Hello,

I bought a lineaged pair of gliders from a breeder who was going back to work. They are both about 4.5-5 years old and have had 10 joeys before I got them. Their coefficient of inbreeding is 1.5136%. Their newest joey (my first) came out of pouch 6 days ago missing an ear and her grooming toes on one back foot. There appears to be no wound and no scar that I can see. My own son has Poland Syndrome and was born without a pectoral muscle. He's lucky that's all we know is wrong as those with Poland Syndrome can be born with missing or abnormal bones and webbed fingers and more. I guess my question is: was this the result of overzealous grooming on part of the mother while the joey was still in pouch, or is this just a birth defect like Poland Syndrome?

I'm not an expert nor have I ever breeded gliders. But I have seen pics like this before.

This to me definitely looks like over grooming. If mom had this Joey in pouch when you received them, it could have happened due to stress of a new home.

I hope someone will come along and let you know for sure. What diet are they on?

I got the pair in September, so they have been with me for awhile. I feed the pair Critter Love for breeders with blended salad. I feed my girl colony (only 2 so far) the Critter Love complete with blended salad.

Jodi,

The missing toes and ear are from over zealous cleaning from when the joeys was very young. That is why you don't see any evidence left, like bone sticking out of the toot.

Not a birth defect. When they are born, they are as big as a cooked grain of rice and only have nubs where their arms and legs are.