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Are sugar gliders a hard pet to take care of? Do they smell really bad?
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2 Responses to Are sugar gliders a hard pet to take care of? Do they smell really bad?
They don’t HAVE to eat meal worms. There are alternatives…
Anywho, yes they have an odor. I wouldnt say that theyre hard to take care of but I would call them much more high maintenence than a hamster.
I own a pair that I would not have if it weren’t for the fact that they NEEDED me. There are SO many needing homes right now, PLEASE rehome if you do decide to get one (or two).
They really are sweet little creatures though. I think they make rewarding pets.
http://www.craigslist.com
http://www.hoobly.com
they both always have a ton needing homes.
-Exotic animal keeper.
Feel free to contact me.
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Sugar gliders are a lot of work. They do not HAVE to eat the maelworms, however, they do need protien in their diet. I guess I’ll start there…
The most successful sugar glider diet is one that is made from chicken baby food [protien], yogurt [calcium], and several other ingrediants that are easy to find at your local supermarket. Each ingrediant is very important because it makes up for something they would normally eat in the wild, but since they are “pets”, they need the closest imitation to their natural diet that you could possibly give them. This means that the diet must also contain a vitamin and calcium mix that is actually meant for reptiles, but it can be found at most pet stores, or ordered online. You have to blend all these things together and freeze it into ice cube trays. 1 cube will usually feed two gliders, along with some fresh fruits and vegetables. You also have to make sure they have plenty of fresh water, because they can dehydrate very easily.
You say you want to get one. Well, gliders uaually do much better in a male/female pair. If you are POSITIVE you can give the glider at least an hour or two of playtime every night, then it should be fine by itself, but I would really suggest getting him/her a friend.
Do gliders have a smell? Oh yeah. They got a stink. lol. The males have a scent gland they use to mark territory. [The bald spot on their heads!] If the glider is a male, it will not have a bald spot, or a stank-nasty odor, until after it reaches sexual maturity. And then they want to pee on everything, and scent everything, which will smell a bit…skunky…Although, it is not as strong as a ferret’s smell. Getting the glider nuetered will help to reduce the smell greatly, but will not eliminate it. A female glider does not have the bald spot, or the scent gland, but their urine can be rather strong.
Gliders require a very large cage, that you will have to clean at least once a week. Think about it; they GLIDE. They need as much room as a large bird. The suggested height is 36 inches, with very small spaces between the bars [no more than 1/4 an inch!!]. If you keep their cage cleaned at least once a week, it won’t smell nearly as bad, and your gliders will be very happy! Also, you MUST give them tons of toys to keep them busy. Gliders are very smart and they enjoy things with lots of bells! They also require fleece pouches to sleep in.
Then there’s bonding. If you don’t spend the time to bond with your gliders, you will have an evil little beastie on your hands! They have teeth capable of ripping bark off of trees. Ouch. Trust me, it’s not fun! The fastest way to help your glider become familiar with you, is to sleep with a few pieces of frabric in your shirt, so it will have your scent, then put them in the pouch with your glider. Your glider will learn to associate your smell with its safety zone. By doing that, and by earing it around in the bonding pouch while it sleeps, and providing it with lots of playtime, it will soon become very attached to you.
Vet visits. Yes, they do need to go to a vet who is trained to work with exotics. Yes, the cost can be pretty high. Use common sense; if the glider is acting funny, stops eating, isn’t “potty”ing, ect, please take it to a vet. Also, if you get a glider and you notice it is self-mutilating [pulling out its hair, chewing off the end of its tail, chewing off its limbs, you need to get it to a vet ASAP. These problems are usually the result of stress or depression from being alone. If you notice the signs, you can help to svae it before it gets too severe.
Now, the last bit. Mill breeders. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE. If you learn nothing else from any of this information, remember this: There are THOUSANDS of gliders who need to be rescued from terrible situations, all over the US. There is a mill breeder called Perfect Pocket Pets. You may have already seen them in county fairs, home and garden shows, festivals, ect. They will tell people a glider does not stink, does not need a special diet, does not need a pouch [they provide a heat rock! !@#$%^&!!!!], and only needs a tiny cage [about 2 feet tall]. Of course, they only say these things to make a quick $400 of of unsuspecting impulse-buyers. If you have decided that a glider is for you, and you KNOW you can provide it all the care it needs, please look for a rescue instead of buying from a mill breeder or a pet store. Money given to those people only supports the awful conditions and cruel treatment to thousands of gliders. Look in local papers and check online to find a glider in your area who is in desperate need of a home.
If there is ANYTHING else you need to know, please feel free to email me. I hope this information helps you, and good luck!
-Mairose.
Glider owner for 7 years. I have rescued 15 of them that I have ended up keeping, and I have helped to rehome tons of them. On top of that, I work with a wildlife and exotic rescue [5 years].
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