My sugar had a baby that died...

Question
QUESTION: How do I tell if she has another baby in her pouch? She had one premature already and it died.

Should we separate her and the male when she is having her baby?

ANSWER: Hi Mimi,

The only way to tell if there is a baby growing in the pouch is to VERY GENTLY feel for a lump or lumps on either side of the female's pouch opening.  Remember that the joey can't live if it is pulled from the teat, so the touch must be very gentle.   The joeys are firmly attached to the teat until they are ready for life outside the pouch, so prematurity shouldn't be an issue.  How big was the premature joey?  Perhaps it was just born and did not make it into the pouch.  Newly born joeys are pink and about the size of a piece of rice.

Males are good fathers, so do not separate them from the babies.  They help care for the joeys so the mother can eat and get a break.

Good luck, please keep me informed.  Thanks!

Betty

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

QUESTION: We had just bought the new gliders(3 of them)and found out she was pregnant. She had two of them and the father ate the second one. I think from the stress and environment change is what caused it to happen so quickly. I do not know what caused it? I didn't know that the fathers ate the Joey's.

Also, how do we handle it the next time she might become pregnant?

Thanks,
Mimi

Answer
I understand your concern.  It is hard on us to see such things happen to out beloved babies.  More than likely there was something wrong with the joey.  That happened to my first glider's first litter.  It has never happened again, and the papa is the great grandfather of all my gliders.  Sometimes the new parents really don't quite know what is happening.  I can't make any guarantees, but everything will most likely turn out okay next time.  Be sure to give the gliders some extra protein during this time and also while the momma is nursing.  Good luck, please keep me informed.  Thanks!

Betty