Hello GliderCENTRAL! I am thinking of getting gliders and wondering if I would be good for gliders? Please everyone that has gliders or knows stuff about gliders answer. This is my situation:

I am 12 year old boy (in two days ). I go to school from 7 AM to 3 PM and has a maximum of an hour of homework a day.

I have a sibling who is 8 and one who is 15.

I love nature.

I have had many previous pets such as a snake, gecko, hamster and dog.

I have two 40 year old parents. One goes to work from 7 AM to 5 AM. The other goes to work from 6 AM to 7 AM.

I live in a good size home in the suburbs.

I am usually in bed by 11 on school nights and later on weekends.

I have a loving heart that wants a cute little pet to play around with and love.

What do you think about my situation for getting a glider? Thanks!

You definetly sound like you are on the right track to being a good glider owner and you're asking the right questions. The main thing to look at is the future of your gliders. You're 12, so I'm assuming you're not in high school yet. Gliders can live in captivity up to 15 years so you need to think about what's going to happen with your gliders after high school if you go off to college somewhere, who would take care of them if you can not take them with you. Are you're parents going to help you buy the necessary things needed, such as food, cage, toys, pouches, etc, will they help in case of a glider emergency when a vet visit is mandatory and could be pricey? Do you think you can manage time for your gliders when you have social events to go to or when you have a part time job and going to school. These are some questions I would ask yourself and in the meantime you're in the right place to learn as much as you can to be a great glider parent. Good luck!

Something else to think about:

When I was your age, I had a 10:00 PM bedtime. Some of my gliders don't even wake up until at LEAST midnight.

You have to fit playtime in between when they are awake and when you go to bed, which will be difficult on school nights.

My biggest concern here would be rather or not your parents would be okay with rushing your gliders off to an emergency vet at 2am at night, should an emergency arise.. Also, what would happen to the gliders when you go off to college (should you decide to).

Think long and hard about it before you commit. Research. Have your parents research, too.

Also, keep in mind that you should not just get "a" glider, but rather you should get two gliders, as they're colony creatures.

My concern is if they or it would be sleeping in the same room as you. Do you think you could sleep through it barking and all the different sounds they make? Also do you have other animals like a dog, cat, bird or any other animal? Gliders and tend not to get along with cats and some birds.

Also do you think you would be up for the responsiablity of cleaning a cage, doing the gliders lundary, washing its toys, and stand getting the occassional nip/bit/ or claw without [censored] out. After all they are animals.

Honestly, I would wait a few years. It's so hard to know what you will want a few years down the road as a teenager. You sound like you would take good care of them, but it is such a big commitment. If you do feel you are ready, please make sure your parents are 100% on board. Would they be willing to keep the gliders if you decide to go off to college? Are they going to be willing to pay possibly hundreds of dollars for vet bills? If so, then maybe you would be ready. I saw another post of yours about wanting a breeding pair. I definetly don't think this would be a good idea because of your school and your parent's work schedule. If a joey was rejected, they need to be hand fed every couple hours and that's a lot to deal with for anyone, especially someone your age.

Again, I am NOT saying you would not make a good owner, just saying to MAKE SURE before you take the plunge. It's a 12-15 year comittment! That is longer than your life so far in this world.

Good luck with your decision.

i just turned 17 in january. ive had my gliders for about 4 weeks. i got them from 15 and 17 year old boys who were "too busy to deal with them".

before you decide what to do make sure you will have time and the proper means for them

im a junior in high school with a full course load and i can handle them. i dont have a job or do any extra curricular activities so i have time. being that you are a boy you should definitely consider your future plans for your high school career to make sure you wont have any practices or anything like that conflict with your gliders care.

also like some posts already have said they do keep you up at night, if they are in the room you sleep in. mine looove to run on their wheel and sometimes even bark at 3 a.m. in the morning lol. some gliders do wake up extremly late but ive trained mine to get up around 7ish and we play for awhile then they go to sleep about midnight and wake back up in the night and are up till prolly 8 a.m.

if you decide to get gliders DO NOT get them from Perfect Pocket Pets. read the fact or fiction forum about Perfect Pocket Pets for why not to or ask why and you will get many responses lol.

if you have anymore question dont be afraid to ask!! Good Luck!

Have you talked to your parents about getting gliders? What do they think?

In my opinion, and this should be true for just about ANY pet, is that when a young person gets a pet, it needs to be with the support and participation of their parents. The whole family needs to understand the level of commitment and care involved with the animal, and the adults in the home need to be on board as well.

If your parents can also be enthusiastic about keeping and caring for sugar gliders (or a dog, or a cat, or any other animal), then I think it could be a great experience. But if they say "Fine, but it's going to be all YOUR responsibility.", I don't think it's a good idea. If your interests change or your schedule gets overburdened, and your parents end up resentfully caring for the gliders, and it will not be good for your relationship or for the well being of the sugar gliders, which require lots of attention to thrive.

Also sugar gliders are quite an investment. Not only the gliders themselves, but the investment of a decent cage and other accessories, vet care and neutering if you get males. At age 12 I'm assuming your parents would be paying for a good chunk if not all of the expenses - so they are going to want to know what they are paying for and getting themselves into.

My parents say that i can get them but it will mostly be my responsibility. They will help me mix up the food though and my sister is gonna play with them a lot too.

Cameron, are your parents going to help you with vet visits? Including any emergencies that may arise? This is a very important part of glider ownership...

I get a somewhat large allowance every month and I contacted a vet near me and I can cover vet visits.

What you need to worry about though is transportation to an emergency vet late at night if need be... would your parents be willing to drive you? Are they okay with this?

And also keep in mind...you may be able to save money to cover the general vet needs like yearly check ups and fecal exams. But in an emergency, typically just to get in the door can be a lot of money. I know my evet...when you go in the door is 145.00 that doesn't include ANYTHING they may do or any medications you may have to leave with. So, even though you can save the money. Lets say you get them, take them for an exam which they will need as soon as you get them unless you have proof from where you purchase that it has been done. Now move forward 3 weeks and you have an emergency. Are you parents going to be willing to spend what could ultimately be hundreds or dollars and a 2 a.m. run to the vets. I would call your vet, see where they would direct you to go in an emergency, then call that place and ask about prices should the need arise.

You personally sound very responsible and it is awesome that you are doing research. Myself as an adult worry that I sometimes don't have enough money to pay for an emergency situation.

good luck with you decision.

i would suggest rats or a ferret for you. gliders are nocturnal, and sometimes mine dont wake up til close to midnight... then you START your playtime with them. rats are wonderful pets, very loving and very smart! you sound like later in life youd be a great glider owner tho! but they live close to 15 years! that kind of commitment is hard for someone your age, with highschool and college coming up! just something to think about. good luck with your decision, and let us know what you decide!

Hi

I am also a 12 year old boy, my name is Brenton. Gizmogirl and Bozeman are my parents. My mom and dad have sugar gliders. I also wanted my own suggie, but looking at the time my parents dedicate to the suggies, what hours they go to bed, how they can rush off to the vet in the middle of the night etc. I truely don't believe I am ready to do this.

I love those furr balls so much, and would do anything for them, but if they were my sole responsibility, I would definitely not be able to commit that much time and energy.

My heart broke the time mom and dad rushed Giz to the emergency vet, I was terrified of losing him. He is not even my boy. I had a test the next day at school, it was hard.

I don't know what my future holds for me, so I cannot and will not make such a huge decision at this stage of my life.

Good luck

Brenton

wow, what a mature 12 year old! thats really awesome Gizmogirl!

I have to agree with everyone here. Make sure this is something you have the time for. Considering you're only 12 things can change when you turn 16.

I have 5 gliders right now in my bedroom. (it was the only place safe fro
other animals. I live with my finacee and his parents atm) Believe me they can and will wake you up. Also, our babies tend to get up at all times of the day. It will be 3 in the afternoonand they'll be running around in thier wheel ocasionaly. Also, keep in mind not all gliders are the same. We have one that won't get up till 2 or 3 in the morning. Two that tend to get up around midnight or so. The others get up whenever.

Also keep in mind the expences. Big cages can be expensive and cage sets/toys can add up fast.

My advice would to be if you do get TWO, always have a back up home in case things change. For example if you buy from a breeder talk to them about bringing them back to them if there where something to happen and you could no longer care for.

All in all, best of luck.

PS sorry for any spelling mistakes or typos, I'm tryin to post with an iPod.

I would have to agree with mostly everyone here. Gliders do take a bit of your time, money and effort to keep. Their schedules are crazy. I too wanted one when I was your age. Saw my first picture of one in a tack store and it was love at first site. But life can lead you down many different paths where gliders are not welcome. Within the next 10-15 years of your glider's life, moving to a new house that doesn't allow pets, getting a girlfriend, joining a sports team, going to college, getting a job while going to school... it's not easy and can be very time consuming, when would you have time for your gliders?

I can't tell you how many classifieds either on here or on other sites of young people who got their gliders early on, only to have to rehome them b/c either they were too much responsibility for them, or they couldn't take them to college with them... or they just didn't have the time for them anymore.

At 12 years old, you have your whole life in front of you and 15 years from now, you are going to be in a completely different place.

I wish you the best of luck, but please think it through. Look outside the box to find your answer.

I was about your age, maybe a year or two older, when I first found out about sugar gliders at a flea market from a 'breeder' who was selling joeys.

I started to save up money so I could buy one, but never did because I kept forgetting the money at home. I'm glad I didn't, because I would not have been able to provide an appropriate life for them.

I'm now 24, and about to adopt my first pair this weekend. Yes, it took about 10 years for me to finally feel settled and ready to add gliders.

They are not something you want to rush into, and you need to consider whether or not you can offer what they need, instead of focus on how much you want them.

It can be really hard. Your heart says "I want!" but your mind has to consider "Can I truly provide the best for them?"

Nothing wrong with waiting until you can honestly answer your mind's question with an absolute 'Yes, I can.'

I am about to be 16 in April and got my first glider in October.

Only reason I decided I had enough time for one is because I got home schooled. If it wasnt for that I would have never got one. I also have a saving account that started when I was younger.I get 20 dollars a week put in there by my g-pa. I have to use my saving account to buy cages..Provide vet care..and buy toys or any thing else they need.

Only reason I dont have to buy food is because we got food stamps. (Thank the lord for food stamps) LOL.

And where I am home schooled I can do my work any hour of the day or night.
I stay up til around 2 or 3 in the morning so my babies can have enough time to play outside the cage.
But with school and everything it would be hard for you to stay up that late and then get up first thing in the morning.
I also baby sit from 7am-7pm to earn some money.
and every penny goes straight to my gliders.

Do what your heart tell you..
but if you do not think you can Provide the care they need for the next 15 years then wait until you think you can.