We've had our gliders for 3 1/2 weeks now, and the bonding process is still slow-going. Whenever I have Winnie in her bonding pouch, she crabs and crabs away. And she still doesn't enjoy being pet at all; she tries to slowly slink away if I pet her in her cage, and lunges at me to bite if I try to pet her in her pouch after her distraction from eating a treat has diminished.

I'm feeling a bit discouraged, even though I know it hasn't been that long. I was just wondering how long it took all of you to bond with your joey. Maybe hearing other stories will help me feel more hopeful!

Every glider is different. It may take her a while to bond. Have you read this post? Building a relationship with your glider.

I have, I've been referred to it and read it a couple weeks ago. I just wanted to hear your guys' personal stories so I can relate, hopefully!

My two were different as night and day. We got Fiona first, she started bonding after about 3 1/2 weeks. Dot took 6 months to start neither liked to be petted much until they were over a year old. We got them both as joeys.

Gliders don't like to be held much, they learn to tolerate it. They prefer hanging out on your back, or in a pouch, or large pocket ( the latter coming after 1.5 years in my experience.).

Patience and time and consistency. They have to learn to trust you. It is worth the wait. I finally get what it's like to be owned by a sugar glider after almost 3 years. I feel it would have happened sooner if we could have spent more time with them right after their first birthday.

Thank you so much, just that made me feel better. I just wanted to know I wasn't alone, and that this isn't abnormal!

Hi! I got my gliders as joeys, and they've been with me for about 7 months now. My boy was eager to bond from the first night, coming to the front of the cage to sniff at me almost immediately. My girl was much more cautious and slow to warm up, but is such a sweetie now.

I'd say that we're still in the bonding process at this point. They are always happy to see me, coming to my side of the cage whenever I'm nearby. They jump right out of the cage and onto me as soon as I open the door for play time, then go bounding off to explore before hopping back onto me again.

Neither of mine seem to really care for petting, but I keep trying. They will jump to my arm/shoulder/back/leg far more often than to my hands. I can hold them in my hand while they're sleeping in their pouch, but they've never fallen asleep in my hand outside of the pouch.

I just take the long term vision - we will continue bonding for the rest of their lives, building more and more trust as we go. They're still so young, and our relationships still so new... it can only get better with time.

Gizmo bonded with my wife after (I think) 2 months or so. she carried around during the day in bonding pouch for HOURS. then after some time moved him to in the shirt, he made a sleeping home hanging onto her bra, he really loves it there now.
BUT it took awhile AND she spent quite a few hours with him every day she could. the first week or so was a crab fest.

none of the kids worked with Link, so after about 6 months I started putting in some work at night, giving him a few treats and talking to him, making him crawl on my arm to get the treats. Finally after I could get him to eat treats while sitting on my arm (about 2-3 months later), I started carrying him to frig. and getting him some live mealworms. Now when I get to cage at night he is right there, ready to jump on me and go for a ride (hopefully to the frig).

it takes time, each glider is different, AND how much time you spend with them, and the tricks you use can really make a difference. a few minutes a day petting their heads will take a long time for them to trust you. My wife would take sleeping pouch out of cage during DAYTIME, put her fist in the bag (a fist made it harder for them to bite her) and sit with her hand in the bag, them sleeping, smelling her hand, and accepting her, that really helping the bonding process.