help! flyer trouble :(

[sid'smommy]

I had Peewee and Mr Bigs in my bedroom playing a bit ago. Mr Big made a HUGE leap across the room where I was folding laundry. He missed me, landing on carpet. He scurried back up the curtains, and started shaking his tail like he was gonna do it again, so I moved a little closer and waited... this time he jumped too far. He acted so excited ! ( First long jump) He did it about 3 more times, and then just ran all over me with Peewee for a while. He jumped on the bed, ran under comforter like he was playing hide and seek... when he ran back out to me, he stopped, rolled to his side and started seizing. I picked him up and held him, and peewee jumped in my hands and stretched over him until he stopped seizing. Weirdest thing ever. I put him in bed and gave him a peach slice (for the sugar), which he gobbled right up,then he got right up and started eating kale and mushrooms. Seems fine, but moving slower. What happened ?? over excited?? Im so worried... Peewee will be lost without him if something happens!:boohoo

[HRT4SQRLS]

SM, I remember when my first flyer started gliding. I got so nervous I thought I would have a stroke. Just like your little one, Bonzai missed several times and would hit the carpet. I was so afraid he would hurt himself. Everyone told me (including the Skuls) that they didn't know of any that injured themselves while flying, although I guess it would be possible.

This is a guess but I believe you might be correct about your boy getting 'over excited' or over stimulated. There have been many cases of seizures that occur with something as simple as taking them out of the cage. When I first got Bonzai he had a history of this ... take him out of the cage and he would seize. He no longer has this problem. He hasn't had a seizure in over 2 years. It is very odd but some these little guys do seize when overstimulated. I have no idea why. I would just watch him carefully and see if a pattern develops.

That is so touching that Peewee went to protect him. Wow. :Love_Icon

[ALittleNutty]

I had Peewee and Mr Bigs in my bedroom playing a bit ago. Mr Big made a HUGE leap across the room where I was folding laundry. He missed me, landing on carpet. He scurried back up the curtains, and started shaking his tail like he was gonna do it again, so I moved a little closer and waited... this time he jumped too far. He acted so excited ! ( First long jump) He did it about 3 more times, and then just ran all over me with Peewee for a while. He jumped on the bed, ran under comforter like he was playing hide and seek... when he ran back out to me, he stopped, rolled to his side and started seizing. I picked him up and held him, and peewee jumped in my hands and stretched over him until he stopped seizing. Weirdest thing ever. I put him in bed and gave him a peach slice (for the sugar), which he gobbled right up,then he got right up and started eating kale and mushrooms. Seems fine, but moving slower. What happened ?? over excited?? Im so worried... Peewee will be lost without him if something happens!:boohoo

I haven't had any experience with seizures but Peewee's reaction is very interesting. Hope the only cause was Mr. Bigs just got over excited.

[pappy1264]

Watch him. It is from him getting overly excited. Eris does the same thing. She gets very protective when she gets her nut. She cannot be out with one, because she will seize, in her excitement with trying to protect it. If it happens again, just turn lights down, shut off anything that makes noise if possible. Quiet and let him come out of it. Eris will be weak for a bit after it happens, as well. You may have to limit playtime so to not let him get too excited.

[Rhapsody]

:grouphug (((HUGS))) :grouphug

[Shewhosweptforest]

Wow, this interesting and scary :thinking These little flyers are remarkable and frightening :eek :grouphug Mr. Big :grouphug hugs for Mr. Big...but also for Pee Wee for being an awesome friend :grouphug Pee Wee :grouphug

[Fireweed]

Scary, is right. :( What a sweet thing Peewee did, too. :grouphug Hope Mr. Bigs is feeling better. :grouphug

[sid'smommy]

He WAS extremely excited last night... more than I have ever seen.. first time flying that distance. I was cheering him on, and the more excited I got, the more he did it. He was taking a break from flying and chasing peewee on me, his human tree. We play peek-a-boo a lot, and that's what he was doing when he darted under the covers then back out. I didn't even have time to say, boo- I see you!, when he rolled sideways. It was so scary, but he didn't appear to be in distress. I wonder if this has happened before, because peewee was right on it, spread out his flaps and wrapped, like a squirrel "snuggie".. I kinda tried to get him off because I didn't know what was going on, but peewee held tight. I could feel the shaking slowing down, so I just held them both until it stopped. Mr big relaxed about 5 minutes, then back to normal, like it never happened.

[sid'smommy]

I'm back with an updates . Turns out, I had the babies mixed up... It was PeeWee ( the runt) who had the seizure- not Mr. big. Well, it happens every time they get out of the cage now. .. Ever since that day. :( I take them out about every other day. Just now, peewee was sitting on my shoulder, and just fell off. He landed on his side, and seized for about 3 minutes. He is curled up on my chest now ... Seems fine, but I'm afraid he might have hit his head, and I'm worried about putting him back in the cage. He has never had a seizure while in his cage. This is simply over excitement. I don't know what to do. I can't leave him caged while mr big plays. I've been thinking about building a huge walk in aviary type cage. I may need to get started .....

[HRT4SQRLS]

Although I haven't had the seizures issues for a long time (over 2 years), my boy had a similar history. If taken out of the cage he would seize.

I bought a second cat tree (large) for his room ... the flyer room. It is right next to his cage. His cage is next to Tucker's cage so the top of the two cages (covered with fleece on top) is the width of 2 CritterNation Double cages. The thing that I did that I felt helped was that I didn't TAKE him out of his cage. I would open his door and sit next to the cage. If he wanted to, he came out. He would run on top of the two cages and climb the cat tree. If he didn't come out that was fine. It is up to him. I also use dimmed lights in their room. Even now, 2 years later I still feel the need to keep things 'low stress' for him.

In the beginning, I would take him to my bedroom (where the original cat tree is) every evening. I could tell he really didn't like it. He would get agitated and would face plant me and even bite me. He would constantly hide under the blankets. When I finally realized that he didn't want to come to my room, I stopped doing it and his personality changed completely. He is more relaxed, never agitated and has not bitten me again. Although unintentional, I was causing stress for him by taking him to another room.

Building the large cage probably will help and then your playtime can be closer to his 'home base' and his comfort zone. I don't know the answers but for us, low low stress has been the answer.
I know that pixiepoo's Pixie has had the same problem.

[sid'smommy]

Maybe it is the lighting in my room... I never thought about that. I will put a dimmer switch in tomorrow.. As for letting him stay in the cage... mmm... probably wont happen... he is the first to leap on me when I open the door. He does play for about 10 minutes before this happens. They both love my room and love to get out. If he didn't want to come out, this would be an easy decision for me. I just feel sorry for him...Im so helpless when this happens, and he just looks at me , so scared ... :(