Introducing Gliders to One Another
You would think that since sugar gliders are colony animals, get depressed in isolation, and want companionship they would immediately accept friends but oddly enough it is a bit more complicated than that. If you didn't get a pair but instead just a single you will soon have to get a second glider. This second glider needs some time to acclimate to your house and you just like the first weeks of bonding with your original glider and this is also a great time to make sure the second glider is healthy so when it is introduced to the original glider it does not get him/her sick. After the second glider has had time to acclimate and is cleared as healthy [this will be a month long period] you can begin introducing the gliders. This can be a very challenging process, sugars are very apprehensive about other gliders smells. They are programmed for colonies but are also programmed to be afraid of other colonies' scent because they may fight them for territory, take their young, steal their food, etc. So it is important to try and take precautions so that neither of your gliders "judge a book by it's cover" or in their case by each others scent.
There are numerous ways to introduce your gliders cautiously, check out the gliderpedia page about introductions.
In general glider introductions should happen in:
A well lit area. Lets hope they would rather sleep than scuffle about scents!
Somewhere where neither glider has been. We don't want the room to have a smell that it is already claimed.
Be prepared to split them up. If the gliders ball up they can be vicious, have gloves and don't let them land a punch.
Your gliders may chase, slap, and even crab at each other but let them because someone is gotta be the boss!
Introduce them an hour after they have been asleep. The idea is they will crawl into the same pouch together rather than fuss because they are too sleepy.
Although introductions sound daunting giving your glider a buddy is one of the best things that can happen for him/her, good luck!
There are numerous ways to introduce your gliders cautiously, check out the gliderpedia page about introductions.
In general glider introductions should happen in:
A well lit area. Lets hope they would rather sleep than scuffle about scents!
Somewhere where neither glider has been. We don't want the room to have a smell that it is already claimed.
Be prepared to split them up. If the gliders ball up they can be vicious, have gloves and don't let them land a punch.
Your gliders may chase, slap, and even crab at each other but let them because someone is gotta be the boss!
Introduce them an hour after they have been asleep. The idea is they will crawl into the same pouch together rather than fuss because they are too sleepy.
Although introductions sound daunting giving your glider a buddy is one of the best things that can happen for him/her, good luck!