When pairs are ready to retire, do you let your females slowly quit producing or do you fix your males to ensure no more babies?

At what age is it time to retire gliders (assuming the retirement isn't forced to do illness or injury)?

If the male is younger, do you switch him to being with a younger girl or do you allow him to retire with his mate regardless of age?

What about in a reverse situation where a male needs to be fixed? Is the female sent to live with another male?

How many of you re-home your retired gliders? Why? Are they fixed when re-homed or...?

Maybe I should post why I'm asking.

Some of you know that Sprocket recently went into the vet because she was showing mild signs of mobility issues in her rear left leg. After separating out the twins she had been nursing and caging her separately to ensure she was getting her daily dose of calcium before her mate could get to it, she improved dramatically and is perfectly fine.

I want to have Gizmo neutered. The exact appointment date is to be set as soon as the results for Squeak's necropsy are back.

It got me thinking about when I would have retired the pair had I not had this issue arise. I had been talking to Cody about retiring them anyway. My reason? They are both reaching 'middle-age'. The plan was to fix Gizmo. However, I've read alot of posts about females that are still with intact males but are considered retired because they rarely produce and *may* not produce anymore. I'm simply wondering the age of these females for future reference. Sprocket is going on five and Gizmo is going on seven. They have shown no signs of slowing down. In other words, I'm sure if caged together, we would get more joeys. Shoot, there is a slim possibility that she could already have other IP.

As a breeder, what age do you retire a pair from breeding and what steps do you take?

When pairs are ready to retire, do you let your females slowly quit producing or do you fix your males to ensure no more babies?

Usually when the female decides that she is done breeding she will fight with the male when she goes into heat. Alot of time this will lead to mating wounds. If a female is about 4 years old and I experience this, the male gets neutered. If the female is younger then I will monitor the next breeding and if she fights again, then the male will be neutered.

At what age is it time to retire gliders (assuming the retirement isn't forced to do illness or injury)?

When a female reaches about 4 years old, they slow down dramtically on breeding or just refuse to breed, leading to mating wounds, this is usually the age to retire a female.

If the male is younger, do you switch him to being with a younger girl or do you allow him to retire with his mate regardless of age?

If the pair is happy together, then you keep them together and get the male neutered.

What about in a reverse situation where a male needs to be fixed? Is the female sent to live with another male?

No, they are kept together.

How many of you re-home your retired gliders? Why? Are they fixed when re-homed or...?

I rehome some of my retired breeders and all males are neutered first. As a breeder, if I kept all my retired pairs, I would eventually be overrun with gliders. Also, as a breeder, I do not have as much time to dedicate to each individual pair. If I rehome a non-breeding pair to someone that's has more time to dedicate to them, then I know they will be happier. Not that any of my gliders don't get play time, all my breeders are pets and are very very tame.

Thank you, Lynsie.

well said and the right thing to do!

I agree with everything Lynsie said.
Except in MY personal situation (I only have 1 breeding pair) they will not be rehomed once retired. I only have 3 gliders total in my home so I hope of having a trio once Leo is retired. (This summer)

Even though my pair is young at only about 2 years old, I feel that Piper has raised some wonderful joeys and deserves a break. She has agreed, (I've noticed her fighting Leo away more when she is in heat.)

The way I see it.. She is telling me she's done and I'm gonna listen. Although, she currently has joey(s) ip, this will be her last one(s)... Leo will be neutered this summer. (Their pattern is they don't breed again until the joeys are about 3 - 4 weeks oop or older, so I have some time.

Good questions

ok, this hasn't applied to me yet, but will in a few years, so here is my "plan"


All of my males will be neutered when the female is about 4-5 years old, or they quit breeding, or start fighting with the male during the cycle


about 4-5 years depending on the glider


He will stay with his mate for the rest of his life. I do not like splitting up pairs and what not if it isn't completely necessary


No, another male may be brought in after a period of time, but I would not split up the bonded pair


None of my gliders will be rehomed unless something happens that I can no longer take care of them. They are my pets, and I love every single one of them as if they were my children.. and what better place for a child than with their mom, lol

Thank you all for your responses.

When pairs are ready to retire, do you let your females slowly quit producing or do you fix your males to ensure no more babies?

I will have the male neutered prior to the new joeys come OOP

At what age is it time to retire gliders (assuming the retirement isn't forced to do illness or injury)?
I will retire my girls at 3 years old or no more than 12 babies which ever comes first.

If the male is younger, do you switch him to being with a younger girl or do you allow him to retire with his mate regardless of age?
If all is well and they are very happy, then he would be neutered and they would remain together.

What about in a reverse situation where a male needs to be fixed? Is the female sent to live with another male?
if they are not a bonded pair, then maybe, but would have to review the situation then.

How many of you re-home your retired gliders? Why? Are they fixed when re-homed or...?
I will neuter all males and if and ONLY if there was a situation where I would give them to someone that would spoil then rotten...like Megi...a friend or family member.

All my gliders are my companions first. Even my "colored" gliders were brought here (either purchased or as gifts) to be my companions. IF they happen to have joeys, fine, if not, thats ok too. Having joeys is not their purpose in life.

Dexter and Dixie had a total of 12 joeys over about 5 years "breeding" starting when she was just over a year old. That was just 7 "sets" of joeys. They were great parents and I think they would have continued but I decided that was enough for her.

Gianna and Marcell have had three sets of twins and have twins ip. I am planning on neutering him before this set comes oop. It is a very difficult decision with this pair. They are good parents BUT they get absolutely VICIOUS when they have OOP nursing joeys. They are fine when the joeys are ip and they are fine after the joeys are weened but that inbetween time, they are DEMONS! Their joeys are the sweetest little things I've ever seen. Bra babies completely. With the personality of the joeys, it is hard not to want them to have more but I think, based on their actions, it is to stressful for them. This set of twins ip will remain with their parents.

Chevy and Addison... I would LOVE a wfc/wt joey from them. Ok, two of them. One for me and one for Anita. IF by some miracle, I got twin wfc/wt joeys the first time, he would be neutered right away. I have decided they will get no more than 4 "sets" of joeys, less depending on how they do as parents.

Everest and Sierra. They are both wt but I think before I put them together, I'm going to have Everest neutered. I'm still undecided. I may let them have one set so they can be a family.

Duncan is definately getting neutered. He is my hand raised baby and is sooooooooo spoiled I'm not sure he would make a good dad. Spryte has been through too much with the broken leg so I don't want to put her through it.

All the rest of my boys are already neutered and will remain with me for their lives along with their mates.

I WANT TOO!!!!

I'm very lucky, my gliders seem to be pretty good about regulating their breeding activities on their own.. For example, Lively only has 1 set of joeys a year, which is perfectly fine by me! Mirame is a little more prolific, but she seems to space them out pretty well, only having 2 litters a year. My other females aren't up to breeding age yet, so we'll see what happens there, when I get there...

I neutered Dakota because his mate was sick. I neutered Pascal because Lili seemed tired. She birthed two joeys when she already had two joeys 2 1/2 weeks OOP (she took care of all 4 of them wonderfully for the 5+ weeks until the older pair weaned). But I always felt that my girls (and boys) should come first, so it wasn't a difficult decision to neuter Lili's mate when she started overbreeding. Personally, I would never separate a mated pair (either way) as long as there are no safety concerns, if they are happy, that's all that is important. My kids have always been pets first and foremost, so they are all still with me and will remain so.