Breeder or Shop bought?

[dino44]

There is a pet store near me that sells gliders, they currently have none in stock but said  the would call me when they get some more from their breeder. However i don't really know if this is wise or not, as most people say its best to buy off a reputable breeders rather than a store.
But finding breeders near me seems to be quite difficult. Has anyone got any advice?

[TessG]

I personally wouldn't buy from a shop unless they could show me their parents and where they have been kept etc. My issue is that if you don't get to see their living conditions and meet their parents then you can't see the kind of start that they have had- which I feel is important. Shops are often just a 'middle man' and don't know this kind of information for certain and some will purposefully mislead. The other issue i have is i wouldn't want to encourage the beginning of suggie farms where they are bred like mad and then shipped off to pet stores.

But thats just me!

Where are you? Have you tried a site like 'Pre-loved'?

[dino44]

Yeah i would really like to buy them from a breeder as it would reasure me a little as to the quality of life they have had so far. And if your going to spend alot of money on gliders then they need to be healthy.

I live in manchester, i have had a quick look at that site, but there never seems to be any even relativly close to me, and as i dont drive it's quite difficult for me to look elsewhere.

[loulou]

Have you thought about getting from someone on the approved breeders list like Marie or Mark and arranging a courier to deliver them in the day time? You know the gliders will be in excellent condition as they are brilliant breeders and you do not have to worry about travelling. Theres quite a few animal couriers about now with excellent reputations

[Marie]

I would be very careful of sites like preloved, there are some really dodgy breeders out there!  If any breeder says they feed rodent food or bird seed run as fast as your legs will carry you!  Always make sure you speak to the breeder so you can get a feel for their knowledge and honesty. 

I wouldn't say a definate NO to the shop, it would depend on whether you could meet and speak to the breeder and question them about their set up, how long they've been keeping, what they feed and whether they are socialised.  You might find that they will cost you more through the shop also.  Gliders are usually around £250 for 2.  If the gliders are bought in from a wholesaler then it's a definate no.

I don't think we need to quite worry about glider mills, the US is vastly huge, some of their states are the size of the UK.  Demand isn't as big as it used to be when they first became popular. 

[dino44]

I spoke to the shop and the assistant did seem quite knowledgable about sugar gliders, but i doubt they would give out details of their breader as they would probably lose out on money if they did.

And yeah i hadnt really considered the shipping option. That would be a good idea, need a few more posts till i can see that section.

Thanks for your advice guys