When glider proofing a room, you should go through the room and assess any potential hazards to your glider. You can basically think of your glider as a toddler and approach it the same way you would as baby proofing.

You will need to check for any gaps that a glider could squeeze through. A good rule of thumb to follow is if you can stick two fingers into a gap, then your glider can probably fit. Even gaps as small as half an inch may be large enough for them to fit through.

Make sure there is no more than half an inch gap at the bottom of the door, and if there is, roll up a towel or use a draft guard to block it. Cover or plug drains and close up any gaps in walls, doors, window, and cabinets.

Gliders can also get stuck in furniture such as recliners, dressers, couches, mattresses, and box springs. Cover air and heating vents and anything else your glider could get into. Anywhere there is plumbing, check to see if there are gaps in the wall and close them up.

Make sure windows are shut because gliders can chew through screens. Even if the window is only cracked open, they can probably squeeze through and get out.

Keep toilet lids down and remove access to any standing water. Gliders can swim but they won’t be able to get out of the toilet and will become exhausted and drown. Toilet lids left up are one of the biggest dangers to gliders.

Make sure to cover electrical outlets and keep electrical cords out of reach. Some gliders are chewers and can chew through cords and get electrocuted. Remove any electronics and appliances from the room. Gliders get into all sorts of things, such as vacuums, TVs, VCRs, printers, toasters, etc.

If you’ve got anything hanging on the wall, beware! Gliders will knock down pictures and tear down posters.

If there are any curtain or drapery cords hanging in the room, fold them and clip them up because they can be a strangulation hazard.

Remove houseplants because some are toxic to gliders. You should also avoid using any toxic cleaning products and keep any toxic chemicals out of the room.

This is of course not a complete list, so just observe your gliders as they play to see what potential dangers they may get into. Your glider will bring your attention to things you probably never noticed.

It is a good idea to put alternative nesting spots around the room so they have safe places to curl up rather than getting into unusal hiding spots. If your glider gets into a spot out of your reach, try coaxing it out with a treat. It is best to try to get your glider to come out on its own.