Do Sugar Gliders Make Good Pets?
Sugar gliders can make wonderful pets but they are not the best choice for everyone. Please do your research before committing to one, so both you and your glider will be happy for the rest of it's life(which can be up to 15 years). They are nocturnal (meaning they are awake and playing at night) so it may not be the best pet for a small child. With that being said, if you spend the time and care bonding to your glider you will have a friend for life. They are social animals and love attention from you, and are quickly becoming a popular pet. Since they naturally live in large groups, they bond with the whole family and not just one person.
What Are Their Housing Needs?
Many people keep their gliders in bird cages. A minimum size for a pair of sugar gliders would be 24" deep, 24" wide, and 36" high. With the bar spacing no more than 1/2" apart. Of coarse a bigger cage is always better height is the most important measurement since sugar gliders like to climb up and glide down. Some people make their own cages out of PVC pipe and hardware cloth. The instructions for the PVC cage can be found here PVC Cage instructions. Gliders are great escape artists so any door you don't use should be zip tied shut, and make sure the gliders can't open any latches on your cage.
Gliders love toys, one of their favorites is an exercise wheel. You shouldn't put just any small animal wheel in for them though. Many gliders have broken their tails or hurt their toes from unsafe wheels. These are some of the wheels that are highly recommended and considered safe: The Stealth Wheel, The Custom Cruiser Wheel, The Raptor Wheel and the Fast Track Wheel.
Along with the wheel a pouch is a must. Your gliders will sleep in this pouch during the day. Fleece is considered safe. Many pouches and cage toys are made out of fleece. If you live in a hot climate some people use the fleece for the inside of the pouch, and put flannel or tightly woven cotton on the outside. Gliders little nails and toes can get caught in any material that can fray. So it's good to check your pouches and toys often. You can also hang braided fleece vines. Many baby toys, and bird toys can be used. Some cat toys, but keep in mind that catnip is deadly to gliders.
For water you can use the water bottles (for guinea pigs), or water silos (in the bird section).
Gliders love toys, one of their favorites is an exercise wheel. You shouldn't put just any small animal wheel in for them though. Many gliders have broken their tails or hurt their toes from unsafe wheels. These are some of the wheels that are highly recommended and considered safe: The Stealth Wheel, The Custom Cruiser Wheel, The Raptor Wheel and the Fast Track Wheel.
Along with the wheel a pouch is a must. Your gliders will sleep in this pouch during the day. Fleece is considered safe. Many pouches and cage toys are made out of fleece. If you live in a hot climate some people use the fleece for the inside of the pouch, and put flannel or tightly woven cotton on the outside. Gliders little nails and toes can get caught in any material that can fray. So it's good to check your pouches and toys often. You can also hang braided fleece vines. Many baby toys, and bird toys can be used. Some cat toys, but keep in mind that catnip is deadly to gliders.
For water you can use the water bottles (for guinea pigs), or water silos (in the bird section).
How Do You Bond With a Sugar Glider?
When you first bring your sugar gliders home you need to give them three days to adjust to their surroundings. They are scared and have just been taken away from their parents (in some cases), the old house had different smells, and noises. Put them in the new cage and don't try to hold or pet them for three days (I know it's hard to resist because they are so cute). You can quietly sit outside of their cage and talk softly to them, sing, and read to them. This way they will start to get use to your voice and smell.
Sugar gliders have a great sense of smell which they use greatly in the wild as well as in captivity. One good way to start bonding is through that sense of smell. Get some fleece and cut it into 2-4" squares. Wear that fleece on you for a few days, ladies put it in your bra, also put it in your pillow case and sleep with it. This will put your scent on it, then place it into the gliders sleeping pouch.
After the three days are up you can start having more contact with them. It's good to wear them in a bonding pouch during the day. I recommend the bonding pouches with a zipper to prevent any escapes. Start out with just a few minutes and work up to as long as the glider is comfortable. Many people end up having gliders they can take along to work with them. Depending on your job, it should be a quiet environment. Remember this is the time the glider sleeps.
At night when the glider is awake and wants to play a great way to bond is in a tent set up inside or in a bathroom. This way you don't have to glider proof your whole house. They are small and can get into the strangest places. If you choose to do the bathroom time the most important thing is to make sure the toilet seat is down. Many gliders have died from drowning in toilet bowls. Where ever you decide to do your nightly bonding time make it fun. Bring in glider safe toys and offer licky treats such as yogurt or applesause from your fingers.
***Just a note of caution: If you have other people in the home who might not be as conscientious about keeping the seat down at all times, you can get automatic lid closers or put a "ladder" in the bowl so a glider who ends up in there can climb out. Remember: they are escape artists who are awake while you sleep. They can swim but tire quickly - so without a ladder they would not get out of the bowl and would drown if they escape their cage while you sleep and the lid was left open overnight.
Sugar gliders have a great sense of smell which they use greatly in the wild as well as in captivity. One good way to start bonding is through that sense of smell. Get some fleece and cut it into 2-4" squares. Wear that fleece on you for a few days, ladies put it in your bra, also put it in your pillow case and sleep with it. This will put your scent on it, then place it into the gliders sleeping pouch.
After the three days are up you can start having more contact with them. It's good to wear them in a bonding pouch during the day. I recommend the bonding pouches with a zipper to prevent any escapes. Start out with just a few minutes and work up to as long as the glider is comfortable. Many people end up having gliders they can take along to work with them. Depending on your job, it should be a quiet environment. Remember this is the time the glider sleeps.
At night when the glider is awake and wants to play a great way to bond is in a tent set up inside or in a bathroom. This way you don't have to glider proof your whole house. They are small and can get into the strangest places. If you choose to do the bathroom time the most important thing is to make sure the toilet seat is down. Many gliders have died from drowning in toilet bowls. Where ever you decide to do your nightly bonding time make it fun. Bring in glider safe toys and offer licky treats such as yogurt or applesause from your fingers.
***Just a note of caution: If you have other people in the home who might not be as conscientious about keeping the seat down at all times, you can get automatic lid closers or put a "ladder" in the bowl so a glider who ends up in there can climb out. Remember: they are escape artists who are awake while you sleep. They can swim but tire quickly - so without a ladder they would not get out of the bowl and would drown if they escape their cage while you sleep and the lid was left open overnight.