Breeding Sugar Gliders
Breeding sugar gliders should only be done when you have obtained the proper information to do so without inbreeding. Getting gliders from two different sources does not indicate they are not related. Sugar gliders are shipped all over the world, so obtaining two gliders that are related is a very real possibility. Please do your research before you purchase a breeding pair of sugar gliders.
It is recommended to own sugar gliders for a minimum of a year, or more, before you venture into breeding them. Before you breed sugar gliders, you should have a complete knowledge of them and genetics. Please read Determining Genetic Compatibility in Sugar Gliders . This will give you a start of the information needed. There is a lot to know before you begin breeding. Please take the time to know about sugar gliders first, their behaviors, body language, what their sounds mean, how to bond with them, introduction methods, safe toys, know vendors to recommend, etc... You need to be able to pass all of this information down to those whom are adopting your joeys. All of this information is in addition to knowing all the ins and outs of breeding, genetics, rejection, cannibalizing, etc... This is why we recommend owning them for a minimum of a year before you venture into breeding. For more information on what can go wrong, please read more about BREEDING ISSUES HERE.
It is recommend to find a reputable breeder to use as your mentor. There are several breeders that are willing to help educate you on basic glider knowledge as well as all of the breeding aspects. As breeders, we take this commitment very seriously. A good breeder will start working with you throughout a very long mentoring program; a program that may last up to two years. It will start with a pet-only pair of gliders to help you in basic glider ownership. The mentoring will continue from basic husbandry to the education needed to become a breeder. Once it is determined that you are ready, then a breeding pair will be set up for you. The mentoring continues as your breeding pair matures and begins reproducing, then on through the growth of the joeys. Mentoring can continue to assist in the process of home placement of the joeys. Finding a mentor is an excellent tool to the introduction of breeding sugar gliders.
Sugar gliders have an estrus (heat) cycle every 29 days. Females can begin going through estrus as early as 4 months old, or 16 weeks out of pouch (OOP). A female is pregnant for 16 days, after which point the immature joey migrates to the pouch where it will stay and nurse for approximately 70 days. Once the joey fully emerges, or comes OOP, this is considered their birth date. Joeys should remain with their parents until they are 10 weeks OOP.
To determine the Kinship and Percentage Het using the charts, please click on the following links:
Kinship Chart
Percent Het Chart
Want to learn about the various colors of sugar gliders and how to properly breed for them?
Colors & Descriptions
If you are interested in breeding for the Mosaic trait, I encourage you to read this:
Mosaics
New to breeding and need a contract? Click here for a CONTRACT TEMPLATE for more information. Need an excel spreadsheet to help track your income and expenses? Click here for a SPREADSHEET TEMPLATE.
Want to know where everything started?
Founding Gliders
It is recommended to own sugar gliders for a minimum of a year, or more, before you venture into breeding them. Before you breed sugar gliders, you should have a complete knowledge of them and genetics. Please read Determining Genetic Compatibility in Sugar Gliders . This will give you a start of the information needed. There is a lot to know before you begin breeding. Please take the time to know about sugar gliders first, their behaviors, body language, what their sounds mean, how to bond with them, introduction methods, safe toys, know vendors to recommend, etc... You need to be able to pass all of this information down to those whom are adopting your joeys. All of this information is in addition to knowing all the ins and outs of breeding, genetics, rejection, cannibalizing, etc... This is why we recommend owning them for a minimum of a year before you venture into breeding. For more information on what can go wrong, please read more about BREEDING ISSUES HERE.
It is recommend to find a reputable breeder to use as your mentor. There are several breeders that are willing to help educate you on basic glider knowledge as well as all of the breeding aspects. As breeders, we take this commitment very seriously. A good breeder will start working with you throughout a very long mentoring program; a program that may last up to two years. It will start with a pet-only pair of gliders to help you in basic glider ownership. The mentoring will continue from basic husbandry to the education needed to become a breeder. Once it is determined that you are ready, then a breeding pair will be set up for you. The mentoring continues as your breeding pair matures and begins reproducing, then on through the growth of the joeys. Mentoring can continue to assist in the process of home placement of the joeys. Finding a mentor is an excellent tool to the introduction of breeding sugar gliders.
Sugar gliders have an estrus (heat) cycle every 29 days. Females can begin going through estrus as early as 4 months old, or 16 weeks out of pouch (OOP). A female is pregnant for 16 days, after which point the immature joey migrates to the pouch where it will stay and nurse for approximately 70 days. Once the joey fully emerges, or comes OOP, this is considered their birth date. Joeys should remain with their parents until they are 10 weeks OOP.
To determine the Kinship and Percentage Het using the charts, please click on the following links:
Kinship Chart
Percent Het Chart
Want to learn about the various colors of sugar gliders and how to properly breed for them?
Colors & Descriptions
If you are interested in breeding for the Mosaic trait, I encourage you to read this:
Mosaics
New to breeding and need a contract? Click here for a CONTRACT TEMPLATE for more information. Need an excel spreadsheet to help track your income and expenses? Click here for a SPREADSHEET TEMPLATE.
Want to know where everything started?
Founding Gliders
When Will Gliders Breed?
Males: 12 weeks OOP
Females: 16 weeks OOP
Male joeys can become sexually mature as early as 12 weeks OOP (3 months old). At this point, they may or may not have their bald spots. Please do not rely on the presence of their bald spot or chest scent gland to determine if they are sexually mature.
Female joeys can become sexually mature as early as 16 weeks OOP (4 months old). There is typically no outward signs of a female becoming sexually mature.
Not all gliders will mature at these young ages. But it is in their best interest for us to presume that they are and manage them accordingly. Males should be neutered before 12 weeks OOP or separated from all females to prevent unwanted pregnancies.
Females should not be housed with intact males at this young age to prevent unwanted or premature pregnancies.
Will they inbreed? YES!
Sugar gliders in captivity do not realize that this is my mother, sister, father or daughter. If a female comes into heat, any mature mature, intact male will do "his job" and breed the females in the cage. If you have young joeys, I personally recommend they be separated from their parents at 10 weeks OOP to prevent potential breeding problems.
If you have intact males with females, THEY WILL BREED
Females: 16 weeks OOP
Male joeys can become sexually mature as early as 12 weeks OOP (3 months old). At this point, they may or may not have their bald spots. Please do not rely on the presence of their bald spot or chest scent gland to determine if they are sexually mature.
Female joeys can become sexually mature as early as 16 weeks OOP (4 months old). There is typically no outward signs of a female becoming sexually mature.
Not all gliders will mature at these young ages. But it is in their best interest for us to presume that they are and manage them accordingly. Males should be neutered before 12 weeks OOP or separated from all females to prevent unwanted pregnancies.
Females should not be housed with intact males at this young age to prevent unwanted or premature pregnancies.
Will they inbreed? YES!
Sugar gliders in captivity do not realize that this is my mother, sister, father or daughter. If a female comes into heat, any mature mature, intact male will do "his job" and breed the females in the cage. If you have young joeys, I personally recommend they be separated from their parents at 10 weeks OOP to prevent potential breeding problems.
If you have intact males with females, THEY WILL BREED
Sexing a Joey
Determining the gender of a new or newly out of pouch joey is done my looking at the belly. For details and photos, please click on Sexing a Joey.
