I am thinking of getting two sugar gliders but wanted to know how they do with children ( 10yr old and 2 yr old). Also, do sugar gliders transmit any kind of diseases we should know about?

I haven't heard anything about diseases so I don't think so. I have a 1.5 year old. If she would be gentle with 2 of my suggies she could hold them. The other two would definately bite her. If you tought your 10 year old how to hold them, I'm sure they'd be fine. The 2 year old is a different story. Suggies aren't really a good pet to get for very young children.

Sugar Gliders aren't a good pet for children. The bites you can get can go right into the bone and Sugar gliders can get scared easily and bit in defence.
There are also a number of deceases that can be transmited to humans. Some of them quite serious. Salmonella, Leptospirosis, Clostridium piliforme, giardiasis,cryptosperidiosis, toxoplasmosis to name a few. Not only deceases but also mites, lice, fleas, taper worm, ring worm can be transfered.
Keeping the cage clean and there bedding and food and water bowl clean will make a big difference to the transmitting of these deceases.

Also check out this forum
www.sugarglider.com/glidergossip/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=12915

and jett is completely right :)

hey jett do you know if we have an info page on these diseases... that would be a great idea if not!!!! :) Maybe you can be in charge of it ;)

I also wouldn't recommend them for children. My kids are 9 and 13 and have both been scratched, bitten and received a few face splats (face hugs) from gliding suggies. I guess there have been one too many because they really want nothing to do with them. In this house, there's no doubt that these are the "adult" pets. They don't cuddle, they don't sit still and they are nocturnal so they'll always be asleep when your kids are awake.

haha you just have to love those face hugs!!! :)

I do? LOL I don't!

If it weren't for the nails I think I wouldn't mind so much

HAHAHAHAHA. Face splats. I brought Marley to my sister-in-laws and she had never seen a sugar glider before and she was all around him taking pictures (I know he felt like Paris Hilton LOL) and as she was taking a picture he dove right on her face. She cought it with the camera, I can't wait for her to email that picture to me. It was a priceless moment.

haha make sure you scan it and post it, we would love to see it!!! :)

haha lol that sounds so cute!!! it would be great to put the picture on here so we can all see it!!
and yes i agree with everyone gliders are not for children, and yes i am aware that i am only 15 but i am very responsable and when i had suggies i always took care of them and played with them and everything!!! and it also depends on how tame your sugar gliders are i think that the less tame they are the most likly they will be more aggressive? correct me if i am wrong please!!


bree

Bree, I don't think sugar gliders are really ever considered tame. Yes, they trust you and they will allow you to hold them but they are still wild animals that have not been domesticate over thousands of years like dogs and cats and will still go to their natural role.

My neo got ill while I had him and was the sweetest little boy you'll probably ever meet but that didn't stop him from biting me when he got scared, and it didn't stop his nails from growing so he still scratched me.

I dont know much about the disease issue but I would definatly wash your hands as with every animal but as for the children, yes I agree that it can be really hard when you have young children to have a sugar glider. I have a 5 year old and a baby that could care less about the glider. But with the 5 year old if she wants to hold him (because he is fairly bonded with people) I sit with her and tell her not to grab him that he has to go to you and I keep the cage locked at all times she can not get him out when no one is there to help her. It works fine for us this way.