GliderCENTRAL

Pros and Cons of Breeding

Posted By: Anonymous

Pros and Cons of Breeding - 05/04/08 10:33 PM

...a breeder that is? What are the pros and cons about it?
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: how do you like it... - 05/04/08 10:57 PM

I'm assume you mean being a breeder?????

I've seen both the good side and bad side of being a breeder.

#1 con.... cannibalized joeys.... there is nothing worse in this world (the glider world that is) than walking in after a hard day at work, and finding a half eaten joey in the bottom of the cage.

#2 con.... hand feeding joeys.... you have to be prepared to hand feed a joey from the day they come OOP.... this can mean feeding the joey every 2 hours every day. this means no sleep, and you have to hope your employer will understand that you have to take breaks every couple of hours to feed the "rat" in your bra... Mine doesn't, so I have to hide it when I'm feeding or supplementing joey(s). If you are having to supplement the joey(s), this means you not only have to take the joey(s) to work with you, but the parents as well.

#3 con.... personality changes in the parents.... many gliders personalities will change while they have joeys either IP or OOP... I have one pair that I cannot handle at all when they have joeys nursing... they get aggressive with even me, but when there are no joeys involved, they are the sweetest things ever...

#4 con.... finding homes for your joeys.... this is one of the biggest ones for me. You have to screen prospective homes for your joeys. Gut instinct is your best friend in these cases... but what if you can't find a good home for your joeys? Are you prepared to provide a home for all of them?

this covers everything I can think of right now... but I may be back with more later, lol
Posted By: dranger1108

Re: how do you like it... - 05/05/08 12:34 AM

Originally Posted By: Laura_Leigh
I'm assume you mean being a breeder?????

I've seen both the good side and bad side of being a breeder.

#1 con.... cannibalized joeys.... there is nothing worse in this world (the glider world that is) than walking in after a hard day at work, and finding a half eaten joey in the bottom of the cage.

#2 con.... hand feeding joeys.... you have to be prepared to hand feed a joey from the day they come OOP.... this can mean feeding the joey every 2 hours every day. this means no sleep, and you have to hope your employer will understand that you have to take breaks every couple of hours to feed the "rat" in your bra... Mine doesn't, so I have to hide it when I'm feeding or supplementing joey(s). If you are having to supplement the joey(s), this means you not only have to take the joey(s) to work with you, but the parents as well.

#3 con.... personality changes in the parents.... many gliders personalities will change while they have joeys either IP or OOP... I have one pair that I cannot handle at all when they have joeys nursing... they get aggressive with even me, but when there are no joeys involved, they are the sweetest things ever...

#4 con.... finding homes for your joeys.... this is one of the biggest ones for me. You have to screen prospective homes for your joeys. Gut instinct is your best friend in these cases... but what if you can't find a good home for your joeys? Are you prepared to provide a home for all of them?

this covers everything I can think of right now... but I may be back with more later, lol


#5 con.... being a money pit. about $3-4 thousand in the hole money wise.

#6 positive... getting to spend everyday playing with and socializing with joeys and gliders.

#7 con... scrubing cages, laundry and changing litter and the dishes everyday.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: how do you like it... - 05/05/08 12:45 PM

anyone else want to share their experiences as a breeder? I was thinking about possibly becoming a breeder and wanted everyones opinion...
Posted By: BeckiT

Re: how do you like it... - 05/05/08 01:41 PM

Breeding is definitely not for everybody.. The cons outweigh the pros 99% of the time. That being said, I wouldn't give it up for anything wink

Cons:
  • cannibalism
  • mating wounds
  • rejected joeys
  • increased costs of feeding, vet care, laundry, pouches, etc
  • finding the perfect home
  • extra cage(s) if you haven't found a joey in time before needing to be separated from it's parents, or in the case of deciding you can't part with him/her
  • reading, researching and learning and still feeling like you know nothing once they are about ready to come OOP
  • the people who insist you charge too much because they can get a glider from a pet store/trade show so much cheaper

Pros:
  • little bundles of fur ready to wrap you around their little tails
  • finding the perfect home
  • being able to watch the joey grow and learn and helping that baby be as sweet as possible for his/her new slave
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: how do you like it... - 05/05/08 02:46 PM

wow there does seem to be alot of cons...any more pro's??
Posted By: ValkyrieMome

Re: how do you like it... - 05/05/08 02:50 PM

Hmmm- I think I'm pretty much right there with Becki's list.

I've only had the one joey so far - but she did have twins IP previously that she pulled, and that was heart-breaking.

I'm keeping Abigail - who was 9 weeks OOP yesterday. I'm at the "have to put her in a separate cage" stage. And ... who is going to be her cage mate??!!

I agree - there are more cons than pros. I've been really riding the fence about getting Linus neutered, but I'm pretty sure I'm headed that direction soon.

I couldn't even begin to face finding a new home for Abigail! I did sort of vaguely play around with the idea - but I think I'm not cut out for this!!
Posted By: minkasmom

Re: how do you like it... - 05/05/08 03:15 PM

One "pro" that I can add to the list:

* You make new friends if your babies are adopted out to the RIGHT PERSON. My joeys have been the beginnings of AT LEAST 6 new friendships (who know people who know more people, and the circle just keeps growing! I'm strictly counting the joeys themselves...I don't want anybody's fur to get ruffled at me for counting "too low" roflmao )

And there has to be another "con":

* After you spend 8 weeks+ of getting this little sweetie socialized, letting him/her go to their new home is always heart-wrenching. Even though I know they're going to a GREAT HOME and they'll be loved as much as I love them myself mlove , there's always a tear shed as I leave them. Even after 15 adoptions, I still do it....and I'm afraid I always will.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: how do you like it... - 05/05/08 03:24 PM

There are more cons than pros. My biggest con is paperwork! I can't get over the amount of paperwork. You have to document everything for the USDA. Plus, years after selling a joey, you will be contacted by people who bought one of your babies from someone else and want to know lineage, oop date, etc. The worse part of that is when the new parent tells you what kind of condition they got your baby in. (small cage, bad diet, not handled, etc,) You thought that you had found the perfect home, but people will lie to you to get your babies. It is heartbreaking to find a baby you raised has died, treated poorly or ended up in rescue.

Plus, you need to keep track of every single expense and every penny coming in for income tax purposes. Then having to pay a large % of taxes on the income of every joey sold. (Make sure you put away 25%-30% of the money you get for each joey, as you will have to send it to the IRS in April of each year.)

When joeys go home, it is so bittersweet. You are so sad over losing them, yet there is nothing like seeing the joy on their new person's face and knowing you helped put it there. I brought a baby to meet his new mommy yesterday and her face lit up when she met him. He climbed up onto her head and fell asleep. I knew they were a perfect match and was so happy for both of them, but left them with an ache in my heart and miss him dearly.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: how do you like it... - 05/06/08 01:06 PM

cannibalism just breaks your heart
mating wounds they can get VERY bad
rejected joeys
finding the perfect home
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: how do you like it... - 05/06/08 01:08 PM

btw i do not breed but have rescued over 50 gliders.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: how do you like it... - 05/06/08 01:14 PM

Originally Posted By: peace
btw i do not breed but have rescued over 50 gliders.


you are what i call an ANGEL amongst our gliders in need hug2
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