Please note that this is a very basic and sceptic information guide. For a more in depth, informative and proven guide, I would suggest looking at Marie’s care guide
http://www.sugar-glider.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,2012.0.html*I am aware that there are other guides available which have better information; so I am sorry if I mislead/annoy anyone with this information; but I wanted to make sure that I didn’t learn any false information!
Also, i did this originally on microsoft word but it does not let you upload that as an attacthment so i lost some arrows, highlights and underlinings. but i spent like 7 hours making this (im on holidays and il do anything not to revise
)
Sugar Glider information
Diet
-there are many different diets available, but it is down to the owner’s preference to decide which diet is most suitable for the individual glider. However, they should all include
-a source of protein, usually from insects such as mealworms or crickets (yummy)
-nectar
-fruits (not grapes!)
-vegetables (in very small amounts)
-water (obviously)
-a source of calcium
-multivitamin sprinkled on their food every other day
-while some diets may be more beneficial for your suggie, they may be hard to reproduce
Smell
-odour depends on diet
-excessive proteins, meat, sugars and foods like crickets and mealworms leads to a strong odour
-healthy diet leads to no discernable odour
-most people generally become accustomed to the smell, just as the glider will become accustomed to yours (fortunately for them
)
General information
-Live for 12-15 years if treated properly
-very intelligent
-they are able to recognise their owners
-don’t require vaccinations or ongoing preventatives for things such as heartworms (they do need regular check-ups though!)
-get along with most household pets such as cats and dogs, however I personally do not think it would be worth the risk of letting your pets interact with the glider, at least until he is familiar with his surroundings and you
-they are also known as sugar bears, honey gliders and joeys (baby sugar gliders)
-they love eucalyptus (leaves/sap?)
-they are nocturnal, which means that they sleep during the day and become active at night
Danger
-sugar gliders are very friendly pets and very rarely bite, but are more likely to bite if they are a young baby or older adult who are unfamiliar with the environment, scared, not properly trained or if they have never bonded to people.
-sugar glider teeth are less dangerous than hamsters/gerbils because, unlike gerbils/hamsters their teeth and not designed to bite down and shear things off. They are more like tweesers, and so feels like a firm pinch
Household dangers to avoid
-the most common death of sugar gliders is drowning,
this can occur in many places around the house such as
-open toilet bowl (the most common)
-sinks
-swimming pools
-buckets
-when letting your glider out to play each day make sure the doors are closed to rooms that contain these dangers and put lids on things.
-toxicity poisoning ... they will be drawn to anything that smells sweet such as air fresheners, candles or cleaners that have a citrusy smell. Insect and rodent baits are a big no-no.
-wash food and veg carefully
-insects are the gliders main source of food (in the wild) so clean up any dead insects that may have been killed by pesticides when letting the suggie out.
-the simple solution to this problem is to wash your hands with regular wash or dish soap before handling your glider (make sure to clean beneath your nails)
-chlorine and fluorides from tap water can cause death to gliders, so always use bottled or spring water to feed them.
-cleaning sprays are very dangerous when used around the gliders food, so it is important to wash their fruit and veg before feeding them and to keep their food in a sealed container
-gliders can NEVER have chocolate, crisps or generally any human sweets that are high in sugar.
--Sugar gliders have eyes that are incredibly sensitive to light, which means that bright lights can disorientate them and even damage their eyes
-they should be kept out of the kitchen when cooking or shortly after cooking
-some non-stick cookware can give off fumes which are harmful to small animals such as birds and gliders
-there are also too many hot things in the kitchen which could burn the glider
-use common sense <--- important!
Buying a glider
-never buy one from the internet, unless they have a certified USDA licence (American?)
-reputable breeders should let you handle their adult gliders as much as you want, but not the babies. And should be able to provide a health guarantee
-ask a lot of questions to test their knowledge of the animal... good questions include:
-how old are they?
-They should be 8-12 weeks out of the pouch; this is the ideal age for bonding
-do the babies come neutered?
-it is better to have the glider neutered because they are less aggressive to other gliders
-under normal circumstances you will need to pay up front and then wait several weeks
-if you can take the babies with you on the spot just ask the breeder how they will be delivered. They should be hand delivered
- Good breeders will go out of their way to stay in contact to advise you on how to raise the Joey
Glider Accommodation
-the ideal cage size for sugar gliders is anywhere from 4x2x2 upwards. (Depending on how large your colony is)
Electric heat rock with nesting cloth – reduces stress by up to 93% - makes it easier to pick them up and get them out of the cage
-Rub your clothes (with your scent on it) on everything especially where he sleeps (not while he is sleeping!) so that he gets used to your smell and helps with bonding
-they will need to be allowed to roam about a secure room for a few hours a day to fulfil their need for exercise
Handling your Glider
(I am assuming this subject is based largely on your individual glider and preferences, and having no experience in handling sugar gliders would like to hear your opinion on how to handle them)
-To pick them up, hold the glider facing the ceiling with your thumb on top of his stomach / body.
-Maybe give him a piece of food (fruit) before picking him up so that he is happy and doesn’t growl
-DO NOT hold the glider by his/her tail, otherwise it will break off. (Although I think if you think that holding the sugar glider by his tail is a good idea.... then you don’t have enough common sense to own one!)
*thanks for reading
and hopefully anyone can give me some feedback on the information here, I hope my info is not too inaccurate!
http://www.youtube.com/user/sugarglidervet (be wary of this site, because Marie said this person may be a supporter of Glider mills
)
Other useful sources
http://mylittlesugarglider.com/care.htmlhttp://www.wombatrise.com/sugar_glider.htm