Suggies At Home

Some people have been asking me how to introduce 2 gliders properly. There are a few ways. Normally joeys or gliders younger than 5 months OOP are easier to introduce, there is less chance of frighting.

Some people would use the old “toss and let it be” thing, which is to place the new glider straight away with the current glider in the current glider’s cage. Now this is terribly risky. If you are lucky, everything will turn out well but if a fight does happen, then the gliders will be tumbling about chasing and biting each other’s backs and rump. So how to do it the right way?

Here are a few tips:

1. Have 2 cages. Each glider should have their own cage and it should be kept in the same room so they can smell each other’s scent. Soon they will try to communicate a bit. Let the cages stand about 3ft to 4ft apart first and let this go on for 3 days.
2. Next, move the cages side by side to 6 inches apart. Let them get used to their cages being closed to one another and again, getting familiar with each other’s scent.
3. 4 days later, start with exchanging sleeping pouches and whatever toys that are in their cages. Switching their stuff would make them get used to each other’s scent faster. This switching should be done everyday. I would continue this for about 4 to 5 days.
4. Once the gliders have gotten used to each other’s scent, then move on to neutral ground introduction. How does this go? Well, just take both your gliders to a place where none have ever roamed in, for example, a bathroom with the window and toilet closed, or someone’s study room. Let them check each other out. A lot of sniffing and clicking will take place. If all goes well, then the gliders would just go about investigating each other. Let this neutral meeting take as long as a week. If fighting occurs, then put them back in their cages and repeat Step 3 again. You can even exchange bonding pouches as well.
5. Once the gliders show no sign of aggression in a neutral place, then proceed to try them out in a single cage. First, take one of the cages and give a good washing and scrubbing to get rid of territorial markings. Then remove toys, bonding pouches and feeding bowls. Let the gliders stay in the empty cage together for a few hours with you watching. Repeat this for 3 days.
6. If all goes well, then the pouches and food bowls can be included into the cage but place 2 pouches inside to be sure. The gliders are ready for a night together. You still have to monitor, make sure they do not fight. When 2 gliders are sleeping together in 1 sleeping pouch, then you can take the extra one away.

For young joeys, it takes a shorter time. Some joeys get along very well in the 1st neutral meeting, some would act tough, swipe their paw a bit and crab at the new comer but it would be ok after a while.

It would be different for an older glider to a joey. Some adults are friendly and would not mind a younger glider friend. Firstly, try the neutral introduction step, and if it fails, then proceed with my 6 steps for introducing 2 gliders.

Each glider can be different, some will instantly bond with the new glider (I have had several successful pairs) while some just cannot get along in a short period. So do not give up, just keep on trying and your gliders will get along fine.