I want to get a sugar Glider but need some advice from people who already have a glider
Rosieisgr8
Member
I want to get a sugar Glider but need some advice from people who already have a glider
jerrycnh
Member
Well, I've only owned my glider for two days, so the only piece of advice I can give is this:
You'll love it. :)
Now, whether that love comes with lots of pain and struggle, I have no idea. There's SOOO much contradictory information out there about gliders, I'm very confused and unsure about how to seperate the fact from the fiction of it all. So far, here are the very few things that seem universally agreed upon by all these glider "factions" out there:
1. Taking the glider around in a bonding pouch will help acclimate it to your scent and bond it to you faster when you first get it.
2. Glider diet should be a mix of protein and fruits/vegetables (there is a LOT of disagreement of just how much and what sources of each - some insist you have to feed them live food, some insist that modern day dry food is more than sufficient, some say no more than 25% fruits/veges, some say as high as 75% fruits/veges - this is kinda the biggest stress for me right now because I don't know what the heck I'm doing feeding it)
3. Gliders make this cute "crabbing" noise when they're scared. Humans should ignore this noise and basically take a "get over it" approach with the glider, much like one would just proceed to do whatever was necessary with a scared human toddler regardless of it's wailing.
4. A "properly cared for glider" should live 12-15 years. (Each then goes on to describe a "proper" care method that the next site over insists is potentially lethal to the little guy)
Those are the only undisputed facts I've found. Everything else from toy selection to whether they need a second glider to be truly happy to how to get them to interact with cats/dogs is all HOTLY contested stuff. Sadly it's all from glider sellers - other glider owners don't seem to have anything to say besides how much they love their gliders. :) Maybe the little things are just resilient enough that no matter which strategy you follow, as long as it's consistent, they'll adapt. That's my hope anyway. :)
I've had my male for about 8 months now and my wife is getting a female in the next couple of weeks.
I'd be happy to answer any specific questions any of you have in regards to my own personal experience with my glider!
I can say that the bonding process for my glider took some time, but now that he's bonded to me it's a very rewarding experience.
OP, what advice are you looking for?
As for whether they need to be in pairs or can be single, I'l say this. I wish I had gotten a pair to start with. I honestly believe it's better for them.
Thanks for your posts!
RockerGal3600
Member
DJ and I got our two gliders Momo and Budo from Tina just under a year ago and it's the best decision we've ever made! WE LOVE our two little goofballs and they provide us with endless entertainment =).
We carry them around with us whenever we aren't working in one pouch or another, and often times while we're at home just chilling we'll bring them out and just snuggle under a blanket ^^. We let them run around our apartment and play games for about 2 or 3 hours a night before heading to bed and make sure they have fresh water, fruits/veggies and usually a glider biscuit or some leadbeaters (both of which they LOVE) soaked in apple juice or mixed in apple sauce.
As far as cleaning their cage goes, usually just wiping out the bottom pan and replacing some clean paper towels 2 or 3 times a week does the trick. Occasionally we'll drag the whole cage into the shower and give it a good scrub down, but overall, as far as smell is concerned, they are pretty clean (and I've had ALOT of different types of animals).
By far our favorite part though is just spending time with these little guys! They truly WANT to be with you! If ever someone gets up to walk to another room wherever they are they usually come running and jump onto your shoulder to go along for the ride ^^. They especially love coming into the kitchen with me and watching as I try to cut up their food (occasionally they like to sneak bites before I can even get it into their bowl!).
Most commonly we'll leave them in their pouch when we take them out during the day, and we'll just leave our hand in there with them and they'll snuggle right up and hold on to our fingers making it almost impossible to pull our hands back out again without dragging them out too ^^.
They are also especially smart little buggers, always trying to find something new to amuse themselves with, be it the inside of your ear or a random piece of whatever the had been swept aside into a forgotten corner. We bought a rope and strung it through and old DVD rack for them to run along, and for several nights they made it their goal to untie the notes and unravel the rope!
Some nights when they are especially energetic they'll just run laps around the apartment hoping and jumping in every which direction, if the both of us are standing in a room they'll make a game of jumping from one person to the other, sometimes having to avoid the other glider in mid air ^^.
They also make a variety of noises, mostly just chatting with each other as they're waking up and/or grooming (yes we are often included in the ritual wake up grooming ^^). Some nights (when they aren't particularly happy with their dinner, or if they feel they didn't get enough attention) they'll actually call for us making these tiny, squeaky, little barks which usually a quick "hey guys we're trying to sleep go back to bed" will quiet down.
Overall we LOVE our little gliders and we look forward to coming home to them every day =) and Tina has been FANTASTIC in answering ALL of our questions and making sure we know how to take care of our new additions and how best to keep them happy and healthy. Not to mention the store has everything we could ever need and Tina has everything shipped out for us within hours! We're convinced there's no better place to go and she has given us to amazing little gliders =).
http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/428052_3151025967919_1033210568_3135644_475293425_n.jpg
http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/419627_2950630958169_1033210568_3053306_783824338_n.jpg
http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/382705_2630755521483_1033210568_2902898_172229368_n.jpg
http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/377893_2814256828901_1033210568_2999848_190112596_n.jpg
http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/216312_1882981427598_1033210568_2185255_2813242_n.jpg <~baby pic ^^
Rosieisgr8
Member
Oh they are just adorable! Thank you for clearing up some things for me. How long did it take you to bond with your sugar gliders?
Rosie,
I got my first one, Foster, from a different company, and he was already several months old, which makes the bonding process harder. That said, I'd say it took 6 months with Foster.
Now, we got Hazel from GSG about 3 weeks ago and the experience is completely different! Hazel is still in the bonding process, but she is leaps and bounds ahead of where Foster was at this point. It's 3 weeks in and my wife and I can pick Hazel up and handle her with no crabbing or issues at all.
The difference really is the personal attention that Tina and Don give to each little Joey as they are getting ready to go to their forever homes.
Rosieisgr8
Member
Thanks!I am just really worried about bonding with them and how long it will take, I'm getting them in August, and I was wondering if the sugar gliders will be pretty much bonded to me by the end of August?
Each experience is different. I know a couple people who's gliders bonded in less than a week.
I would say if you put the time in, follow Tina's advice, and spend lots of time with them, (even if they are just sleeping in a pouch under your shirt) you should be on schedule for bonding quickly.
It's really up to you and how much time you put in.
You must log in to post.
