I know alot of breeders leave the joeys with the parents right up until the day they leave. Some (this is what I do too) will put the joeys in their own cage a week to a few days before they leave to adjust to being away from their folks. Which do you do and why? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/nixweiss.gif" alt="" />

I do both and make a situational decision based upon the joey's bond to the parents. If the parents are trying to push the joey out by harassing him or the parents are trying to mate, then I will place the joey in its own cage. I do not place all joeys in their own cage because they might still be nursing, to whatever extent, and I want them to get all the milk they can. Joeys 8 weeks OOP may still nurse on the female, but the majority of the diet is solid foods.

Ushuaia

In your case where the joey is still nursing at 8 weeks, do you just extend its leaving date a week or two?

I usually take my little ones away from the parents at about 7 1/2 woop to make sure they are ok with the seperation and eating ok on their own. If not, then I put them back in with mom. So far I have not had any problems. I like to make sur ethey are weaned properly before they go to their new home.

[:"green"]I leave the joeys with the parents until they are picked up by the new owners. I have never had a problem with them going through separation anxiety, either. I know they are weaned from observing them after I put the food in the cage at night. I also always send a 1 oz. packet of Brisky's Booster Milk for Marsupials & Exotics along with the joey so that they can be supplemented with formula for a couple of weeks after leaving home. I tell the new owners to mix it with water, gliderade & baby cereal - I give them the ratios needed. All of my joeys have been leading very healthy, happy lives at their new homes <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumb.gif" alt="" />. I feel that it's best to leave them with their parents because early separation can cause trauma all on its own <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worried2.gif" alt="" />. Especially if they could still smell & see the parents in another cage & not be able to get to them... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crying.gif" alt="" />
Hope this information helps... [/]

One of my most recent joeys, I seperated her and her brother from the parents to make sure they were weaned before they left. The brother went home first, and left her alone. As soon as she was alone, she turned into a terror. Biting, lunging, basically terrified and wanting company. After that, I just wait until they go home, I don't seperate them anymore.

i take mine between 7 and 8 weeks and then keep them a week by themselves to monitor them before they go to a new home

when my joeys turn eight weeks they spend a night or two in a cage right beside the parents so i can get an exact and accurate idea of what and how much they are eating so far,thus giving the new parents a better idea of what their starting point is diet wise. If they don't eat enough they go back with parents a few days and we try again,this way we never send a joey home before it is fully ready too.
If a joey isn't going to its new home until its say 9 weeks anyways,i delay the process entirely,or sometimes will just leave them with the parents being that they will be past eight weeks so their is far less worry about if they could not be quite ready or not,and i have found that some joeys do need a cpl extra days past turning eight weeks, so i am happy to take the extra step.I also monitor wieghts and how much food is going into the cage thru out the joeys development too so i often already have a good idea on a joeys readiness but even still i like taking that step
BUT, i can certainly see why some breeders who do all the monitoring etc may not bother doing the step too.And aslong as the monitoring and age calculations are correct it shouldn't be a problem.
Cynthia

I used to separate them for a week before they went to a new home.

Now I just make sure to have them spend some time away from their parents out playing and hanging out. It's much nicer if they have a twin so they have another sibling to play with. I get them used to the idea of being away from their parents so that it isn't such a shock when they are suddenly without them. So now I just leave them with their parents until the go to a new home. They've all done great and have been good so far so it must be working out ok for them.

I think that separating them into another cage before they go to a new home just adds another transition that I personally haven't seen to make a difference. It only makes me sad to have to hear the little ones hissing for their mom and pop for a few nights <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ohwell.gif" alt="" />

I take mine away when they are about 6 to 8 weeks old. I put them in a big cage. Once I think they have ajusted to that cage I get them neutered. I don't like to do to much at once. I don't want to stress them out. So one thing at a time.

Bitsy