10.1002/9781119265405
- Dierenfeld, E., 2009. Feeding Behavior and Nutrition of the Sugar Glider (Petaurus breviceps). Veterinary Clinics of North America: Exotic Animal Practice, 12(2), pp.209-215.
- Meredith, A. and Redrobe, S., 2002. BSAVA manual of exotic pets. 4th ed. Quedgeley: British Small Animal Veterinary Association, pp. 102 – 106 25. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/240493099_The_BSAVA_Manual_of_Exotic_Pets_4th_edn
- Saunders, R. (2015, April). What is a sugar glider, and how do I nurse it?. In BSAVA Congress Proceedings 2015 (pp. 372-373). BSAVA Library.
