I've just experienced a summer full of vet bills that depleted my vet fund.

Here’s how that happened…

I help people rehome their gliders and in every case I've dealt with so far they drop them off and run. I’d up having to feed, care for, love on, and provide cages, toys and such for these gliders. I had one set that were with me for 6 months before I was able to rehome them to someone I was comfortable enough with. This was the set that started my summer of sickness and quicker then a blink of an eye I had lost 3 gliders. With vet bills mounting, my fund depleting, and no answers I was left with no other option but to have a necropsy done. Question was how to do it when there was no money left? If my aunt hadn't stepped in and donated the funds for vet bills (over $500 for necropsy) I would have lost more babies. By the way, it was giardia that caused my personal nightmare. By the time summer was over I had lost 6 babies total.

I had the money to start the vet process. But sometimes no matter how much you save a vet bill can empty your piggy bank. That's what happened in my case. I started with a fund but it eventually and quickly ran dry.

So I repeat my question how do I raise a vet fund?

Now before anyone tells me to stop taking in glider(s) that need homes (which is how the whole mess started). Let me ask you, Could you deny the glider(s) without a loving family the chance to have one? Well I can’t, so I take the glider(s) in then strive to find a loving home, educate the new family (unless they already have gliders), start the bonding process while the gliders are still with me (again unless they already have gliders) , and then support them (not W/$) as long as needed.

Here were some ideas I received when I posted the question on this thread
Neuter turns into miracle [Re: suggiemom_1980]


This was how I had the money to start the vet process.


Never thought to ask my vet if I could do that.



This idea has merit to help me put a little back to start another fund. Then if I need it there is at least a little to start with.
I can organize parties and get togethers, booths to educate, school presentations, and even parades but I never done fundrasiers. I wouldn't even know where to start. Is there anyone willing to mentor me in fundraising events?

I know I’m not the only person who has this question, especially with the current economy, so I started another thread dedicated just to it. I thought we could discuss suggestions for saving (How do you do it?) and fundraising ideas (What venues are there?) & (How do you put one together?).

I knit and crochet a lot. During the year I kind of build up a stash of my finished objects, and then in the fall and winter craft show season pops up, and I sell my things there. Usually I can cover my cost for the booth plus some extra, and it's fun, and sometimes I get comissions for a certain item if they want it in a different color etc. Plus my friends and family all wear my creations and when someone remarks on the hat or scarf at a store, they always give my info to that person if they're interested in one for themselves.

I will NOT take in ANY gliders at the possible expense of my own. I will work with the current owners to find someone who can better care for rescues. There are people out there that have been doing just that for years. They know what needs done and they are better equipped to do rescue work for that reason. Rescues in the hands of an unexperienced hand can end up in more trouble than where they were in the first place. Often they get sub quality care because FUNDING is so very important even in just day to day needs. I think you have a big heart. I commend you for that. Sometimes the brain has to take charge though.

Call in reinforcements. Don't try to take this on your self. I hate to see you not being able to care for your own in an emergency. YOU MUST be ready to care for your OWN gliders first and foremost.

Trust me the first !1600 vet bill bill for my own (2 surgeries for Patches) then to turn around and spend that much again for Haley.


Now with that said. Rake leaves, shovel snow, do house work for someone who needs a little extra help. Sit a friends kids so they can do a movie night. Wash cars! I have a few in need myself, wash dogs (I got 2 of those needing a bath too)

The car wash and dog wash is something I pay for all the time. I am sure if you can find someone who needs these services you would be able to get that vet fund rolling again.

It is one thing to take in a glider if you already know you have a family lined up to take them. It is another if you dont. Unfortunately, the rescues that are taken in are paid for by the person taking them in. If you are unable to afford it or to keep your vet fund funded, than yes it would be time to start saying NO, for the sake of the glider, I am not able to take another glider in as I can not afford it at this time, but I can indeed help you find a home for it while it stays at your home.

Although your heart IS in the right spot, you have to stop and think, if you dont and are unable to keep a steady vet fund flowing, and an emergency does arise, how will you ever be able to pay for it?

It would NOT make you a bad person by saying no, it would just make the other owner RESPONSIBLE for their pet.

If you talk to the rescues around here, Val being one of them, she can tell you, most of what she does comes out of her own pocket...

Best of luck in fundraising and I hope you do find a way. But think about what I just said.

Yes I am in the same boat as you are. I had a nice fund set aside, then my pit was hit by a car and it cost me $4,000 to put him back together. It drained my vet fund, and took the savings! So I am back at square one and I have tried to do some suggie toys and travel cages, but they aren't moving. I have just accepted the idea of no x-mas this year. Well we will do x-mas, but gifts will be min. But what can you do, life throws you curves, you just gotta learn to run with them.

I too take rescue from time to time, I have started makeing them donate all items they have. If they come with pellet food, they have to make a $25 donation to order more HPW. That's just my rule. I can't pay out of pocket any more. Just can't do it!

Sugar glider rescue work is not just about taking in gliders and finding them a home. It is not just about being able to get them vet care when they need it. To be a responsible rescue home, one has to approach it like a business and, more importantly, one has to be able to care for their OWN pets and family first.

I have been doing glider rescue for years. I believe I am successful at it. It is not at all easy. Most people have no idea what a day in a reputable and established rescue home is like.
Every glider in my home gets the vet care it needs. Period. this can be VERY expensive. So, how does one become a reputable and respected rescue home without going broke? Well, you don't. I will be the first to admit that money is tight. BUUUUUUT - when I registered for my non-profit status and when I completed my application for 501(c)(3) status, I had to KNOW what my plan was. This is the only way to be RESPONSIBLE. Face it, you are NOT doing the gliders any good if bringing them into your home only causes a struggle - financially or otherwise.

As an established rescue home, I have been able to work with vets to get discounts only applied to official rescue homes. This was work, but it was worth it. I have one glider that requires vet visits every 6 weeks - and will for the remainder of his life. AFter years of regular contact with my vet, and after working with my vet to establish programs for gliders and for rescue homes, I am now able to get this glider's treatment for free. The rest of my vet care is delivered at a discount - sometimes a large discount. This is one of the benefits to going through the hoops to be established.

If finances are tight right now, then RIGHT NOW you need to not take in gliders. Wait until you have your fund built back up and then you can take more in. Until then, call upon one of the established and respected rescue homes to help out those gliders.

There are several things that you can do to ensure that you don't find yourself in a huge bind:

1) Separate funds for rescues and for your personal pets. Contribute to both on a regular basis.

2) Set goals and limits for your rescue home and don't stray from them.

3) Set limits on the number of cages you can care for properly and INDEPENDENTLY - vet care, feeding, cleaning, working on behavior issues, nail clipping, etc. DO NOT go over that limit - no matter what. I have a limit of number of cages I would like to stay under and another number that I simply cannot go over. I have been over the first # for a while now, and have come close to the 2nd number twice.
Once you are at your limit, you just have to turn gliders away. That is why it is best to be connected to a network of other rescue homes that you can refer to and call upon to help.

4) Get involved with a network of sugar glider rescue homes. You would be shocked at how much help we can be to each other. I know that I regularly talk with the other rescuers in my network, and when they have a need, I do what I can to help them - they do the same for me.

5) Be active on more boards than just GC. While GC is a fantastic board, it is not the most "rescue friendly" board. A rescue home can be swimming in debt and easily overwhelmed if they are not supported by this community. This community cannot support what they don't know is happening. There are other boards where the primary focus is rescue work and/or where rescuers have their own sections of the boards to list gliders that need homes, to discuss new policies and thoughts, etc.

6) Do not take in a single glider that is not welcome to stay there with you for the remainder of their natural lives. Any rescue that comes in might just be a permanent resident. If they can't stay there forever, they shouldn't come in at all. You never know what will happen. 6 months is not really that unusual for gliders to remain in rescue homes. It is difficult to place gliders nowadays. Be prepared for them to stay forever, or don't bring them in.

7) Have a plan in place for how you will fund your rescue work before you begin the rescue work. It just simply is not at all responsible to bring them in and THEN think about how you will handle it. This happens all the time to unsuspecting owners with soft hearts, but it should not happen to a rescue home.

When you do these things, you won't likely find yourself in this situation again. It sounds like you have a good start, but you are missing a few key components that make rescue work feasible both financially and emotionally. What you describe above is just a normal day in a rescue home - it is not at all unusual or extreme. We deal with these things day in and day out. You just don't often hear about it from those of us that have been doing it for years.

Rescue homes have established protocols, networks and procedures to deal with the number of gliders in their homes - we aren't just willy-nilly taking in any glider in need. We are prepared for large colonies of gliders and we are prepared for expensive emergencies. We are prepared for gliders to be cared for (and SPOILED) in any situation at any time. And we never neglect our own personal pets in the process. We plan by establishing paperwork (to keep us organized), procedures, screening procedures, adoption requirements, enrichment programs, goals, limits, protocols, networks and relationships with vets, charitable organizations and community members who can offer a wide variety of types of support. When all of this is in place, then the gliders receive superior care while in the rescue process.

Val,

Yours is a fantastic post. Thank you. It is great to see the ground rules of rescuing spelled out so clearly.

I see time and time again people who think that all there is to rescuing is having a "Bleeding heart" - but that might just be one of the things that hinders a true rescue. You really do have to be practical - which can be interpreted as cut-throat or cruel.

It is very very important for ALL of us to keep in mind - You can not save them all! My daily goal is to save ONE through education. If I can make contact with ONE glider owner, which will result in better care for that glider, that is huge. I can NOT SAVE every one! I can not have saving them all as my goal - or I will be less effective at saving the ones that I can help.

Also a good time to note holidays are here don't forget the rescues

Val I knew you could say what I was thinking better than I did. I should have called you! lol

Gosh, I knew I would learn a lot from this thread (I hope others do too) and I have not been disappointed. This post got me thinking…



1) Mistake #1. I had only one fund.

2) Mistake #2. I am currently over the number I’d like to stay under. I now know the number I will not go over (thank you Val B.) and yes I’m cutting it close.

3) Mistake #3. Although I am currently turning gliders away I am not in a network of rescue homes that I can call upon. Like Megan I also require a cage but never charged for the rehoming. And I stopped paying for the gliders awhile back. There was no way I could keep affording to pay for them. I just started telling people I’d help them to rehome but I was not buying the gliders to do it.

4) Mistake #4. I’ve talked to Bourbon about being a rescue home awhile ago than again at SGGA and I still haven’t taken the time to complete the application and send it in. I will get that done asap.

5) Mistake #5. GC is my only glider chat and info site.

6) Mistake #6. In my heart these babies can stay forever. But my heart isn’t covering any of the bills (vet, food, and such).

7) Mistake #7. I had no plan. I was all heart and no head.

Is there any advice for me on how to establish the protocols, networks and procedures that make a rescue home a quality rescue home?

Yes, Val B you did a terrific job of clearly stating the ground rules.


Is there someway I can help?


I wish I had spoken to you too.

You can always Pm those doing rescue and see if they need something. I am sending some lightly used pouches to my fav Home and I donate money when I can to the Sugar Group. If you can't send cash try treats, toys, water bottles, dishes, pouches.. anything you used for your gliders a rescue glider can use too


back on topic

So no takers on washing my cars or dogs for money lol.

sometimes extra money NEEDS to go other places and you don't have a sick glider.

so is what I have is a Care Credit Card. it can be used on anything medical...doc, dental, vision....AND vets!

as long as your clinic accepts them.....you charge it to the card and have so many months to pay it off before anything is added to it.

I have used it several times and never had a single extra charge.

I love it. It gives me peace.

Great advice Val, this is actually good advice for every pet owner, breeder & rescue in the glider community.

yard sales work great too! Always remember one mans junk is another mans treasure! I have 4 kids so I always have tons of things for yard sales and my yard sale money gets split between 2 funds which are the vet fund and Christmas fund. We have 3 savings accounts opened at the bank one for each of these and then our normal life savings for our human emergencies. Having 4 kids and a few animals we can't risk not being able to afford to pay for vets and house bills in case my fiance gets sick. We are a single income home. Let alone afford Christmas for 4 kids if we didn't prepare all year. I do not touch my vet fund for normal visits if I can afford to spare any pocket money. My vet fund is for emergencies and visits when we are broke only.

I am always available to talk with anyone about glider related business. Rescue work - and rehabilitation of sick or injured gliders - IS my business, so you may call me any time.
I DO have advice, and am happy to share some of my forms and protocols. You can call any time.

Just as information for everyone:

1) There are different types of rescue homes right in this community. While we have different standards and different procedures, we still recognize the work that each other do. If one wants to do rescue work, they have to give thought to what type of home they want to be - what reputation they want to build and what level of care they can provide.

2) SESG (sesg.suggies.net) has a section of the board dedicated solely to rescue homes and finding rescued gliders homes. There are 2 ways this section helps the community:
* If you would like to help out a rescue home, there is a list of things each home is in NEED of there. You can donate one of these items to the particular home - or you can contact that home and see if their needs have been met or if they have new needs.
* If you are interested in adopting some rescued gliders and giving them a forever home, there is a section there where rescued gliders are listed for adoption much like breeders list their joeys here.

3) There are not any funding sources available for sugar glider rescue work. It comes out of your own pocket. Every rescue home that you see on these boards doing great work is doing it on their own dime. So, you must be practical and plan ahead. We all run into bumps in the road from time to time. Use those with more experience to help you through it.

4) There are MANY ways someone can help a rescue home and support rescue work without taking gliders into their homes. For those of you wondering, I will list just a few:
* Make a donation directly to the rescue home's vet to help cover the cost of neuters and wellness checks
* Send a few items over to the rescue home - pouches, water bottles, toys, food dishes, supplements, mealworms, yogies, etc. These things all have to be replaced and/or replenished on the rescue home's dime as well. A small donation is very much appreciated.
* Assist in railroading gliders to new homes or getting sick/injured gliders to rescue homes. Make it known that you will assist and that you are available.
* Offer to pay some of the gas fees for others who will assist in a railroad
* If you live near a rescue home, call them up and ask them if you can volunteer a few hours each month to help cleaning cages, giving meds, clipping nails, folding laundry, socializing gliders, catching up on paperwork, whatever. I don't think any of us would turn you down.
* Organize a raffle or auction with proceeds to go to a rescue home's needs or vet bills
* Check out that list on SESG and send a needed item to a rescue home
* Send a note of encouragement or thanks to a rescuer. You would not believe what a treasure that can be to some of us.
* Set aside $5 from each pay check to donate to a rescue home or to purchase items for a rescue home
* Contact vendors and ask if they will give you a discount if you purchase something for a rescue home. This way, you can save money too.
* If you are upgrading your cage, contact a rescue home and see if they could use your old one. As long as items are safe and in good working order, they are useful in a home that has multiple cages of gliders coming and going on a regular basis.
* If you see someone looking for gliders, direct them to a rescue home. Keep aware of the work rescue homes are doing and do your part to stop the cycle of rescue.

I recently wrote this on another board:
Rescue homes are overrun with gliders needing homes. EVERY responsible glider owner should know this, keep up with what is going on in our rescue homes, and do their part to help end this cycle. We can't all be rescue homes, but every owner can educate others, send donations from time to time, direct others looking for gliders to rescue homes, hold raffles to benefit rescues, volunteer at a rescue home and/or offer emotional support and encouragement to those of us who are daily caring for a LOT of gliders that were unwanted and unloved before they came to our homes. Every member of this community either adds to the rescue problem or helps to end it. To remain indifferent and unaware of the problem contributes to the problem.

Love this!!! I believe that when I have a vet fund again I'll do the same thing.

I'll be calling you.

I am doing this very thing next month! I have 3 cages that I am no longer using, as well as some Wodent wheels. I am taking them to a gathering with me and donating them to a rescue for their use to either keep on hand for incoming rescues, or to send to the new home so a new owner has a "proper" cage. Either way, that rescue home will put them to excellent use ~ and it makes me feel good that I am able to contribute!

Yes.. all rescueing has stopped on my part. With the unexpected surgery of $4,000 it depleated my funds, for personal and rescue pets. I can't let it drain on my must haves. So until next year sometime when the money is all back in place, things are on hold. I am just one person, trying to take on the little ones that have no voice, or choice as to what happens to them. I just try and save one life at a time, and YES my heart is bigger than my wallet at times, but you have to be able to say enough is enough. The last two rescues I took in, are the last for some time to come. They are to be perm. residents here with me. This brings me to a total of 3 perm. gliders that were rescues, 1 perm. rescue pitbull, and 1 preplanned rottweiler and 7 pre-planned gliders. One day I will pick back up again. I admire the people that are able to pull off a full functioning rescue home cause I know first hand what all goes into them! Keep your head up and you can do it, if you put your mnid and money to it! LOL

Of my gliders, Andre, Saphira, Eragon, Pebbles, BamBam, Rough, Tough, Jasper, Sara, Kyoke, Nishibi, Anu, Aruru and Roo were all rescues. When I took them in, it was with the intention of my home being their forever home. If I found another home I could trust, I would re-home them. Of course, I fell in love with them all so now, this is their permanent, forever home!

From those rescues, came these joeys, Jaclyn, Dazzle, Calypso, Dawson, Draco, Suzie, Fiona, Hope, Faith, Sunshine, Sunny, Mira and Cal.

(As soon as I found out rescues shouldn't breed, I immediately had all my males neutered that could be neutered. I have one left who finally is old/big enough and he's set to be neutered next week.)

The rest of my babies, Ivory, Abeje and Wynn, I purchased from well-known, reputable breeders.

Anu and Aruru were my last rescues. Since then, I've had the chance to get three more rescues. Even tho it broke my heart to do so, I refused.

One, the person wanted to sell them and buy my female joeys as replacements because they simply never spent time with the first three. Their three were not socialized or friendly in the least. They thought new joeys would be easy to tame and bond with. I know this person and know she would not take proper care of new gliders in any way shape or form. No proper diet, housing or vet care and certainly not any socializing.

Two, I had a full plate at that time. I didn't feel I had a large enough vet fund to take in three more gliders. I refuse to get any gliders, rescue or purchased, unless my vet fund can handle an emergency with each and every glider, all at the same time.

Great post...

well for starts, Elena, you can never be prepared enough for rescues, you are not requesting people bring them to you, you are not taking them in and keeping them, there will be eventually vet expenses at some point, and you can be like some rescuers and have someone else pay all or most of your vet bills, or you can be like others who count on their own resources. the ideas listed to start from scratch again are good examples, if you have product, sell product strictly for your vet fund..

I really don't think is is about the rescues, but more about having a bad summer that depleted your funds. which mainly had to do with your personal gliders.

Some people can close their eyes to rescues, due to their personal wants and needs, for the last 10 years I myself have had my highs and lows, sometimes far too many gliders for the finances, sometimes more finances than gliders.

There are no standards for rescue homes, most of us when we first start out helping others, we get overloaded, we get overwhelmed head deep in trying to help, there is nothing wrong when you are trying to help, there is no right way or wrong way, your rescue numbers are down much further than most of the homes out there.

4 rescues are not to many, it is 4 gliders that you will make a difference with. set your max, stay with that, and good luck finding a way to replenish your losses.

Thank you. I was hoping for a post full of information and I got that. Keep the ideas coming.

I'm still thinking about the suggestions that have been made and trying to decide what to do. Please keep the advice coming.

I finally made up my mind about what to do!
I want to thank Bourbon and suggiemom_1980 for their wonderful ideas.
Here's what I am doing.

I think it's an awesome idea! Count me in!

Elena I have a question for you...

I was just checking out your webpage for your mystery box and ran across a couple things that made me have questions. Hope you dont mind helping me out here.

First of all, kudos to you for trying to raise money for a vet fund. Mystery boxes always seem to do well for this kind of thing and I wish you much success.

With that being said I see that the mystery box itself will be sent to a rescue home. Once again Kudos to you for doing this, as rescue homes are always in need of more things for the gliders they bring in, however...

I thought Hope for Gliders closed its doors down a couple of years ago? I dont remember who told me that, but I hear Angie shut the doors. Have you been in contact with her?

Also, I was unaware that Baby Loves Gliders was a rescue home.

Kris, I know you are willing to take in a glider if there is ever a need, but are you now in deed a new rescue home? If so, that is great news as that will mean another state that will be able to help the gliders out!!

And lastly, how will you know which rescue home will get the box? How will you make your decision and how and when we will know?

Thanks a bunch and good luck to ya!

Did someone ring??

LOL all VERY good questions Peggy.. LOL I'm not sure what the miscommunication is as I havent been to this site.. but "just" a rescue home.. nope.. although I do as much as I can for rescues here in my beloved Virginia...I do NOT/would NOT accept any kind of donations!

Yes, you are correct too that Angie, Hope For Gliders closed her doors last year!

Maybe we can provide a list of rescue homes for you?

The owner of Out of Love Sugar Gliders passed away and the doors were closed.

South East Sugar Gliders is NOT a rescue home, they are a glider board.

Glider Pals seems to be a glider "stuff" store (rept gear, toys etc).

Hope for Gliders was shut down.

Just checked it out.. Can you please remove me from that list and your website.

Thank you!

I can't answer your questions with details per GC policy. So I'll have to be brief. The answers to your questions are on my website highlighted in hot pink. Please scan the whole page for them.