sugar gliders?

Question

I want to buy a pair of sugar gliders(2). so i have a few questions.
where can i get them?
can i get them at like petco and places like that?
are they nice?
do they bite?
are they messy?

please tell me EVERYTHING YOU KNOW!

Answer 1

Hi there...sugar gliders can be a wonderful pet so long as you have the time to give them physical attention "daily". 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. If you decide to get one male and female it would be best to have the male neutered as they will mate. Offspring cannot be given away for free or sold without applying for a USDA/APHIS permit required for all exotic pet breeders, however the law varies from region to region: http://www.petsugargliders.com/sgusda.php

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.

In order to bond with sugar gliders they will tend to bite and can bite very hard, but this is part of the socialization process in order to hand tame them, which can take many months or longer. Once tamed they can be quite sweet.

Generally, sugar gliders can be purchased from breeders.

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

More info on their care: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=ApHkhZfLtta1EYeK9eTzgiQjzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20061122150701AAG50CI

Answer 2

Educate yourself about them first,they're very high maintenance to keep healthy. They're not a rat, these are carnivores and need very large cages. Check around online for info--if you're going to be paying over $100 for a small creature like this you should know exactly what you're getting in for.

Answer 3

they are soooooo cute. heres a link that i found

http://www.sugarglider.com/archives/ruth/