Recently there was a thread and comments regarding Glider health and expenses. I have also recently seen several people ask "is a glider right for them". Here is my experience to help you decide.

Last Wednesday I brought home a little joey, Jax (he wasn't free).

On Friday he had his well visit and initial fecal check <b>$100.00</b>. By Saturday/Sunday I knew something else was wrong and took him to the vet yesterday (our 1 wk anniversary) that was <b>$250.00</b>. I now need to do additional fecal tests <b>$30.00 (?) </b>and in about a month he will need to be neutered <b>$220.00 </b>and have the same basic fecal tests redone <b>$100.00</b>.

This means that if he recovers quickly I will have only spent <b>$700.00 </b>in medical bills for his first month.

Now I do understand that not all gliders get sick, but just like any human it can happen are you prepared?

If you answered yes, than good luck with your new babies.

You are having a horrible first month. We've been blessed with minor things such as a UTI. Oh yeah, a fecal too but that was a drop-off so I didn't have to pay for a visit. You could ask your vet if they can do that too unless your glider needs to be seen or rechecked. I've paid more fore for the little girl I'm getting than the boys vet in two years. I took her to the vet and had her fecal checked. $56.00 Thats with a military discount of 10%. My vet is very reasonable for exotics. Very pricey for cats and dogs. You will occasionally find a vet that isn't in it to poke your eyes and rob you.

I wish we got a military discount at our vet :(

I can afford the little critters, but I still don't want a vet bill. I don't want anything to be wrong/go wrong with my babies. I'm counting on the healthy diet, and safe environment. So far, so good. I'm just scared to death something is gonna' go wrong, though. I read so many heart breaking stories, and I almost feel like some kind of illness or accident is inevitable.

Same here.

I'm sure he is going to be worth it.

I did have to get an xray to rule out if he had any tail issues (see thread "stress grooming?" for details)so that accounted for some of it. I just really wanted people to understand that when they are getting a glider vet bills can arise. Especially since I got my first little girl from PP and they told me I would <i>never</i> have to take her to the vet and even she has cost $170.00 in well checks and fecals.

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by LHill</i>
<br />I'm sure he is going to be worth it.

I did have to get an xray to rule out if he had any tail issues (see thread "stress grooming?" for details)so that accounted for some of it. I just really wanted people to understand that when they are getting a glider vet bills can arise. Especially since I got my first little girl from PP and they told me I would <i>never</i> have to take her to the vet and even she has cost $170.00 in well checks and fecals.


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Common sense would dictate that any living creature at some point, will need medical attention. Unfortunately, common sense is not so common.

Agreed.

Sounds like your vet may be a little high.

This is what I spent this week on 3 gliders.

3 Wellness checks: $40
2 Neuters: $160
3 Nail Trimings: $30
3 Fecal Tests: $50

There were actully 2 vets in the area that quoted me lower prices than these. However the one I decided to go with had the most experience with gliders.

Of course your beautiful creature is "worth it"! Maybe look into vet discount program options, try United Pet Care (though I'm not sure it's available in all areas), or personally I use Pet Assure, I actually found a dedicated sugar glider insurance page lol

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by lancegtx</i>
<br />Sounds like your vet may be a little high.

This is what I spent this week on 3 gliders.

3 Wellness checks: $40
2 Neuters: $160
3 Nail Trimings: $30
3 Fecal Tests: $50

There were actully 2 vets in the area that quoted me lower prices than these. However the one I decided to go with had the most experience with gliders.
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It all depends where you live. My neuter cost me 290.00

Lhill you had a terrible start with vet bills. I got my 1st 2 gliders from a mill breeder who also said you never ever have vet bills and i was very lucky only to have check up bills until the beginning of this year when my baby tinkerbelle got a facial abcess and in a matter of weeks we had hundreds into vet bills and meds. Then rightg after that our rescued glider Lucky got a funny lump on her foot and we ran up a few hundred more on her only to have her die within weeks of cancer invading her brain. Honestly I was very lucky that I had sold 2 baby joeys and put that money into the vet fund or I would have been begging on the street corner to save my babies...lol. IF you ever see someone looking very pitiful at the walmart corner hold up a sign saying will work for vet care that will be me...lmao.

Haha! I might be standing next to you. :)

$100 for a fecal???? My vet charges 45 for a smear and a float, and she is the most expensive in the region. Wow.

goodness my vet charges $25 for a fecal, $65 for a neuter (with pain meds), wellness visit $45.......

I feel guilty now. I pay $21 for the fecal with a military discount.

I'm now on a mission to find a good suggie vet that takes a military discount lol

My vets around here...

$60 for well check
About $20 for fecals
$11-16 for nails
$150ish for neuters, though I have one vet that does them for about $60.

Thankfully we haven't had too many problems here, either, though I did have to drop several hundred dollars in the span of about a week and a half -- two different times for two different gliders. One had to have his genitalia amputated, twice, and the other had the toxic cage crap. :(

Sorry for confusion as I said it was "initial visit and fecal equaled 100", the point wasn't really what my vet charges are but more targeted to those who keep asking if a glider is right for them. I spent another $55 today to get him wormed (even though we haven't seen worms yet, but can't completely rule them out for another 3 wks). It sort of goes along with the other recent post regarding having an emergency vet available.. and this one is about funds and commitment.

Do you know what your bill could be if something were to happen? If you are prepared than as I said in the beginning GREAT then a glider maybe for you.

This is meant more of an education for New and Prospective Owners and people like me just learning the ropes.