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Sugar Gliders
IL state fair.... pocket pets alert!!!...
IL state fair.... pocket pets alert!!!...
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Aug 15 2015
06:41:38 PM
As a long time sugar glider owner I had my first run in with pocket pets today(and it was horrible). So first and foremost this is a warning to anyone that is thinking about buying a pet from these horrific people. But secondary...... This is a call to arms(or a call to razor sharp talons), for IL sugar glider owners.

The Illinois State Fair Grounds are a section F property (www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/section4f/properties_other.aspx) meaning that they are state property. Therefor peaceful protest is allowed. This IS NOT a private mall where they can have you arrested for trespassing.



This is the unprofessional part.....

So as a one man army I have plans on sitting outside the one the only entrance of the expo building that they are in. My sign will say "Ask me about sugar gliders." Most importantly nothing derogatory about Pocket Pet inc.

If anyone want to join me PLEASE DO SO.... please email me(lancegtx@hotmail.com), please msg me here.... please do something.


Thank you for reading.
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Aug 15 2015
06:52:05 PM
lancegtx Glider 194 Posts
(217) 782-6661

This is the IL fairground number.

They want to hear ALL your feedback
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Aug 19 2016
02:13:38 AM
Tiakristin3 Face Hugger Visit Tiakristin3's Photo Album 412 Posts
Hello! I was just scrolling through messages and saw your warning about Pocket Pets. I actually saw them for the first time at a Christmas bazaar last year and adopted a female from them. I'm considering getting another one but am not sure if I should go back to Pocket Pets. My experience with them was positive, so I'm curious what your experience has been and what makes them so bad.
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Aug 19 2016
03:07:50 AM
BYK_Chainsaw Fuzzy Wuzzy Visit BYK_Chainsaw's Photo Album BYK_Chainsaw's Journal USA 1301 Posts
for my wife and I they lied.
1. Made false statements then when confronted admitted their lie.
2. the pamplet suggests things like bonding to dogs, this is a very dangerous
proposition, as just the smallest paw from my german shepards or smallest
nip from my beagle would be the worst for a poor glider.
3. they buy from breeders unknown to you, so you dont know where your glider
really came from, the lineage (sp?)
4. the PREY on the spontaous buyer, at the fair, BUY NOW, I'll be gone tomorrow and wont be back for A YEAR, this is it, your ONLY chance.
5. the sell you an expensive WAY TO SMALL cage, that really needs to be replaced the minute you get home.
6. the diet they suggest is not the greatest, they need to require glider gravy NOT make it an option. Just an apple? they need/ should get a nice variety of fruits and veggies. pellets have gotten better but shouldnt be the
main food source. they should also promote lots of option healthy diets.
7. Why are so many people selling their PP gliders on craigslist, they should
be more open and honest so buyers know what they are getting for the next 12 YEARS!!
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Aug 19 2016
06:51:50 AM
gr8rcfan Glider Visit gr8rcfan's Photo Album USA 80 Posts
8. They falsely claim ownership is easy and doesnt take time
9. They falsely claim that veterinary costs are cheaper than other pets.
10. They sell you a heat rock that not needed and dangerous
11. They sell you an exersise wheel that is known to kill gliders
12. They standup multiple websites and create a fake veterinary organization that appear as unique sources and complement each other to boost their legitimacy
13. They do not keep records of where the joeys come from, so you cannot be sure if proper precautions are taken to prevent inbreeding. You cannot breed their gliders yourself and be confident that no inbreeding will occur. (I know. I tried repeatedly to get them to tell me what breeder mine came from)

I posted a "PocketPets Alert" on several FB Glider groups with the State Fair phone number to gain support.

Edited by - gr8rcfan on Aug 19 2016 07:03:55 AM
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Aug 19 2016
07:13:53 AM
jdching Face Hugger 807 Posts
My first two gliders came from Pocket Pets, and the experience was not horrible. I relied heavily on their online support for quite some time, and they always answered my many questions immediately!

After finding this forum I learned so much more about glider care and made many changes. PP is all about the sale, so they make it all sound so simple. Then they tell you not to visit other glider forums! That was a red flag for me. Shouldn't we do the research and decide for ourselves what is best for the glider's health?



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Aug 19 2016
07:51:57 AM
Leela Goofy Gorillatoes Gliderpedia Editor Visit Leela's Photo Album Leela's Journal 2919 Posts
Two years ago I would have preached all about the wrong doings of PP too. Since then I have learned quite a bit. So I will play devils advocate here, this is not to say that I do or don't support pocket pets.

In the last year or two PP has made some improvements.

1 they no longer sell the wodent wheel, they made some improvements to it and sell one without a center bar. It is still a solid track and needs to be cleaned regularly but it is a safer improvement.

2 They neuter all their males for a reason, they aren't promoting breeding, they are sold as pet only. If you want to breed buy a lineaged pair from a breeder that sells breed able gliders. PP intentionally neuters the males to preventing inbreeding, more back yard breeding by inexperienced owners.

If I want to be completely honest PP is actually more responsible than most breeders when it comes to the males. Why? most breeders don't neuter pet only males they just don't give you the lineage unless you pay for it. Which leads you to believe you CAN breed even though you don't know if the gliders are related or not.

Most breeders don't offer cages, and accessories that is the responsibility of the owner whether you like the cage and accessories PP offers or not at least they make sure you HAVE one and aren't sticking their gliders in shoebox or something.

All, or most breeders advertise somewhere, they also rely on impulse buyers they just use different platforms and methods. A lot of breeders don't educate the buyer at all, they don't offer any support after the glider is sold.

There are many happy PP owners out there, the community tries to make them feel ashamed for buying gliders from PP.

If your gonna have standards for PP, then why aren't breeders held to the same standards? I can assure you they aren't.

Why are they so hated?

They are a very large, successful, nationwide company that is making money, gobs of money and they are the BIGGEST competition localized breeders have. They are a large, BROKER. They don't not have their own breeding program they buy from breeders who may or may not be mill breeders.

The wheel, the heat rock, the bonding to pets etc are disliked yes, and used by the community and parrots, to create fear, and guilt to PP owners.

These are the reasons they are so disliked by the community.

Sure they do some things I don't personally agree with, I am not a fan of heat rocks and I disagree with some of their information. I also promote furthering your education on gliders, research on your own, use different sources, get involved in the glider community, ask questions. So your aware they give inaccurate information? GO FIND ACCURATE INFORMATION. That IS the responsibility as a glider owner, to educate yourself. To give yourself the knowledge to be able to make educated, sound decisions about your gliders and their care.


That being said, those are my personal opinions and my personal standards. Because I don't agree with some things, I don't support them monetarily, I don't buy their gliders, or their products. Same as I don't shop at Walmart but instead shop at local mom n pop stores when ever possible. That is where I chose to spend my money and support local businesses.

On the other hand I DO SUPPORT PP neutering males, making improvements, changing the wheel, starting to make changes in the diet, coming to the glider community elders and accepting their recommendations. I do support PP doing more than "reputable breeders" to provide continued support, even though I don't agree with some of the information they provide.

If YOU had a good previous experience with PP and YOU want to spend your money there on another glider, DO IT. It's YOUR money and YOUR decision to make, not ours. If you chose to go to a local breeder instead, that is also your decision to make.

PP owners are scared to come into the glider community because of how people treat them, like they don't love their glider because they obtained it from PP It's ridiculous. I see posts on a daily basis that start out saying " Unfortunately I am a victim of PP but I am here to try to learn more" or " Don't yell at me but my first glider came from PP we love him and I need help with his diet" There is NO reason to make owners feel guilty or victimized for where they bought their glider. We all start somewhere, and if people were more honest you would find they got their first glider from somewhere questionable themselves. Those first gliders open the door to the glider world no matter who sold them to you.

MY first glider came from a back yard breeder and I love her as much as if I had spent 3,000.00 on her from a "reputable breeder". Sure I wanted to breed her at first, but upon more research decided the responsible thing to do was keep her as pet only since she had no lineage.

Would I buy another glider from the same backyard breeder now 2 yrs later after all the things I have learned? Despite the fact that is she is healthy as a horse, my first glider love, great personality, NO I would not. He is still breeding, he is still selling, and he still has questionable glider husbandry and I would not give him my money.

It comes down to educating yourself, asking questions, making responsible decisions.


Edited by - Leela on Aug 19 2016 08:08:50 AM
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Aug 19 2016
09:04:26 AM
gr8rcfan Glider Visit gr8rcfan's Photo Album USA 80 Posts
I agree PP has improved. But they still prey on those who think gliders are cute, have money to spare, but are incapable of educating themselves, asking questions, making responsible decisions. So, we continue to see more PP gliders on craigslist, not from people who must rehome due to job, health, etc, but because they cant handle the gliders. And sadly, how many PP cages are for sale because the gliders are "gone". The same thing goes for breeders who sell to anyone, no questions.
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Aug 19 2016
09:18:52 AM
Leela Goofy Gorillatoes Gliderpedia Editor Visit Leela's Photo Album Leela's Journal 2919 Posts
It's a problem across the board. PP just happens to be on a very large scale so the focus is always on them.

What are the "reputable breeders" doing to improve things, what changes are they making to their own protocols.

Backyard breeders are always going to be a problem. It is what it is.

Let me ask you some things...

do you know why PP was started in the first place?
Do you know their history?

Do you know why they insist on selling heat lamps?

Do you know why they sell the starter cages

Do you know that PP donates cages to legitimate rescues, and the legitimate rescues DO USE them and are grateful for them ?

Do you know that PP donates Pellets to legitimate rescues that use them in addition to what they feed?

Do you know that Bourbon and Peggy and some other veterans have helped Virgil to make changes in his information and bonding tips, food, wheels ?

Do you know of ANY breeder that offers a 12 YEAR guarantee on their gliders?


Edited by - Leela on Aug 19 2016 09:23:00 AM
IL state fair.... pocket pets alert!!!...

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Sugar Gliders
IL state fair.... pocket pets alert!!!...