GliderCENTRAL

When can they breed?

Posted By: GliderNursery

When can they breed? - 01/29/13 06:16 PM

Males: 12 weeks OOP
Females: 16 weeks OOP


Male joeys can become sexually mature as early as 12 weeks OOP (3 months old). At this point, they may or may not have their bald spots. Please do not rely on the presence of their bald spot or chest scent gland to determine whether they are sexually mature.

Female joeys can become sexually mature as early as 16 weeks OOP (4 months). There is typically no outward signs of a female becoming sexually mature.

Not all gliders will mature at these young ages. But it is in their best interest for us to presume that they are, and manage them accordingly. Males should be neutered before 12 weeks OOP or separated from all females to prevent unwanted pregnancies.

Females should not be housed with intact males at this young age to prevent unwanted or premature pregnancies.

Will they inbreed: YES
Sugar gliders in captivity do not realize that this is my mother, sister, father or daughter. If a female comes into heat, any mature, intact male will do "his job" and breed the females in the cage. If you have young joeys, I personally recommend they be separated from their parents at 10 weeks OOP to prevent any potential breeding problems.

If you have intact males with females, they WILL breed.
Posted By: Supergirl

Re: When can they breed? - 01/29/13 08:38 PM

so how does it work when you get a breeding pair? should that be avoided until the female is a year old?

do they need to bond while they are young, but just housed separately?

is it best to buy an adult male for an adult female, when they are old and mature enough to handle breeding??
Posted By: GliderNursery

Re: When can they breed? - 01/30/13 01:58 AM

There are various opinions on this. If you are planning on breeding, some will get the female and wait until she is of a mature age, say 9 months - 1 year, then introduce a younger male. That way you prevent the female from getting pregnant too young.

Others will pair them as joeys and just let nature take its course. Just realize that a young mom is a bit higher of a risk for rejecting her first set of joeys. It doesn't always happen, but I think its a little higher risk.

That is a decision that individual breeders need to make for themselves. Personally, I have had joeys paired together at 8 weeks OOP and let them grow up together, I have waited until a female was 6 months old before giving her a mate, and I have waited until a female was 1 year old before giving her a mate.

The main point of my original post was for those that are not planning on breeding to be aware of the ages the gliders can mature, and that they can/will in fact breed with their family.
Posted By: StitchsMom

Re: When can they breed? - 01/30/13 03:51 PM

This is GREAT info, Shelly.

I put Coraline and Lafayette together as young gliders so they could grow up together. She had her first joeys OOP at seven months old. I was pretty shocked. I had read a lot about gliders having joeys young, but I thought it wouldn't actually happen to me. Well, it definitely did. She had twins and they were perfectly happy and healthy. I also consider myself lucky that she was such a great first time mom considering her age at the time.
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