Hi, I hope I'm posting this in the right place, cause I can't seem to figure out how to properly use the site, sorry.

Basically in December I was gifted two sugar gliders. It was the first time for me to ever have a sugar glider and I was a bit upset at the person who gave them to me, because I didn't think I could properly take care of them, but despite that I bought a very big cage for them after I decided to not try to find a new home for them because they were starting to somehow get "bonded". Now the problem is that after all these months they're still NOT bonded. The female (Mirae) sometimes bites me for not apparent reason and she still doesn't trust me enough to stay on me, but she completely stopped crabbing. She hasn't for a few months now. The male (Moonie) tho is the opposite. He never bites, he sometimes let's me hold him inside the cage, never outside, but he always crabs if I touch the pouch. And today for the first time he crabbed at me through the cage even when he could see that it was my hand. Which tbh terrifies me, because he never did that before.

Now, I've been trying to bond with them for months but it seems to be going very slow, which I was okay with because I read that it can take a long time, but now I'm getting very anxious because the girl has gotten bigger lately even tho she has been eating like before. So I'm very scared and have no idea what to do. I'm scared she is actually pregnant and something will go wrong. I don't know if I should keep on trying to bond with tent time, or if I should stop. I don't wanna stress her. But I'm also scared that if I stop and they won't be bonded for the time the babies are born, it will be much harder for me to interact with them. I read that usually people can hold the joeys very soon, but I doubt that would be the case if the parents aren't even bonded. I'm just very scared and anxious and I don't know what to do.

I don't want to give up on them, even tho I never actually meant to have suggies as pets, because I know that they actually bonded some during these months, but it seems like nothing compared to the time spent together.

I really need advice on how to bond (or not?) with a pregnant sugar glider.

First of all, take a deep breath! Thank you for reaching out for help.

Sugar glider bonding can take a really long time. I’ve had my female for almost a year now and she’s finally getting to the place where she’s comfortable hanging out with me. My male, on the other hand, was really easy to bond with. It all depends on the glider’s personality. That said, some things to facilitate the bonding process can be to hold the gliders in a bonding pouch (or your bra if they’ll do that or a hoodie, etc) during the day while they’re asleep. That way they get more used to your voice and your smell. I don’t know what bonding methods you’ve been doing, though. I’m sorry you’re having a rough time!

Is your male neutered? If he isn’t, then there is a very good chance that your female is pregnant. Sugar gliders are only pregnant for sixteen days (do you know the date of when they mated??). After that the babies are born and they crawl to the pouch. They stay in the pouch for about 10 weeks. During that time you shouldn’t open the pouch or do anything to disturb the babies. If they get detached from the nipples, they’ll die because they can’t reopen their mouths to re-attach themselves. After then 10 weeks, the joeys will START to come out of the pouch. It’ll be slow at first and they are very very vulnerable and very small. They will stay with their mother for 8 – 12 weeks. After that, they will be weaned and eating solid food on their own.

(Side note, the father is a huge part in raising the joeys, don’t ever separate the pair as this will stress the mother out).

Do you know if your male and female have lineage? If not, it’s likely that the joeys will be inbred. Please get your male neutered as soon as possible.

I’m not trying to be judgmental here, but I’m afraid like it can come across like that through the computer screen! My intentions are only to help.

As far as bonding with your female during this time, my advice is to just keep doing what you’re doing now. Sugar gliders are habitual animals. If something throws off their routine, it’s going to cause them stress. Just try to keep everything as normal for your female as possible.

Sorry for the long response! I hope it was helpful. If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask here or to PM me.

Thank you for replying!!

Since I got them I started researching a lot to try and not make mistakes so I read about bonding techniques and I've been doing the bonding pouch thing, but that's all. I bought a tent so, I wanted to start with the tent time, cause that's what I read also helps. I can feel they are not scared of me, cause they run up to me in the cage when I enter the room at night or early morning and if I reach with a hand inside they hang around it without ever crabbing anymore. Unless I touch the pouch with the male inside lol.

I really doubt the male is neutered cause they've been with me for a few months now and there wouldn't be another way for the female to be pregnant. But I know for sure that they are not related in anyway cause that's literally the only thing my uncle told me when he gave them to me. I also don't know if it can mean anything but researching I found out the male is a white face and the female is a standard sugar glider.

Thank you again for replying!! It didn't come off as judgmental at all and even if it did I wouldn't have blamed you cause it was for the sugar gliders' well being!

So you think I should or shouldn't go on with tent time? Cause I only did it twice as for now so I don't know if that counts.

Okay, cool. Those are really good signs that they run up to you in the cage and that they'll hang around your hand.

Glad to know that they aren't related, either as that is one of the big concerns when breeding and having babies! (White face and standard grey are lovely colors, btw)

I'm glad I didn't come off as judgmental!

I think doing tent time would be good and not harmful. You just really want to avoid any big changes in their lives that could cause stress.

Thank you very much!!! I'll keep trying to bond in the same way then!

You were really really helpful and saved me big time #128557;

Awesome! I'm so glad I could help! :)

Hi! I hope you are still checking in on this post. I am new to the group but not new to Sugar Gliders. I wanted to offer a suggestion to help you with the Bonding process. I recently added a new pair of Sugar Gliders(Mom, Dad,and Baby Bump) to our family, because who couldn't use a little more Crazy in their life! Mamma was already showing by the time they arrived.
Anyway, I know you may think this is way out there but hey, it never hurts to try. For this bonding session you will need a feather. After you do your nightly, "Good Morning Sunshine" routine while feeding, grab the feather and start rubbing it gently across the bars on the outside of the cage. Trust me when I tell you the minute they see that feather they run to you so fast you won't know where they came from! I took this video tonight to demonstrate the actual bonding time where you can use the feather to begin showing her you can be trusted around her baby. This pair has known me for less than 8 weeks. I have gone from ZERO to HERO in just 8 weeks. Try it! Then try it again and again until she wants her tummy rubbed worse than she thinks she should be cautious of you with the baby bump! Do Not get the feather near the opening of the pouch. Please remember if the Joey comes off, he will starve to death. Until just a few days ago she asked to be rubbed on her chest and chin area. It will be obvious how much she will want. Do not overdo it. She will determine how much personal space she is willing to share. Stop rubbing her a couple times while sweet talking her. Let her ask for more.
Good luck!

Robyn

Here's the videon!
https://share.icloud.com/photos/0swMSde5_k5bat_-qqmQOHYvw#Picayune

Hi i am also mew to the sugar glider world just had my 2 breeding pair suggies for a month or so and i can see a clear bump am scared but ready to help them in any way, bit anxious as well as i dont know how to help her though.

But my problem is will they be aggresive towards me if they keep making joeys? As i saw some posts that said that , my only problem right know sometimes when i go in the morning next to the cage and just touch the pouch a bit she is getting very crabby will settle bit still she was the quiet one... although if it put her in my binding pouch she will snuggle.
Another question if they do have a wonderful pregnancy and all goes well and the baby is oop how should i handle them? Should i put them all together in the bonding pouch and carry them? Should j let them be and not move them from the cage cause of the joey? Please help me i would appreciate !

@ Bpsuggieslove

Congrats on your female having joeys!

I honestly don’t know if she will be aggressive to you if she continues to have joeys. When my female, who is naturally more skittish than my male, had joeys in pouch, her personality didn’t change too much. She was more protective of her space, but wasn’t aggressive or anything. You haven’t had yours for long – they’re still getting used to you. The fact that she’ll snuggle down in your bonding pouch is awesome and a good sign that she trusts you.

You can start to handle the babies when they are about two weeks out of pouch. You want to hold them for SHORT periods of time and don’t take them to a place where mama can’t watch see them. Hold them for a little each day to get them used to human society. The main thing you want to do is to limit stress on the mother as much as possible – which means not changing their schedule drastically or doing anything that is unusual for them.

Personally, I chose not to carry my female around in a bonding pouch when the joeys were just out of pouch. I live in a house with a lot of noise and I was paranoid that it would upset my girl. But it’s up to you. Just try to do whatever you can to limit stress!
If you have any other questions, feel free to ask here or PM me. :)