Hello everyone! I'm new here, and I apologize if I'm posting in the wrong place or if this is to long. Okay, so currently I don't have any sugar gliders, I have a 4 year old Syrian Hamster who is 2 years older then her expected life span and she's slowing down a bit. And I'm looking to get a new little friend. I was completely set on getting a pair of green tree pythons but saw these little guys and was intrigued. I've read everything on the Internet from how you should get two of them, a massive cage, plenty of toys, the proper diet, how you have to bond with them and until you do so they might crab at you and bite. All of which I am okay with, I have always loved animals and know the time it takes to bond with them, I've had many pets (still do) I've had Gekcos, chickens, Bearded Dragons, Goats, Snakes, Ferrets, mice, cats, dogs, Rats, quails, Ducks, a puffer fish, other weird fish and tons more all of which I've spent days after days taming and bonding to.. Of course I've been spat on, kicked, stomped on, pecked, bitten, but that's just all part of the experience. I deeply apologize for my rambling, aha. Anyways I still have a couple questions about sugar gliders that I was hoping you guys could answer. I can't find any information on what it's like having a sugar glider after you have bonded with them. Do sugar gliders like to be pet or do they run away when you pet them? Do they seem to have a bond with you as you do to them, or are you more of their personal moving tree? How long do they let you hold them until they run somewhere else? And if they are in your room are they more interested in playing with you or are they looking for ways to escape and little holes in the wall they can disappear into? Also if you do occasionally wake them up during the day will they be angry and crab and bite, or do they just happily see what you want? Last of all do they have any food they prefer, such as strawberry, apples and so on? Sorry if some of these questions seem a bit weird, and long, I just really want to research before I pick out a little friend. Thank you

Desky,

Welcome to GC!!

Honestly, all your post-bonding questions have the same answer: Depends on the glider. These little critters are able to have a impressivly wide array of personalities, more so than any other exotics I've owned (not as impressive as your list). I have four & I would have to give four answers to most of your questions if I wanted to go by my experiences.

The one that is fairly constant, & from what I've read it's true for most people, is that once you're bonded they'll be less upset at being woken up during the day. Again, your results may vary. Part of ensuring they won't mind it too much is training them that it will be a positive experience as you're bonding. It also helps to annouce your presence ("Hey guys" or "Good afternoon" is enough) so that know it's you even before you touch their pouch.

Collectively, after 15 month with my furry housemates, when I take the out of the cage during the day they get annoyed if my hand -doesn't- join them for a nap in their pouch. That took a lot of time & effort to get there.

I hope that helps. You can also check out Glider Talk & Travel for people's stories with thier gliders. ComradeFluffy, Temulin, and I all like to share stories of our experiences with regularity.

Deskay hi!
I might be able to add something here...

When you first get them, you have what is basically a baby wild animal.
Dogs, cats and other domestics, have been living alongside humans for tens of thousands of generations. They have a sense pretty much from birth--that humans are OK.
By contrast, the default assumption of a young *wild* animal, who doesn't have that positive genetic memory of humans, is that you are a predator.

Please correct me if I am wrong, but gliders have only been bred in the pet trade in the US since, what...1989?

So here is a baby wild animal who has no reason to trust you. They have been traumatized, torn from their family and everything else they know.
And probably...they have just been stuffed into a box and shipped across the country in the freezing hold of an airplane full of other animals--who all smell and sound like they want to EAT ME.
So, by the time they see you for the first time, they are ready to be scared again, to run, to bite, to crab...to sleep, and not to dream...

If they had a tiny gun they would probably shoot you in the face as you opened the box.

That's where you start from.

The bonding process seems perpetual. You don't just live with these little guys, you build individual relationships with them. Each glider is different, and your relationship with each will determine how they interact with you.

As noted above, they generally don't like to be gripped or grabbed. You may end up with one that's a big snuggle bucket, and another more aloof, that doesn't like to be enclosed.

At first, mine didn't want to be near me. Attempts to hold or pet were met with terrified struggles to escape, climaxed by some good ole'fashioned bloodshed. (mine, not theirs) I guess that's the typical first-day experience.

But that changes as you bond...

Nowadays, if I hold my arm out they move to me from across the room and will jump to me.
(...most of the time--these guys are more like cats than dogs in that way. You don't call them...you *invite* them to come to you.)

These days, they *like* to be on me. They will run off to explore...but it's not long before they come bouncing back to excitedly report their findings.

"SPIT SPIT CHIRP HISS SPIT!"
<<<"I found your shoes! I pooped in them so you can find them again later. Reward me.">>>

Mine have recently discovered that daddy-tree's shirt has an *inside*.
(Like letting a weed eater loose in your jammies, but somehow you can't stop laughing...)

Lots of jumping back and forth between me and other perches is common now.

They now tolerate much petting...ear-scratching, under-the-chin-scratching, even belly rubs... (eventually they come to love these things)

These guys are to rats and mice as we are to chimps. And they can all have very different personalities. (not a perfect analogy but...)

As your bond progresses though, you may be able to grab them for short periods and not upset them. Initially, just long enough to move them from say, your shoulder to the cage, or vice versa. But they become more tolerant as you go.

There are members here who can mush their babies around like fuzzy jello, and they love it. I'm jealous of this.

But mostly, as prey animals, they don't like to be grabbed. So don't take it personally. :-)

At this point, if they are on my hand or arm I can put them up to my face, even rub them on my face,
(sooooo soooooft) :-)
...give them kisses, sniff them like a dog...

...But if I try and close my hand around them...game over. Off they go.

If they are comfortable in their environment, they won't automatically hide. But they will explore EVERYWHERE. One of their most endearing traits :-)
And there is not much they won't try and put in their mouth.

They can sense when something is expensive.

sounds like you have plenty of experience with exotics. These guys can go 15 years, in some cases, so it's a commitment on the same level as a dog.

They are really special animals; smart, inquisitve, comical, emotionally sensitive and incredibly loving. A big commitment, but worth it.

Welcome to the Sugar-madness.

I agree with all the above that's been said except Comrade Fluffy forgot to mention their "expensive" can be in the form of pee... Comrade tells the story better than I can.

You may have read they can be potty trained... Well, somewhat, but it's you that is trained.

As glider slaves we feel it a privilege to be peed on. They are scent oriented, and even though they have scent glands, they mark with pee too. Fiona does this thing with her tail that flicks it in my face when she sits on my shoulder.(its a quick spin) Their poo is an easy pick up. Bigger than hamster, smaller than rat.

Don't feel bad about a long post, you gave us a great animal background and awesome questions and you did your research. So important!

One last thing, gliders are unique and as far as their favorite foods, well when you get your pair, they will tell what they like. Mine are into grapes right now, and will only eat gala apples if they are at the perfect ripeness. And snow peas, snapped by hand but not shelled. They peel them open themselves. I'm not mentioning corn because they love it, but because of the high phosphorus, should only be fed as part of their diet.



And if you choose this little animal, we would love to hear your saga... We love stories and pics.

Oh and questions too!

Welcome Deskay! I'm impressed by your list of animal friends. I can't really add anything more to what's already been said, but I'm sure you'll be a great glider slave.

CommradFluffy



Yup, everyone has summed it up, all answers very true and up to the individual glider and your practices at building a relationship. It sounds like you got a great idea as well as understanding about exotics as well as domestic animal pets.

I've personally have had only dogs, a field mouse (for a short time), a bunny, gold fish, beta fish, Leopard gecko, Rankin's Bearded dragon, and now these furry-gliding thingies, lol. Not all the animals at once, but through my lifetime. I also have had some experience with my sisters having parakeets and once a Cockatiel, but not first hand because they were not mine.

In my experience, each animal has had their own personality, as with the gliders.

I now have a dog and a trio of sugar gliders.
My two girls (I've had the longest) will allow me to pet them across their backs, flat handed, scratch on their heads, their sides (near front legs), and on their rump. Once in a while they will tolerate a chin/neck/chest scratch, but not belly rubs. These are very short lived opportunities. My boy is just now beginning to let me pet him flat-handed across his back (I think they secretly like this the best, but don't want the others to know). He will tolerate a little scratching, but will move away quickly most often.

All three will come to me, climb on, hang on, groom on, pee and poop on me. All three will take treats from my hand and they all run to my back where I can't reach them at play time, especially when it's time to return to cage (unless they want to be pet, they will then come around to the front of me or sit on my knee if I'm sitting and let me pep them).

All three of them will sit in my hand after nail trims during the day and take treats from hand. That is the only time they let me hold them in my hand.

They're all light sleepers and if they don't know it's me will crab when I disturb their slumber, and then still will at times if their grumpy.

I can't think of any other personal experience with them at the moment.

Hello. I am looking to purchase 2 gliders but can't seem to find any breeders in my area. I live in Elizabethtown, KY. Can anyone help me out and point me in the right direction? Thank you

If you click on the word breeders it will take you to the breeder database.

breeders can ship via the airlines to you also.

Hello everyone, thanks so much for the tips! I decided to go ahead and build an pvc cage so my gliders will have lots of space!(The Pvc cage is 40W X 42L X 65T) I've also set my eyes on a pair of female gliders who were taken from their home after their owner couldn't care for them anymore. I was only planning on getting those two but I've heard that it could be best to get a third just in case one dies unexpectedly. If i do get a third would the best time to introduce be when the female pair settles in or a little after/before that?

Deskay hey.
Two or three are good.
Are you thinking of a male or a female for the third one?
Because if that's a male, you will need to consider the possibility of babies and neutering. This includes a danger that you might end up with a few more than you bargained for.

IMHO, when changing cages, put them all in at the same time. That way it's a blank canvas and free of scent marks. Less chance for territory squabble. Put several bowls of food in when you do, to give them all their own. And some familiar comforting objects from their old cage.

Hope that helps.

Not really sure if the third will be a male or female, But if i do end up getting a male i'll get him nurtured.
Thanks for your suggestion on the introduction!

Sure. :-)
The above is assuming the gliders have already been introduced to each other. That's a whole other thing.