Hi guys, please help out!!!

[Abcj]

Hi you guys,
my roommate is getting a sugar glider, he's going to be getting one in the next week or two i believe..... But i'm not sure its such a good idea! He's got pretty much everything set up, he ordered loads of stuff from the US and has a cage and everything, the cage is a bird cage, about 4x2x1 i would guess.... He's got all the equip he should have (i think), all ordered from a sugar glider site. He got some expensive pellet food, loads of suppliments etc. Spent quite a lot of money on everything. And the cage is GORGEOUS!
My issues are the following,
Firstly we live in a huge apartment block and have a 2 bed apartment, he's planning on having the glider in his room, which is beside mine. Will either of us be able to sleep?? And will our neighbours complain about noise?
Also we're renting and have been here a while, will we lose deposit due to any damage, i.e. food on walls, poop on wall etc.
He also only wants to get ONE, and wont listen to my advice that he should get two, while were on this topic, he wont listen to any of my advice, i've read loads of caresheets, loads of info, and he just wont listen to any of the cons that i try discuss.
Also, how is their smell?? How bad will it be?
I am a huge animal lover, have kept lots of exotics and currently own two snakes a boa and a ball phyton, and a hamster (which my landlord knows about, but he has not mentioned it to her so worried what our landlord will say). I am fond of animals, and wouldn't mind an extra one in the house, but i am just worried he isnt realising how much work they are, and how much effort and money its going to be.
Thanks,
James

I am also worried he wont have the time to properly bond to the glider, and that i will be the one who will have to take care of the glider.

[Marie]

Hi, I'm not sure what we can do really except offer advice. They do need to be kept in at least pairs, they do fling food and poop everywhere and they are noisy. It's not a good idea to keep them in your bedroom unless you are a very deep sleeper because they are noisy. At some times of the month you will hear him/her bark and it is like a small dog! Your friend obviously does not have the welfare of the animal as a priority (

[munshkin]

everything else might be sorted, one lonely glider is a no no

[Amalthea]

I agree...  The main issue here is the fact your roomie is planning on getting just the one glider...  But that also makes me think that he's not researched properly, since that is a VERY basic need.  Also, gliders don't need any pelleted diets....  They should be fed on a properly balanced diet consisting of mainly veg and fruit (about 75%) and then a good protein source (about 25%).

[Abcj]

Well, he has looked stuff up, but it feels like hes only reading the things he wants to hear and nothing else! I said he should get two, but he says, hes read loads of different things online, and that he's going to spend loads of time with it, so its fine! He got this food from an american sugar glider site, is it useless?
How much poop and food will be on our walls, and will it come off??
Will the glider be okay untill i can convince him to get another one?
Thanks so much for all of your replies!

[helen88uk]

I had my gliders in my living room and my bedroom in my rented flat.  When they were in my bedroom I could not sleep, not because of barking or any noise they make themselves, just the noise of bars clanging as they were playing When they were in the living room (my bedroom was next door) I could sleep thru their playing but if they decided to bark then it woke me, and I suspecdt it might wake you too as they can get pretty loud.

And there were bits of food all over the cream walls, I washed them off but took away the paint aswell. I was charged for the walls to be re-painted in BOTH rooms. Unless you have plastic covering on the walls it is exptremely difficult to remove bits of food without damaging the paint/wallpaper.

And with the smell, obviously if you dont keep on top of the cage cleaning then yes they will get rather stinky! I don't really notice their smell, however my parents both have a little grumble about it sometimes. I think it depends on the person, I clean them regularly. The worst smell I had was when I left scrambled egg in a bowl in their cage overnight, forgetting about it. The next morning it smelt like someone had died in my living room, took a while to get rid of it! SO be careful with stinky foods.

[Amalthea]

No... Another glider is the most basic need of a glider.  They are social animals that are awake when we are asleep.  We can't give them what another glider (or better yet, two) can.  It's cruel to keep one on its own.

We can't give any info on the food without knowing exactly what it is...

[Usha77]

No... Another glider is the most basic need of a glider.  They are social animals that are awake when we are asleep.  We can't give them what another glider (or better yet, two) can.  It's cruel to keep one on its own.

I agree wholeheartedly. 

[wjohnw]

As you can see your concerns also concern us!!!!

I guess I don't really need to say that getting a single glider is irresponsible as many of the other guys have done that already. But tell your housemate that however much he interacts with the glider, he is NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER gonna be able to begin to replace or be a substitute to another glider.

I have to clean my walls regularly to stop food and poo from getting stuck and crusty!!! It's a chore, but I don't mind doing it cos I love my gliders and I know that this is part of being a glider owner. Gliders are definately not an easy pet to own and they require alot of attention and are definately not for those who aren't committed to go the whole way.

If your housemate still doesn't listen to your concerns direct him to this site and tell him to have a jolly good read of the really good info there is here.

[Emma9383]

hiya. I'm really pleased that you're tryin your best here. Basically, without wanting to sound harsh but putting it bluntly, it's neglect to keep one on it's own.
My girls are on the next landing up. They wake me more often than not to be honest.
They are fairly messy with poo and food. Cleaning them out is not as simple as just changing whatever you have in the bottom of the cage as poo collector but all the bars need wiped/disinfected as they wee all over them. Pouches etc need washed and when i clean the cage out i swap the 'fixed' branches, platforms, wheel around to make it new and exciting so they don't get bored (another major issue). I really don't think he's properly researched these gorgeous creatures. I fully understand the love at 1st sight with them but if seriously needs to think this through, and as you say, not just see what he wants to know. They are very time consuming but alre extremely rewarding. Providing they are given the correct environment they can thrive in. I'm not sure by what you've said he can provide this when he is willing to sacrifice their mental health by keeping one alone.
So sorry to sound horrid and bossy but thought you'd want it said how it is
it is good that you're lookin out for them though

[alchemy]

We live in rented house. My cousin, who lives below our room, said she couldnt hear suggies barking. However, she can hear them playing in their wheel. Strange.
Not sure about poops and food on the wall... I noticed maybe few times, cleaned it and moved cage a bit further from a wall, and thats it... We have to vacuum the floor a lot though

[helen88uk]

Best thing for the walls is to probly have it a little bit further away from the wall so that it drops on the floor rather than sticks to the wall. Its easier to hoover up than to scrape off walls! And I can faintly hear mine clanging around their cage when they're in the next room x

[munshkin]

Try placing an old sheet around the cage sides that are against the walls, its easy to wash in the washing machine once a month or so and it helps keep down drafts.

[Usha77]

Yeah, an old sheet or a cheap shower curtain should work for that. 

[HodgesFamily]

I'm pretty new at this Sugar Glider thing as I don't even have mine yet, but do you know what the bars of the cage are made out of? Apparently it is a "no no" to get bird cages that are not plastic or PVC coated as the animals can cut their paws and/or get zinc poisoning due to oxidization of the bars.  (If any more experienced Sugar glider owners know more about this and can correct me if needed, please do).