Sugar gliders are gaining popularity like no other pets. They look like flying squirrels but are different because they belong to the marsupials family. Sugar gliders are small, cute, adorable, playful, and fluffy friendly possums native to New Guinea and Australia.
Sounds fun and interesting to have, right? Indeed, it is several things you need to pre-prepare and should know if you are planning to get home sugar gliders. As they are sensitive, affectionate, and very social little creatures, their diet, food, surrounding, temperatures are the major parts that need to be taken care of.
Here in this article, we will be talking about everything you require to be aware of before getting sugar gliders as pets. So, hear out this 5 min read.
Sugar Gliders Require Special Care
Unlike other cats and dogs, sugar gliders cannot survive even slight negligence from their owner’s side. Therefore, they should not be left alone on their own. Either get more than one or be prepared to spend a lot of time with them. If not, you will be left with an unhappy and depressed sugar glider.
Because their native habitat is the forests when held captive, they should be kept in warm temperatures around 27 degrees Celcius to 31 degrees Celcius. Excess heating, air conditioning vents, and direct sunlight should also be avoided.
Good Diet For Sugar gliders
Sugar gliders will require a diet containing minerals, calcium, potassium, and vitamins. It can be found in fresh fruits, vegetables, insects, nuts, fresh meats and grubs, lentils, beans.
If you cannot handle or are afraid of insects like mealworms, then it will be hard, or let’s say you can’t have sugar gliders. However, red meat, chocolates, pasta, rice, stale or rotten foods should be completely avoided.
If sugar gliders are not fed with proper calcium-rich foods, they are prone to diseases such as weak bones. Hyperparathyroidism is also referred to as metabolic bone disease.
In such conditions, sugar gliders cannot glide, climb, and break bones. To avoid this, they should be given a balanced diet from a young age so that their bones get mineralized properly.
Sugar Glider Require More Than One Sugar Glider
Working professionals can’t hang around with sugar gliders anytime they want and need to. For the people who have a different scenario, unlike others, for instance, if you are a housewife/ househusband or a retired person, you might not need two or more sugar gliders.
However, studies have shown that gliders living with their companions are happier than those living alone. So, the decision is up to you.
Good Sanitation For Sugar Gliders
Sugar gliders are inherently foul little creatures because they tend to smell as they scent through the glands. Males have scent glands in their chest, which change color when they age. In females, the gland is present in their pouches and genitals. Both recognize each other with that particular scent they have.
These little possums naturally have a musky smell. But feeding them with an unhealthy diet and careless cleanliness makes them smell enormously wrong and intolerable. Generally, the odor comes from their urine, poop, and male scent glands.
To get rid of this, you can use a product named Elimina, which helps to remove the odors. Moreover, they do not need to bathe regularly but once a week or else in 10 days is advisable. Also, their cage needs to be cleaned at least once in 3 to 4 days. In this way, proper sanitization can be done, which ultimately aids up to grow healthy gliders.
Sugar Gliders Require Large Space
Sugar gliders are not the kind of pets that can be left freely everywhere around the home. A cage is a must. And it should be as broad as possible so that they can play, jump and roam all over the cage and enjoy it. Instead of caging them, they should be left in a room or space where they can play.
How Big A Sugar Glider Cage Be?
For a single Sugar glider, a size of 20 by 30 inches is recommended where a lot of space should be for them to climb and play. Availability of lock is a must-have.
Besides, the cage should be made up of metal bars or wire structures to ensure their safety. In many cases, we often get to hear sugar gliders being squeezed between the gaps of the cage’s material bars. So, make sure the holes are made closer.
Not only this, the most happening accident is the sugar glides getting into the toilet being dead there. Again, you must ensure that the toilet lids are closed with dried floors and blocked wire ports.
Can You Include Sugar Gliders With Other Pets?
The straight answer is a big No! Because all pets are different in nature, behavior, and characteristics. In addition, you cannot be sure that sugar gliders with any other pets can bond well.
One can exhibit a specific type of behavior while the other might own some character and might dislike it. So, it’s better not to mix the variety of pets in a home.
Do not keep more than two male sugar gliders together. Male gliders have a nature to dominate where they stay, so to do that, they even kill each other. So, it’s better to know beforehand.
Bonding With A Sugar Glider Is Time-Consuming
Bonding with sugar gliders takes time. Do not expect them to be closer to you faster if you spend more time. First and foremost, you need to gain their trust. Reward them with fruits and nuts for good behaviors whenever possible.
The best time to bond is during the daytime or early evening. It’s hard for them to understand what you are talking about or telling them. But they can feel and get the tone of your voice. Train them and bond with them so that they will come running to you whenever they get startled.
When Do You Know That You Are Bonding Well With Your Sugar Gliders?
You will know you are progressing well when you are allowed to put your hand and fingers inside the pouch of your sugar gliders without being bitten. They will be comfortable falling asleep on your body and will jump on, sit on your shoulder, and cling to you every time without ever trying to escape. Several people ask me to know when they are bonding well with their sugar gliders. If ever you are asking this question, then let me tell that; here are the three signs that will help you identify if you are bonding well with your Sugar Gliders:
- They accept being in your arms for a minute or two without trying to jump or escape
- They can easily fall asleep on your body and don’t try to escape when you cuddle them
- In case if they accidentally do, instead of running away from you, they run towards you as if trying to return. You will also notice that they start clambering on your body with their little paws as soon as they feel insecure.
Sugar Gliders Are Nocturnal Animals
One of the essential things you need to know is that sugar gliders are nocturnal, which means they are active at night and sleepy during the daytime. As a result, they do not rely much on their eyes as the other primary senses. Instead, they have a sharp hearing and smelling sense. Similarly, they are sensitive to bright daylights and can only stay awake in the dark light.
Likewise, you need to play with them when they are awake. Else, they prefer to sleep. Training, bonding, feeding them everything happens in the evening or nighttime. Their sound of barking, pooping, or crying may disturb you. If you do not want them to stay awake and active all night long, you have to train them to be the fit you want them to be. There is no other choice.
The legal Requirements For Owning Sugar Gliders
It is illegal to own sugar gliders in many places. For example, in some states like Alaska and California, it is still illegal to have sugar gliders, whereas in some states like Pennsylvania and Massachusetts permit is needed. These laws and regulations differ from place to place, so knowing these terms and conditions is better.
Try Picking A Healthy Sugar Glider
Sugar glider lives for more than a decade. However, this will be a reality only when the glider you pick is healthy from the beginning. From this, the obvious question that arises is:
How To Know If The Sugar Glider Is Healthy?
Step 1: Have excellent and thorough research about the breeder or supplier you want to buy from. Then, explore several potential breeders before you fix yours.
Step 2: Ask as many questions as you want to know sugar gliders’ behaviors, background, what kind of diet they are feeding, their family tree, and many more.
Step 3: Scan through the surroundings where the gliders are kept. You will surely get a hinge of how healthy the gliders might be.
Step 4: Examine them head to toe. The nose, ears, and eyes should be clean and free from discoloration or any sort of discharge, which could be a sign of illness. The mouth should be free from infections and have all its teeth.
Step 5: Do check the legs. The Glider should be able to grasp with all four paws. Tail length should be normal and free from injuries.
Step 6: Run a dehydration test. Analyze the breathing pattern, if it seems abnormal to you then the sugar might be unhealthy. Also, observe the energy levels, if you notice low energy, dryness around the area of the nose and mouth, then the glider is assuredly dehydrated.
Step 7: Never take a young glider under 12 weeks.
Sugar Glider Doesn’t Come Cheap.
Sugar gliders are not cheap pets to have. While other pets are affordable and easy to maintain, sugar gliders cost between 200 to 500 dollars. The cost spikes up if you choose to have a rare color. That’s not enough. You have to get at least two sugar gliders and also have to make your home glider-proof.
In addition, the price of the cage ranges from 120 to 400 dollars which requires other things such as hammocks, food and water bowls, hanging pouches, and toys. Moreover, the veterinary charge is comparatively higher than the average veterinarian. Therefore, you frequently need to take the sugar glider for check-ups. If not possible, once a year is a necessity.
Conclusion
To conclude, we would say that owning sugar gliders is a marvelous experience to have. Imagine having ample entertainment, laughs, and comedies with a loving, caring, and sticky friend by your side. Soothing right?
On the other side, if you think you can finance the sugar gliders’ expenses, have that dedication to spend time bonding with them. And if you are ready for the setbacks, you are good to go. Good luck for long years of companionship as they will complete your family by its addition.