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Why do glider cannibalize their young? Sugar gliders are exotic animals still maintain many of their "wild" instincts. To avoid drawing predictors or sickness to the colony, sugar gliders will cannibalize young. If there are any remains, usually they will remove it as far away from their nest as possible. She cannibalized/rejected her babies will she do it next time?
There is no way to know for sure if she will or not. The best you can do is rectify any situations that may have caused her to loose her joeys in the past. If the behavior continue, you will need to neuter the male to avoid further rejections and heart ache for you and the sugar gliders. We usually use the 3 strikes rule. Not all pairs/colonies are meant to be parents.
Joey Rejection/Hand feeding
It is very hard to understand why a mother will reject a joey, as there could be many reasons. Sometimes a mother is unable to produce enough milk to support the joey, a diet deficiency may be the cause, or the mother may "sense" something is wrong with the baby. A yeast infection could be another cause, making it painful for the female to feed her little one. What ever the reason may be, you may be able to intervene by supplementing, or if necessary, pulling the joey all together.
Where to start: You will know that the joey has been rejected if it is found on the cage floor, or alone in the nesting area for long periods of time. Always try putting the joey back in with mother. If the mother finds no interest in the baby, then it is your choice on what to do. The first thing to do when finding a rejected joey is remain calm, animals sense stress. Next check to see if the joey is warm, if not wrap it in tissues or warm fleece scrap, and place under your shirt. Next, look to see if your baby is hydrated by checking the skin. Should it be slightly shriveled, try feed .20 ml of water or Pedialyte with a supplemental feeding within a half hour of the feeding. If the glider is severely dehydrated, you will need to get it to the vet ASAP.
How to mix the formula: Mix the puppy milk, marsupial milk, or Wombaroo to the directions on the container. Next get make the baby BML (mixture listed below). Finally mix one part milk to one part Baby BML. Warm a small amount of the mixture in the microwave for about 10 seconds. Stir and test with your finger to be sure mix is not too hot for your baby joey baby. Mixture should be warm to the touch, but not hot. Fill a 1cc syringe with the warmed mixture. Cover and store the remaining mixture in the refrigerator for later use. If the joey develops diarrhea, mix Pedialyte in with the powder every other feeding. Joey BML Recipe
Ingredients:
* 1 boiled egg, shell removed
* 4 oz bottle premixed Gerber Fruit Juice with Yogurt (Banana or Mixed Fruit)
if you can not find this, then use 2 oz of fruit juice and 2oz of plain yogurt.
* 1 teaspoon RepCal Herptivite Vitamin Supplement
* 2 teaspoons RepCal Calcium Supplement with Vitamin D3 Phosphorous Free
* 4 oz of Chicken Baby food (NO GARLIC OR ONION)
* 1/2 cup of Honey
* 1/4 cup of apple juice
* 1/2 cup dry Heinz or Gerber dry baby cereal (Mixed, Oatmeal, or Rice with Fruit Bits)
Put egg, honey and apple juice in electric blender. Blend. Add the yogurt with juice and RepCal Herptivite Vitamin Supplement. Blend. Add RepCal Calcium supplement, chicken baby food, and dry baby cereal. Blend. Pour into ice cube frays and freeze. This recipe will have the same consistency of ice cream. One cube is about 2 table spoons.
How to feed: Attach your size 5 cather or feeding tube to the syringe. Cut the cather at about two to four inches in length. Be sure that your hands and the baby is warm. You can warm the baby up by wrapping it in tissues or warm fleece scrap, and placing in your bra or under your shirt. Be sure the baby is warm before feeding. If the baby is not warm, it will have problems digesting food. Once the baby is warm, use your tissues or warm fleece scrap to hold the baby in a slight forward position for feeding. This will help in preventing the mixture from going up the joey's nose. Feed the joey one small drop by placing the feeding tube on the babies mouth, being careful not to squirt any mixture into the joey's nostrils or directly down the throat. Some joeys may be stubborn at first. If this happens try adding a little pressure in between the side of the mouth until the baby opens it's mouth. Make sure the cather is over the tongue so you do not cause the joey to aspirate. Remember to feed slowly. A new joey will eat between .40mg to .60mg of the mixture. In the first day of feeding, it may take 30-45 minutes for each feeding. After several feeding, your joey will get the idea, and feeding will get down to about 15-20 minutes. Overfeeding a joey can be very harmful, and may ultimately kill your joey. If your joeys stomach appears to be bloated, or to be round, then you will need to skip a feeding. You can check to see if the joey is full by holding the joey up to a bright light. In the center of the abdomen and usually slightly off to the left you should be able to see a white patch under the translucent skin if the stomach is filled with milk. If you can not find a white patch, the the stomach is empty.
When to feed:
Supplement feeding: When supplement feeding, you will feed the joey every 3 to 4 hours. Allowing mom to keep the joey warm, taking care of bathroom breaks, and of the "in between" feedings. When supplement feeding, make sure you see that Mom or Dad are doing their job to clean the baby up (making sure it goes to the bathroom). If they are not, you can do it by gently stroking the area between the base of the tail and the cloaca with a warm wet Q-Tip. Sometimes supplementing is all that is only needed for a couple of weeks until the mother's milk supply catches up with the babies. It is best to supplement feed rather than pull a joey all together, as it is less stressful on the caregiver, and the joey will have the best chance in surviving and growing into a healthy adult. When supplementing the baby always look for more signs of rejection by the mother. If the baby appears to be dehydrated or cold between feeding, look into pulling the baby or feeding more often.
Pulling: When pulling a joey you will need to feed it on demand or every two hours around the clock. Joeys tend to tire quickly when feeding. Place the baby in the warm aquarium until it begins to cry again, then you can resume feeding. You will also have to stimulate the joey to go to the bathroom at least 2 times a day. You can do this by gently stroking the area between the base of the tail and the cloaca with a warm wet Q-Tip. In order to keep your pulled joey warm, it is best to set up a small aquarium or critter keeper, with a vented top. Attach a heat pad to the underside of the tank. Set the heat pad to the lowest setting, and adjust the heat pad as needed. Fill the tank with about 3 to 4 inches of aspen bedding. Check the temperature of the set up often to ensure the joey is not too cold, or that the set up doesn't get too hot. This process must continue for a least three weeks. At about three weeks you should be able to feed your little joey every four hours. As your joey grows, offer fruits and veggies slowly. Once the joey is 5 weeks out of pouch encourage your joey to go to the feeding dishes, as feeding should only take place during the day. At 6 weeks out of pouch, your joey will be able to eat and go to the bathroom on it's own.
Joey Rejection Kit When dealing with exotic animals, it is always best to be prepared for any emergency that may come up and need treated right away. However, always follow-up with a good and knowledgeable vet. Here is a list of items to start your "joey rejection kit". All items should be placed in a sealed and marked container. Please place your "joey rejection kit" in an easy to reach and find area.
E-mail me if you have anything you would like to see added to our list
* Puppy Milk Replacer (powdered form or premixed formula) or Wombaroo Supplement. Do not use kitten milk replacer as the fat content is very high and causes diarrhea.
* 1 French Cather size #5 cut to 2" in length, this can be purchased from a local vet, or a local hospital.
* 6-10 1 ml(1cc) Sterile Syringes, with out needle
* Pedialyte
* Q-tips
* Critter keeper or empty 10 gallon aquarium w/vented top.
* Small heating pad
* Small bag of Aspen litter
* Box of Tissues
Breeding Terms IP- (in pouch) term referring to a joey in a females pouch
ITP- (in the pouch) Term referring to a joey in a females pouch
OOP- (out of pouch) First day joey is completely out of pouch, most breeders do not declare joeys out of pouch until they have detached from the females nipple
General Breeding Information Sexual maturity is reached at about 6 to 18 months in females and 4 to 12 months in males. There are a few signs that a male has hit maturity, one being the presence of scent glands on the chest and forehead. You may also notice your males "sack drop". With females, there are no physical signs of maturity, however it is best to wait between 8-12 months to breed her. Breeding a female too young can result in rejected or cannibalized joeys. Most female sugar gliders will continue to breed until they are 5-8 years old. Rarely females may breed longer depending on physical and emotional health, diet, and overall desire to be a mother. Most males will continue to breed throughout their lifespan. In captivity sugar gliders will breed year round. It is important to note that sugar gliders breed on their own terms. Some sugar gliders will be together for years and never breed, while others will breed upon reaching maturity. A females cycle is 29 days. Ovulation will generally occur within two days of estrous. Please note that male sugar gliders have a bifurcated penis, and females have 2 separate vaginae and cervixes and a divided uterus. This makes it possible for sugar gliders to have joeys at different stages of development. DO NOT OPEN THE FEMALE'S POUCH. Sugar gliders are born with under developed jaws. If the joey comes off the nipple it will likely die as it won't be able to open it's jaw to reattach.
The Birth Gestation will occur for approximately 16 days. Most gliders will give birth during daylight hours in the morning-noon. The mother will begin by licking a wet path from her cloaca to her pouch. By matting down the fur she makes it easier for the joey to find it's way to her pouch, and to keep the baby from getting tangled in her fur. 1 to 2 joeys are most common, however they can have up to 4 joeys at a time. Once in her pouch, the newborn joey will find and attach to a nipple. Once the joey has attached to the nipple, it will begin to swell inside the baby's mouth. It's jaw will remain locked on the nipple for the next 8-9 weeks. Should the joey come off prematurely, it will die. The baby's jaw is not developed enough to open and latch back on the nipple. The entire birthing process will take only about 5 minutes. Very few are lucky enough to see a sugar glider give birth.
If you did not see the birth, there are a few signs that she has a joey on the way, such as:
* You may see the trail she licked from the cloaca to her pouch (sometimes called a "licky trail")
* The female may clean her pouch more than usual
* She may become a bit more "pouch protective" of her nest or sleeping quarters
* Some females can become grumpy or irritable
* Pouch could be a little puffy or fuller looking
Stats
* Size- weigh 0.2 g and about 5 mm in length. Similar in size to a grain of rice
* Fur- None, pink
* Development- Blind, eyes very under developed, Ears closed and under developed, numbs for limbs
* Mobility- Little, crawls into pouch
up to 1 week in pouch The joey does not do a lot of growing in size this stage. Don't worry if you not see the joey at this time, as the mother can easily hide the joey in the back of her pouch. If you have a bonded or tame glider it is possible to gently pick the mother up and softly touch her pouch to confirm there is a joey(s). Do not panic if you seen the birth, and do not feel the baby. The mother can still easily hide the joey in the back of her pouch. I would not try this with a glider that is not hand tame, as it would cause too much stress. DO NOT OPEN HER POUCH, if the joey comes off the nipple at this stage it will die. It won't be able to reattach, and hand feeding at this stage is not possible. It is important to note that protein is related to milk production, both in quality and quantity. Be sure to increase the protein in the diet of the mother at this time.
Stats
* Size- Similar in size to a green pea.
* Fur- None, pink
* Development- Ears remain closed, eyes closed, jaw under developed
* Mobility- Little
up to 2 weeks in pouch It may be possible to see a dark spot or small lump depending on the mother and position of the joey. However, the mother can still hide her little joey fairly easily in the back of her pouch. As the joey becomes larger, it becomes more possible to gently feel for the joey if the mother is tame and bonded. As exciting as this time is, do not check the female everyday for babies, as this can cause unnecessary stress and ultimately lead to rejection of the joeys.
Stats
* Size- Doubled since birth, Similar in size to a small shelled peanut
* Fur- None, pink
* Development- Ears and eyes remain closed, jaw under developed, feet are beginning to become more defined, tail is starting to form
* Mobility- Little
up to 4 weeks in pouch The mother can no longer hide the joey, and a lump is visible by looking at mom. If there are twins in pouch, you will see a lump on each side of her pouch. Should there be only one baby, the pouch will appear to be lopsided. If you do not see a lump by now, it is possible that the mother has rejected or cannibalized the joey. There are several reasons this will happen such as diet deficiency, unknown defect or illness with the joey, stress, too young to breed, or if it was her first time, she may not have known how to care for the joey.
Stats
* Size- Similar in size to a grape.
* Fur- None, pink
* Development- Head and Eyes grow larger, Ears are still fused to the head, as well as eyes being closed. Toes starting to form, tail not quite as long as the joeys body, jaw still locked
* Mobility- slight movements
up to 7 weeks in pouch The mother glider is quite large now, and you would be amazed how active she can be. The baby can be seen through the pouch as the skin is fairly thin and transparent. On occasion you may get to see a little tail or foot slip through the pouch opening. Although sugar gliders are arboreal, and like to be up high, you may want to consider moving their sleeping area (pouch or nest box) down. This way when the joey comes out of pouch and if happens to wander, it is less likely to become injured.
Stats
* Size- At the beginning of this stage joey will be Similar in size and shape to a peanut with its shell and will grow quite rapidly.
* Fur- pink, dark sections can be seen where black hair will grow in, Joey has a wet or shiny appearance
* Development- Tail as long as joeys body, nails and whiskers are starting to grow, ears still fused, eyes become larger, remain closed, and have a layer of skin over them, eyelids start to develop, nose appears disproportion to it's head, jaw remains locked
* Mobility- Movements can be seen from outside the pouch
up to 9 weeks in pouch Sometime between 8-9 weeks in pouch the joey will be ready to survive the world outside mom's pouch. Most breeders calculate the out of pouch date when the joey is detached from the mothers teat, and no longer fits inside moms pouch. However opinions on this do vary. Also note that twins may not come out of pouch (oop) the same day, as it is possible for the mother to have joeys at different stages of development. You will may hear the mother start to sing to her joeys around this time. Each mother has a different song, and each song will sound different. Once fully out of pouch, the new joey will begin to nurse by sticking it's head into her pouch. The mother may leave the joey alone in the nest with it's father to baby sit and keep the joey warm. You may also see the babies hang under the mother's abdomen as she moves about the cage. Some parents may leave the joey alone in the nest while both parents are eating or playing. This is normal, and the parents will return when the joey cries for them. Most sugar gliders are great parents, but please watch and be prepared for rejection. It is possible to start handling the joey but only a few minutes at a time (2-5 minutes), and if possible where the mother glider can watch you. Also now would be a good time to weigh the joey with a gram specific scale. By watching the joey's weight, you will be able to identify potential problems faster. Be sure to continue the high protein diet for mom, as this will help with her milk production. Also, some breeders will supplement the mothers diet with Woombaroo milk. Stats
* Size- 12-18 grams (approximate average)
* Fur- Fine to moderately furred upon coming out of pouch, the amount of fur on the joey will vary greatly. The abdomen area, patagium (gliding membrane), and legs may not be covered with fur and remain pink, tail may be solid black and smooth as the gray will fill in as the fur poofs out. Joey loses that shiny appearance upon coming out of pouch and detaching.
* Development- Ears are beginning to pop out, eyes remain closed, you can now sex the joey, joey becomes vocal
* Mobility- Stays in nest
up to 2 weeks out of pouch Holding the joey about 10-15 minutes at a time is recommended at this stage. The baby will most likely cry for mom while holding it. You can calm the baby by keeping it warm, as it still doesn't have much fur. Try placing the joey in your bra or cupping in your hands. The mother glider may be nervous about you holding the joey the first few times out of her site, especially if she is a first time mother. Do not stress the mother out. If she is very concerned with you holding her joey, start by walking away only for a minute, and put the joey back. Slowly work up her trust. Speak softly to the baby so that it becomes accustom to your voice. Shortly after the joey comes out of pouch, the parents may decide to mate again. It is possible for her to give birth to a new joey and while nursing one that is out of pouch. 2 week old joey crying
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Stats
* Size- (approximate average)
1 week oop 12-22 grams 2 weeks oop 16-26 grams
* Fur- Fur is starting to fill in on legs, and will become increasingly thicker.
* Development- Joey becomes vocal, teeth are starting to come through on the top jaw, bottom teeth are little more than a lump, eyes will open
* Mobility- Stays in nest, may start to ride on mom or dad's back
up to 4 weeks out of pouch Around this time you will see your joey's personality start to come through. Joeys can be held up to about a half hour at a time. The baby can very active at this point depending on the glider, so be prepared for a little jump or leap from your hands at any time. 4 week old joey barking for mom or sibling
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Stats
* Size- (approximate average)
3 week oop 17-27 grams 4 weeks oop 23-33 grams
* Fur- Joey is completely furred on it's underside, the scrotum and pouch may not have fur quite yet, tail will start to fluff out, body fur will begin to thicken and become fuller
* Development- vocally starts to explore different sounds it can make, ears are now up and consistently moving picking up new sounds, teeth are now in, joey may want to chew on nails, hair, and fingers
* Mobility- Starting to make small jumps or hops, rides around on mom or dad's back
up to 6 weeks out of pouch The joey will begin to come out of the pouch to explore the cage with it's parents. It will also start to visit the food stations and taste the different foods available to the parents. The joey will mostly try the fruits and juices at first. Even though the joey is starting to eat on its own, please understand that the joey is not ready to be separated from it's parents. The joey is still nursing off of it's mother regularly to get the required vitamins and nutrients needed to be healthy. The joey is also still learning "how to be a glider" from both parents by learning behaviors, sounds, and how to react to people. The mother glider at this point is also still helping and teaching the joey to use the bathroom. Stats
* Size- (approximate average)
5 week oop 30-40 grams 6 weeks oop 35-45 grams
* Fur- Fuller, tail becomes more poofed out
* Development- Begins to try solid foods (mostly fruit)
* Mobility- Explores cage with out riding on parents, rides less on parents backs, some may try to glide if given a chance
up to 8 weeks out of pouch Around this time, the joey will be completely weaned and ready to live on its own. Be sure before removing the joey from it's parents that it is eating solid food, no longer suckling on mom, and going to the bathroom on its own. Each joey will develop at its own pace. Most gliders are ready at 8 weeks others may take a bit longer. If you have a doubt, give it another week.
Stats
* Size- (approximate average)
7 week oop 40-50 grams 8 weeks oop 45-60 grams
* Fur- Fully furred, tail completely poofed out
* Development- Fully developed, eating solid foods, going to the bathroom alone, able to live on own
* Mobility- Fully mobile
Below is a kinship chart to help you plan your pairings. Common Ancestor
Child
Grand
child
Gr. Grand
child
2x Gr. Grand
child
3x Gr. Grand
child
4x Gr. Grand
child
5x Gr. Grand
child
6x Gr. Grand
child
Child
Sibling
Niece / Nephew
Grand Niece / Nephew
Gr. Grand Niece / Nephew
2x Gr. Grand Niece / Nephew
3x Gr. Grand Niece / Nephew
4x Grand Niece / Nephew
5x Gr. Grand Niece / Nephew
Grand
child
Niece / Nephew
First Cousin
First Cousin 1x Rem.
First Cousin 2x Rem.
First Cousin 3x Rem.
First Cousin 4x Rem.
First Cousin 5x Rem.
First Cousin 6x Rem.
Gr. Grand
child
Grand Niece / Nephew
First Cousin 1x Rem.
Second Cousin
Second Cousin 1x Rem.
Second Cousin 2x Rem.
Second Cousin 3x Rem.
Second Cousin 4x Rem.
Second Cousin 5x Rem.
2x Gr. Grand
child
Gr. Grand Niece / Nephew
First Cousin 2x Rem.
Second Cousin 1x Rem.
Third Cousin
Third Cousin 1x Rem.
Third Cousin 2x Rem.
Third Cousin 3x Rem.
Third Cousin 4x Rem.
3x Gr. Grand
child
2x Gr. Grand Niece / Nephew
First Cousin 3x Rem.
Second Cousin 2x Rem.
Third Cousin 1x Rem.
Fourth Cousin
Fourth Cousin 1x Rem.
Fourth Cousin 2x Rem.
Fourth Cousin 3x Rem.
4x Gr. Grand
child
3x Gr. Grand Niece / Nephew
First Cousin 4x Rem.
Second Cousin 3x Rem.
Third Cousin 2x Rem.
Fourth Cousin 1x Rem.
Fifth Cousin
Fifth Cousin 1x Rem.
Fifth Cousin 2x Rem.
5x Gr. Grand
child
4x Gr. Grand Niece / Nephew
First Cousin 5x Rem.
Second Cousin 4x Rem.
Third Cousin 3x Rem.
Fourth Cousin 2x Rem.
Fifth Cousin 1x Rem.
Sixth Cousin
Sixth Cousin 1x Rem.
6x Gr. Grand
child
5x Gr. Grand Niece / Nephew
First Cousin 6x Rem.
Second Cousin 5x Rem.
Third Cousin 4x Rem.
Fourth Cousin 3x Rem.
Fifth Cousin 2x Rem.
Sixth Cousin 1x Rem.
Seventh Cousin
Abbreviations: Gr. = "Great" Rem. = "Removed" Color Meaning :Inbreeding- These pairings are very close and should be avoided. These pairings have the highest amount of likelihood of genetic defects and issues.
:Close Line Breeding- Should only be done limitedly when necessary to achieve, perfect, and maintain certain characteristics, but should only be done selectively and responsibly by knowledgeable breeders.
:Line Breeding- Can be done limitedly to achieve, perfect, and maintain certain characteristics, but should only be done selectively and responsibly by knowledgeable breeders.
:Distant Line Breeding- At this point some breeders will classify them as "unrelated" and safely paired together with limited possibilities of potential genetic problems.
:"Unrelated"-Even though they are technically "related", there is enough genetic differences to avoid most all problems related to inbreeding or line breeding.
Excessive Inbreeding
Excessive inbreeding in sugar gliders can lead to several problems. Some we know about, others we are just starting to learn about. We know excessive inbreeding will produce slow producing or sterile males. There has been some evidence that this can be bred out of the line in 4-5 generation of introducing new blood, only time will say for sure.
Lowered immunities, genetic defects, and other health related problems are common among excessively inbred animals. Since sugar gliders are known to cannibalize joeys with health conditions/defects before they make their way out of the pouch, we don't know exactly what they are.