🌿 Louis: Older Than Time, and Twice as Sweet
When Louis arrived at the Grove on November 8, 2023, we were told he was “older than time itself and indestructible.” His previous owner thought he was about 10—but later adjusted that estimate. First to 15. Then... maybe even 17 to 20. However old he may truly be, Louis is undeniably our ancient, opinionated gremlin of a glider, and we wouldn’t trade him for the world.
🍍 Treat Gremlin Origins
Louis came to us with a few quirks—and by “quirks,” we mean full-on snack hoarding aggression. He was food-motivated to the point of bitey enthusiasm, especially during treat time. Sharing? Not really his thing.
His cage mate, Meg, was often the victim of his snack-snatching. We quickly learned that Louis didn’t like the mulberry treats, so we used them as a peace offering for Meg. It worked—she got her snacks in peace, and Louis got his favorites. Balance was restored.
But his ultimate favorite? Dried papaya. The moment he hears that papaya bag crinkle, he’s halfway across the cage, wide-eyed and eager. He might’ve been grumpy and grabby, but his passion for papaya—and his ridiculous papaya-panic scurries—made it impossible not to laugh and love him more.
Before the Storm: A Glimpse Into the Past
Meg nibbles her mulberry treat while Louis eyes his beloved papaya. This photo was taken the day after we brought Louis home. Before he lost his vision. Before Meg lost her leg. Before we knew just how strong and loving these two would turn out to be. A quiet moment… before everything changed.
đź‘´ The Unexpected Babysitter
Despite his spicy snack manners, Louis surprised us all when the Tweedle twins were born.
We opened the pouch one day and found him inside, curled up happily with the two tiny joeys, eyes bright and relaxed like he’d just discovered the secret to eternal joy. We hadn’t expected such gentle care from the same glider who used to chomp fingers over papaya.
Even Meg—his sister and the mother of the twins—was totally comfortable leaving them in his care. That was our cue: if Mom trusted him, so could we. And that’s how “Uncle Lou” became our first official joey babysitter.
There’s even video footage of him snuggled with the twins, proving that even grumpy old gliders can have hearts of gold.
🧩 The Peacekeeper You Didn’t Expect
What’s even more surprising than Louis becoming a baby-sitter? The fact that he was never the problem during cage introductions.
When Mini was carefully added to the cage with him and Meg, he accepted her without issue. Later, when Junior accidentally joined instead (thanks to the infamous sibling switch), Louis rolled with it, unbothered. No crabbing, no fights, no dominance issues.
In fact, his quiet acceptance may be one reason we didn’t notice the switch right away. He was the picture of chill adaptability—and honestly, we were floored.
đź’š Final Thoughts
Louis is a glider of contrasts: grumpy yet gentle, snack-obsessed but selfless with joeys, ancient but oddly spry. He may be older than time (allegedly), but he brought a timeless kind of charm to the Grove—a reminder that gliders, like people, can grow in surprising ways.
We love our papaya-gremlin Uncle Lou, and we’re thankful every day that we opened our home—and our pouches—to him.
🎥 A Glimpse into Glider Life
In this sweet clip, you’ll catch a rare and heartwarming sight—Louis cuddled up with his sister Meg’s joeys, acting as their unlikely and very relaxed babysitter. His calm presence, once so food-focused and feisty, now melts into gentle companionship. We were continually surprised by the tenderness he showed toward these tiny joeys, especially given his early days as a snack thief and pouch curmudgeon.
📌 A Note on the Pouch’s Condition
You might also notice the pouch looks a little… crumb-filled. That’s not your imagination! Sugar gliders love to snack in their sleeping spaces, and Louis was no exception. During these early days of joey care, we were still new to navigating pouch hygiene with very young gliders. We worried that swapping out their familiar pouch too soon might disrupt bonding or stress the group, especially while the babies were still tiny and constantly inside. So we erred on the side of caution and chose to wait.
Looking back, we’ve learned a lot—and now we approach pouch swaps with more confidence and strategies that keep both hygiene and harmony in mind. 💚
🖋️ —The Grove Keepers (with Fable Quillvine, Archivist of the Grove)