1) How do you distinguish a cinnamon from a scent stained glider?
Well, the best way to determine if a glider is scent stained or not is to put it in with a normal gray, feed it a good
diet, and change it's
pouches regularly. Then, after 6 months, reasses it's color. The normal gray willgive you a control glider to compair the "cinnamon" to. And it can take up to 6 months for staining to fully fade. A good
diet and clean
pouches would reduce new staining. Another way to spot staining is to look at the little patch of white behind a gliders ears. Even if the glider isn't a classic color, that patch of hair should still be white. If it's creamy or ruddy, then the glider is stained.
2) Is a glider that is born grey a cinnamon?
I have a cinnamon male that was born cinnamon. I have seen very few gliders that I would consider true cinnamons. One is my Skeeter and his sister, another is Sheila's Hope...
3) Is a glider that is born cinnamon and turns grey a cinnamon?
I think a glider should only be consider a cinnamon if it's always been a cinnamon. I used to buy into the whole gliders colors fading out and coming back at maturity thing, but any more, I'm going to guess that a glider that comes OOP looking cinni and turning gray is just stained.
4) Is there any scientific evidence that would suggest that coat color changes for one phenotype and not another at maturity for any species?
It's actually quite common is some animals to change color at maturity. Take big cats for example. A lot of them have spotted kittens that become solid color as they mature. Also, horses often change colors as they age. Since horses have been breed for so long, by looking at their ancestory and the knowledge that people have over horse colors, a colts adult color can usually be determined at birth.
5) How can we identify an adult glider as a cinnamon glider?
I think that best way to determine color is to compair it to a gray at is also at the same facility, eating the same
diet, and living in the same conditions. If all of a
breeders gliders are "cinnamon" then something isn't quite right.
6) What steps must be taken by
breeders to ensure that the gliders that are being sold as cinnamon are cinnamon?
Buying from a reputable
breeder is always a big thing, but it didn't help me every time in the past. Any more, I'm always sure to photo shop photos, becasue lighting can make a big differance on a gliders coloring. I think that until lines are established, it's going to be kind of a guessing game. Maybe you'll get lucky, maybe not.
7) What factors can effect the coat color of a sugar glider and what steps can be used to prevent this.
Well,
diet is always a big factor in color. So is housing. I've been researching the effects of red/orange foods on gliders coat coloring. Nest boxes/chin houses, etc are notorious for causing staining. Not just from the wood, but from the moisture that gets trapped with in. I think that using fleece
pouches and cleaning them bi-weekly seriously reduces staining. Cleaning the
pouches to often can have a reverse effect because males become territiorial and start to excessively mark.
</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />
Shaving a small portion of the glider by a
vet may or may not work.
<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">
**EDITED**
I personally don't like the idea of shaving gliders. I don't think it's nessicary or safe.