Sugar Glider Information




As a Sugar Glider owner and a person who truly believes that knowledge is power, I continuously strive to learn all I can when it comes to providing the best care possible for my colony. I have talked and listened to some very informed people who are glider owners themselves and have been involved since the beginning when Sugar Gliders first began appearing as exotic pets in the U.S. I have compiled scientific data, researched many different philosophies and theories and then put them all together here on my site so that you could make your own informed decisions on how to care for your gliders. I am not a doctor, I am not an expert by any means. So please when reading the information that I have collected, consider it and then do your own follow up!
No one person or entity has ALL of the answers but together, we can share what we know based upon our own experience and extensive research and we can create a solid base of good information that can only improve how we care for our animal companions .

As I stated before, I am a firm believer that knowledge is power and the more we know about the proper care of our animal companions, the better off we and they will be!

INTRODUCTION

Sugar Gliders (Petarus breviceps) are small nocturnal marsupials indigenous to Australia, New Guinea and Indonesia. It is important to understand that they are not rodents. Sugar Gliders in captivity usually weigh between 3-5 ounces. They come in a range of different colors/shades, some unique and very rare. The most common and standard color is grey, with a white or cream underbelly and facial markings, with a dark stripe that runs from the top of the forehead down the back and stops at the base of the tail. They have big dark beautiful eyes, very large ears and a long fluffy tail that usually has a dark tip. Sugar Gliders also have a unique gliding membrane called a Patagium, that enables them to glide through the tree tops (and their cages) with ease.

As cute and amazingly fun as these little guys may seem at first - do your research! Make sure that you have the time, money and patience to commit to them. And very important, Sugar Gliders are colony animals and thrive best in groups of at least two. It is not in their best interest to house them alone. As much as they love us, they need to have one of their own to curl up, sleep with and talk to when we aren't there!

Sugar Gliders are time consuming, you need to spend several hours a day interacting and playing with them (mostly) at night. If 8pm is your strict bedtime, then gliders are not for you.

Having Sugar Gliders are like having children. They are needy at times, they are messy at times, they make noise late at night, they need a special diet that includes meal worms. If you can't bring yourself to touch a mealworm then you need to re-think the whole being owned by a Sugar Glider thing!

Sugar Gliders cannot be litter trained like a Cat or a Ferret. They can't be walked on a leash (NEVER USE A LEASH!) They can't tolerate cold weather or cold rooms in your house. They need a warm, safe environment to live in and play around in. They should never be left alone unsupervised when out of their cages. Are you willing to spend hours sitting in a tent in the middle of the night allowing your Sugar Gliders to crawl on, nibble on, pee on, poop on and all around use you for a human climbing post?
Sugar Gliders can be expensive at times. They need vet care and wellness check ups just like any other pet! The trick is to find a Glider knowledgeable vet in your area. Most vets will treat any animal, exotic or domestic in an emergency situation but not all vets can or will treat Sugar Gliders on a regular basis.

So do you still want a Sugar Glider?
Well then WELCOME TO THE COLONY!