Hello, I need some advice. I got my first sugar glider (Sugar) 6 months ago, the lady I got her from didn't know how old she was. I am her third owner and I think she's probably 3 years old. She's never been with another glider and is not completely bonded to me. She lets me hold her but other days she just wants left alone. She is active at night and does not seem depressed. But I was thinking about getting another one and then I saw a lady posted on fb that she was giving hers away so I took him. She gave him (Tiki) away because his cage mate died from hlp and she didn't want him to get lonely. She told me she took him to the vet and he was healthy. He seems fine to me his fur looks a little messy but that's it. I have them in the same room and cages on opposite walls so they can see each other. This is his second night here, yesterday when I brought him home as soon I came in here with him Sugar came out of her sleeping bag and stared at me the whole time I put his cage together. I know to keep them apart for awhile in case he has mites or any illnesses. I am worried that Sugar is upset and will not ever want to be around him. I took her out today and she just rolled over in her sleeping bag and hid her face from me. And Tiki started running on his wheel a little bit ago and she went into a 15 min long barking fit which she hardly ever barks. So was this a bad idea? Would some sugar gliders just rather be loners? If so I want to rehome Tiki because I think he needs to be with another. Or do I just need to give it a couple months? Any help is appreciated!

Welcome to the forum!

I would say, just relax and give them some more time. They are still getting used to each other's sounds at night and your new glider is just settling in his new home. After the 30 day quarantine is over, take them both back to the vet to check for parasites. Once this is cleared, then begin switching the gliders sleeping pouches at night, this was they have to be around each other's scent. After doing this for a while, try switching toys in the cage and even swap cages so the other glider is in the other ones cage for a few nights or so, then switch back. If this all goes well, then move the cages relatively close to one another, but not close enough that they can grab each other's tails through the cage bars. This is when you should be looking for signs of aggression towards one another. If they begin crabbing at each other through the cage, just take it slower and continue swapping pouches etc.

If this all goes well, then you are ready for formal intros!! I did my intros between my gliders in the bathtub. It's neutral territory so no one glider can do dominate over the area.

Good luck!

And one more thing, are you aware that poor diet results in cracking and brown dis-colored fur? You may want to get your new glider on a better diet.

Thank you! No I didn't know that about his fur. I kind of thought his diet wasn't so good since his cage mate died of hlp.

That could be another reason as well. Some fantastic diets that are widely used among us glider owners are HPW, BML, gliderkids, GOHPW, LGRS suggie soup, and Pricilla price diet. Choose one of these and research on them and decide which one is best for your gliders.