my female glider keeps eating her young

Question
I am so hurt right now this is the 3rd baby eaten out of two liter. I jus recently had a 8 day old liter both eaten by the mom and another joined in today to eat the 2nd baby. A few mons ago she ate one of the two out the liter. I don't know what to do th one that has jus ben eaten literally right now was healthy and big. Why does she keep doing this I put together a glider rejection kit for the next time I have a liter and she kills this baby too. What the heck is going on. They get plenty of food. I'm so confused. An article I read said just because they eat one baby doesn't mean they will eat the other. I'm considering having her neutered. Maybe he just doesn't want to be. Mom anymore. Please help me I can't stomach anymore of this.

Answer
Firstly my sincerest apologies.. I too have been an unfortunate witness to this phenomenon..
Not with my own gliders but with a few of the rescues we have had over the years..
I was so distraught after seeing my first cannibalized baby I literally could not get the images out of my mind.. I couldn't sleep because every time I closed my eyes I would see the details of that poor little baby..

I did a LOT of research wondering why?.. how could this be?? I just did not comprehend why two seemingly loving parents would tear a sweet innocent baby to pieces, for the life of me I could not fathom the meaning of it all..

There are so many reasons she may have done what she has done, and truth be told, it is most likely nothing you did, as these things happen in nature all of the time. A sugar glider is still an animal, and animals cannibalize for so many different reasons. Sometimes there is stress involved which could be anything from being in a new environment to changes in diet. We have a tendency to look at them as if they are sweet cuddly little uber squishies in fur coats that they appear to be, instead of seeing them as the carnal animals they really are. Animals like these exotics are ANIMALS.. they will always act and live as such.

In time you will heal,.. I am so sorry you had to witness something so horrific, but in the meantime I would most definitely have her fixed (and any of the other participants as well) as she should not be having any more babies.

Best Wishes

kaden :(