Save a life today! Spread the word!
We told you to get a pair, right? So, naturally, you assume it's Noah's Ark, and go for a male and a female. "Won't it be so cute," you thought to yourself, "if they have little babies? And then we could sell them and make back the money we spent... and it'll be perfect!"
Think again. Deciding to breed any animal is a huge responsibility, all moralizing aside. Even from a purely practical standpoint, the decision to breed is not to be taken lightly. There are several reasons for which this is so, and if you still desire to proceed after researching these reasons, then please do so responsibly. Here are just a few considerations:
1) Sugar gliders are no different than dogs, cats, and rabbits in the respect that all are grossly overpopulated. There are too many of them, and not enough homes to care for them. Sugar gliders, in a sense, are in a worse place because they require specialized care. Hundreds are abandoned each year because people at home decided to get a male/female pair without regard for the consequences. They sell them to anyone who comes along, as do glider mills- people who breed sugar gliders only for profit without regard to their welfare. Any glider in a pet store or flea market is guaranteed to be a mill glider.
2) When you decide to breed an animal, you become responsible for the welfare of all babies. Are you willing to take the time to find homes for the litters? Good homes, who will cherish the glider for life? Are you willing to accept that some may become fodder for backyard breeders, despite the time you might take? Are you willing to accept the possibility of taking homes away from gliders in rescues across the nation?
3) Are you willing to spend the time and money required to raise gliders? Baby gliders must be handled daily if they are to become tame enough to sell. And what if the joeys are rejected? Do you have the necessary time and supplies to hand-raise the joey? Also, you must spend ungodly amounts of money on things such as extra food (esp. proteins), vet care, extra cages if you can't sell the joeys (to prevent inbreeding), hand-raising supplies, and on other things that will, eventually, come up if you decide to breed.
Still want to breed gliders? If you do, then that's fine. Personally, I have neutered all of my males, and decided to focus on rescuing. We only had 3 babies here, and none of them sold, even though they are all friendly, and one was a WFB 100% leu het. I've kept all of them and had everyone neutered. Don't worry, no one's going to crucify you if you've decided to breed your gliders as a hobby. Lots of us do. But beware that it carries with it a heavy responsibility. Most glider experts agree that it is absolutely inadvisable to breed gliders without pedigrees. If you do not know where they came from, you may be passing on diseases, weak genes, or they may even be related!
Okay, so you've made your decision. Now what? Well, hopefully, you love gliders. A lot. If you haven't had them for at least a year, then I'd hold off. Many things seem great in the beginning, and then they get old and you're out hundreds, maybe thousands, of dollars (I was!). Plus, you're not doing the gliders any favors. If you've had them for a while, love them, and still want to breed them, then here it is. First off, you need an acceptable pair. Good health, good genes, not related, etc. The female needs to be at least a year old before you breed her. She may be able to breed before that, but is more likely to cannibalize or reject her young. There are also downsides to her health. The male's age isn't as important. Males reach maturity between 4 and 8 months; whenever the bald spot appears and their sac drops, you'll know.
You will need to make sure that both are on a high-protein, quality, accepted diet. See the diet page for more information.
For more information on breeding, please visit Suz Sugar Gliders. She is very knowledgeable about breeding, and taking the time to read her page could save your gliders' lives.
