Will other people please post their opinions about this since I am being singled out on the "PPP Propoganda" thread? I'd truly like to see other's opinions in black and white so EVERYONE is clear it isn't just me.

Gliders and other pets...good idea or not?!

So there's no further confusion, please state why you answer the way you do.

I don't think it's a good idea at all.. but.. (yes there is a but) If they are in COMPLETE supervision I believe it can be exceptable. But i wouldn't let them be with just any pet.. as long as the pet is under complete supervision and has already been proved to behave well around it I don't see a huge problem. Now that's with dogs/cats. Other pets, such as ferrets (skunks for me) Are not ever trusted around them. Their instincts are too strong to be controlled when a small killable thing is around. Same with gliders and other smaller things.. such as mice hampsters birds ect. Your gliders WILL kill them. Thats for sure. But with dogs/cats. It's not the greatest idea, but I do know that there are some with those certain personalities who can be with the gliders... but ONLY UNDER SUPERVISION.
EDIT: I would say it's okay to let them meet.. only if the dog/cat is good around small animals, but not to play. That's way WAY too risky.

Why even take the risk. Even if the dog or cat is mellow all it would take is a swat of a paw (not even intentional) to harm your glider. Some people think all their pets are family and should get along and play with each other and its sooo cute. Well in real life it doesn't always work that way. Dogs and cats eat meat for a reason, they are predators. Its in their genes and instinct to hunt. Yea yea I know theres exceptions some people even live when they jump out a plane and their chute fails, but why take the risk all for the sake its cute. I have 2 dogs and 2 cats in the house, they know better than to go near the gliders cages. But I wouldn't trust them if they were alone in the house for a couple of days.

I have had Gizmo & Roo (in a zippered pouch) face-to-face with my cockatiels and they seem to talk to each other but I would NEVER let it go any further than that.

Also because I have birds, I do not have a "feather pit" or any other feather type toys for my gliders as I do not want them to view Skyler & Baby as play things or something that they can chew on.

You never know if they could get out of the cage/bedroom/tent and meet up with them. We all know that it can happen and I'd rather them see them as friends!

That would be my big concern for those who let them play with like their dogs..........maybe Fido behaves when you're there but if they ever meet up unattended would they behave the same way or would they have your glider for a snack?

I would NEVER risk it - I love my babies too much.

oops I didn't mean to delete that I wanted to edit it for my spelling.
Well here I go again. :)
I wouldn't chance it b/c I love them too much just to SEE if they would get along. I am way to protective of them and won't even let anyone touch them unless I have complete trust in them...and well there are not many people that fall into that category...

Animals have instincts they can't control no matter how much we try to "humanize" them. Even if they are just trying to play it can be deadly based on size difference alone. And gliders themselves are pretty rough, I remember someone's glider got out and decapitated their pet bird. I have let my cats in the room with the glider cage when it's up off the floor on the cage stand and the cats enjoy watching the gliders jump around for a few minutes before I kick them out of the room. But I wouldn't put them face to face. I don't trust either of them!

well mine play with our hedgehog they use him as a spring board or sometimes a taxi when they are lazy..

i didnt think this was a bad thing they dont even crab at him they roll all over him.. he doesnt seem to mind..

but i would never ever let them be around are larger animals.. i would never chance it with the dogs i LOVE them to much for that..

absolutely not. but most people that want their pets to interact wont listen to you no matter your logic. a lot of people let their dogs or cats around a new baby with the same thought that fido and kitty would NEVER hurt a fly. and of course we've all heard stories on the news of the tragedy that can occur...

Bottom line.. Cats can be deadly to gliders and it can take only the tiniest bite even in play to kill your glider in the most painful way. How?

It's a well known fact to wildlife rescuers and vets here in Australia, that cats have a bacteria in their saliva which is basically lethal to possums and gliders. Their system cannot fight the bacteria and they will die a very painful death anything from days to a week or two later! It many cases there will be no signs that the glider has even been bitten. The organs simply shut down as the whole body becomes infected. Nasty death and fully preventable by keeping the two apart totally.

Certainly doesn't seem worth it to me.

There are alo the stories about people's animals accidentally knocking over the entire cage and then proceeding to kill the gliders. If anyone has a personal story about tragedies between gliders and other pets, I think people need to hear it.

I have a 5 yr old American Bulldog and a 4 yr old Old English Bulldog and I would never allow them around my baby girls. I love my dogs as if they were my kids and they have full roam of the downstairs. I cook for them and they sleep with me and my husband but I wouldn't take the chance. I love my suggie babies and they are upstairs with a gate from the kitchen to the living room and they are in a bedroom where the door is always shut. I am very very careful. I wouldn't want to take the risk whatsoever. People call me crazy because you have to climb over gates to get to the upstairs and I just say, fine, don't visit me. It is not worth it. I don't trust any other animal around them, they are too small and couldn't defend themselves.

After you have been here awhile (and on other forums), you will read the horror stories of sugar gliders interacting with other pets. You will NEVER see any of us who have been here a long time tell people that is OK. Animals are either predator or prey. One of them is going to lose when the predatory instinct kicks in. If you are saying Kryo is a very mean person because she told you this isnt a wise thing to do, you arent going to get any agreement from most people here - certainly not me. All I can tell you is - you are playing with dynamite...


And...there are NO exceptions or buts about it.

Animals can turn in an instant. I've been here awhile and read some horror stories; but I've never personally experienced it because I care too much about my gliders. I understand animals, and I've been at the wrong end of a black bear and a Siberian tiger. If a dog or a cat were nipped by a glider - even in play or grooming, I wouldn't give that glider a snowball's chance. Why risk it?!

BAD IDEA!! Bottom line, even if your animals are tame, laid back, would never hurt a flea, they will still try to PLAY!! Any animal trying to play with a suggie will cause death. I couldn't even imagine. It would be so easy. Why risk it?

Well, after just spending over $1,200 to get our puppy's eye fixed from one swipe of the paw from one of our own cats, I Clearly see how fast something bad can happen!! Even if you are in the same room and they are close to the same size and they are so-called tame.

I think its a bad idea as well! Even if they do look all cuddly or whatever, one day something will bite or something and animal war will break out!

I also have a gate at the bottom of my stairs..my gliders have a room upstairs....the gate keeps Roadie my rescued 5 yrs ago Terrier mix downstairs BUT my tea cup yorkie goes right through the slates....When ever I take the suggies out to play..the bedroom door gets closed and Little Bit is not allowed in...I read those horror stories too....And Rhea scared me so that all toilet lids are in the down position.....One of our Miami Sugar Glider Members (Maureen-Renny) has signed on the inside of her toilets...with a picture of a glider in a inner tube...sign says Suggies don't float....

THINK THINK THINK!!!!How will you feel if something ever did happen? I would NEVER forgive myself! These wonderful little creatures have feelings and it is OUR responsibility as owners to protect them NO MATTER WHAT! I love my babies and I love my dogs but I would NEVER take the risk, it's not worth it!!

My dog J.D is always killing birds and seems to take great delight in it...Last week, both Sumo and JD, had found a rat, killed it and were playing tug of war with it...There is no way they will ever meet my boys!

my two goldens are great, i have one of my goldens in my room when i let them loose, they will jump on her and use her as a landing pad, I trust her completly, she is very laid back, would never try to hurt anything, she tries to mother everything, sugar gliders, rabbits, and my baby brother, when I'm doing homework she will lay down next to my baby bro and keep him entertained for hours,( he just turned one) now my other golden, she would never purposly hurt anything, but she is young and wants to play, so she is not in the room when i let the gliders out, but everynight around 11 she is sitting by the cage waiting for them to get up, her and the male, will follow eachother back and forth, its cute, she will go into the "play" position, and everything, but I wouldn't let her and the gliders loose together. maybe someday, but she would have to be as laid back as my other golden, and that might be impossible, ive never seen a dog as patience and easy going as her, ( thats why I named her Patience)

Its a dangerous practice to let gliders play with your other animals!

I wouldnt let my glider play with other animals. My room mate has a dog and the dog is scared of the gliders.. she jsut sits there and stars at them and whines, my gliders are not scared of her but we dont even let them clsoe to each other.. its just better safe then sorry.

Ko is right, and its also a scratch from a cat that is deadly to possums and gliders. I have seen Tooo many possums come into care that have been attacked or played with by a cat, and Ko is right it is a slow and painful death for them. GLIDERS AND PETS DONT MIX.

You know, like most everyone else said, I can't imagine letting them play together; they are so tiny; and just a playful mistake could turn deadly or costly. No glider accidents; but our 5 lb yorkie was killed playing with our friend's dog (they were buddies also); it was a horrible accident and you could clearly see even our friend's dog was devastated as he kept trying to lick our little yorkie back to life. I now fret daily about my 14 lb min pin playing with my 85 lb malamute. She is so gentle with him, but she is so big and he is so little. They are best buds, but I don't allow even them to play together unless myself or my husband are present. If the teenagers are watching the house; the dogs are kept separate.

Having said all that in a rambling fashion (all my posts tonight are rambling...sign of a cluttered brain)... I do think it is very important for all pets in the household to know and acknowledge one another. Our 3 dogs are regularly shown the hamster cages, glider cages and bird cage. They are allowed to sniff but any negative reaction is immediately reprimanded. This way they understand these animals are part of their "pack" and to be left alone. Accidents happen and animals can get loose and scoot into the wrong area; I'm not interested in death by that means, either. One of our dogs is a complete mouser...in the yard...he single handedly keeps the land from field mice, and unfortunately, birds, if he can find them; but he will not bother our hamsters, even if they are in our hands; and when our macaw is on his stand (only with 2 adults present), he just walks around him and makes no effort to swat at him or his very long tail. One of the other dogs is actually very protective of the bird; and the third tries to share her chew bones with him by laying them on the catch pan of his cage, but STILL they should never be trusted alone.... or even to "play."

Sorry so much writing; but the point is...if someone accidentally gets loose; them finding what is to them a "new smelling critter" will most likely result in complete death; but if they are aware of them, there's a good chance nothing will happened.

This was not my personal working theory; I worked with an experienced trainer originally to work with our dogs on this, and have to agree with her results.

i think that's a very good point, silverlinedcloud!

Bad Idea, I have 2 dogs (rat terrier and a mutt) 1 cat and 2 suggies, the dogs sit and stare at the cage and will whine and fidgett if the suggies move they 'gang' up on tthe cat but one on one they are fine. I would not dream of letting any one of the 'big' animals near the gliders while out of the cage they are just to cute and so small I don't believe they would stand a chance if they were allowed to play together.

i think the "animal instincs" would come out in bigger animals

Are u crazy. Why would anybody let this happen. Gliders are very little tiny animals. Dogs can step on or roll on them, bite them. Cats will chase them. Even if they have no claws they still have teeth. Other pets might make them dinner or vis vers.. I don't know about u guys but I paid a pretty penny, many pennies for my two. Then u have the vet bills. How many of us have a exotics vets close by. Yes I know today they did fine but what about tomorrow. If the dog,cat or any other animal gets to use to them u are asking for problems. Because when the cat is out mice will play. That is my two cents worth.

Gandalf my ferret loves to play in our bedroom, but thats where the glider cage is. Last night the gliders were up and Tim and I were cleaning so we let Gandalf in there. Gandalf and Stimpy were nose to nose several times with no reaction from either one, I would pull Gandalf away but eventually he lost interest.

Well, little Simba was near the cage closest to Gandalf and Gandy. walked on over and suddenly Stimpy started to attack. Obviously Stimpy was trying to protect his young (which I think is adorable).

Since we've let Gandy sniff the gliders empty pouches before washing he doesn't obsess about them. When he goes in the bedroom he does sniff around them then he goes to play with other things and just walks by their cage. When we first got him it seemed the only thing he liked about the bedroom was the gliders. Now if we leave the (bedroom/hallway) door open the first place he goes is in the bathroom and he rarely bothers the gliders.

So, in all my rambling I'm pretty much agreeing with silverlinedcloud. If you let your dog or ferret or whatever smell empty pouches its likely they will not be as interested if there is an accident.