Sugar gliders

[WayNoWay]

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Does any one have experience with sugar gliders? I'm just curious. I know that they take a lot of commitment and time, but I want to know other peoples opinions on them.

 

[sumstorm]

I used them in zoo education programs. Nocturnal, a bit flighty, I wouldn't keep a solitary individual...we fed pelleted zoo diet plus insects, seeds, nuts, fruits. The will urine mark by hanging on a cage wall and urinating on surfaces outside of the wall. They can be very noisy and deliver a nasty bite. Tend towards territorial. Mixed colonies tend to produce more offspring than desired (and more frequently, putting stress on the female.) Most cages sold for them are inadequate in size and provide an unsuitable environmental microcosm.

 

[natalieises]

I had a pair of sugar gliders growing up. The male seemed much more friendly, and you definitely don't want to intrude on a mother sugar glider. At one point our male sugar glider escaped from his cage and landed on my head. Quite exciting and scary as a kid! I don't think they were the most ideal pet at the time. If you want something exotic but still better suited as a pet I suggest short tailed opossums! They are similar in care to a rat or hamster, but softer, cuter, and they can hang by their tails.🙂

 

[mistifical]

I used to own some as well. They are great if they were handled a lot when they were young - much more people friendly, don't bite, excited to see you, etc. Ones you purchase from a pet store probably will be little jerkfaces (at least in my experience). I got the pair from a friend's ex-boyfriend who was told by his parents that he couldn't have them any more, one was purchased from a breeder, the other a pet store.

I ended up getting rid of them because I just didn't have time time or the space. I wish I had a room in my house where I could shut the door and let them out, but the way my apartment was designed... that just didn't work.

Time commitment too much! I don't think they should be kept as pets unless it is by somebody who is very experienced in caring for a lot of different species of exotic pets and can and will go above their minimum recommended needs.

They are really cute and really interesting animals though...

 

[StayingHopeful]

We see them at our clinic - they can be people friendly, but tend to be very difficult (to treat mostly). The pair we saw recently ended up being opposite sexes and needed to be neutered. Before the female was even awake fully, she was tearing out her stitches...so we re-anesthetized her and re-stitched her up...she woke up and pulled them out -- frustrating to treat!

I wouldn't call them good pets, but they are interesting to watch for sure. The woman who brought them in was really bonded to them (probably more than they were to her), but she got them very young, so they had been handled a lot which made them easier than most.

What makes you want one?

 

[WayNoWay]

Thanks for all the responses. I don't necessarily want one, I was just researching about smaller pets and wanted opinions. I currently live in an apartment and can't have cats and dogs but am really wanting a pet. I think that I just miss my beagle back home... I probably will just wait till i graduate and get a place that I can have a dog. 🙂

 

[Pandacinny]

A rat might make a really good pet for you. They're very smart and fairly easy to maintain. Plus they're really, really cute! And you can teach them tricks - check it out on youtube. It's aborable!

 

[philomycus]

Sugar gliders can be wonderful pets. Most of it depends on HOW they were raised. It's like any other pet. you must find a very good breeder and do your homework on that breeder.

Gliders however (esp. males) stink. To me, it's worse than dog doo on the bottom of the shoe stink.

Now, if you like the size, of the glider, the noctural-ness of the glider, but want a little more overall in general docile critter without the horrific smell- I reccommend a southern flying squirrel! They make incredible pets. 😀

 

[sumstorm]

LOL. I am not a fan of southern gliders either! They do smell better, though...can be just as nasty of a bite!

I have to say rats do well, but I also have a fondness for hedgehogs. Still nocturnal, but can be pretty social, and thier first reaction to scary stuff is to roll up rather than bite. Can still be a pain to treat a poorly socialized one, though!

 

[Emio]

Thanks for all the responses. I don't necessarily want one, I was just researching about smaller pets and wanted opinions. I currently live in an apartment and can't have cats and dogs but am really wanting a pet. I think that I just miss my beagle back home... I probably will just wait till i graduate and get a place that I can have a dog. 🙂

while not cute and fluffy (no wait, very cute, just not fluffy), i'm a huge fan of lizards for apartment pets 🙂. no walking, no picking up dog poop, or cleaning litter pans, no throwing balls, just endless time admiring in a habitat. i'm a bit biased, but i think Water Dragons are amazing:

easy - poop in their water tub (just dump it down the toilet and refill once a day), only eat once every two or three days
beautiful - gorgeous green color, and the males have bright yellows, oranges, and reds under their jowl. http://www.flickr.com/photos/11304433@N00/1333546384/sizes/m/
entertaining - i only have one now, and she's quiet by herself, but still jumps from branches, chases crickets, swims in her pool, and is just fun to watch. not to mention the design of her cage is greatly entertaining. i get much enjoyment out of attempting to replicate a rainforest as best i can. not successful yet, but it's getting there!
friendly - she's never so much as pretended to bite me. even leans into my finger when i rub her back, and is content to sit on my shoulder if its warm enough in the apartment while i study.
don't smell - self explanatory.

or, a rat would be good too, if you must have a fluffy.

p.s. i am completely blanking on how to add links/pics to text. and yes, i am aware that my time is better spent studying, but... but nothing, this was fun.

 

[mistifical]

LOL. I am not a fan of southern gliders either! They do smell better, though...can be just as nasty of a bite!

I have to say rats do well, but I also have a fondness for hedgehogs. Still nocturnal, but can be pretty social, and thier first reaction to scary stuff is to roll up rather than bite. Can still be a pain to treat a poorly socialized one, though!

YES! Hedgehogs! I had one, she was fabulous. I got her from a pre-teen who no longer wanted to take care of her, so she was not well socialized, I just kept her around, gave her treats, played with her, etc. She was not the happiest animal ever, but I loved her. I've seen some really well socialized ones too, and they can be quirky, awesome little critters.