GliderCENTRAL

I'm embarassed to admit it....

Posted By: Anonymous

I'm embarassed to admit it.... - 02/05/05 04:06 AM

Ok here goes. Baby Echo was OOP Nov 7. He was approximately 1 wk late when he came out. He is very healthy and quite fun as you may remember my posts of the morning I awoke to him sniffing my nose...or the face hugs he likes to give my guests....He is quite a joy! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

However he's a big baby. He is still nursing. He eats solid foods but syd is having twins and Echo is as big as her and still nurses. He also still tries to get piggy back rides. I dont think this is normal and I am very embarassed. Thats why I did not post earlier because I figured he would stop but now he is like 12 wks OOP and still nursing. I try real hard to good by my gliders and I knew it would be stressful being away from the others, so I left him in w/ mom and dad. But now I'm not so sure. I know its a load on Syd feeding 3...and baby Echo..he is just too old to be nursing isnt he? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shakehead.gif" alt="" />
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: I'm embarassed to admit it.... - 02/05/05 04:16 AM

I have heard of them still nursing at 10 weeks Just give him a week or so then if not i would try to feed him every 4 hours or so. but some one else will know better!
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: I'm embarassed to admit it.... - 02/05/05 04:32 AM

Hmmm, I have never heard of a joey still nursing at 3 months old. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> Syd doesn't crab at him? If it was not good for her it seems like she would crab at him and fight him, not letting him nurse. I would think he would have to stop soon. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/nixweiss.gif" alt="" />
Posted By: Dancing

Re: I'm embarassed to admit it.... - 02/05/05 04:33 AM

I think it is well past time for him to be weened. I think if it was me, since he is eating food on his own, I would keep him seperate from mom. She has her hands full with the other joeys right now. I think she would need the milk for the young ones that can't eat on their own.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: I'm embarassed to admit it.... - 02/05/05 04:35 AM

OK then never mind dont listen to me lol. that is just what i would do.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: I'm embarassed to admit it.... - 02/05/05 04:50 AM

I agree w/ all of you. No syd does not crab. Thats the strange thing. Usually he nurses in the morning. And the odd thing is she just stretches out, lets hm nurses and she falls asleep w/ her arms around him. She never shakes him off and she takes time cleaning him and she always is looking after him. I'm so proud she is a good mother.

The one night Echo got out I had to put him in a carry cage. It was the only thing I could put him in to keep him in. He learned a good lesson and never tried it again, and when he was put back in the cage he cried and cried for her and she came running.

What do you think will happen to him if I separate them? I dont know he will do well himself...what should I do....

And I assure you I am being truthful w/ my dates, and I am sure he is nursing, I've seen it several times...every day on the way to work.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: I'm embarassed to admit it.... - 02/05/05 07:14 AM

Just a guess on my part - but maybe he's not actually getting any milk from her - or very little? In humans, babies often "comfort" nurse, without drinking. Also, I know in gliders that the moms produce different milk for the different aged babies. I would bet that he's not getting "the good stuff" anymore, so as long as you keep her well hydrated, it won't cause a problem.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: I'm embarassed to admit it.... - 02/05/05 07:49 AM

I know what you are going threw. My female Honey will nurse joeys until I seperate them from her and even after that she'll let them nurse when they want to when she's put back together with them. She's a wonderful mother and loves her joeys very much, but sometimes I worry if she loves them too much. The first joey she had with me she was still nursing at 13 weeks OOP, so I finally pulled the joey. I had to return the joey to her after about a day though because she wasn't eating on her own yet. Yeppers, that's right a 60+ gram joey still getting most of it's nutriets from mom!
Posted By: sugarglidersuz

Re: I'm embarassed to admit it.... - 02/05/05 12:03 PM

[:"green"] Abby, I agree with Misty. I think that the joey is comfort-nursing and that it is perfectly natural and okay. Bittah nurses her joeys as long as I leave them with her. She is a great little mother & manages to feed her joeys in-pouch with no problem. She regularly gets 2 joeys in-pouch when her other joeys are about 4 weeks o.o.p. Although I've not had a joey in with her past 3 months o.o.p., I'm sure your situation is okay. After all, as GizmosGal said:
</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />
If it was not good for her it seems like she would crab at him and fight him, not letting him nurse.

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">
[:"green"]Of course, this is all just my opinion. I am not an expert and can only relate to my own experiences with my gliders <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />. Ultimately, the decision is yours as to whether to separate him or not. If he doesn't have a companion, though, he will be quite lonely and will definitely cry for his mama <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crying.gif" alt="" />.
Hugs to you as you make your decision... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" />
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: I'm embarassed to admit it.... - 02/05/05 03:19 PM

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wave.gif" alt="" />
Sydney nursed her twins for 4 months <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />, I was getting worried and ready to pull them when she finally weaned them, lol. They all live together and are very happy. I have heard that in the wild they will sometimes nurse the joeys for up to 6 months...seems I read that somewhere, but can't remember where. He sounds like a real sweetie!
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/heartpump.gif" alt="" />
Angie
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: I'm embarassed to admit it.... - 02/05/05 05:11 PM

[:"brown"] I would NOT separate the joey and Mum. She is nursing him because she knows instinctively that it is the thing to do. Mom will tell the joey to back off when she is ready to wean.
The longer that joey nurses, the healthier he will be!!

By the way, my boy Miko nursed until he was 14 - 15 weeks OOP.[/]
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: I'm embarassed to admit it.... - 02/05/05 08:42 PM

Do you plan on keeping the family together?

I'd just let them do their thing I guess.
Take into consideration your females health and ability to support three nursing gliders. She must not have any problem making enough milk because she'd let him know if she wasn't able. It seems that every mother does their "job" a little differently.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: I'm embarassed to admit it.... - 02/06/05 05:12 AM

Thank you all for your replies. I do plan on keeping them together. I have 4 together now, which brings me to another question I am making a new post about..the other female. And w/ the twins soon to be OOP this will make a family of 6.

The prob is Echo I think is too stressed w/ out his mom. But syd has been missing the hair behind her ears for 2+ months and it started growing on one side but not the other. So some people replied on a post on that that she might be stressed nursing 3 or something.

She has another vet apt on Mon for this hair prob. Since I give her ensure and the booster milk from sue her overall fur looks better but she is just missing that hair behind the ears....

And I dont even know if moving Echo would help w/ that. I mean if it was stressing I agree w/ you all she wouldnt "invite" him to nurse.....
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