Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I dont know how I got interested in Sugar Gliders I just Noticed them and they caught my attention. Nor do I know Much About them. But before considering purchasing one I would like to learn more about them.So if you could fill me in with feeding costs, diet, housing, maitinance(cleaning of the enclosure), and how well they cope with their owners. Also if theres anything I missed that you beleive is important that I should consider would be greatly appretiated.

Sugar gliders can learn to recognize you,so by spending time with them they can learn your scent and to recognize you...In this aspect they can be a fun and rewarding pet.They also tend to be active and in my opinion are an interesting pet.Compared to a dog or cat,feeding costs would be considered low,but would be much higher than say for example a pet mouse. Sugar gliders require a diverse diet of different items such as: fruits,cat food,fruit juice,water,insects,and an occasional frozen pinky mouse for protien. This is just an example of a diet,items can be interchanged and substituted,but to remain in good health they require a diverse diet.They are active animals and like to climb,so cage wise a large bird cage or a custom cage would be prefferable to an aquarium or other such enclosure.The more space the better . One other thing that they need is a hanging "pouch". They are marsupials and not rodents,so they actually sleep/nest in the pouch. These can be purchased at a pet store or made out of many objects...but be carful to use an item that does not have strands as the sugar glider can become entangled in the loose ends. Hope this helps, Drewsky

Actually low fat high protein is good for gliders, its a good source of protein. But not more than 5 little pebbles of cat food b/c it can be a bad source or fat. You can buy a hanging ferret bed, that is enclosed, at a pet store and it would be fine, but beds made especially made for gliders is the best choice. Martinscages.com cageworks.com or qualitycageco.com make fine cage for gliders.

Feeding costs: We go to the grocery store every month and we buy fruits, and frozen vegtables. Then we go to the pet store and but crickets, meal worms, herptavite and reptavite.

Diet: Every night I feed 1/4 cup of food. Chop up a little bit of fruit(about half the size of 1/4 of a kiwi) same with the vegtables. Then I feed a meal work and then tear the legs off the cricket and feed the whole cricket. Then I sprinkle the reptavite on top of all of that food. Then the next night I do the exact same thing but I sprinkle herptavite instead of reptavite and then the next night feed reptavite and so on and so on.

Hosing: http://martinscages.com/products/cages/sugar/ is the best cage company in my opinion

Maintanance of cage: I'ts not hard at all just wipe te wire every week with a wash cloth and hot water and then dry it with a towel. If you get a Martin's cages cage, they come with a slide out tray, just put clean newspaper in the tray every other day. Its also a good way to recycle newpaper.

Cope with owner: If they were raised right they dont bite often. They bond to their owners very closely. At least 2 hrs a day is recommended.