oop question

Question
QUESTION: ok I have a year old male and he is very sweet and tame. i just got a 5 month old female and washed everything including cage. I put them both in and at first she crabbed at him and ran. that only lasted a day. I have had her 3 days and today they are sleeping in the same pouch. How old do female have to be to breed because i don't want her to breed too young. if they do breed do i leave the dad in with her even after joeys are oop. How long will it be before i can start holding the babies? And how long will they be in pouch? sorry if i overwhelmed you but i just had alot of questions. i don't intend to sale my babies so when should i separate the babies if they are not same sex?  thank you so much for your help..

ANSWER: Kristy,

Congratulations!  I'm sure your male is very happy to have a companion.  You are way ahead of yourself, so I'll just write the basics.  I'll give you details as things come up,just send me another question on AllExperts.com.  

The gliders will not mate until she is about 8 or 9 months old.  Once the tiny babies enter the pouch, it will be about two months before they emerge.  Gliders are great parents and the father helps take care of the joeys.  You may touch the joeys right away, but don't remove them from their parents until the parents voluntarily leave them alone in the sleeping pouch.  The joeys can stay with their parents until they are mature, at about six months OOP.  

I hope this helps.  Please write again when you want more detailed information.  You can also check out my website and links:  nc.sugar.gliders.googlepages.com.

Good Luck,

Betty

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: so when they are born they are not in the pouch? I thought they were born in the pouch, the mom will help them in the pouch right? when they joeys come oop they can still go back in, just because they come out doesn't mean there ready to be away from mom and dad yet?
Another question, i just got my female and shes 5 months old and had another home before me, what the best way to bond with her, shes a little nippy and crabs some at me but she does let put my finger up to her mouth without biting. she also take mealworms out of my hands. also i went to your website adn i cant find yor email address becasue i am interested in getting another sugar baby. mine is  

Answer
Kristy,

Sugar Gliders are marsupials, They grow inside the mother for just a short time.  They are born about the size of a grain of rice, then the mother helps them crawl into the pouch to develop.  Once they are ready, they come out of the pouch.  They continue to nurse in the mother's pouch for about six to eight weeks, until they are ready for solid food.  

My email is at the bottom of the website page.  My website is actually in two places.  Click on the homepage link to see the rest of it.

Thanks!

Betty