I have an un-spayed famale sugar glider and I think she's just now reaching puberty.

At what age does a male reach sexual maturity?
At what age does a famale come into heat for the first time? (like human girls have it around 10 years old)
Does their first period mean they are now sexually mature? (just like humans)
Do they piddle bleed like dogs and cats do when they are in heat?
How much do they bleed when in heat?
How often do they go in heat within a year? (like humans once every 28 days, cats several times a year, and dogs every 6 months)
How long does their cycle last? (like humans last 4-7 days long)
Is there an obvious smell difference?
Is their period an obvious event at all? (like you KNOW they are in heat, vs they barely show any signs of it)
Are they aggressive and a threat/dangerous to other females/males who aren't in heat at the same time as them?
Does their poop get soft before/when they are in heat?
Does my monthly cycle affect them at all? (they smell me, they are influenced by my cycle

I'm asking these questions because I'm noticing a smell difference in my female glider, she has had soft poop for 2 days, she's regressed slightly when it comes to friendliness (almost like PMSing), so I think she's having/about to have, her first period. I also notice her pee-er is very bright pink (as if slightly bleeding)
This sounds like she's in heat to me. Am I correct?

I don't know the answer to much of this but I can tell you that you cannot spay a female since her urinary tract goes through her reproductive system. And strong smelling urine could be a urinary tract infection I would monitor her closely....

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Originally posted by galaeowyn

I don't know the answer to much of this but I can tell you that you cannot spay a female since her urinary tract goes through her reproductive system. And strong smelling urine could be a urinary tract infection I would monitor her closely....

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I've had a few pets who have been in heat, so I somewhat recognize the signs, but I know that Sugar Gliders are almost completely different from the norm, and that anything can be an exception.
Which is why I take any slight change in behavior very seriously, and I'm open to learning what all the signs mean.

I've had a UTI once in my life, and it was so severe that my bladder was swollen shut, making it impossible for me to pee, but it would keep filling up as I ate/drank. This has probably been one of the most horrific experiences I've ever had to deal with.
Because of this, I am extremely sympathetic to females and I would NEVER want any other girl to go through this, which is why I'm going to keep my eyes on her like a hawk to make sure it doesn't happen.

Thank you for telling me that females can't be spayed. I didn't know this, and it's nice knowing that now.

I'm also considering your deduction because of the fact that I feed her a grape a few times a week (she never eats a whole grape, but I still offer it to her) and since someone said that grapes may have a link to causing UTIs, I'm going to be very vigilant about her.

Kiwi-Fox - You seem very interested in learning details of a glider's inner workings.

This web site may answer a lot of your questions better than any of us can.

http://bmxglider.tripod.com/oguwarning.html

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Originally posted by Candy

Kiwi-Fox - You seem very interested in learning details of a glider's inner workings.

This web site may answer a lot of your questions better than any of us can.

http://bmxglider.tripod.com/oguwarning.html

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thank you very much for sharing this website! I find it very helpful for a lot of questions, and very insightful. :3

It answers a few questions (from what I've read so far) and it's very well organized :D

I still have a few other questions, but this helps me out a lot.

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Originally posted by Kiwi-Fox

I have an un-spayed famale sugar glider and I think she's just now reaching puberty.

At what age does a male reach sexual maturity?

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later than the female, but can be as early as 4 months.

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At what age does a famale come into heat for the first time? (like human girls have it around 10 years old)

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As early as 3 months, but usually later.

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Does their first period mean they are now sexually mature? (just like humans)

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Yes

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Do they piddle bleed like dogs and cats do when they are in heat?

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no

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How much do they bleed when in heat?

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none

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How often do they go in heat within a year? (like humans once every 28 days, cats several times a year, and dogs every 6 months)

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monthly

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How long does their cycle last? (like humans last 4-7 days long)

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about 3 days

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Is there an obvious smell difference?

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do you mean DURING heat? If so, no.

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Is their period an obvious event at all? (like you KNOW they are in heat, vs they barely show any signs of it)

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depends on the glider. Some girls are very vocal and moody. Others, you hardly notice.

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Are they aggressive and a threat/dangerous to other females/males who aren't in heat at the same time as them?

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Some are more moody than others. Gliders of both sexes are a threat to any glider who is not a member of their colony. But, within their family/colony they do not become a threat to each other at this time.

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Does their poop get soft before/when they are in heat?

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no.

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Does my monthly cycle affect them at all? (they smell me, they are influenced by my cycle

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there is no evidence to support this.

Great answers, Val. Thank you!

I can tell when my girls are in heat as they all gang up on poor, neutered Benji, who sits in the corner afraid to move! They also mount each other and are much more vocal. There have been times Ive had to separate them during for being a little to randy with each other.

When Tosca received her mating wound, Im convinced it did not cone from Benji...

THANK YOU! This is precisely the information I was looking for! :D

Now that I know this, I feel that I should take my girl, just in case, and give her a routine vet check. I don't think she's severely sick, but I don't want to underplay anything that could be upsetting her.

Your answers are VERY helpful, and I think everyone should see this if they didn't already know these facts.

I figured that a breeder would know these things, so I'm assuming you monitor their cycles and breed them.

Do you think you can look at my poop topic if you know anything about it?

http://www.sugarglider.com/glidergossip/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=29963

Thank you again <3

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I figured that a breeder would know these things, so I'm assuming you monitor their cycles and breed them.

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Ha! Not at all. I run a successful rescue home.

Knowing the normal behavior and anatomy of an animal in one's care is each of our responsibility.