Does the USDA consider sugar gliders to be exotic?

Scott, Im sure they do. If not, they dont know anything about them.

Why are you asking? Im nosey!

Yes, I believe so because when I was trying to get insurance questions about them answered, the underwriter I was talking to categorized them as "exotic" and he had USDA listed as one of his resources.

Interesting.. http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_welfare/downloads/manuals/dealer/requirements.pdf

It says "selling of any wild/exotic animals, excluding hoofstock,
for:
< pets
< exhibition
< research"
need a class A license.

I do know that the only reason I don't need a USDA license for my rescue/sanctuary is because I don't charge an adoption fee. They told me that if I ever change my policies to require an adoption/rehoming fee I will need to get my license. Maybe that's because of the rule you just quoted.

It depends on what office you talk to Catman. The Colorado office that presides over NV said they kinda treat them like cats and dogs now and not exotics. The paperwork for them is "not cats and dogs" paperwork. There are plenty of state, county, and municipal bodies that call them exotic so the USDA says they really don't have to. Their whole thing is overseeing people's treatment of them for breeding, brokering or display.

Regarding the need for a license if you charge a fee, as thefotocat suggests; however, according to our handlers at the USDA the reason we need a license is we charge a FLAT fee. They said if we charged just the exact cost of vet fees, we would not need a license. But that does not work because we spend hundreds on some gliders (some times up to $700 for certain surgeries) and people won't pay that. Our (very flexible by the way) $125 fee includes neuters for the males, health check, needed surgeries, stool float, etc. so its a nominal fee which is used to make sure people are serious. When people adopt larger colonies we usually only charge as if it were two or three. I wish we could charge nothing, but when you get to the volume we have it just gets too crazy even though the fee does not begin to cover all the costs. But that's what non-profits are all about :-)

The home office of our insurance company is in Missouri so I think that's where he would have called for the USDA info. Although, he also contacted the DOW and a few other places so I can't be sure which one, specifically, gave him the information that sugar gliders were considered "exotic".

The state of Ner Jersey list them as exotic and ther representative tells me that I would need a state and federal lic. to sell.

The USDA office near me refused to even talk to me regarding a license because I don't have 3 or more breeding females.

So - it may say "every" - but ... they won't consider talking to you if you have less than 3? Dunno. I have many friends who have one or two breeding pairs who have been refused a license by the USDA.