In Reply to: Re: Help: My baby Glider posted by Connie on April 30, 2000 at 20:15:49:

: I didn't know that two females would endanger an enfant. What of female and her junior son with her new joey. He seems very protective is this normal? I saw the joey for the first time last night.

Let me share a sad sorry with you guys. I have a little girl gliders that we adopted from a pet store that my hubby was working part time in (in the fish dept only). Well, they ended up selling these two females' mates and putting the two females together. Both of the females were carrying joeys in their pouches--3 joeys total. When they opened the store one morning they found one joey dead in the food bowl, one joey dead in the bottom of the cage (or parts of one i should state), and one alive but not in the best condition. Well, the IDIOTS at the pet store seperated the one remaining joey and hand feed it but wasn't willing to let anyone take the joey home to feed it at night. Well luckily the joey made it....she was so little when she was taken from mom...i really think it was a Miracle she survived without any night feedings and through the poor conditions. Anyway, when she started eating on her own they put her back with the two females...UGH! The two adults fought her and she wasn't getting much at all to eat. She was in the pet store for 3 months like this...and finally they sent her home with us! thank goodness! Well, upon having her vet checked her second day with us...we found that she is totally blind in one of her eyes from an injury...probably from fighting with the other two females. Luckily, there is no infection BUT we have to keep a close check on her. We named her Miracle.
So yes, joeys can be very much threated by other gliders who are not their parents. Males will sometimes kill joeys that are not theirs as will females. That is why it is highly suggested by MOST veterans and breeders to keep gliders only in pairs (for breeding purposes and to keep food competition to a min.).
Better safe than sorry.

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