Are Sugar Gliders harder to take care of than ferrets & do they make better pets?

Question

I am either going to get a Sugar Glider or Ferret so yeah. Can someone breifly compare them for me? Thanks. :]

Answer 1

Sugar Glider Care:

Sugar gliders are very high maintenance pets. They are expensive to purchase and even more money to keep. They range from $150 and up, depending on colors.

Temperament:
Sugar gliders are extremely active and very social animals and do not like to live alone. If you would like to own a sugar glider, plan on having more than one. A lonely sugar glider who is deprived of social interaction, will not thrive. They will become depressed and lonely, which can cause them to die. They need interaction with their owners to be happy.

Remember that they are nocturnal and are up all night and sleep all day. My gliders used to wake up at about 11pm and were up until about 7am. During the day they didn't like being bothered, imagine someone wanting you to get up and play at 3 in the morning. I am an insomniac and was up all night anyway, so I didn't mind. When I did want to sleep it was difficult, they are very noisy at night, jumping around and barking and chirping. I used to get woken up several times.

Gliders should be purchased when they are young. Older gliders are hard to tame and may never enjoy being with you.

Bonding
Gliders must be able to be carried by you during the day in order to bond. I was lucky enough to have a job that didn't mind that I had them with me. You cannot sneak them around with you, as occationally they will crab, or bark. They are loud barkers.

It you are not able to carry them for at least a few your a day in a bonding pouch then they may not take to you and you have just spent a lot of money on a pet that can't stand you.

Even as a bonded pet, they are still not cuddly. A friendly glider is pretty much one that will not bite you and will jump from the cage to you. You're pretty much a bridge for them to get to where they really want :) They do not like being pet or held, I used to just have them jump from the cage to me and back.

Feeding
The feeding requirements of a sugar glider are somewhat controversial. It is only recently they have been kept as pets, and needs are somewhat of a mystery. As time goes on people will learn more about the needs of these little creatures. Sugar gliders are omnivorous, meaning they will eat plant material and meat. In the wild they feed from nectar, fruit, insects and even small birds, eggs or rodents. This diet is pretty hard to replicate in captivity. People feed them a variety of foods trying to mimic their natural diet as best they can. Some people feed insects such as crickets, mealworms, waxworms, moths and spiders. The insects should be fed high quality food such as commercial cricket food, and dusted with a complete vitamin/mineral supplement. Hence their name, the sugar glider loves the taste of sugar. They like fruit cocktail. The fruit should be fed in small amounts, chopped together so the gliders can not just pick out their favorites. There are many different diets that can be fed. These diets cannot be mixed and match and must be fed according to directions. Incorrect diet can cause serious health issues. Some diets you may want to research
BML, Taronga Zoo Diet, Chicago Zoological Park Alternative Diet , Darcy's Sugar Glider Diet , Elwin's Fresh Food Diet, Priscilla Price's Sugar Glider Diet, Suncoast Glider Diet Plan, etc(there are a few more to this list). Sugar glider pellets sold in stores is not recommended. Pellets can cause "lumpy jaw". Gliders do not eat anything hard in thier natural enviroment.

Cage:
A large cage, the bigger the better, should be provided with plenty of things to jump and leap off of (a minimum of 24 x 24 inches, by 36 inches high). For a sugar glider, height is more valuable than floor space. A wire cage, wire should be no more than ½ inch wide, is best to allow the cage to breathe. A plastic tub can be placed under the cage to catch any debris that may fall out of the cage. Lots of toys should be provided as well as an exercise wheel, nest box and/or glider pouch. Branches, ropes and ladders will provide lots of opportunity for climbing and exercise. Large cage is a must, if you do not have the space or $$$ to buy an apropriate cage then do not get a glider.

Vet care
Since gliders are exotic their veterinary care will cost more. You will need to find a sugar glider knowledgeable vet before you purchase a glider.

Other info
Male sugar gliders have a unique smell that some people find unbearable. I used to have to clean mine daily(scrubbing cage, washing bedding, cleaning toys) to keep the smell down. The males have scent glands and they mark thier territory. Females do not have as bad a smell as males. The cage will need to be cleaned frequently, weather keeping males of females as urine has a strong odor. They usually urinate on the side of the cage, so you need to wash the entire cage, not just the bottom tray.

Also check for legality in your state. Gliders are illegal in some states and cities.

Please do as much research as possible on these guys. They are not easy to keep and require very specific care in order to thrive and be healthy.


Ferret Care:

Ferrets are extreamly high maintenance pets. Start up cost for a ferret is around 500 dollars. When you first get your ferrets they will need to see a vet(not apart of the 500 dollar start up). Most states require yearly vaccinations for ferrets(rabies, distemper) this can cost upward of 150 dollars. They also need monthy heartworm pills

It is recommended that you have two ferrets, They can sleep together and play in ways that they cannot with you.
Ferret food is expensive. They should have at least three high quality food mixed togther. Marshals food is not a high quality food(do not feed the ferret this). High quality means first three ingrediants meat, and no fish.34-36% protein and approximately 20% fat (and low fiber) The high quality food can cost anywhere from 15 dollars to over 20 for a 5 -10 lb bag. Feeding them low quality food may be cheaper for awhile, but will lead to health problems and costly vet bills later.

Young ferrets monthy bills may be fairly reasonable, but as ferrets age they are extreamly likely to get adreanal disease. You are more likely to have a ferret get health problems when they get older than not, and older is only about 4, so expect high vet bills for about half its life.

Ferrets are smelly, there is no going around that fact(even descented). Since ferrets are strictly carnivours they have a short digestive tract, and need food available all the time, therefore they deficate every few hours. They also have a musky smell(even decented) it get into eveything (clothes, etc). Cages need to be cleaned daily to minimize the smell, if you let it wait the smell will be tremendous. Even cleaned daily you can still smell the ferrets as soon as you enter my home.

They can be litter box trained, but it is hard, and hit or miss(no pun intended). When they are out of thier cage they will not seek out a litter box and will usually just go anywhere. My ferrets never were litter box trained and preffered to go next to the box/dig in it, rather than use it.

Expect to have your ferret out of its cage for a minimum of 6 hours a day, otherwise they will not be happy. Ferrets have a lot of energy and need to burn it off.

When they are out they must be supervised as they get into everything, climb everywhere, etc. Mine used to love to go on my dvd shelves and knock them all off(finally had to replace the shelves with a cabinet style)

Some of them can be mean, there is no gaurentee. You must be prepared to deal with an agessive ferret. Do you know what to do with a problem biter? I have a formally abused ferret that was a bad biter(I took some nastly bites to the hands-nerve damage on one hand). Even friendly babies can have personality changes if not properly socialized and trained.

Ferrets must be nip trained when they are young. There are correct and incorrect ways to do this. Hitting, yelling flicking the nose do not work and may lead to an agressive and hand shy ferret. All ferrets nip, there is no way to completly stop, but it should be controled. They should know not to bite you too hard, often, ect. That is where having two ferrets comes in handy(they can play with eachother the way ferrets naturally play)

The cage must be fairly large, the ferret starter cages sold in pet stores are not large enough. A ferret needs a multi floor cage. You'll need hammocks, ferrets like sleeping away from thier feces and urine. Get food bowls that lock to the side or else they will throw them off the shelves. Large water bottles are best (32 oz), ferrets need water available all the time.

If you know all the information, and are prepared to make an expensive and long commitment then go for it.

Please be sure you hav emergency vet money set aside, it is recommended at least $1000 dollars, you do not want to end up as one of the kids on here asking, My ferret is injured how do I treat it without going to the vet. Thats not fair to the pet or responsible. I have thousands of dollars put aside for emergencies.

Both animals are very high maintanance, with ferret care being a bit less complex than gliders. Sugar gliders have yet to really be domesticated and still have thier natural intincts. They are very expensive and require specific care. You cannot just go out and get glider food, like you can with ferrets.

Be sure you do a lot of research on both animals, neither is an easy pet to have.

Answer 2

They are stinky- most people hate the smell. I do not mind it. You can tell right away if you are ok with the smell- stick your head into the fur of the ferret. that is what they smell like. Any ferret you buy will have it's glands removed already and also altered (fixed) As to the post above, do NOT give them a bath every week- the more you give them a bath, the more oil they produce, and the stinkier they get. My male has a very mild odor, and I only bathe him once a month or so. They need to be in a cage when unsupervised, because they can get into a lot of trouble. If you have a lot of holes around the floor of your house, make sure you fill those in before getting a ferret. Very easy to take care of and very fun (though high energy). They need to be out and played with at least 3 hrs a day to keep them happy. As for litterbox trainable, no ferret will be 100% correct all the time. Most get it in the litterbox 90% of the time. You also can not use clumping cat litter. It will suffocate and kill them. The best litter is the recycled newspaper shreds.

Answer 3

To answer your question as simply and briefly as possible, Ferrets and gliders both cost about the same to buy(that includes the animals and the supplies). However, ferrets need rabies and distemper shots and most ferrets end up dieing young from one(or more) of the many diseases that ail them due to poor breeding in ferret mills. Sugar gliders on the other hand don't need any shots and don't really have very many major illnesses to worry about.

However, as far as making a better pet. Well, if you have a ferret than you can play with it any time of the day and it will always be ready to play and loves to interact. they are similar to kittens in many ways as far as behavior and playfullness. Sugar gliders, on the other hand, create a special bond with their humans(if you spend lots of time with them to earn their trust) and they are very loyal, but they are nocturnal, so you should only play with them at night because their eyes are too sensitive to the light.

There's much more I could say, but I will keep it short and sweet. Oh yeah, I have ferrets AND gliders, so I speak from experience. I hope I was able to help.

Answer 4

Of course I will say a ferret is the better pet! I have done research (not seriously but out of curiosity) on sugar gliders and they just seem WAY too exotic and complicated to care for. Ferrets are a lot of work to clean up after and can be jerks! lol I have 3...love them to death BUT they can be little stinkers.

Just make an informed decision. Here is a great website about ferrets: http://www.ferretuniverse.com I'm sure someone else will provide you with a sugar glider site. Then you can make an informed decision on your own.

Good luck!

Answer 5

I own both currently.

Young ferrets go through what is similar to a puppy stage, and bite, most end up in a shelter because of this. If you're going to attempt buying a young ferret, be prepared to be bitten.

Sugar gliders need a very exotic diet to survive. They cannot survive on just commercial chow. If you do not plan on getting fresh meal worms, crickets, grasshoppers, tree lizards, and fruits etc., do not even think about getting this animal. The food bill can really rack up. If you're hoping for a cute little animal you can just carry around in your pocket, think again. You need to bond with your glider before you can get to this point. Took me about a year before biting stopped. You'll need to carry your glider in a bonding pouch several hours a day. And, once if ever you do get your glider tamed, you still need to bond and play with it several hours a day, or they quickly turn back to their untamed.

Both of these animals do better in pairs, but especially sugar gliders. As it is not unheard of them dying due to loneliness. Don't get just one.

Also, remember that sugar gliders are illegal in a lot of states.

Answer 6

I had a ferret lots of work but boy the smell. Even with the glands removed she stank really bad. I think some animals should just be left to the wild ferrets are one of them. If you have the time and money go for it, ferrets get sick with kidney issues and other age related problems after 3 years.

Never had a glider, but herd they are harder to care for than ferrets.

Answer 7

I think it depends on what you want... I've had both. However a short answer for you? If you are getting older gliders who were already bonded to another owner DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME unless you want to spend months to YEARS trying to get them to love you back, haha.

I had a colony of 4 sugar gliders and they are EXPENSIVE. Their cage was $400, custom wheels for them are $40 each, toys just as much... vet visits were like $150 - $400 per visit. Fresh fruits and vegies plus their custom diet I had to order online also expensive... they pee everywhere, you can not potty train a sugar glider.

Ferrets are lower maintenance... a ferret nation is only like $200 max, toys are cheaper, food is dirt cheap (high quality cat food runs like $30 for a big bag, I use multiple types of high protein grain free) BUT vet visits are just as expensive... my little ferret girl got caught on something... cost me $450 to have them fix up her cut. That was just a cut...

IMO ferret are easier, but don't love you as much, lol. Unless you're getting a baby sugar glider though, like I said, it isn't worth it. I adopted two severely neglected gliders and after 2 years they still crabbed at me, bit me, and hardly trusted me (they'd come to me on their own but even then were skiddish).

Answer 8

Sugar Gliders are a lot harder to take care of
I think ferrets make much better pets
I would suggest you read
FERRETS FOR DUMMIES

and
weither you get a sugar glider or a ferret
please check out
petfinder.com
and
please get your pet from their

Answer 9

http://www.sugar-gliders.com/index.htm has good care sheets. I think they are easier than ferrets. Ferrets need to be kept really clean to keep the odor down, they poop many times a day, need a lot of playtime and exercise.