Hi ALL! Newbie here! My name is Erica I live in S. FLORIDA. I Just completed a 7 hour transport last night and rescued 2 young males from someone off the internet. Been doing tons of research, these are my first Sugar Bears They are in a rather small cheap bird cage and are being fed VitaSmart pellets but not for long. I just purchased my I-Home deluxe resort from PocketPets and the special food online from Critter love, boys will go to a vet locally next week to get neutered. (I contacted a local reputable breeder to get a good vet ref. w/experience) I have yet to attempt to take them out of the cage, but I will have to later today to clean the filthy cage. I've been viewing all the you-tube videos and tutorials that have been created by Sugar Glider vets to gain my knowledge. These boys are very active, I thought they'd be a bit more quiet and reserved due to the change of owners/transport but they seem to be okay. They will take apples and pecans from me thru the cage for now. I will try and post pics later. Im gonna try to get to walmart to buy some supplied and a tent too, so we can have text time together to start the bonding process. You know, the little outdoor ones .... I read it was good to do given the nature of this specific rescue situation. The boys are approx 1 year and the other 7 months. I still gotta name them Erica
Hi Erica - Welcome to the forum and to glider parenthood.
Seems like you are off to a good start with your new SUGAR GLIDERS - the term Sugar Bears is a marketing ploy to slow new owners down in there search for information on Sugar Gliders because it leads people to the Pocket Pets and ASGV web sites when they do an internet search. Pocket Pets sells mill bred gliders in malls and other locations where they can create an impulse purchase to folks that have no knowledge of how to care for these wonderful little creatures.
The CritterLove products are a good choice for feeding your new gliders. Be sure to offer a wide variety of fruits and vegetables along with the staple and include some calcium rich selections including papaya, okra, broccoli, spinach or other dark greens and bok choi in your weekly menu.
Some of those vet videos have some very bad advice for care of your gliders. The thumb in the mouth to stop biting technique should NEVER be used - it may damage your gliders' mouth, jaw or teeth and will definitely not help build the glider's trust in you or your hands.
If you need help with your gliders - feel free to ask questions in the forum. We are here to answer your specific questions and to help you get off to a good start with your sugar gliders.
Give your gliders a few days to settle into your home and get adjusted to the new sights, sounds and smells around them, before trying to handle them. bonding with sugar gliders takes time and patience. They must learn to trust you and your hands.
If you are looking for a tent for out of cage play time - get one with lots of screen so your gliders will be able to climb and so that you do not get too hot while inside playing with them.
You have been given a lot of good advise and while the boys are settling in please browse around here. There will be questions and possibly concerns about what you have read and heard. Please feel free to ask away! There is a plethora of experience here! No question too dumb or insignificant.
My only advise is take it slow with them and move slowly around them, and patience patience patience! Lol. Takes them a bit sometimes. Oh also check out the blue highlighted words. They send you to more on that subject. Like toys , bonding , safe wheels ...
Do they sleep in a pouch? While you clean their cage you can carefully remove the ppouch fold over top and close with clothes pins. Be sure to put them where you can keep an eye on them. If they to get loose, instead of trying to catch them with your hands offer them their sleeping pouch. It is a safe place for them and they should go in on their own.
Good luck with your new babies!
Dawn
Be patient, and Trust your journey....
Grace
Ruby
Mom
Dad
Fiona, Dot and Stewie wish I could turn back time... Miss you
Re: NEWBIE from FL here - 2 males rescued last nite!
[Re: EJRA]
#1390170 05/20/1501:15 PM05/20/1501:15 PM
Thank you so much for the replies! So helpful and informative! I can't thank u enough, really. So I would rather not support a mill breeding operation in any way but my immediate need is for a larger cage
Is there any cage comparable to the I-home resort cage by Pocket Pets that you could recommend?
Re: NEWBIE from FL here - 2 males rescued last nite!
[Re: EJRA]
#1390171 05/20/1501:56 PM05/20/1501:56 PM
Here is the link without a hyperlink to it, it seems the website here is changing it when you click on it. I have triple checked what I am putting in the hyperlink above when I create it and I know it matches the below. Sorry it won't let me even type it out, so you will have to do it on your own, replace the word "DOT" with a period and it should all work.
I have the Madagascar cage, we got it when we re-homed our two girls, it is what the previous owner had for them and gave to us. I am in the process of getting another wheel and I picked up the stainless steel bowls for about $3 each at my local petco/petsmart forget which one. I use another bowl for a water dish for them, the previous owner said they didn't like drinking from a bottle, but that is unique to each glider, I think most drink from the bottle.
You can get a pouch online as well and if you aren't going to use the food it seems like you are paying mostly for the wheel.
I would just opt for the cage and get the accessories you want/need separate. That set gives you an idea of what you need, just get it on your own for better prices or in the styles you want to use.
That is just my opinion.
Phil
Re-homed 2 females on 04/24/2015 Doll Face ��� Sug
Re-homed From Stephyy24 on 11/06/2015 Bella ��������� Luna
Re: NEWBIE from FL here - 2 males rescued last nite!
[Re: Philwojo]
#1390192 05/20/1505:46 PM05/20/1505:46 PM
Thanks for the advice sounds awesome. I've spent way way way too much time the past 24 hours just researching this stuff.... so addicting! I've got nothing done today at all. Excited though for my expensive marble feeding bowls to arrive for my boys - only the best! lol I must have spent and entire 2 week paycheck on these guys just in the first day I've had them! lol
Erica in FL ~~~ 2 Cor. 5:17! ~~~
Re: NEWBIE from FL here - 2 males rescued last nite!
[Re: EJRA]
#1390195 05/20/1506:54 PM05/20/1506:54 PM
Oh yeah, it is addictive, wanting everything for your gliders to keep them happy and healthy.
As for the cages, if you haven't ordered one yet, I recommend you save the extra 40 dollars for a decent wheel instead of the set. The other stuff can be purchased easily enough from local stores and some from vendors, you may want to get a cage set or two anyway. You can start with basics and embellish more later.
Either cage would be a nice cage and a good size for your pair. I've personally have had the Madagascar cage, originally for my pair of girls and then when I homed my single little man, the three of them very comfortably. I had to leave it behind when I moved across country though so purchased a new, larger cage after settling in and finding a job.
The new cage is the HQ Large Sturdy cage, pretty much like the Congo, only it has the six feeder doors that need to be zip tied (they were provided with the cage). I chose that cage because shipping was the cheapest. It also doesn't include the shelves and ladders, but I wouldn't use the ladders anyway. I did however eventually order a couple of shelves to fit from the Sugar Glider Super Store (or EN, where you're looking at cages).
I have the sincoast gliders sturdy cage. Its powder coated, and with stands powerwashing outside. The locks are great on the big front doors and a glider safe wheel fits through the door.
Dawn
Be patient, and Trust your journey....
Grace
Ruby
Mom
Dad
Fiona, Dot and Stewie wish I could turn back time... Miss you
Re: NEWBIE from FL here - 2 males rescued last nite!
[Re: EJRA]
#1390198 05/20/1507:29 PM05/20/1507:29 PM
Well I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO glad for the help of ya'll and the countless hours of research I did today! I just purchased a huge order from SunCoast Sugar Gliders!
I was so close to buying the I-Home from PocketPet but after discovering they are an absolutely horrible SG mill I decided to spend my $ elsewhere. I went with the HQ Large Sturdy Sugar Glider Cage HQ 13221E - the whole thing measures 67.5 inches tall! I'm so excited! My rescue boys are gonna love their new life with me! I bought a bunch of other stuff too, but I have a question for you guys....
My order Starter Kits - Essential Nutrition Large Sturdy Sugar Glider Cage HQ 13221E S-T-R-E-T-C-H Rope Toy 24 inches Two Foraging Cups - Color : Blue Sugar Glider Contempo Cave Sugar Glider bonding Pouch: Ring Thing on a Spring Noodley Thing on a Spring Rockin Maraca Swing Ball Pit WOO HOO 2 Marble Feed Bowls Beige & Beautiful
I just cleaned the entire cage that their former owner gave me with the boys last night - WHEW! It was filthy! My ? is if I can put newspaper down in the bottom part to make my daily cleaning regime easier until the new cage arrives. The cage currently is the plastic tub bottom, no removable tray or anything. They can't get poison from newspaper can they? I would only do it for a week or so until the new cage arrives. Here's a youtube vid I just uploaded, you can kinda see the cage:
Also, besides fleece blankets, can I put like dry washcloths, or little terry towels in there? (I would either wash or throw them out weekly) Why fleece? to keep them warm and so their nails don't get caught up in any other material?
Last edited by KarenE; 05/22/1511:52 AM. Reason: embed video
Erica in FL ~~~ 2 Cor. 5:17! ~~~
Re: NEWBIE from FL here - 2 males rescued last nite!
[Re: EJRA]
#1390205 05/21/1512:02 AM05/21/1512:02 AM
Terry cloth is a nail snag and possible injury waiting to happen because of the small loops.
Fleece is the safest material for gliders as it does not ravel or have loose threads that can injure gliders.
Check the remnants bin at places like Jo Ann's fabrics. There are always good size pieces of fleece there at half the price of the fleece cut from a bolt. A half yard remnant will make lots of fleece 'blankies' and usually enough for a pouch or two if you have a sewing machine.
The fleece blankies can be tucked in your clothes or sleep with them in your pillow case for a night to get YOUR scent on the fleece. The blankies can be tucked in your glider's sleeping pouch to help they get familiar with your scent in a place they consider safe.
Plain paper towels or news paper can be used to line the cage pan until your new cage arrives or you can just wipe out the cage pan each morning after your gliders go to sleep for the day.