Baby sugiess

Question

Kila   QUESTION: Hello my name is Jan and I'm from Malta. (I'm going to try to be clear as possible with my English since it's not my first language XD)
almost 2 years ago i bought my first pair of sugar gliders (Kiwi and Kila). they were both over a year old and she got pregnant right away. i didn't know she was pregnant until i saw her pouch moving and the next morning i found them dead in the cage. about 3 months after my baby boy passed away after "recovering" from a respitory infection and i couldn't get myself to buy another boy for my girl just at that time. recently my boyfriend bought me another cute little boy (he's probably around 9 months old now) and i think she's pregnant again but I'm not really sure. at times i can see that there's like a lump in her belly but at other times i can't. i tried to feel around gently but didn't feel anything and i didn't want to press to hard cause i was afraid i would detach it.
i haven't seen her licking inside the pouch or anything but it always seems to be wet! the only thing that's stopping me from believing that she might be pregnant is because the male keeps rubbing his scent gland on top of the pouch and thought that that is what's making it wet??
this is going to sound kind of stupid but i have to ask just incase lol
can the male suggie reject the baby and "persuade" the female to do the same? lol
Thanks in advance.
Kila, Kiku and Jan

ANSWER: Jan,

Thanks for the question.  Your English is excellent!  Kila is really cute!

Kiku is still a little young to be a father, but it is possible.  You'll just have to wait and see.  Just because the first set of joeys died doesn't mean that it will happen again.  No one knows exactly why joeys are sometimes rejected.  Here are some possibilities:

* There is something wrong with the joeys
* First time parents are inexperienced and don't know how to parent
* Poor diet (see below)
* Poor health in the mother
* Other reasons that humans don't understand

In the wild, gliders only reproduce when there is plenty of food.  Do your gliders get lots of protein and calcium?  What do they eat?  I feed my gliders BML, fruits and vegetables, eggs, chicken, yogurt, etc.  You can see the BML diet on my website:  nc.sugar.gliders.googlepages.com

The scent glands would not make the pouch wet.  

Good luck.  Please write again if you have other questions.

Betty  

 

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

QUESTION: thanks for the quick reply and they weren't rejected - i think. they went oop premature they didn't even have hair yet. maybe it was because of all the stress she went through with the move and being in a new home.
as for diet. i give them the bml diet with the rep cal and vionate. i always give them different fresh fruits every night. they don't really like fresh veggies lol. and i give them those canned mealworms which they seem to love a LOT.
just now while typing this reply i received my possum milk replacer which i thought i should have just in case :) i also read that i should add this to the female's diet (they both eat for the same cup and i don't think it would hurt the male if he eats some of it).
i tried to learn about diet, vitamins and all those things before buying my babies but i'm still learning and researching about them just to make sure..

Jan

ANSWER: I think I already answered this, but the computer thinks I didn't.  You are doing well with your gliders.  They are lucky to have such a thoughtful human.  Let me know if Kila really is pregnant.  Good luck,

Betty

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

QUESTION: Hello again :)
I am so happy to tell you that my girl Kila was indeed pregnant and the lil ones came oop on the 16th of august :D
i am very very happy to have such lovely additions to the family :) i have a big boy whom i named Zeek and a baby girl named Belle.
now i was wondering about keeping them in the same cage or not? i know that they might inbreed if they stay together but can i keep the little ones with their parents till they are fully grown and Zeek starts getting the bald spot on his head?? I'm afraid that the daddy will hurt his boy if he wants to breed with Kila again or the other way round for that matter. :((
i might get both gliders new friends in the near future so i don't really want to get Zeek nor his dad neutered :( at the same time I'm also afraid with over breeding them and making Kila sick :( i would love to hear from you as soon as possible :) thank you so much Jan

Answer
Jan,

Congratulations on your little ones!

Yes, you may keep the gliders together until they start to mature, at about five or six months OOP.  

Sorry for the short response, but I have to get to work.

Good luck to you and your babies!

Betty