Since sugar gliders are marsupials they are only pregnant for 16 days. The joey then travels to the pouch where it will develop and grow for 60 days before it is out. About a week before the joey is out of pouch you should see tails, feet, or legs hanging out of the pouch.
Breeding sugar gliders is a pretty big responsibility. Since most gliders are not entered into a database to keep track of lineage, inbreeding is quite common. While many breeders will tell you the health background and lineage of the gliders you will be getting it's not possible to confirm it.
If you plan to breed and sell you should first look up breeding laws in your area. A
USDA license is required if you have more than 3 breeding females, which are defined as unspayed females in your home(dogs, cats, other exotics, etc. would all count towards those 3 breeding females)
Understand the
risks associated with breeding these exotics animals -
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http://glidernursery.webs.com/warning.htm ]
To prepare for
rejected joeys a
rejection kit should be obtained prior to pairing your gliders to breed. Supplies include milk replacer, incubator, syringes with feeding tips, etc.
Learn the standards expected of
good breeders. Some other things a reputable breeder will do are: only sell gliders in pairs, never sell a brother/sister pair without first neutering the male, will provide resources to knowledge necessary to prepare new owner and accept new information or outside sources from prospective owner.
As with any animal over breeding or breeding too much can put a lot of stress on the mother's body. Sugar gliders have four nipples meaning they can have up to four babies and on top of this gliders can
mate about 3 times a year. This is why a reason why all the joeys are not the same age but are still feeding! After your glider has had a few litters you should neuter the male and retire your breeding pair. Most diet plans also have recommended modifications for breeding females to provide her with extra nutrients while nursing - additional food should always be supplied to breeding-age females to aid in milk production.
SEE ALSO