In Reply to: Re: Frequent Breeding posted by Bourbon on February 21, 2000 at 14:15:43:

It has occurred to me that my gliders don't eat as much as I've seen in recipes and actual diets. They eat about half the recommended portions of leadbeaters & fruit. I noticed before, but as they've always been healthy and have plenty of exercise, I just forgot about it. I'm thinking now that its due to lower temps, as Bourbon said, lower temps = lower activity levels, so it also means less food is eaten. I moved them to my living room three days ago, it is at about 70-72 degrees consistently. They are not near any windows. I haven't seen an increase in appetite yet, but do expect to and will post. I had to adjust the whole lighting scheme in my living room, due to the sad looks my gliders gave me the first night.
I took them to the vet for a 'wellness' check 4 days ago, they passed w/flying colors. They are of average weight and size, and very healthy & active according to my vet. He told me that it sometimes takes a few years for captive gliders to breed, thats his only opinion regarding my gliders. I wish I had thought of asking about the lower temps.

: I agree that the warmer temps, give room for more breeding, but also the accessablity to the varied insects, in the wild, they do breed when spring comes around, and the insect population is much higher, in the winters in the wild, they will actually adjust their metabolism to accomadate for the cooler temps. Thus lower their activity levels. for the last couple of years, I have done this, i have kept my livingroom, (where the gliders are) cooler at nights, this year due to my change in job schedules the temps have been kept warmer. (the family wants me to come home to a warmer house at night), it has showed the difference in the breeding behaviors. This has been a busy year for mine. and I do believe it has to do with the temps..which is why Toni's gliders haven't bred yet,, I do believe this. Her home is kept about where i had been keeping mine in the past, mine a few degrees higher. about 65 to 70, it was cool enough to simulate the cooler temps.. Now the question is, how do we go about letting people know this, without taking the chances of them making it TOO cold for them, that they freeze to death. Because with the lower temps you also have a reduced activity level..

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