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Sugar Gliders

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Bonding With Your Sugar Glider

Since I got so many emails asking questions on bonding, I have decided to redo this section. Here are some of the questions I was asked and my replies. The previous information can be found at the Outback Pets link at the bottom of the page as well as additional information links.

 

Added: Mon Jul 10 2006
Views: 84

Feeding Sugar Gliders

What exactly do you feed the little buggers? Sugar gliders are omnivores. They can eat a wide variety of stuff including: fruits, vegetables, protein, and breads and cereals. Their diet should consist of 20% - 30% fruits (some sources say only 5%), 40% vegetables (they tend not to like bananas and citrus fruits can cause diarrhea, canned fruits have too much sugar, frozen vegetables are ok), 25% to 50% protein (such as monkey chow, tofu, cooked turkey or chicken, hardboiled eggs, baby chicks or mice, and insects), and 15% breads and cereals (not too sugary or high in fat). Gliders are high-energy creatures and need lots of carbohydrates which breads and cereals can provide. You can occasionally give them them small pieces of wheat bread, shredded wheat squares (the kind with the raisin in the middle) or other HEALTHY cereals. Try experimenting with new foods, and make sure to rotate favorites to keep gliders from losing interest.

 

Added: Mon Jul 10 2006
Views: 88

Glider-Proofing

Once tame, your sugar glider should be allowed to exercise and play in a glider proofed room. This is a list of dangers to look for when glider-proofing your room/house. It was compiled by Thomas P. Patten from e-mails on the Buffnet and ISGA glider talk lists. I will keep it updated if I think of things that need to be added.

 

Added: Mon Jul 10 2006
Views: 92

Housing Sugar Gliders

Bigger is better! It would be best to get the tallest cage possible, at least 3 feet. An aquarium is not a suitable cage. A lot of the sugar glider cages I have seen for sale are way too small. It is VERY cruel to keep a glider in a small cage. Bare wire cages can irritate glider feet and it can get really noisy when they climb on it. It is best to get or make a vinyl or powder coated wire cage. Not only does this minimize risk of irritation and is a lot quieter, it is also much easier to clean and will not rust. I have heard that galvanized wire might cause heavy metal poisoning, but I have also heard of people having no problems at all. In order for this to happen, your glider has to continually chew on the wire and injest it. Just to be safe, don't use bare galvanized wire. There are plexi-glass cages available for sugar gliders,

 

Added: Mon Jul 10 2006
Views: 83

How to Make a Sugar Glider Cage

These are instructions on how to make a 2'x 2'x 3' cage. Making a larger cage is basically the same. You should be able to find all the materials in a hardware store or from an animal cage equipment company.

 

Added: Mon Jul 10 2006
Views: 82

Sugar Gliders General Information

Sugar Gliders (Petaurus breviceps) are marsupials from Australia or Indonesia. They are tree dwelling, nocturnal creatures often living in groups of 20 to 40. They are soft grey animals with a black stripe running down their back, and a gliding membrane they use much as a flying squirrel does. If high enough, a sugar glider can glide as far as 150 ft. Adult gliders weigh about 120 - 135g and are about 10 - 14 inches long with about 6-8 inches of that being tail. Their tails are used for balance and steering when gliding, but not much else. Gliders have odd qualities such as opposable fingers and toes and forked genitalia (in both male and female.) They also make a wide range of sounds such as chirping, barking, chattering, crabbing and other odd sounds that are hard to describe. Gliders can live 10 to 15 years if well cared for.

 

Added: Mon Jul 10 2006
Views: 87