Anyone here ever care for Sugar Gliders?

[dementedlullaby]

Hey guys!

So a Craigslist post popped up about rehoming two older bonded sugar gliders. I got to talking to the owner and she and her husband are very nice and know a lot about their little guys. I told her about my experience with parrots and other animals and how my household runs and it turns out I was her top choice from all the people that e-mailed her! So I'm going to go and meet her and her hubby as well as the gliders tomorrow. They recently had a baby and don't find they're spending enough time with them anymore so they really wanted to find a good, caring home for them. I already knew a bit about them and have been really delving into online forums and care regiments and am really excited, although a little sad for the lady. She obviously cares for them greatly and just wants to find them a new home.

Male is neutered which is perfect!

Just wondering if anyone here ever cares/cared for them? What have your experiences been?

Thanks,

DL/Curtis

 

[dementedlullaby]

Say hello to Kismet, she is a sweet heart :

http://postimg.org/image/8qju5w2i1/

And Atlus, who is quite daring :

http://postimg.org/image/x5rtll7m1/

Both are about seven years old. Male is neutered.

Sorry about my camera skills. Cell phone, no skill and quick marsupials = bad shots.

 

[AgVet09]

They're devastatingly cute. Not bad little pets. They are nocturnal, so keep that in mind. They tend to get cranky if you mess with them during the day. Do some research about their dietary needs. That's the most complicated part of their husbandry. My experiences with them have mostly been in a veterinary setting, where they're one step below hedgehogs on the crankiness spectrum, but they make good pets. Congrats!

 

[Tongue Flicker]

Got all 5 of them. I have a link to my thread but the photos are not showing on my tab for some reason @_@

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/sho...-Apply-My-Real-Estate-Skills-lol&daysprune=-1

 

[dementedlullaby]

They're devastatingly cute. Not bad little pets. They are nocturnal, so keep that in mind. They tend to get cranky if you mess with them during the day. Do some research about their dietary needs. That's the most complicated part of their husbandry. My experiences with them have mostly been in a veterinary setting, where they're one step below hedgehogs on the crankiness spectrum, but they make good pets. Congrats!

Hey thanks for the info and the congrats =). Since they're older fellows the previous owner was incredibly helpful with everything involved. Right now they are on the Ensure diet with fresh fruits/veggies and bugs/chicken/eggs for protein but we're slowly moving them over to the HPW diet. They were on it before and their coats were incredible apparently but one of them was losing weight. We've been doing tons of research on them.

I'm quite nocturnal myself so we go well together lol. I really adore them! I saw one years ago but don't like buying much from pet stores so passed. Things have a way of working themselves out! They are actually quite friendly as well. Was quite surprised how fast they've adapted to us. We've been trying to scent little pieces of felt and give it to them in their pouch which likely helps. Love how they glide between us, too cute!

Their cage is rather huge. Taller than I am, made of PVC piping and a net that zips up. Tons of toys as well.

TF I can't see your pics man =(. Would love to see your cage for them.

 

[Dark]

I've never had a pair but I'd definitely do some intense research before you adopt any. They can live up to 15 years and need a ton of space. Also pretty sure they need a ton of attention and eat a very specific diet.

Good luck

Eric

 

[dementedlullaby]

I've never had a pair but I'd definitely do some intense research before you adopt any. They can live up to 15 years and need a ton of space. Also pretty sure they need a ton of attention and eat a very specific diet.

Good luck

Eric

Thanks Eric

We did adopt them. From my research 15 years in the wild seems about right but captivity is more like 10 years. Keep in mind these guys are already seniors and are about 7 already.

We got the cage with them. It's taller (and wider) than me. Custom made with PVC piping and mesh netting. We also got bags and bags full of pouches, toys and other assorted stuff for them.

The diet really isn't so bad for us. We have parrots so a lot of the fruits and veggies are already the norm on a nightly basis. It's just adding a bit more to the mix and changing a few things up. As mentioned they are on the Ensure diet currently but we are slowly switching them to HPW as I'm not really a fan of Ensure. That's what I give to chronically under weight elderly patients! Since we've been giving them less Ensure their coats look better imo.

Atlus seems to be letting his leg hair grow back in since we've been spending loads of time with them. They're both due for a nail cut tomorrow during the day. Hopefully I can get them when they're all drowsy lol.

Here's a couple pics.

Assorted shots :

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/gallery/showimage.php?i=35904&c=8

Atlus :

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/gallery/showimage.php?i=35905&c=8

Kismet :

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/gallery/showimage.php?i=35906&c=8

 

[Beary Strange]

Well they're just kind of crazy adorable.

 

[dementedlullaby]

Thanks! They're really fun pets. They're both bonding with us really nicely as well. All you need to do to get them out of their pouch is shake the mealie container and down your arm they come. If you don't watch Kismet she'll grab a handful and drop a bunch in joy while scarfing her face down :sarcasm:. Watching them share a hornworm was a little gross but cute. I kid you not, they were holding hands. I'm officially in love!

 

[ARACHNO-SMACK48]

They form a special kind of bond with their owner as mentioned above similar to a dog. So being rehoused is definitely stressful for them. It would be like getting a new set of parents and having to leave yours behind. But I am sure they will forget all about it once they warm up to you and they are surely better off with an owner like you who has the time to give them the attention they need. Also they are extremely intelligent and social creatures. They are kinddof like small people haha. If I were you I would try to get them out and play with them at least once a day. Mental stimulation is important for their happiness and health.

 

[dementedlullaby]

They form a special kind of bond with their owner as mentioned above similar to a dog. So being rehoused is definitely stressful for them. It would be like getting a new set of parents and having to leave yours behind. But I am sure they will forget all about it once they warm up to you and they are surely better off with an owner like you who has the time to give them the attention they need. Also they are extremely intelligent and social creatures. They are kinddof like small people haha. If I were you I would try to get them out and play with them at least once a day. Mental stimulation is important for their happiness and health.

They are indeed like little people. That is so on the money!

Everything is going amazingly. Kismet is still a bit more shy but loves to have pets on her own terms and chills out on us and the cage. She was so cute yesterday. We opened the superworm container to give her one....Yeah, no. Both hands snatched a super worm lightning fast. She was holding one in each hand, taking a bite of one and then the other. Happy as a pig in poop just laying on my wifes hand lol. Atlas on the other hand just loves to hang. If he's awake and you're in the room he wants to be with you for cuddles and explore a bit. He is obsessed with feet for some reason. After his little explore around the room he must play with your toes. Oh dear lord it tickles.

When we got Atlas he was over grooming and had a bald patch (I believe I mentioned this prior). This was because he wasn't getting as much attention with his old owner. I am happy to say the bald patch is officially gone! He's a happy little glider that's for sure. The previous owner also mentioned Kismet was the slower of the couple and didn't like to run as much anymore (they are about seven years old) but she LOVES her wheel (two in the cage, sometimes they both play on just one though lol). I'm surprised by how active she is actually considering what I was told prior.

They are now off the ensure diet and on another glider diet that was recommended to my wife on some facebook suggie group. They seem to like this concoction and Atlas isn't as fat as he was before. Also Kismet has put on a bit of weight actually which is good . Of course they get their fresh fruit/veggies in combo with some proteins as well every night (egg, boiled chicken, various feeder insects).

I'm going to keep posting in this thread every month-ish as a kind of diary of sorts so forgive me if I ramble on sometimes AB.

 

[CaraMia]

They are cute! Looks like they found a very well-informed home that has done a lot of research.

My only advice is to NEVER feed them corn... We fed ours some corn as a treat a few times and then they DEMANDED their corn by throwing all other food against the wall until they got some corn. It was a very hard habit to break them of and I hated scrubbing dried fruit off our walls!