Should I?

[AbsolutRSX]

Well, I like to consider myself an animal person, I have other animals that are clean n well kept. Recently I had turned my sights on sugar gliders, I have been doing some reserach and found them to be all around good animals. Yet I was hoping to hear from some of you guys on how your experences has been with your little ones so that way when I get my first glider I will know a little of what to expect.

[Emylee]

Sugar gliders make awesome pets for the right people. But they need lots of time and you must have a lot of patience to bond with them. Here are some questions that should be answered yes before you bring a glider home.

Can you provide a large enough cage? Sugar gliders require a cage that is at LEAST 3 feet tall and that is PVC coated. The spacing has to be no larger then an inch by a half inch.

Can you provide the right kind of diet? Sugar gliders have many health problems related to an incorrect diet. There are several good proven diets and you need to be able to pick one and stay with it. Here is a good place to look at some of the proven diets.
http://www.freewebs.com/emylee/sugargliderdiet.htm

Can I spend at least 2 hours a night with my glider out of his/her cage? Sugar gliders are very social animals and they should be kept in pairs. Having a female\ female pair would work out best, but you could also have a female/neutered male or 2 neutered males. Sugar gliders have issues with dominance so you will need to get any male that you have neutered. Can your pay for this vet bill?

Do you have enough money to give a sugar glider adequate health care? Are you willing to take your glider to the vet at the fist sign of illness no matter how small? Since sugar gliders are not domesticated and are fairly new to the world of being kept as pets they still have many of their natural instincts. They hide illness extremely well because in the wild if other gliders thought that they were ill they would be killed or run out of the family unit. Sugar gliders also require a vet that specializes in exotics. Many vets will not take in a glider if it is ill so you will want to make sure that you have a vet in your area that will take a sick sugar glider in.

Do I have enough patience to bond with my sugar glider? Bonding can take months for some gliders, others bond right away. You will have to hear them crab at you and they will sometimes even bite. You have to be willing to take the bite and continue to carry them around with you in their bonding pouch. Can you spend a few hours a day with your gliders with you? Sugar gliders are nocturnal so they will need to have 2 hours of playtime a night with you and then to bond you will need to carry them around for a while during the day.

Do you know of someone who will be able to watch your gliders for you if you go on a trip, and more importantly are you willing to take your gliders with you if you move? I see sugar glider ads all the time and most of them are either gliders that a college student doesn't have time for, or they are gliders that no one wants because they are moving and can't take them with them. Sugar gliders form a very special bond with their owners and taking them away from you could kill them. They are more then capable of getting depressed and dying because their owner gave them away. Are you willing to make sure that you will be able to keep them with you no matter what, even if they are not that kind of pet that you thought they would be?

Do you mind getting peed on and pooped on? Sugar gliders do this VERY often. I can't take my glider Shadow out of his cage without him using me as his own personal litter box. Sugar gliders also smell a little funny so are you willing to buy an air purifier or something to that effect?

There are many more questions that you have to ask yourself, but these are a really good start. I hope this helps and if you have anymore questions don't hesitate to ask. I can honestly say that sugar gliders make one of the best pets if you are dedicated to animals and you have the patience to work with them. They will bond to you for life if you treat them right.

[AbsolutRSX]

Thanks Emylee, for the most part I answered yes to all. My main issue (or concern) I guess is how well would my ferret fend with the glider?

[Emylee]

You could never have them together. Where is your ferret? I like to keep my glider in my room. If you can keep them with you in your room and never let your ferrets in the room then you should be fine. People have cats and gliders no problem. They just make sure that the 2 are never alone with eachother. You can also glider proof your room, so your babies can come out to play with you in your room. I would still use a tent for bonding, but it is always nice to be able to let them out of their cage for a while and not have to worry about them getting hurt. Don't ever fall asleep with them out of their cage though. Someone once told me that they let their glider just live in their room with them, without a cage. I would be scared that I would roll over on my glider in my sleep and kill him. THey ae so small and they love to curl up next to something warm. I can just see my glider curling up next to me and then me rolling over on him. :(

Well, I hope this all helps. Remember to do lots of research. If you answered yes to all of those questions it sounds like you will be an awesome glider parent.

[AbsolutRSX]

Yeah my lil Callisto is in the back room where the heater is since they like the warmth, she does have full run of the house but if I did get a glider my room would be off limits to her. And it's not like I'd miss her sneaking in my room because of her bell collar.

As for the out time I understand they need a lot of time out of their cage, it's the same for ferrets so that would be no problem I would have the same sleep worry thing though. lol

[Emylee]

Your going to be a great glider ownee!!

Have you checked out some of the glider forums? I am a mod over at WSGN and we would love to have you. There is so much info to learn about glider. I learn something new every day. :) Here is the link to WSGN if you ever want to check us out. I give out this link so much I should just put it in my sig. lol

http://worldwidesugarglidernetwork.com/board/index.php

[PuppyLover92]

Yeah WSGN is a very good forum! I have only been going for two weeks on Saturday and I learned A LOT!!

[AbsolutRSX]

Thanks Emylee, when I get some time in the am I will look it sign up and see what I can learn before I make the big purchase.

Quick request though... can you send me some pics of your lil one(s)?

[yigos flower]

you can see mine at www.midwest-exotics.com

[AbsolutRSX]

Yigos you rock. Your only in southbend... hmmm I might have to contact you when I am ready to get my lil one then.

[yigos flower]

hehe thanks!! *blushes*

if your interested we have one in the pouch now & it should be ooping soon. sign up for my waiting list if you are serious about adopting from us.. (i also have a forum) =] (hehe not that many people use it though.. but ya know.. thought i would offer since i spent all that hard work on it!) lol
hope to talk with you more soon. (i also have aim,yahoo,ect ect lol) =]

[AbsolutRSX]

I will make sure to bookmark the site and lurk around it now and then, but aim maybe so I could just in general talk to you about em would be grand.

[yigos flower]

whatever you would like to do. im on aim quite often.. i also check the forum almost daily. (i will also be updating the site when the joey oops.)
hopw to talk soon.=]
have a good one.

[glidergrl1513]

Another great one is Glider Central www.sugarglider.net There's a LOT of people there, over 8,000, and the people there are so nice and supportive, and I don't think I've ever asked a question that went unanswered there.

And I agree, WSGN is a great forum as well!

[AbsolutRSX]

Thanks for the link glidergrl I check it out very helpful. And I predict before I get the lil one Emylee with be me with a wet noodle to get me to visit and sing up at WSGN. lol (sorry it's a joke in another thread).

[Emylee]

YES!!!! Come to WSGN. :)

You know you want to. :p

*goes to find Djrfan8 to borrow that noodle.*

[AbsolutRSX]

Hey now, weren't you just saying in the ferret forum hitting isn't right... tsk tsk miss..

Besides who knows, I might actually like it. :p

[Emylee]

LOL .................... :p

[AbsolutRSX]

Pfft, if you don't know how to use that tongue put it back in your mouth. lol - I kid, I kid people.

[Emylee]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v213/EmyleeShadow04/slap.gif

[Emylee]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v213/EmyleeShadow04/doh.gif I forgot to say :p :p ............. :D

[AbsolutRSX]

You forgot to sat DOH with that dangit.. that's it you're done...

[Emylee]

I'm done..............? ha what's that supposed to mean?

You know I'm just teasing right? ;)

[AbsolutRSX]

Of course I do. You think I am that uptight? tsk tsk...

[Emylee]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v213/EmyleeShadow04/pancakebunny.gif

:D

[AbsolutRSX]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v213/EmyleeShadow04/pancakebunny.gif

:D

Yesssss the lil one with a pancake on it's head.. my day is complete now thank you.

[Emylee]

Your welcome. :)

[Sheep]

I too have been thinking about a sugar glider (just got ferrets on friday though, LOL). I was wondering though, what would make you want one more than, say, a hamster or a rat? What are their special characteristics?

[glidergrl1513]

They form a lifelong bond and are much more interactive than a hamster. Rats are quite a bit like them in that they bond and are entertaining and loveable, but they live much longer (15 years) so they will be able to give you all the love for many years. Congrats on your ferrets also!

[Emylee]

Sugar gliders are MUCH smater! No offense. It's like having a baby monkey almost. hehe.. And they form an awesome bond with their owners. BUT they are MUCH more work then a hamster soo... yea,