GliderCENTRAL

How to set up a colony...

Posted By: Anonymous

How to set up a colony... - 12/07/11 08:25 PM

So - Current I have 2 sets of babies Mal and Inara in 1 cage and Jayne and Miss Kaylee in the other. Is there a way to get them all to play nicely together? I recently acquired a much larger cage and would like them all to be housed with each other.

Inara and Mal are 18 months old
Jayne and Miss Kaylee are 2 1/2

They all look to be about the same size. All males have recently been fixed. Currently their cages are set up near to each other and the males especially are always crabbing at each other. Inara and Miss Kaylee hiss at one another and then just keep chattering like little gossips.

Is putting them together a bad idea?
Posted By: MissB

Re: How to set up a colony... - 12/08/11 12:57 AM

I'm not sure how the introduction process works, but there certainly is one. Don't plop them next to eachother and expect them to play nicely... :hit: Each pair has their own "mate", fixed or not, and the males will get grumpy if the other tries to steal their lady. rofl Each cage has an established hierarchy, and they might fight for dominace. I suppose it deppends on the assertiveness of the individual glider.
Posted By: DCMuffin

Re: How to set up a colony... - 12/08/11 01:06 AM

Actually, that's not true. In a colony situation, they do not have their own "mate". I have a colony of six. No one has a mate, or a partner. They are a family and act as much. That's not to say that certain ones won't have a "favorite" and will want to be by that one more often than the others, but they typically don't separate off into their own pairs.
Posted By: DCMuffin

Re: How to set up a colony... - 12/08/11 01:09 AM

Crystal - they CAN play nicely with one another and more than likely, you will be able to have successful introductions of your gliders.

Know your gliders. If you don't, get to know them. Who is the most dominant? Who is the most passive? These are things you'll want to know when it comes to doing introductions because in your case, my advice will be to do them one by one or even a pair to one but not all four at one time.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: How to set up a colony... - 12/08/11 02:13 AM

Ok! I think I'm going to start with Inara and Kaylee because they are SUCH good girls! i think that might be my best bet right now...
Posted By: midnight

Re: How to set up a colony... - 12/08/11 01:55 PM

How do you know who is the dominant one of the group?
Posted By: DCMuffin

Re: How to set up a colony... - 12/08/11 02:16 PM

You learn your gliders' behavior. Is there one that is more protective of the other? Is there one that is continuously marking the cage more than the other? Does one dominate areas of the cage? Do you have one that is food aggressive? These are just a few ways of knowing who is the more dominant in the cage.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: How to set up a colony... - 12/09/11 04:57 AM

okay...so tonight I brought both females (only)into the tent with me. For the first 20 mins they ignored each other...then, there was hissing...and about 10 mins later they were rolling on the tent happy as 2 clams. They ran around the tent playing tag, and leap frog on the wheel. They each had a wiffle ball stuffed with fleece and mealies...both were WILD for it!!! That is definitely staying on the play list.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: How to set up a colony... - 01/05/12 04:51 PM

So...I have been pouch swapping for 2 weeks now. Changing the pouches every 2 or 3 days. Tonight I am going home and move the actual critters around. Placing Inara and Mal in Jayne and Kaylee's cage and vise versa.

...what now?

I really want them all to play together. They are all about the same age and I feel like they've already been through the wringer together, ya know?

Any ideas? How do I start introductions?
Posted By: kjgoulet

Re: How to set up a colony... - 01/05/12 09:41 PM

Well I used the bathtub to intro Romeo and Zoey when I was trying to get him into the colony. I personally use a wet rag and wipe them down and then put a little vanilla on them. But it was more because we'd only been swapping for maybe a week and Romeo was soo depressed I wanted them intro'd together fast! He was overgrooming his booty and wasn't eating.

I started with Zoey because she is a sweetheart of a glider and would be the one I'd pick out first to show someone lol! Once they were loving on each other I put them in a cage together for a little while (ok so maybe like 20 mins haha) then I added her brother and decided to take the plunge and have them all together the next night.

Point being you could put the 2 that got along before together, let them play and snuggle and what not. Then add the lesser of the other 2 when it comes to dominance and let them all play and then add the last one. Of course making sure everyone is playing well together. Treats might help too, make sure they're a little distracted and not so much looking for a brawl. Good luck! Let us know how it goes :D
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: How to set up a colony... - 01/06/12 02:03 AM

Okay - Everyone is in different homes tonight. Though they hated it - there was some MAJOR crabbing but no biting...I very lightly dampened fur with a warm rag. I dabbed some vanilla on all of the gliders and put them in their prospective cages.

I am going to try the bathtub tomorrow night...I think putting the ladies in first might be the way to go...

Any other suggestions?
Posted By: DCMuffin

Re: How to set up a colony... - 01/06/12 05:33 AM

Yes...my suggestion is to not dampen their fur at ALL and don't worry about the vanilla - it's better for baking. Let them be gliders...and let them have their own smells. Masking the smell of another glider is not always your best bet, especially since they are so scent driven.

Do intros slowly...one by one. You don't need to put everyone in the mix right off the bat. It's overwhelming for you, it's overwhelming for them and sometimes it's a process.

Do it naturally...no wet fur, no vanilla...just plain, old gliders learning to accept one another.
Posted By: Vona

Re: How to set up a colony... - 01/06/12 01:36 PM

Myabe my videos of our intros for a colony will help out.


http://www.glidercentral.net/ubbthreads/...row#Post1209684
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: How to set up a colony... - 01/07/12 04:33 AM

Woot! Woot! Partial success...I think. Tonight I brought Inara, Kaylee and River into the bathtub. I went in with my step-daughter prepared to do "damage control" and separate gliders.

I have been doing pouch swapping for weeks and last night switched the glider cages. After talking to Miss Bourbon I did not dampen fur but I did rub a little bit of vanilla on their fur.

The ladies were having a great time, chasing fleece balls and the feather wand. Many mealies and yoggies were had by all and happy chirping echoed in the bathroom. smile

Currently I have all of the females in a single cage with The Doctor. Thus far...no crabbing at all. We're past the hour mark. At first River and The Doctor were in a pouch all alone...then River came out and started playing with the other 2 females...and then The Doctor came out too. Currently all 4 gliders are piled into a single pouch.

Did I do good?
Tomorrow I am going to repeat everything but with a different male. Yes/No? What do you think?
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: How to set up a colony... - 01/07/12 06:58 PM

Morning report...

All night I kept a "mommy ear" open and listening for any fighting in the cage. There was some like crabbing which I take to be suggie speech for "get you dang tail out of my face!"

Lady Inara spent the whole night with Jayne and Kaylee and is currently sleeping in the same big pouch all snuggled up and happy.
Posted By: Vona

Re: How to set up a colony... - 01/07/12 07:57 PM

clap YAAAY Congrats smile
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: How to set up a colony... - 01/08/12 03:46 AM

Currently: All 4 gliders are in a single large cage. I have mixed and matched their cage sets (though it has my OCD heart FREAKING OUT)

Mal and Jayne (males) are currently sharing the wheel. Mal is hanging on for dear life and Jayne is running is tail off...Mal just keeps going around.

The girls are being lazy and are in pouches after eating and playing with me smile

...so...is that it?
Posted By: Vona

Re: How to set up a colony... - 01/08/12 02:39 PM

It sounds like a success to me...I don't know much about it though so all I can say is continue to watch and I'm sure someone will be along with more information that are seasoned in this area smile
Posted By: GliderNursery

Re: How to set up a colony... - 01/08/12 03:16 PM

Sounds like you've had a successful intro!
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: How to set up a colony... - 01/08/12 03:27 PM

Great job
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: How to set up a colony... - 01/08/12 09:20 PM

I feel like I should get a freaking pin...or something! A trophy of some-kind...VICTORY IS MINE!!!
Posted By: minkasmom

Re: How to set up a colony... - 01/09/12 03:49 AM

Sorry, I'm fresh out of Purple Hearts for surviving the intro process....how about this?

cloud9 :hdance: :lshower: dance party :party2:

Just keep an ear open for BIG fights...the little "chit chit" sounds are nothing.

Congrats!!!!
Posted By: weyrsinger

Re: How to set up a colony... - 01/11/12 01:43 AM

So happy for you Crystal! Also I love that you named your suggies after the crew of Serenity. ^_^
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