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Joey Rejection and How to handle feed them
Joey Rejection and How to handle feed them
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May 03 2017
10:10:01 PM
I am pretty sure my Joey is being rejected and it's been a day since I found out. I am getting food tomorrow but I'm not sure that he'll survive that long. What should I do?

Edited by - MattZachary on May 03 2017 10:30:09 PM
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May 04 2017
01:18:25 AM
Tiakristin3 Face Hugger Visit Tiakristin3's Photo Album 412 Posts
I so wish I could help you but I know very little about joeys and I don't want to give you the wrong information. I'm hoping someone else responds very soon. I did find this website that looks like it could be very helpful. There's a link for "joey help". Please keep us posted.

www.suzsugargliders.com
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May 04 2017
02:03:02 AM
lilsistar Super Glider Visit lilsistar's Photo Album 293 Posts
I'm sorry I can't really help you. I've never had a rejected Joey.

I'm curious on what is going on that makes you think the Joey is being rejected?

I know I've had a Joey who was showing signs of being rejected, but never got rejected. His name was Ty and his mother's name Bell. He was Bell's first baby. And tbh she was a bad mother. I found him on the bottom of the cage once and she would constantly kick him off during feeding. I then began to give her more protein. She stopped kicking him off during feeding. While she was out playing I would take him out and keep him warm. (Usually that's the dad's job, but the male in the cage wasn't the dad and didn't pick up daddy duty) I made it easier for her which then made it so she stopped being as bad of a mother.


I'm not saying your Joey isn't being rejected. I'm just trying to say the there might be a reason for her behavior that you may be able to fix. If she is violent to the Joey then you must take him, but if she's just not feeding him there might not be enough protein. If you are worried the Joey isn't getting enough to eat you can hand feed him and still keep him with his mother.
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May 04 2017
08:09:26 AM
Leela Goofy Gorillatoes Gliderpedia Editor Visit Leela's Photo Album Leela's Journal 2919 Posts
I'd also like to know what is making you think the joey is being rejected? It's a very valid question because often times people think a joey is being rejected when it's really not so they end up hand raising the joey when it wasn't necessary.

Breeders normally feed their producing pair an extra half or full portion of staple while the joey is in pouch and nursing joeys. This not only increases the protein but also all of the other nutrients in the staple keeping the overall diet still balanced yet offering mom more of what she needs to support a good milk supply and her own body what it needs.

This also provides a portion to the joey when Mom starts to ween the joey and introduces normal food. As mom stops needing the extra portion the joey starts to eat it on their own, as early as 4 weeks oop. So it also gets you in the habit of providing the joey a portion.

As far as hand feeding a joey IF it is indeed rejected....

Keep the joey warm, if it's cold it will not eat.

Hold the joey vertically when feeding to prevent aspirating.

Start off with one drop at a time, one drop doesn't seem like much but to a little joey it's a lot, once the joey swallows the first drop give another and continue until the joey is licking it up on it's own, then you can give a steady flow of food from the syringe instead of drops.

Somewhere on the site Tiakristen provided there is a chart for how much to feed and how often to feed joey at each stage I think. It's been a while so I can't remember where exactly it is.

Now if you take over the joey completely from the parents, you will also need to stimulate the joey to pee and poo as the parents would if it was in their care. The parents stimulate the joey by licking the cloaca, you don't have to lick the cloaca use a wet qtip and gently rub it on the cloaca to stimulate the joey to pee and poo.

Supplement feeding... I know some breeders have done it and have been successful to supplement feed a joey and still let Mom nurse it when its not getting enough from mom alone. Personally I feel when you supplement feed this reduces the milk supply from mom even more, however the benefit is mom and dad are still the primary care giver tending to the joey instead of the human so I can understand why it's done. That's going to be one of those things you have to make the decision on yourself if you feel it's absolutely necessary or not.

Hope this helps some and good luck!





Joey Rejection and How to handle feed them

GliderGossip GliderGossip
Sugar Gliders
Joey Rejection and How to handle feed them