Sugar Gliders (Petaurus breviceps).

Breeding

Gliders become sexually mature between 6 and 15 months (usually closer to 6). In captivity they will breed all year round, in the wild they breed when insects are in abundance. They will usually have one or two joey’s and occasionally 3. The gestation period is 16 days, the babies are born tiny and furless, you will not see them at this stage, they will make their way to the mothers pouch where they will attach themselves to a nipple, they are then carried around in the pouch for approximately 2 months. Be careful when handling the adult whilst babies are in pouch as they may become dislodged from the nipple and will die. The joey’s eyes will open between 7 and 10 days after leaving the pouch. For another month they will suckle off mum and you may hear some very strange noises, then the mum will wean the baby. When he is fully weaned the tail will become bushy like the adults. The joey should remain with mum and dad for at least 8 weeks after they emerge from the pouch. Always make sure you see the joey eating at the food bowl before you separate him/her from mum and dad.

However, to prevent gliders from becoming over populated like in the USA, I recommend same sex pairs, or a neutered male and a female. Glider breeding is on the increase, which will seriously affect the care these special little animals receive in the hands of those who want nothing more than a fashion accessory. Glider keeping is a lifetime responsibility due to the length of time they live. It is essential they receive the correct diet to ensure the glider is healthy and long lived.