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Goodbye Suggie....

11K views 29 replies 25 participants last post by  RodentzRule 
#1 ·
I cant believe im writing this.
Before i even write what im about to write, i just want to say first that im so very sorry to Barb (possumom) and that i completely accept the blame in all of this. I guess im writing in the hopes that my experiences in the last week will show people how fragile life is and how not using your head, even for a minute can ruin your life.

Suggie came into my life in july, i was inexperienced and let myself be conned by people who had no clue about breeding sugar gliders. I ended up with a very young rejected sugar glider, and a miracle happened, she survived and actually thrived. She was perfect in every way shape and form (except for her right ear, which her parents damaged badly) but even that ear was perfect to me because it was hers, and i loved her so much. Since july suggie has never left me or my boyfriends side, she became popular all over our small town because she was always with us, tucked in a pouch or a shirt and constantly popping her head out to say hello and blink her big baby eyes. We gave her everything we could, the biggest cage, the most toys, the best food and so, so, so much love. I woke up each day just to see suggies little face and i went to sleep each night with a warm feeling in my heart from all of her affection.
Some of suggies favorite activities included, licking lips after we had eaten something tasty (prying our lips apart with her claws :rolleyes: ) nipping at toes, playing hide and seek, being kissed on the nose, sleeping in hands so trusting and comfortable and riding shotgun on one of our shoulders and taking in everything with her big beautiful eyes. The only time suggie didnt seem happy was between the hours of 4am and 6am where someone wasnt awake to have her out, so we figured a playmate was in order.
I contacted Barb and we talked on the phone, she knew so much and cared about her gliders, it was so exciting to talk to someone that not only knew what a glider was but that could tell me so much more than i already knew, glider owners are few and far between around here. So barb and i talked and she decided to let me take a year and a half old boy named nicky, he was a rescue who hadnt had a great life before going to barbs place and i figured i could handle it as suggie was somewhat of a rescue herself.
The day we picked Nicky up was amazing, he was so big and handsome!! Suggie fell in love instantly and moved into his pouch before the days end. Nicky was cranky but i fell in love with him anyways, his crabbing was so cute and it was heard less and less over the week.

This is where i fall apart.
On christmas night after a big dinner i decided to take a walk with suggie and nicky. Suggie rode in her usual spot (my jacket pocket) and nicky in his zippered pouch. I was only one house away from mine when suggie started trying to pry the zipper open to see nicky, so i opened the zipper a crack, nicky freaked, and jumped out of the pouch. I tried, Barb i swear i tried to catch him but he jumped from my coat and into a nearby yard. After losing him deep in the brush i ran to get a flashlight and my boyfreind.
We searched for 9 hours without going inside it was pouring rain, we drained our vehicle battery by leaving the lights on pointing at the tree. I couldnt stop crying...
I left all of nicky and suggies pouches hanging from the tree along with some food, and the next morning i bought a havaheart trap and put it near the area. Weve been looking for him for at least 4 hours a day since, we have posters put up everywhere and noone has spotted him.

2 days after losing Nicky my boyfriends dad let suggie out of her cage at 6am as usual, she liked to hang out with pop in the morning as she was still really hyper at that time. We had relatives up and my boyfreinds grandmother forgot to close the toilet seat. I was awakened at 7am to hear pop screaming. He came into our room and set my baby suggie on our bed. She had drown in the toilet.
I was hystarical trying to revive her and telling her to wake up, they took her from me soon after realizing that i wouldnt give up. How could this be happening? She was just nipping my toes only hours ago...

I havent ever felt like this in my life, i cant eat, sleep or function and its been 2 days. I cant believe my baby girl and my new baby boy are both gone. To say that im sad and ashamed of myself would be an extreme understatment. Im having a hard time letting her go and i know that it wont come easily and it wont happen soon. This has been the hardest week of my life and i just wanted to get it out, to tell people that arent my family and dont have to say "it wasnt your fault dont be hard on yourself" Again im so sorry Barb, you did such a great thing for me and now look what ive done. If i ever find nicky, i will do whatever you feel would be right, and if that means bringing him back to you then thats fine.

Thanks to anyone whos read this, please pray for Suggie and Nicky.
I love and miss you both so much, i didnt deserve two such perfect angels...

Please everyone be so careful, things like this can be avoided, one small careless act can change your life, and your pets life forever.
 
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#5 ·
HUGS
What a terrible thing to happen. I'm so sorry.
You family is right though, you did everything you could for these little guys, and it's terrible that these accidents happend to you. Morn the loss, but don't beat up on yourself.
I hope some neighbour finds little Nicky, and he is able to get back to you.
 
#8 ·
Phawn, as I sit here with tears in my eyes I can tell through your post how much you are hurting. I am so so sorry things happened the way they did. I truly hope you hear something of Nikky, at least then whether good or bad, you could have closure & continue your grieving process... like you said it could have been prevented, but how where you to know at that time... life teaches us lessons in wierd ways! :hugg2:
 
#11 ·
Thank you all for your kind words. I expected angry replies, your caring helps a lot :).

I am still holding onto hope of finding nicky, we have called the SPCA and they are keeping an eye and ear out, we also call into the radio to report him missing everyday. If anyone has any tips for finding him please let me know, so far weve been putting pouches all over the neighbourhood, we have a humane live animal traps set with fresh food. Weve even been playing a cd of sugar glider calls and noises (downloaded from the internet) playing inside of their open cage which is in our carport.

The thought of him being out there in the rain is almost unbearable, ive never felt more stupid, guilty and careless about anything. I miss my little girl so much.
 
#13 ·
OMG, I am sooo sorry. Life can be so unfair sometimes. I do not blame you, it was an accident. Member what I said about when you are outside with him though and I think the only reason that i even bring this up is more so that everyone else knows that we talked quite awhile about the hazards of having a glider out and about because Suggie was such an amazing little girl and would never leave mom so i had to make sure Phawn realised that not all suggies were as unique as her Suggie. This little girl of Phawn's was amazing she had had a rough start but was one of the most bonded glider i have seen in soooooo many yrs I think something that she said to me on the phone was the best indicator of this ladies love for her glider. She asked me "Do you ever kiss your gliders on the nose" I think i said something like "I guess i never thought about wether i do or not and she said "Oh I was just wondering because i can't look at Suggies cute little face without kissing it" RIP Suggie , a little girl who was truly loved.
I really hope you can find Nicky but because you hadn't had him all that long I would not hold out too much hope and your right, there has been so much rain but on the other hand it has been fairly mild out so I would continue what you are doing for a few more days. At which point please dont' beat yourself up and if you do find him of course I would be honoured if you would keep him and love him. He would be a very lucky boy if you could love him like you did your beloved Suggie. I picked a wonderful home for Nicky and I still stand by that, you are a wonderful sg owner and mom/dad. Your boyfriend seemed to share your love for gliders and relay my condolences to him also. You know the saddest thing of all this will be if you don't heal from this and take your experience and new knowledge and open your heart to another little fuzzball :)
When your heart and home are ready you make sure and get ahold of me because I just know that the love you have to give to sugar gliders is something that I want for any one of my gliders when they go to a new home, joeys or older crank pots like Nicky :)
I am rambling now but please accept my sympathy and NOOOO i do not blame you, k , ((((HUGs ))))
Take care of you and Jason?
 
#17 ·
I can't believe that you would think that people would respond negitively about this, it was an uncontrollable thing unfortunately. Suggie will RIP and know that you did not mean for her to pass on, and like possummom said when the time is right suggie would like you to pass on your love to another sg, she knows the kind of love you can give. I don't know anything about sg but you never know he may show up someplace, stranger things have been known to happen, and reading your story makes me want to look into sg and find out about them and maybe consider adopting one, I love loveable creatures :) Keep your head up, I know its a terrible loss but seems to me after a little bit of mourning you will be able to find it in you to love another one. Good luck and feel better, both suggie and nicky are in our prayers.
 
#19 ·
Phawn,
I would like to add my condolences. I lost my suggie on the 30th I went out of town for the day to get him a new cage, and he some how learned to open his lached roof door...escaped, and is gone. We've torn the house apart a dozen times over, searched outside, no avail...and with it dropping down in to the low 20s the past few days, if he did escape outside, I have a feeling there is no hope. So I feel your pain with Nicky...
We lost a flying squirrel about 7 years ago to an open toilet lid. She picked the lock on her cage and escaped while we were at church... some times they are too smart. My heart is with you, as are my prayers.
Open your heart to a glider in need, that's the best legacy you can leave for Suggie. And you are someone who'll truly love and take care of them unlike alot of people who end up buying gliders. Please keep us posted on Nicky. And my God Bless and Keep you and Yours. *HUGS*
 
#20 ·
that made me burst into tears.. I am so so sorry..
I have three little guys right now and they are the loves of my life. My first sugar glider that I had was named Tiki.. and once she too escaped from her cage and was found the next day in a toilet.. however, by God's mercy, was found alive. She lived another two years after that but later died due to an injury that she somehow sustained that night.
I am praying for you, just please don't lose hope! We thought that for sure we had lost Tiki that one night. I really hope that you find Nicky!!:console:
 
#23 ·
I've only just seen this, and I just wanted to say how sorry I am. Anyone reading this can see the hurt you're feeling, and we all know how hard you tried for Suggie. I remember your posts about her.

All I can say is that I hope you're healing a little now, and I'm sorry to hear of this double tragedy xx

Goodbye Suggie, you were very much loved and will be very much missed.

{{{{{hugs}}}}} to you xx
 
#24 ·
Thank you Hanlou, you words are very much appreciated :flower:
Although i know that Suggie and Nicky will always be in my heart, it doesnt stop my heart from hurting everyday, spending time with my other animals, Chinnie and the degus helps a lot though. We have since moved from the house where i fell in love with and lost Suggie, its bittersweet, because there were so many memories there, but it hurt a lot to see reminders of her everywhere. I had a brief period where i thought that smashing the toilet that she drown in would make me feel better, but i soon realised that if i did that i wouldnt get my damage deposit back (which i need to pay for the baby glider we are getting soon) but it would also be a really stupid and childish thing to do. The toilet didnt leave its own lid open, so i shouldnt blame it. I sound nuts, sorry :rolleyes: .

I guess what im trying to say is that although the last month has been the hardest ive ever gone through, i'm healing and feel like im able now to welcome another sugar glider into my heart.
 
#25 ·
Phawn, I've just now read your story. I've never had a sugarglider before, but I fell in love with Suggie as I read about her. My heart broke for you and all involved as I found out what happened to her and Nicky. I'm glad you are healing and getting another glider. It won't take the place of the two you lost, but it will provide you with lots of new memories. How is your boyfriend's dad doing? He must have felt horrible.
 
#26 ·
I'm glad you're getting another glider soon. I know you can never, ever replace an animal, but I do believe that filling an empty cage helps to soothe the hurt a little, and is the best way to get over a loss.

Glad to hear you're doing ok, and hope all works out well with your new 'baby'. :lovies:
 
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