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  |  kyro298
Glider Sprinkles
    CO, USA
15262 Posts
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Mar 28 2012 : 10:11:51 PM    |
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 | prettyinpink5808
Fuzzy Wuzzy
CT, USA
1223 Posts
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Mar 28 2012 : 10:21:05 PM  |
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i like the article except the part where activists are trying to get gliders banned from the U.S....
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| StellaAnLuna
Fuzzy Wuzzy
1063 Posts
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Mar 28 2012 : 10:24:31 PM |
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My computer is not letting me pull up the artical because it being slow:(
~Erica~
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| viciousencounters
Goofy Gorillatoes
NM, USA
2713 Posts
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Mar 28 2012 : 10:28:16 PM |
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Here you are Erica:
Lindsay Kus FOX 17 News
"10:17 p.m. EDT, March 27, 2012
ROCKFORD, Mich—
Sisters Jessica and Brenna Sims from Rockford got two sugar gliders for Christmas after they saw them at a mall kiosk in Ann Arbor.
"I was like, oh, my gosh, they are so cute," said 16-year-old Jessica Sims.
The girls were ecstatic when they both got one for Christmas.
The tiny creatures, marketed in pet stores and malls across the country and in Michigan as the perfect pocket pet, are exotic animals. Native to Australia, 'sugar gliders,' or 'sugar bears' as some call them, are no bigger than a small hamster. They have the ability to glide through the air, usually to catch insects.
But owners learn right away that these cute baby creatures were much more than an easy pocket companion.
"They urinate all over the place and drop little gifts everywhere," said Brad Sims, Jessica and Brenna's father. "And the midnight barking, I didn't know they barked until we heard them barking when we got them home."
Sugar gliders are nocturnal, so when owners want to play with them in the day, they usually are sleeping. When the lights go out, they are all over the place.
"They jump all night long one does a black flip, the other is running on the wheel, they are really hyperactive," says Jessica Sims.
Some animal experts want to see this exotic pet trend go away.
"They are best left in the wild," said Shannon King, a keeper at John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids who has experience with the species.
She says sugar gliders should not be pets. The fact that they require a strict diet for their tiny bodies and lots of space are just a few of the reasons.
"Even a six foot cage, even though it's big to us, it isn't for them," said King. "They can't glide like they are meant to glide, and it's just not a good area for them to be in."
"People think they are cute, and they are, but there are a lot of people who buy them and have them for a year ... realize they can't take care of them."
Experts worry the animals can get sick or die easily if they don't get the proper care.
The Sims says people interested in sugar gliders should do their research. "They require a lot of time, a lot of care, do your homework," said Brad Sims.
The creatures are sold at VI Pets in West Michigan for $250 each. Store workers say they are cute, but very high maintenance.
Some animal rights groups are working to get the sell of sugar gliders banned in the United States."
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| Resuko
Glider
USA
145 Posts
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Mar 28 2012 : 10:38:04 PM |
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That video made me so sad. That cage was tiny and their wheel is barely suited for a mouse, let alone a glider. Poor things.
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| StellaAnLuna
Fuzzy Wuzzy
1063 Posts
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Mar 28 2012 : 10:41:57 PM |
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<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by viciousencounters</i>
<br />Here you are Erica:
Lindsay Kus FOX 17 News
"10:17 p.m. EDT, March 27, 2012
ROCKFORD, Mich—
Sisters Jessica and Brenna Sims from Rockford got two sugar gliders for Christmas after they saw them at a mall kiosk in Ann Arbor.
"I was like, oh, my gosh, they are so cute," said 16-year-old Jessica Sims.
The girls were ecstatic when they both got one for Christmas.
The tiny creatures, marketed in pet stores and malls across the country and in Michigan as the perfect pocket pet, are exotic animals. Native to Australia, 'sugar gliders,' or 'sugar bears' as some call them, are no bigger than a small hamster. They have the ability to glide through the air, usually to catch insects.
But owners learn right away that these cute baby creatures were much more than an easy pocket companion.
"They urinate all over the place and drop little gifts everywhere," said Brad Sims, Jessica and Brenna's father. "And the midnight barking, I didn't know they barked until we heard them barking when we got them home."
Sugar gliders are nocturnal, so when owners want to play with them in the day, they usually are sleeping. When the lights go out, they are all over the place.
"They jump all night long one does a black flip, the other is running on the wheel, they are really hyperactive," says Jessica Sims.
Some animal experts want to see this exotic pet trend go away.
"They are best left in the wild," said Shannon King, a keeper at John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids who has experience with the species.
She says sugar gliders should not be pets. The fact that they require a strict diet for their tiny bodies and lots of space are just a few of the reasons.
"Even a six foot cage, even though it's big to us, it isn't for them," said King. "They can't glide like they are meant to glide, and it's just not a good area for them to be in."
"People think they are cute, and they are, but there are a lot of people who buy them and have them for a year ... realize they can't take care of them."
Experts worry the animals can get sick or die easily if they don't get the proper care.
The Sims says people interested in sugar gliders should do their research. "They require a lot of time, a lot of care, do your homework," said Brad Sims.
The creatures are sold at VI Pets in West Michigan for $250 each. Store workers say they are cute, but very high maintenance.
Some animal rights groups are working to get the sell of sugar gliders banned in the United States."
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Thank you VE!
I also dont like the banned part.
~Erica~
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| Kelly Thompson
banned by Eric
NC, USA
417 Posts
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Mar 28 2012 : 11:03:01 PM |
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That was so sad, i hate when they show a glider owner on television with unsuitable housing. I mean that wheel, the cage size for TWO gliders and I'm sure they had pellets in there somewhere. Its so sad. I feel so bad for the suggies that are living like this all over the U.S and really wish there was a screening/application process or something to help prevent this :( Poor suggies....
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| BookGoddes
Face Hugger
482 Posts
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Mar 28 2012 : 11:11:56 PM |
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-sigh-
There is so much wrong with it. I mean I am glad they are not promoting the animals but they mentioned The Mill, they that shall not be named and even though it was not gleaming the dumb may see gliders, the tiny cage, and go running for The Mill gliders. :(
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| Hollybugz
Super Glider
215 Posts
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Mar 29 2012 : 08:36:25 AM |
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The thing that gets me about the video is that the guy says he suggests that people "do their research on them." Apparently they need to do some research too cause I don't see how that baby can run in that wheel, it looks dangerous. :(
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| kazko
Little Bunny FooFoo
TX, USA
6602 Posts
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Mar 29 2012 : 12:20:28 PM |
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I'd bet this morning's porridge that the pet store mentioned does not have a dealers license. Pet stores are normally exempt from licensing unless they have exotic animals such as a sugar glider. They should be able to display their USDA license or provide the number to anyone who asks.
Go get em tigers!
ExoticAnimalLicense
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| Mollysmom
Goofy Gorillatoes
MI, USA
2011 Posts
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Mar 29 2012 : 12:51:47 PM |
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I'm glad there's at least an attempt at making people aware, but I think this was pretty poor journalism on Fox News' part. I don't think they really attempted to find out what caring for gliders ACTUALLY means, which is irritating, but not at all surprising. It wouldn't have taken much work on their part to find out, and would have made for a more credible, interesting story.
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| prettyinpink5808
Fuzzy Wuzzy
CT, USA
1223 Posts
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Mar 29 2012 : 01:16:14 PM |
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I feel like the fad is occurring a lot in the younger generations considering the parents are the ones buying them from pet stores. I just wish parents would look into these things before buying. Even if the info from the pet stores is misleading parents need to step up and check into things before taking a pet home. And that goes for everyone not just parents but especially for parents who buy animals for their kids. When I'm a parent I will make sure to do my research on w.e animal my kids may want. I feel like its just common sense and in the end the animal pays for it.
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| Omis n Kais g-ma
Pouch Protector
TX, USA
7263 Posts
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Mar 29 2012 : 01:26:59 PM |
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I agree and it's sad that in a few weeks, months maybe even a year these gliders will be either sold on Criagslist because the newness has worn off or they are dead because nobody knows how to care for them properly.I think they should have gone further into things like them needing to be colony animals, special diet, the needs for a really big cage, and proper wheel. But as the zoozeeper said, they should be in the wild where there are not boundaries. It's sad. <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by prettyinpink5808</i>
<br />I feel like the fad is occurring a lot in the younger generations considering the parents are the ones buying them from pet stores. I just wish parents would look into these things before buying. Even if the info from the pet stores is misleading parents need to step up and check into things before taking a pet home. And that goes for everyone not just parents but especially for parents who buy animals for their kids. When I'm a parent I will make sure to do my research on w.e animal my kids may want. I feel like its just common sense and in the end the animal pays for it.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
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| TJones09
Fuzzy Wuzzy
1990 Posts
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Mar 29 2012 : 01:49:16 PM |
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As a keeper of a couple different "desert dwelling" lizards, I feel that there are ways to keep these & some other exotics as pets in captivity. I believe that everyone should "research" any & every pet they plan to take care of, so they can provide the best environment for that pet. We take responsibility for the lives of any pet we choose to keep, from fish, reptile, bird or "fur" variety. Sadly, there are cases where any type of pet gets picked up on impulse, not just exotics. Some people should never have any pet, and some should limit their pets to their capabilities, meaning: quality & quantity of time & effort. Others who have the desire to dedicate their selves to the care of a "more complicated" exotic, should have the right to. Unfortunately, we can't control the people who buy, again, any kind of pet, that doesn't take into account the full responsibility, and does the proper research, but as I said, this could be a kitten, puppy, bunny (popular this time of year), birds, & you get the idea of where I'm going. So banning the sale of SG's doesn't have to be the answer, other wise they'd ban having any kind of pet.
Personally, I've had a bunny, a dog, goldfish (don't laugh, I loved him for many years) at school age. A Leopard gecko, Rankin's dragon, and a another dog & now 2 sugar gliders in my adult hood. (My LG, passed away of old age 2 Springs ago).
Point is, every pet I had, I either had experience or researched. I would never take the responsibility of the life of any animal otherwise. That's why I there are some pets I choose not to have, at least up to this point in my life. I know there are many out there just like me, and the ones that aren't are going to ruin it for everyone. One day they may not let you keep any pet, and that is unacceptable to me.
That's my opinion, and I'm sticking to it.
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| dancingbeyor
Face Hugger
423 Posts
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Mar 29 2012 : 02:03:51 PM |
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Well said! I feel so bad for those poor gliders. That tiny cage, the wheel. Oh and the backflips, can't forget those are a sign of stress now can we? I really wish that mill brokers/breeders would stop, but unless they go out of buisness that is just not going to happen. :( All we can do is save who we can and maybe all will eventually turn out okay.
The part about banning them however I also don't like. And I agree on the fact that they should have gone a little more in depth about their care.
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| cupcake
Glider
136 Posts
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Mar 31 2012 : 04:21:20 PM |
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videos like that make me so mad!!!!! of course they show owners that do not know what the are doing. i have my hamster in a cage bigger than that. and that wheel is WAY to small!!!!! and plus sugar gliders are the best pets i have ever had!!!! they do not need to be telling people that they really belong in the wild. if they were not ment to be in our houses then why do so many people have them and spoil them to death???????? just ask anyone who has a sugar glider, i gurentee that they will tell you that they are the best pets in the world and that they love their sugar glider to death. and the people in the video should not have gotten sugar gliders. i bet that they did not even do any research about sugar gliders!!!!!! they are a lot of work but once you have done your research, know everything about them, prepare to get them, put the time into bonding and everything, and you are willing to spend the money, they are the best pets in the world. in my opinion they do NOT belong in the wild. they are like on the bottom of the food chain in the wild. people like that make me SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO mad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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| Rukiya
Glider
USA
121 Posts
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Mar 31 2012 : 06:18:59 PM |
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IMHO as a total newbie, who's suggies have yet to even come home, what saddens me the most is the fact that those gliders are crammed into that little cage. The back flips say to me "I am distressed! Get me out of this too small cage and give me the time and attention I need!!" The shot of the glider on the wheel made me cringe!For dad to suggest people do their research flat out ticked me off! The laundry list of things he complained about, he would have been fully aware of IF he had taken 2 seconds to visit a single suggie website or forum! I am still bombarded with the cons of owning a glider at every site I visit for my glider supplies! I am afraid that the most useful part of this entire clip will be skipped because they are work! You as the person with the payment have the responsibility! I digress....the steam from my ears is messing up my hair!
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