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GliderGossip GliderGossip
Sugar Gliders
Is this stress behavior?
Is this stress behavior?
Behavior
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Aug 08 2015
08:24:54 AM
I've had my female glider, Maggie, for about a year and a half. I got her as a new cagemate for my male, Bart, after his sister passed. Maggie was between 3 and 5 years old and came from a colony of 3, including one male (she had been rehomed to the former owner so he was unsure of her age). Bart and Maggie never took to each other. I tried for 6 months to get them together and it never happened because Bart was just too aggressive (which was new, as he was very docile prior to his sister dying). Maggie was sweet as pie. So I left them in separate cages about 2 inches away from each other, and they interact through the cage, which seems to be enough glider-social activity to keep both of them sane. I spend time with each of them separately each night (usually about an hour each, give or take). In the past few months Maggie has started biting me more (which she almost never did when I first got her). She has also started doing these acrobatics on the ceiling of her cage where she hangs by her feet, flips up, hangs by her hands, flips up and repeats 3 or 4 times before running around the cage. She'll repeat the cycle a few times over a 5 minute period and then stop.
Also, Bart has gotten less agressive and I considered trying to introduce them again, but now Maggie is too aggressive. She crabs anytime Bart is too close to her on her cage.

Is this stress from being alone for so long? Since she is CLEARLY uniniterested in Bart should I try to find her a new coloony? Bart is 8 1/2 but she is only 4-6. Should I try to introduce them again?
Behavior
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Aug 08 2015
09:47:29 AM
Leela Goofy Gorillatoes Gliderpedia Editor Visit Leela's Photo Album Leela's Journal 2919 Posts
Cages should be at least 12 inches apart to ensure no one gets a hold of a tail sticking out through the bars.

Is the male neutered ?

Did you do scent swapping ?

How did you do the introductions?

And yes what she is doing is a repetitive behavior which is a sign of stress. It could be a sign of stress because she is alone or because she really doesn't want the male that close to her cage....

If you were to get her a new glider for a cage mate that still leaves you with a single glider that will also need a cage mate.

I would probably do scent swapping again n move his cage a little farther away then do a formal introduction after a month of scent swapping n see how it goes before making the decision to get them BOTH new cage mates, because that would mean 4 cages you will have to tend to and 4 gliders that will need your time until you get them paired up.
Behavior
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Aug 08 2015
05:33:28 PM
Zehrapushu Glider Visit Zehrapushu's Photo Album 91 Posts
Yes, male is neutered. I did scent swapping for 6 months (in varying forms from every 2-3 days, to every week). I tried introductions about 10 times. Every time in neutral territory, at varying times of day, with food and without food, with scent masking and without scent masking. Believe me, I did everything I could. I consulted with this message board and with my vet. I tried every conceivable method for getting them together. Every time Bart made straight for her face and attacked. I broke up serious fights and ended up getting bit so hard myself that I lost all the feeling in my fingertip for a month.
Behavior
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Aug 08 2015
05:36:39 PM
Vicki2015 Glider Visit Vicki2015's Photo Album 68 Posts
The sad fact is they may never get along, it's just like you don't get along with everyone you meet. Sorry you had to go through this and your finger! You will probably have to get them both new mates if your going to keep them both still
Is this stress behavior?

GliderGossip GliderGossip
Sugar Gliders
Is this stress behavior?