Hi there! I'm 100% totally new to owning sugar gliders and to posting on these forums (though I've read them thoroughly). In fact, I don't even have my little fur babies yet. They get here on Tuesday, April 7th! I've been extensively doing research to be prepared. I want to take care of them to the best of my ability.

I'm getting two - a girl (Luna) and a boy (Icarus). They are both fixed and around 9 weeks old. They will be on the HPW Original diet (which I've already got mixed and frozen), and I've already mixed and frozen 8 different fruit and veggie relishes with the proper 2:1 ratios so they can have some variety. I purchased the Madagascar cage from ExoticNutrition, a 12 inch stealth with with the X-wing stand, created a glider diner from a nicely sized tupperware container with a 3-section bowl so I can make sure they are eating enough, and made a lot of cute pom pom toys from fleece. My cage set-up is pictured below.



I plan on getting some foraging toys as well. I've got two bonding pouches ready, and I'm going to sleep with a few fleece blankets to have ready for them when they arrive.. I have a variety of dried fruit snacks, yogurt drops, a bit of turkey baby food for snacks/supplements. I bought a tent for playtime. I also have an exotic pet vet appointment for the day after they arrive to get their initial checkup and go ahead and form that vet-patient relationship for any possible future emergencies.

Sorry for the length of the post, but just perusing I have noticed people usually ask for this information.

So basically, is there anything I've overlooked that I should have ready for when they get here? Also, do they need to still take vitamins with the HPW Diet + the fruit/veggies? Any tips/tricks with bonding that has worked especially well?

I'm going to have to let someone else answer the technical questions
But I think your cage setup and preparation is amazing! You sound like you know your stuff and have been doing your research. I think you're going to have a blast with your gliders. Well done!

Welcome to Glider Gossip!

And congrats on your soon to be babies!

I had the Madagascar cage myself at one time and it is a nice cage, good and roomy and fun to decorate for them!

My boy I homed came with the name Icarus, although I know it wasn't his first name. Since his name didn't flow with my girl's names, we did change it to Ollie. But it's neat to hear another Icarus, it's not as common of a name.

The cage looks fun, I'm sure your babies will enjoy it! However, I need to point out that the ladders are not needed and may pose risk of injury to your gliders. The shelves are fine, even the three of them. I like having a shelf or two in my cages myself, currently I have two, but please remove the ladders, they're risky.

The ropes and wood toys may be fine for now, your gliders will enjoy them but will need to be removed or replaced eventually. Especially the ropes. Keep an eye out for fraying, as long as it's not frayed, and your glider's nails are kept trim, they may be okay, but not the recommended choice in material for sugar gliders. When they begin to fray, discard them and do not replace them, you can braid fleece strips and make ropes. The wood portions will eventually absorb enough urine to smell bad, until that happens, I find that cleaning wood with v/w on about a weekly bases, helps a bit. I used to use the wood perches with the Madagascar cage, I used fleece liners that I purchased from vendors and changed them weekly, alternating the perch and using a clean liner each week. I also now have a couple of pieces natural wood in my cage, when the wood gets smelly, that I can't refresh I toss them.

As for your questions, it sounds like you have everything covered A good diet, a large, sturdy cage, yummy treats, and the all important suggie safe wheel. I also like your cage set! The only thing I can suggest looking into is getting a first aid kit. You can purchase one from vendors that sell them or make your own. I didn't get mine right away, but built a little kit and then my Ollie boy came with a big kit. It's good to have, but hope and pray it's never needed. But, yeah, you are ready to be a suggie parent for sure.

I forgot to add, also having your vet visit lined up is awesome! You're going to have a loooong wait till Tuesday . It's so exciting isn't it?

Why are the ramps and ladders bad? Just curious.

I have read there have been cases where gliders have injured themselves on them. When I first got my Madagascar cage, I had some shelves and a ladder or two in. After posting photos of the cage set up, it was brought to my attention and I removed them. Now when I see ladders in cages, I offer the same advice I received to prevent risks.

Thank you for the advice, TJones09! I chose the names of both of my babies myself, and I've been keen on the name Icarus for quite a while (I watched Nemo's Adventures in Slumberland many years ago, haha).

The advice about the ladders is great! I was nervous about them myself and was considering making some fleece coverings, but if they don't really traverse them anyhow, it might just be better to take them out altogether. They don't really hook on very securely.. Did you have to zip tie the two little gates at the top? I think I should.

I also will watch the toys very closely. These had nice reviews, so I am hoping they'll hold up, but they do have a few fleece ropes hanging in there too (I read they like to untie them). They are black, so maybe hard to pick out.

I do have a first aid kit actually! I followed the one on this site: http://www.suzsugargliders.com/healthandyourglider.htm but I changed the E collar out for an E jacket instead.
Do you think there is anything else not listed I may need?

I've been waiting two weeks on them already, so waiting until Tuesday is killing me!

Oh my gosh, I can't think of anything else you need, you are very well prepared indeed, and the wait will kill you, lol. Make some toys a while, that will be fun and help with the time.


I remember someone telling me that the ladders were a risk for injury, and I thought I just read somewhere not too long ago that a glider broke something, I can't remember if it was a leg or the back. I can't find anything on it now though, I've been searching both here and GC and Google, I can't find anything. Anyway, I think the problem lies if a glider jumps onto the ladder and it may not be secure enough or something, but I'm not sure of the details, it's been a while.

Your cage does look great though, and your gliders will enjoy it immensely, but they will have to acclimate to their new home and surroundings. I'm sure you're aware of that already though, because you've mentioned preparing fleece with your scent. You can sleep with it, and also you can place in your laundry basket with worn clothes. Another thing I've done was change my bed linens and placed a large fleece throw with removed threads on border and rolled it up in the sheets I took of the bed prior to washing them. I then used the fleece wrapped around the cage's sides and back, securing with those large plastic butterfly hair clips. I didn't have the Madagascar cage then though, and I'm not sure the throw will reach from the top to the bottom on that cage due to it's height, but it surrounds them with your scent as well as the blankies in the sleeping pouch.

I never saw the Nemo movie. But the names you selected are cute.

Welcome to the forum and to glider parenthood.

Your cage looks great and I am sure your gliders will love it.

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They are both fixed and around 9 weeks old.

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It is VERY unlikely that the female glider was "fixed". Female gliders have a very complicated reproductive system including two uterus. The surgery to spay a glider would be extremely invasive and is not usually done on gliders - especially on such a young joey.

Do have the vet make sure that your male has indeed been neutered when you take them for at check up. That is the best way to prevent unwanted or inbred joeys.

You're correct, Candy! Only the male is fixed. That was a mispeak on my part. They will certainly have everything checked out at the vet! Thank you :)

Sounds great. Looks great! Eagerly awaiting your posts about bringing them home and some pictures once they're settled in.

This is just food for thought...I usually mount my water bottles up high in the cage so that less waste falls on them from above. They are cleaned religiously, but I still do it 'just because'.

If you plan to leave the cage where it is in the photo...you will definitely want to cover that end of the couch or put a cover on that side of the cage as the couch will quickly be ruined. I'm not entirely sure if folks with a cage on carpeting regularly put something down to catch the random splats of this or that, but if I did have carpeting I would think something put down, a waterproof type sheet or anything that can easily be rinsed off would be a great idea.

Tuesday's coming!!!

Blue Nostalgic, a cage cover is totally necessary for sure, haha. I do have one around it now, but I didn't have it on for the photo. Would have been too dark. I just made one of fleece, and I thought I might sleep with it as a blanket like TJones09 recommended. The idea about a tarp or something over the carpet is a really good idea I hadn't thought of! Do you usually keep the cage fully covered during the day and night?

I will be very excitedly posting photos! I hope we bond quickly

I never have the front of the cage covered, but always have the back and two sides. Mostly to protect the walls and furniture around the cage, but I also like the look.

I don't use anything to cover the cage unless I think it's a bit drafty during the winter. They are in a corner and then the rest of the wall is all windows, perfect location. I put command strip hooks up on the walls that corner the other two sides of the cage and hang a vinyl curtain which is easy to take down and throw in the washer on the rinse cycle.