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Should I be worried after introducing my gliders?

Posted By: dmay

Should I be worried after introducing my gliders? - 03/25/17 01:42 AM

Little back story I run a sugar glider sanctuary, which is just like a rescue but with the promise that I'll keep the sugar gliders forever and they will never be re-homed (and since they bond with their owners I personally find this very important.) Along with that I breed my own gliders, the ones I've personally bought with breeding rights and lineage.

So, Pax is one of my joeys from a breeding pair and I decided to keep her to breed her. At this time she's too young to breed (3 1/2 months) so I introduced her to my one sanctuary enclosure with Hush (neutered male) and Bridget (an older female who was placed with me because her mate passed). Hush greeted Pax first while I was holding her and sniffed and groomed her for about a minute. Then he went to their food and she climbed on a perch with Bridget. Well Pax went to sniff Bridget and Bridget started grooming her and then held her while rubbing her head all over her. After about a minute of this Hush came back up to groom Pax some more. By the time I came back from getting clean dishes for the rest of the enclosures no one was grooming each other but Pax and Bridget were still sitting next to each other. There was no crabbing nor nipping.

At this point I went to bed and left their bedroom door open (which is right next to mine) this way I could hear if any crabbing arose during the night. I peeked in before I went to work this morning and no gliders were out and about, which isn't uncommon. Fast forward to this evening I went in early to clean their old toys and put in new ones. While working on their enclosure I had to push the cage blanket out from between the bottom bars because they pulled it in during the night. Out from that bit of blanket jumped Pax! I was beyond startled because I thought she was in one of the two pouches in the enclosure. After the start passed I checked her out for any injuries, which would be easy to see because she's a leu, and found nothing. I continued to watch her as I put in some new toys. She seemed fine and started playing with the toys. I checked both pouches and found Hush and Bridget in a single one together. My thought was maybe Pax didn't want to share a pouch and wouldn't take the second pouch because it was too close to theirs. I moved the empty pouch to the other side of the cage and checked on her almost 2 hours later. She still didn't go into a pouch.

Well, now I'm worried. I didn't hear any crabbing throughout the night, I didn't see any injuries, but why wouldn't she go in a pouch? And I don't believe I can put her back with her parents because her dad will smell the other male and may attack her. I did order a new enclosure and it should of been in by now but there's a delay and it won't be here until Monday. So I don't have an extra enclosure to put her in (my spare is being used for a new glider who wasn't suppose to come to me until June). And their current enclosure in 54" tall so it should be large enough for three gliders. Should I be concerned about Pax not going in a pouch? I did put a third one in there just now, a new one so it doesn't have anyone scent.
Posted By: KarenE

Re: Should I be worried after introducing my gliders? - 03/25/17 03:00 PM

I would leave Pax where she is since there is no fighting among the three.

The male she is with now in the trio is neutered, so I would leave her there until you find her a suitable mate. At that time we can talk about the introduction process with her new honey agree I don't think the fact she is not sharing a pouch is something to worry about. Just make sure there is at least one if not two others for her to choose from that are clean. It could be a good thing she isn't bonding completely with the other couple. That would make it much harder when separation time comes.

Just keep an eye on them for any squabbling as you have ben.
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