Are sugargliders easy to manage?

Question

i have always wanted one!

Answer 1

Hi there...sugar gliders can be a very high maintenance pet as they require physical attention "daily" plus special dietary needs. They are a social animal and depriving them of any attention they will actually die from lonliness as this causes depression. They can live up to 15 years so this isn't a pet for someone who is enamoured by them for a couple months and then forgotten. They do better with a mate rather than alone since they are colony animals. In the wild they live in groups on average of 12-20 together. They need at least an hour to two hours of play time daily to stay socialized and well adjusted.

They require fresh fruits and vegetables daily and need insects (e.g. meal worms, crickets) since they are also insectivores. They need vitamin supplements as they suffer from hind-leg paralysis since they cannot get these minerals from the diets we feed them like they do in the wild. In their natural environment they also eat small animals (like small mice) to get those much needed minerals.

Sugar gliders need toys and an enclosure that is a minimum of 3 feet high by 1.5 feet wide by 1.5 feet deep as they like to jump and glide. Anything smaller is too confining and can lead to health problems.

It's important to find a vet that can care for exotic animals as many regular vets may not have the specialized training to medically treat a sugar glider. Many vets however may know of a local vet in your region who treats exotics.

Sugar gliders defecate and urinate everywhere except their sleeping pouches and mostly when they first wake up. They have a natural scent that some people may find a little pungent and it can become strong if the cage isn't cleaned out and washed down weekly. The vocalizations they make are barking which is equivalent to small yapping dog (at lower volume) and a hisssssing sound. They also make a crabbing noise when angry, startled or frightened which sounds like a broken electric pencil sharpener.

More web resources for Sugar Gliders and care:
http://www.sugar-gliders.com/sugar-glider-care.htm
http://www.isga.org/informationcenter/HealthIssues/caresheet.htm
http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/sugargliders/a/sgfeeding.htm
http://wi.essortment.com/sugargliderca_reer.htm

Here's my other detailed answer in what goes into a sugar gliders care: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AvR8wlW1RQicaCZt1SU_d3rsy6IX?qid=20061122150701AAG50CI

Answer 2

Here is Australia it is illegal to keep sugargliders unless your a registered wildlife carer and rehabilitating it and your registered [i am] many sugars are endangered here in Australia can i ask do you know what their diet is what their needs are leave them where they are yes they are cute and lovely but they are wild creatures if you want close encounters see if you can get into a wildlife park as a volunteer or link up with a sugar/possum carer i have a young lady who often helps me out and she is learning at the same time and wants to eventually be a carer which is 24/7 work and your heart is often broken!

Answer 3

In a word, no. They are wild animals. They are very curious, energetic, protective of their home, and can be very nippy. Sugar gliders are incredibly time consuming. The bonding process requires that the sugar glider spend every moment with its owner during the day in order to become tame. They also need fresh food prepared each night. Sugar gliders are nocturnal, so they are very noisy at night. Unneutered males also scent-mark EVERYTHING, so your home will constantly smell like urine and musk and the cage and toys will always be covered in sticky urine residue. Neither males nor females can be potty trained.

Answer 4

As a vet tech, I totally agree with the first answer. They are NOT good pets. More and more regions are banning their sale in the U.S. As she says, they are ear-piercingly loud (they shriek!), nocturnal, difficult to maintain, and not friendly in general.

I understand your fascination with them. But having one full-time is very difficult. In fact, if you don't interact with them continually for the first year or so, they will be quite agressive. I know a tech who had one (she rescued it from another owner and said she would never intentionally acquire one!) and she had to carry it around in a pouch 24/7. She could because she was in school (vet) at the time, and it was allowed.

Also, you need to educate yourself about how sugar gliders are acquired (captured - often illegally - in the wild), to then be sold to people who think they are 'cute'. Most people who get one as a pet do not end up keeping them.

Please don't do this - for your sake, and for the sake of these beautiful little animals. Instead, how about getting involved in an organization which rescues them, as a volunteer? That way, you could learn about them, be around them, and become an expert!

Answer 5

they are thoroughly diverse animals. Guinea pigs want a minimum of seven.5 sq. foot cages, and that they might desire to stay in comparable intercourse pairs by using fact they are very social. they do no longer techniques being held. they are in a position to stay 5-7 years Hamsters do no longer want extensive cages, a 20 gallon tank for a dwarf, 30 or so for a bigger style. they do no longer desire to be cuddled or petted, you need to hold it for quarter-hour or so an afternoon, and supply it quarter-hour of play time in a ball. on the grounds which you isn't at abode in the process the day, a hamster could be extra useful.

Answer 6

My parents got 2 a while back and i find them to be 1 of the hardest animals to take care of! They have to have most of their food made for them, they aren't very clean when they eat, if you don't clean their cage everyday then it starts to smell. They are extremely high maintenance so i wouldn't recommend them for a teen or someone who doesn't have much time for a pet! They need to be handled most of the time, they enjoy riding around in a pouch around your neck. They enjoy being close to you, and if you don't handle them a few times a day they start to bite. We didn't handle them for a few days and ours don't like to be touched anymore! They are only out late at night so it makes it hard to spend time with them! They seem to bond with only 1 person and they make weird nosies when you bother them. I'm not trying to discourage you in any way from buying some but if i could have talked my parents out of buying them i would have! Good Luck!

Answer 7

Not especially.

Sugar gliders are exotic pets. They require quite a bit of cage room, a specialized, home made diet that requires several ingredients, a lot of attention, and a friend.

I would not consider them a casual pet for a casual owner.

Answer 8

UGH! I won't recommend one of these unless you enjoy being kept awake all night. They are totally noctornal - so forget about playing with them during the daytime. Plus, they bite and are REALLY loud. Did I mention the smell? Seriously, I would consider another pet - they are adorable to look at but not worth the trouble!

Answer 9

they aren't bad pets but the males smell bad and they are hard to feed. only because they always need a variety of things. they won't eat the same thing two nights in a row. they also need u to spend MASSIVE amounts of time with them, which is hard since they are only up at night.