Okay folks, I am sure that I will get some flak for this, but please try to bear with me as I explain my situation. I need some serious experienced advice FAST!
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NO FLAMES PLEASE! [/]
On Saturday May the 21st, I received a phone call from an individual who was wanting to relinquish their sugar gliders. I agreed.
There are four (4) total. Three (3) females and one (1) male. They are all standard gray sugar gliders and they came with their original cage.
However, the problem is I was completely unaware that all three (3) females were pregnant! God, I was in tears when the previous owner just casually threw in that after-thought. Babies. I have NEVER had babies! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crying.gif" alt="" />
As their second glider-mom, at first I did not feel comfortable separating them since they were all originally housed together. They are a
bonded colony.
However, with the damage already done, I went ahead and separated the male into his own cage until his neuter appointment. He is not happy about the temporary living arrangements, but it had to be done.
Now the three (3) pregnant girls will be single-parents. This is a problem. However, I did NOT want to leave the male in the same cage as the females, because I do NOT want him to re-pregnant the girls immediately after they give birth.
You know, carrying the first litter IP and have a second litter in utero. One (1) pregnancy each is enough for me. Thanks.
The other question I have is since these three (3) girls got pregnant around the same time (by the same male) they could very well give birth around the same time too. Will they eat other's babies? Will they pose a threat to each other?
The three (3) girls that are pregnant are NOT blood-related and the male had no genetic connection with them either until now.
Do you think I should separate the three (3) pregnant females and place each one in her own individual, private cage? I figured that would be too much stress, on top of being a single-parent, and opt to keep them together.
All four (4) gliders have been housed together all of their life, so they have already
bonded to each other, but I do not know if the
bond is strong enough to accept the new babies. I do not want them to start killing them (which is a risk with ANY pregnancy.)
I have travel cages on stand-by for immediate/temporary removal of the mom and her babies, but the stress of this decision (if I need to do it) may cause her to reject her babies if not cannibalize them.
One (1) pregnancy I think I could handle, but a pregnant colony? I just do not know how to handle the situation! I am trying to go slow, easing into the relocation process, and treating this fragile situation with some finesse, but I am completely out of my element here.
Also, I fully understand that the risks of losing all three (3) pregnancies are extremely high; therefore, I am prepared for that possibility too.
All three (3) pregnant females have adjusted quite nicely to the separation arrangements involving the male and they still eat and sleep together.
Currently, the three (3) girls are happy with each other. Can I expect their attitude and/or behavior to change toward each other as the pregnancies advance or when the babies are OOP (if they survive that long)?
Pregnancy is something that I am just NOT familiar with at ALL! Even with my kids (kitties) I have absolutely NEVER had a single litter. All of my kids, both male and female, were spayed/neutered at four (4) months of age.
I had the operation performed two (2) months earlier than what is currently recommend just to guarantee that my girls would not go into "heat" and attract the males into getting them pregnant.
I have been a cat-mom for over six (6) years now and to NEVER have a single litter among my kids is quite impressive, but at the same time, it leaves me rusty on the entire pregnancy issue. Due to my obsessive spay/neuter priorities, I am just not experienced in this area.
Me and my husband are looking at pregnancy, after nearly a decade of not having ANY babies! Talk about a reality-check! This is scary stuff! My whole world is about to be turned upside down! Do you have any advice? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thanx.gif" alt="" />
P.S. For the GC members who do not yet know me. I have been a glider-mom for over two (2) years now. This "pregnant" colony is NOT my "first glider." I am an experienced glider guardian who is very adamant about my glider's welfare. Unfortunately, since I do not breed, I know very little about sugar glider pregnancy, hence this post.