Are you the new owner of a sugar glider?These little animals are very friendly and make great pets.Sugar gliders need a balanced diet because they are omnivorous.They stay in a tall cage with lots of branches to climb on, but they like to come out and play as often as possible.Provide a safe and enjoyable environment for your sugar glider.It is illegal to own or care for a sugar glider without a permit in many parts of the world, including Australia, New Zealand, and some American states and Canadian provinces.
Step 1: The time to bond with your glider is now.
Sugar gliders have a special need for socializing.Gliders are capable of a lot of love and if you spend time with them and give them respect, they will grow to trust you.When a bond is broken, gliders can become depressed.If you want to keep the glider for its entire lifespan, you should bring it home before starting the bonding process.gliders do better in pairs or colonies than single ones.If you want your gliders to stay happy and healthy, you should get two.You can start the bonding process by putting fleece squares on your person for a few days, then putting them in their sleeping pouch.They are scent oriented and this will help them recognize you as part of their colony.Carrying them in a pouch during the day is a great way to bond.You can get them into the pouch with treats.Don't let them bounce around too much, carry them close to your chest.They get used to it.Don't give them a lot of treats.If you want to play with them, offer them when you wake them up.They shouldn't fear you.Tent time is a useful technique for play time.Playing with your gliders in a tent allows them to roam and not have to worry about being caught before they reach their destination.tub time is a great idea if you don't have a tent because you can sit in a clean bathtub with them.Make sure a towel is covering the hole under the door, a plug is in the bathtub, and the toilet seat is down.
Step 2: Find a vet for exotic animals.
Sugar gliders get sick just like dogs and cats.Before you bring a pair of sugar gliders home, make sure you have a vet in your area who specializes in glider care.It's a good idea to bring your gliders in for a checkup about once a year.If you want to prevent inbreeding, Neutering your male glider is highly recommended.It's better to have males neutered if you have them together.If something happens, try to find at least two emergency vets in the area.Sugar gliders get sick after business hours.
Step 3: There are illnesses that affect sugar gliders.
Sugar gliders are relatively low maintenance pets.They may become ill from time to time due to lack of essential nutrients, not getting enough playtime, and other causes.If you notice that your sugar gliders aren't feeling well, you should take them to the vet.Calcium deficiency, which can cause paralysis and is preventable if you feed your gliders the correct diet, is one of the common illnesses that affect them.Constipation or indigestion, open wounds from getting scratched or caught on a sharp part of the cage, Obesity due to eating too many fatty foods, and stress caused by poor socialization are all signs of a good diet.hissing while using the bathroom is the most common sign.
Step 4: You can connect with other glider owners.
It is fun to chat with other glider owners.When you have to ask questions, they can be a great resource.glider-related forums and message-boards can be found.
Step 5: When you take your gliders outside, be careful.
Sugar gliders can run off to explore nearby and any nearby animals will be a risk to them.It's not a good idea to have them outside if you don't know they'll stay with you.Pets and loud noises can scare them up a tree or into a drain pipe.They are fast escapees.Do not use leashes or harnesses with Sugar Gliders.Their patagium, neck, and spine can be damaged.
Step 6: Don't worry about it, play with them as often as you can.
It's fine to just play with them once a week or so if you have at least two.Don't stop playing with bonding techniques after they're fully bonding.They still want you to keep them company.
Step 7: Purchase or build a large cage.
Sugar gliders have the ability to spread their legs and glide through the air.They need a tall cage in captivity to do this.Many breeders will give you a cage with your purchase, but it may not be big enough.The minimum cage size for a pair of gliders is 3 feet high by 2 feet wide with no more than 1.3 cm bar spacing.The bigger you are, the better.You can find cages online or at your local pet store.glider owners build cages that fit their needsDon't use galvanized steel cages because they can rust and cause infections in gliders.There is no need to worry about the direction of the bars.They can climb on horizontal or vertical bars with their opposable thumbs.If you are buying a wooden cage, make sure the wood is safe for gliders.Wood is hard to clean and absorb odors.
Step 8: The tray has bedding on it.
You can change out the bedding when it gets dirty.A tray made of plastic or metal is fine.Paper bedding such as CareFresh or yesterday's news cat litter can be used.It can be changed once a week or so.Only use kiln dried bedding.Health problems for sugar gliders can be caused by the oils in other wooden bedding.You can use newspaper around the house if you don't want to buy bedding.
Step 9: Provide a pouch.
Sugar gliders are nocturnal and sleep in trees.Attach a wooden birdhouse or a fleece pouch with a slit in the side to the cage by using plastic c-links, and then place it on top of the mesh or bars.There are small, hidden seams to keep gliders' nails from catching on the pouch.glider safe pouch and cage sets can be purchased online.It's important that the box is made from non-toxic materials.A fleece or 100% cotton bag is a good choice.It's a good idea to buy both.The coconuts are hollow.Provide more than one.
Step 10: There are safe branches and toys in the cage.
Sugar gliders need an engaging environment.You need to make your gliders think about touch, smell and climb.Use the branches of the tree.Attach them to the sides of the cage and give them something to chew on.Plastic baby toys and chains can be bought online.With no places they could get stuck or pinched, make sure they are safe.
Step 11: The ones at pet stores are almost never safe for gliders, so be sure to have a glider safe wheel.
The most popular brands are the Raptor wheels and the stealth wheels.Consider rearranging the elements in the cage on a regular basis.You can find ideas on how to make the best habitat for your gliders online.There are many ideas for toys and other things to add to the cage in the glider forums.gliders will become depressed if they are understimulated.Long-term health problems can be caused by this.
Step 12: Don't clean too much.
If nothing smells like sugar gliders, they will mark everything more and make it smell worse.One week is enough to clean the cage, pouch, and toys.They will not be able to over make.You can use baby wipes on a daily basis.To clean the cage and toys, use a mixture of water and water with a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil.The fabric can be washed by hand or in the washer with a little detergent and a cup of vinegar.The cage, pouch, and toys should be checked for loose pieces or seams when they are cleaned, repaired, or replaced.
Step 13: A healthy diet is provided.
Sugar gliders are native to Australia, Indonesia, and a few other places where they live on a diet of wild foods.Preparing food for sugar gliders is like feeding animals in a zoo.There are several diet plans that provide a step by step guide for feeding gliders.Fruits and vegetables are included in all of the diet plans.If you don't follow them, you may throw off the ratios.They help the gliders get the calcium they need to survive.Some of them are more strict than others, so make sure to research online to find one that works for you.gliders pellets are not a good diet because they are okay as a snack or emergency food.They have too little of both.You can prepare enough food for the whole month in one day if you get the hang of it.Ensuring your gliders are getting the minerals they need to stay healthy is the most important thing you can do.Do not feed sugar gliders dog food or cat food.They do not have the nutrition that sugar gliders need to thrive.Don't feed garlic, rhubarb, onions, or anything to those families.Don't feed fresh lima beans.They need to be cooked if they are bought frozen.
Step 14: You should keep snacks on hand.
Gliders love snacks and can be a great resource for bonding.Live meal worms are high in fat and should be fed in moderation.You can get over the "ick" factor if you know how much your little guy loves mealies.Other snacks include fresh fruit, dried coconut, yogurt drops, pine nuts, and "lickey treats" which could be yogurt, applesauce or baby food.Chicken with apples and Hawaiian delight are favorites.All artificial sweeteners, colors, and other non-natural ingredients are not good for snacking.Sugar gliders will have health problems if they are fed plain sugar, candy, or chocolate.White chocolate is toxic to them.
Step 15: Feed them at night and provide fresh water at all times.
If they tip it over, use a weighted food dish.Only feed them the specified amount of food each night if you keep the water bottle or silo full.When they wake up, you should feed them at night and take out the leftovers in the morning.If they wake up and are hungry, you can leave a small amount of glider cereals in their cage during the day.
Step 16: Sugar gliders don't need heat lamps or rocks.
They are able to regulate their body temperature.During the winter, provide a cage cover or small fleece squares in their sleeping pouch as blankets, and use a space heater in the room with them.
Step 17: They need a special diet.
Not having a balanced diet can cause illness and eventually death for exotic animals.They shouldn't be a part of their diet.It is not a main part of a glider's diet to find a snack or emergency food.
Step 18: Sugar gliders will breed with their relatives.
This can cause birth defects or disorders in joeys and cause the parents to cannibalize them.If your gliders are not related, you shouldn't breed them.If you have two males together, they should be neutered.
Step 19: They need friends.
Without other gliders, they get depressed and will self-mutilate.It's not good to only have one.They can over groom and pull out small tufts of fur, they may stop eating or running in their wheel, and sometimes they will even start chewing on their tails, which can lead to the tail having to be amputation.If you spend a lot of time with a lone glider, you can not speak their own language, and you cannot cuddle with them in their sleeping pouch during the day, like gliders do.They need other people.
Step 20: Don't buy from malls, fairs or flea markets.
These places are very similar to puppy mills.Sometimes they sell sick sugar gliders.They charge too much compared to what you would pay for a rescue.They sell unsafe and even dangerous supplies like leashes, wire or wodent wheels, and tiny cages.A pelleted diet is pushed by these people.If you want to adopt or rescue, consider it.Many people purchase gliders as "impulse buys" because they are cute, then regret the decision when they realize how much work is required in caring for them.You can find a lot of them on the internet and on Facebook.They are usually cheaper than buying joeys from a breeder.Consider buying from a good breeder.They will charge less than a vendor at a mall, fair, or flea market, but usually more.