Before purchasing your new fur baby there are a few bare essentials you MUST have before you purchase your sugar glider. This list is the things you MUST purchase BEFORE you purchase you new baby!!
1.) Cage: Make sure the cage is large enough for your new baby to jump and glide. They need to have enough room to play. Large flight cages with 1/2 inch bar spacing is ideal but if you do not have the room for such a large cage please make sure it is no smaller than 24" x 16" x 24"H.
2.) Sleeping Pouch: Your new furbaby will need to have a place to sleep. I have these for sale!!!
3.) Water Bottle: Your new furbaby will need a water bottle to drink from. I does not have to be that big because they do not drink that much and you need to give them fresh water often so they never finish the bottle before the time you should wash and give them fresh water. Also, your new baby can drown in the smallest amount of water so a water dish is a BIG NO NO!!
4.) Food Bowls: Your glider will need bowls to eat from. I have several bowls for my babies. I have a dry food bowl (that should be kept full at all times) that attaches to the side of the cage so it can not be dumped. I also have a meal worm bowl (they have a lip so the worms can't crawl out) for the days you feed them their worms. And finally I have a fruits and veggie bowl.
5.) Bonding Pouch: You will need something to transport your baby home in that zippers shut! Your glider will need to bond with you and having this pouch for them to bond with you is a MUST! I also have these for sale!!
The list above is the bare essentials you will need BEFORE you pick up your new addition to the family!! There are also several other things that you should have for your new baby but they are not as essential as the list above and can be purchased after your baby but keep in mind they are still essential to a happy critter!
1.) Exercise wheel: I use silent runners. They are more expensive but you get what you pay for!! I chose these wheels after purchasing many different wheels and found these to be the best for several reasons... as the name states they are much quieter than other wheels and because your new baby should be where there is a lot of people for them to interact with (mine are in my living room) there are times that a noisy wheel can be a nuisance like when you are trying to watch TV. Another reason I chose this wheel is because they have interchanging piece like a sandy trimmer track to trim your gliders nails every couple of weeks for a few days. If their nails get too long it can do damage to them as well as scratch you up when trying to hold them. They also have a self cleaning track that has holes in it and does not get as messy and stinky as quickly. The final reason I chose this wheel is because you can actually buy parts for it if it does break for some reason and will not have to buy the whole wheel again!!!!
Toys: Gliders love to play!!! They are use to being in large colonies in the wild so they should always have a cage mate in addition toys that can keep them busy and happy. They like some bird toys that can hang from the cage or even cat toys like balls with bells in them or even little pet safe stuffed animals. Every morning I always have to get their cat balls out of the food dishes (I swear they play basketball when I am sleeping) and their little stuffies are all over the place. I watch them drag them up the ladders and pushing them around the cage.
Cage Mate: I want to continue to elaborate on a point I briefly touched base with above. Sugar Gliders are use to being in large colonies in the wild and need a companion. They should be purchased in pairs because being alone can cause them to be depressed. If for some reason you cannot purchase them in a pair you need to spend a lot of time with them daily!!!!! I still strongly suggest finding your new baby a cage mate as soon as possible but until you do AGAIN you MUST spend a lot of time with your glider DAILY. This is where your bonding pouch comes in handy!! You can put them in the pouch, zipper it closed and go about your daily routine and it will sleep in the pouch and bond with you by smell.
This page is to help anyone that is thinking about purchasing a new baby for their family. I myself have turned people down and would not sell them a glider until they did more research and had the necessary items for his or her new furbaby! I do not do this to be mean but my gliders are a part of my family and want to make sure they are going to a good loving home that has the essential to take care of their new addition to the family. I am here 24 hours a day 7 days a week for any questions you may have even after the sale. I do not care if it is 3am you can call me if you have any questions or concerns because I am here for the well being of the glider at any time of day or night!!!