I don't even know where to start - everything's changed and yet nothing's changed...
_________________________________________________
FIRST - lots of edits to my photos and journals... postings too old to edit, so tailor them with this new paradigm information...
-------------------------------------------------
The RE-NAMING
Been awhile, and been getting more familiar with my three wonderful little Sugar Gliders as time goes on. Finally able to handle them more as they've become more comfortable with me. Playing in the tents really helps ;-)
Seems I've been a bit confused - I assumed the two bigger Sugar Gliders were the mom and dad, and the smaller one the daughter - but apparently I was wrong... The two bigger ones are both females with pouches, and the smaller one is actually a neutered male.
The one I assumed to be the mom, 'Piper', seems to be the 'dominant' one who does all the initial 'growling' (aka 'crabbing') when disturbed. But, she only does this when she's in one of the beddings/nests, and these two female Sugar Gliders stop when I run them out of their bedding/nest. The other female who joins-in as support - and whom I've mistaken for the 'dad' and been calling 'Aerrow' - is the daughter? Why is she so big compared to the smaller male 'dad' that I've been calling 'Starling' - mature male Sugar Gliders can be much smaller than mature female Sugar Gliders? WOW! I guess I don't really know how old any of these three are anyway. I now presume the 'child' Sugar Glider is over a year or two old, so she's rather 'grown' and no longer a 'baby girl'... she's very mature, but not 'dominant' like mom. And the neutered male, the 'dad', never joins in when the 'growling' starts up by the two females... I had assumed he was the 'baby' and just more timid - wild!
SO, while 'Piper' will remain being called 'Piper' (ie "pipe-down Piper"), the other female I've been calling 'Aerrow', I'm re-naming 'Starling', but will not refer to her as the 'baby girl' since she's quite mature and an adolescent female - however I will retain the 'Darling Starling' nickname for her as she was always just so very friendly, which I assumed it was because of her being a neutered male, but it's actually because she was just younger than the other two (even been calling her my new boyfriend as she was so friendly - have to start calling her my new girlfriend!).
Then, the male will no longer be called a 'baby girl' (probably pissing him off without knowing it, but then again being neutered he's probably not that offended either, heh, heh...). He'll no longer be 'Starling', and so shall be re-named 'Aerrow' ... and change his nickname from 'Hello Aerrow' to 'My Lovely Aerrow'... he's just so little, cute, and adorable!
Paradigm shift to say the least!!!
....... I am standing beside myself :-O