Breeding

[Alex]

How difficult is it to breed a pair and bring up a joey?

How long before they can leave their parents?

Thanks.

 

[roxyandboys]

The question to ask really should be, "Why do i want to breed", once you have the answer to that question then the ins and outs of what is involved can be looked at.

For example, i have a breeding pair, the reason i have allowed them to breed is because i want to increase my colony size.

If, for example, you wanted to breed in order to sell your babies then you entre into an entirely different world.  1.  There will be no money made, yeah sure, gliders can fetch just over £100 in todays market, but the cost of raising that joey will exceed this figure.  2.  Is it really ethical to "hobby" breed with the intentions of selling the babes?  3.  Are you able to pay out the needed vet costs if and when needed?  4.  Are you able to hand rear a joey?  4.  If you're unabel to sell them are you able to house them all adequately?  5.  Are the gliders suitable for breeding from?  6.  Are you 100% certain what to do if things go wrong?  7.  How will you ensure that the babes go to good homes?  8.  Are you truly prepared to take on such a huge thing?

Breeding suggies isn't like breeding mice - there is an awful lot more time, money and experiance needed.

The biggest thing for me would really be - Does the market really need more joeys?  Are we heading towards seeing joeys in rescue centres?  Is the market place being over-run with hobby breeders?

By breeding and selling joeys are we setting the glider world to go down the same awful road as is seen with Chinchillias for example, with hundreds of unwanted, abandoned animals sitting in rescues.

Even if you could say that yes, you are able to breed healthy happy gliders, my question would be, honestly, why would you want to?  Why make the issue which i see happening in the future worse by adding your own gliders onto the pile of possible unwanted animals of the future.

Is breeding really the right thing to do for the gliders?  The bigger picture needs to be considered.  IMO breeding for selling should be left to the breeders and should not be taken on my "pet owners".

But hey, that is just my opinion. 

[foufou]

great post Karma point!!!

There is also the emotional side to it all (which is why I could never do it) What you going to do if it dies, get cannibalised... and then having to give them away would break my heart!

[Amalthea]

Also, being the joey's breeder, you have to have the facilities to take back any joey that an owner decided they weren't actually ready for.  I sold a pair of joeys to somebody and their puppy killed one of them (another story... very upsetting) and I took back the remaining baby.  She now lives here with her mother.  I believe any good breeder (of any species of critter) should offer this... Saves their animals being passed from pillar to post.

[roxyandboys]

Yes, good point Amalthea.

Breeding is not just a case of making babies and selling them - it's like a fulltime job which needs a hellofa lot of committment from you, the owner.

Honestly, take a look on preloved, see how many chinchillias are being rehomed, the same with rabbits and guineapigs at the moment.  Rats and mice were once the big issue, look at kittens and puppies also.

All of these animals end up in rescues, hundreds and hundreds, as suggie loving people we have a responsibility to prevent this happening with gliders, and trust me when i say that this is the way things are heading as they are becoming increasingly popular.

[Alex]

I'm not sure i'm quite ready to breed yet, i was just asking the for the basic run down of how long they're in the pouch and all that sort of thing!

[Marie]

Good post Rox.  On this forum we actually encourage the neutering of males because we're seeing rescues coming through already.  People being giving poor advice about housing and dietary requirements etc.

But if you want to know the basics then here we go:

Gestation period 16 days
Time in pouch - 2 months
OOP - Weaning 2 months

Most breeders will wait until the joey is around 10 weeks OOP before sending the little one off to it's new home.

[Alex]

Good post Rox.  On this forum we actually encourage the neutering of males because we're seeing rescues coming through already.  People being giving poor advice about housing and dietary requirements etc.

But if you want to know the basics then here we go:

Gestation period 16 days
Time in pouch - 2 months
OOP - Weaning 2 months

Most breeders will wait until the joey is around 10 weeks OOP before sending the little one off to it's new home.

Thanks.

[jungleflockmom]

Gliders have a disgusting little practice of cannibalizing their joeys when they are under stress or perceive the joey to be imperfect in some way. It's hard to deal with. And then they are often pregnant w/a second pair when she is still caring for the first one or two.