death of a mateq

Question
we had a breeding pair of sugar gliders and just lost the male. Im afraid the female will become depressed. Is it a good idea to get her another mate, and could this be dangerous if she has babies in the pouch?

Answer
Dear Deanna:

I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your male.  You didn't mention how he died.  

Your first step would be to to take the female into the vet to make sure  she doesn't have the same problem he had.  If she is healthy, then I would wait a bit to see if she has joeys in the pouch.  If so, you will need to give her extra attention.  I advise you don't try to find another mate for her until those joeys are weaned and are gone.  You may just decide to keep the babies to keep her company.  Just make sure to neuter any males by 4 months out of pouch -- you don't want any inbreeding.  

Best of luck,

Laurie