Message:
Subject: Murdering mother glider
Posted by Julie on June 19, 2000 at 22:40:32 from 207.202.171.214
I have two breeding pair of gliders, one is normal & healthy, the other.....the male was handraised by me, I bought the female at a petstore (I know, not advisable), she was supposed to be handraised...but to some people, I suppose that means handling them a bit. She (Sally) never did like being handled, and she was 8 months old when I got her. She's had 3 litters, (batches...whatever). She kills her babies and eats them, of course at that point, Wocket, (the male) helps dispose of the poor little bodies. One batch she did in before they even came oop. Has anyone ever heard of this happening?
Wocket is sweet and loving, and wants to come out and be with me all the time, but Sally wants no contact with people whatsoever.
Sally is sorta schizo as it is. She won't come out of the nestbox when I'm in the room, and if she is out, won't even come up to the bars for a treat. I stay away from the cage when I know she is due, only getting in to clean the bedding & feed. She's awfully messy, or I would leave the bedding alone, but she drags food into the nestbox and it molds, so I have to clean it weekly, even if it does disrupt her, as it doesn't seem to be a very healthy environment for babies.
One of her last babies just died today...she had two, one was oop last Tuesday, I heard it crying. Wednesday I found what was left of it hanging from the cage. Friday the 2nd was oop, so deciding it was worth the risk, I removed it and attempted to handfeed. It ate well for 2 days, but then it developed the runs, today,(Monday) it wouldn't eat, and began to lose it's motor abilities (coordination), it died shortly after that.
I'm afraid I'll have to have Sally put down, as she has no pet potential whatsoever, and she obviously isn't a fit mother..... anyone have any suggestions? It's a shame, she really is a beautiful animal.
I have another female that I want to put with Wocket when she matures, but she is only 3 months old right now. But I wonder if he's developed a taste for babies after being with Sally. Help????
Julie
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