In Reply to: Too Much Breeding posted by Dianna on June 07, 1999 at 18:52:04:

It is quite normal for your gliders to be mating so soon after joeys have moved into pouch. They will mate a short time after the first set of joeys move into pouch. They babies will remain "stagnent" usually until the first set of joeys are weaned. It is rare but not unusual, that if there is only one joey in pouch that another will be born and actually move into pouch. I would not remove the male from the cage. He will help in raising the joeys and babysit for mom. He is a large part of this family group. The best thing you can do for the female at this point is, increase her calcium and protien levels to 50%. In the cases of cannablism, there should be none. When you do have cases of it, generally it can be traced back to a malnutritional problem and you need to adjust their diet, take a good look at what they could be missing. Increasing calcium is just one part of total diet. The protien levels must be kept at a minimum of 25%, but it has been widely stressed that it may be as much as 50% in a normal diet in the wild. Especially for pregnant and lactating females.

I have one pair of gliders that were given a really poor diet, before I purchased them. I have had them about 6 months, and they have yet to bring any joeys to full term. You may want to consider having your male neutered if you continue to have problems as I too will do. Hope everything works out ok for you. I can just imagine how you are feeling. I feel the same way everytime with juliet. I am now witnessing my first set of joeys emerging from pouch, with my second pair. I think I have been obsessed with breeding since I got my first pair. Yesterday, we noticed about 1/4" of a pink tail emerging from cleo's pouch. It shouldn't be long now. But I will be much like you and be holding my breath until they emerge healthly and sustain there own lives for a few weeks.

Hope this helps....

JO

: I could really use some advise. I have a very "active" pair of sugar gliders. The male is 3 years old, the female is 2 years old. They have been a mated pair for approx 1 year. It took them awhile to mate the first time, but it has been non stop ever since. The first pair of joeys were two health males. Just as the first set of joeys were about to be weaned, I saw my female give birth to 2 more (It was really a miraculous sight to see!). Since the first set of Joeys were still trying to nurse, I left them with the male and seperated the female. After the next 2 were out of the pouch everything seem normal until the female could venture out of her nest without babies on board. Although they both appeared healthy, she abandoned them and actually ate one. :( The advise I was given by the Vet was that she was too stresssed by not having her mate with her, so she rejected them. Made sense, so after relocating the original 2 babies to new homes, I returned the female to her mate. Sure enough, she became pregnant and had swelling pouches in no time. The 2 newest babies have just within the last 2 days started emerging from the pouch. From what I can tell, they both appear very healthy and have their crabbing is loud and clear. Here is my delima.....the male has already mated with her again!! I know this is not healthy for my female. Also, the current Joeys will not be weaned in the next 18 days should she be pregnant again! If I seperate her from him, she may reject the current joeys.........HELP!!! What should I do?? I have the health of my female, her two current joeys and possible 2 more joeys to consider. Any advise will be helpful. These are the most adorable creatures I've ever come upon and it is so heartbreaking to lose one, let alone two poor little babies. Please give me some advise. Thank you! Dianna

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