I have only one sugar glider is this ok???

[sweetnat]

I have only one sugar glider is this ok???

I have been told that he will die if I dont get a companion for him is this true?

[ScootersPet]

It is highly suggested that they be kept in pairs or more, but he will not die from being lonley, BUT they are very social animals. You MUST spend at least 4 HOURS a day with him, you are his companion as of now and he NEEDS attention. I am not saying not to get him a companion because I believe that they are happier and live more enriching lives if kept with other gliders. How would you feel if you were put in a cage in a home where no one spoke your language or could cuddle up with you, or play with you when your "person" isnt there? I wouldnt be too happy. But like i said, people have kept gliders singly and they are happy but if you do decide not to get him a friend you cannot slack on his out of cage time, bonding time, anything. (I will now suggest that you look into getting him a pal of his own kind, it will not make him any less bonded to you, and the second one will bond more quickly, also it is more fun to watch two or three play together than one by his self) Hope this helps. If you are interested in finding him a buddy or just more info on keeping him you can visit GliderCentral.net there are lots of good forums and glider ads there for you to look into.
<3 Amber

[GlidinBy]

Yes, it is true that gliders can die from loneliness. Gliders are prone to self mutilation if they become depressed. It is no more work to care for 2 gliders and additional cost is mininal, since the only extra that you need to buy is food. I woulod highly recommend getting him a friend. A happy glider is a better pet.

[Songbird]

I have also heard that gliders are more prone to die at a younger age (not that they definately will but that the chances are heightened) due to lack of social interaction (part of their environmental needs) which will have an effect on their overall wellbeing. Gliders are extremely gregarious animals, in the wild they live in large groups comprising of many individuals and benefit from the same interaction with the same species in captivity. This doesn't mean they need to be kept in large groups, but just in pairs will at least be fine for them. Most reputable glider breeders will not sell a single glider if they know it's not going to be kept with another glider.

[ScootersPet]

Many people keep one glider and their gliders are healthy and happy, a glider companion is not a must, though it is very highly reccomended. My glider stayed by himself for the first 6 months, I had every intention to keep him by himself, but once i discovered how wonderful he was i decided i wanted more little joys, he got his girlfriends, who are not even caged together yet. As long as you do not neglect your bonding and playtime with him/her they can be happy lone gliders, though now that I see how Scooter plays with the females, I would suggest to anyone that they should get a second one.

ALOt of gliders die before they reach the age of two, from accidents, poor nutrition, neglect and many other reasons, but they can be lone, paired, trio's and even large family group members.GlidinBy, Songbird, I understand completely what you are saying, yes they can become depressed, but not all do. There are many lone happy gliders.
But this is only my .02.
<3 Amber

[GlidinBy]

Just because your glider did ok for a few months alone, does not mean all gliders will. Hundreds of gliders die each year from self mutilation. Most of them are lone gliders. Why would anyone take that risk? It is not worth finding out if a glider will be ok by himself. The consequences are too severe.

[ScootersPet]

And not all gliders self mutilate and get depressed. I stated in my first post that she/he should get a glider companion for the one they have. I was just informing them that they COULD keep it alone and it COULD be fine if they keep up with everything, playtime, bonding, EVERYTHING that comes along with owning a sugar glider. People need to know the facts not just opinions. Gliders can be alone though they do better and live longer if they have companions. But im not here to argue so im not going to. Good luck sweetnat in whatever you choose to do.
<3 Amber

[sweetnat]

:chat: I love that everyone on this site has been so helpful. That is why I signed up to get others opinions and thoughts on what is the best to do. A lot of the thoughts that i get from people just help to give me something else to research that i would not have thought by myself. Thank you all for your help. I have actually decided to get a second glider a female companion for him they will have to get used to each other from seperate cages until she is a little older but I am excited. I am also researching getting my male fixed has anyone done that with their suggie? What happened when you did personality wise? Does it take a long time to get over the surgery?

Again thank you all so much for your thoughts!!!
They are very much appreciated!!!! :chat:

[ScootersPet]

You made the best choice. Im not sure about the neutering thing because Scooter is still "intact" just because i am hoping to get a few joeys from him in the near future (for myself) but maybe after a set or two i will be getting him fixed. But from what i have heard, they dont change all that much personality wise, and the surgery doesnt take long to get over, but there are some cases that the glider will SM, make sure you get him pain meds and have an e collar ready, i see your on GC so you can read up about peoples experiences. Good Luck :)
<3 Amber

[suggiegurl]

GlidinBy you need to do some more research. Most self mutilators do it because they have something medically wrong such as a UTI or neutering went bad. They chew on it to make it feel better, and when it doesnt, they continue to mess with it. I only know of maybe 2 or 3 gliders that self mutilated because of being lonly, and when their humans started spending the proper amount of time with them, they stoped.