We recently purchased 2 male sugar gliders from Pocket Pets at an exotic animals expo. We'd done quite a bit of research about the animals and what kind of care they need. But now that we've purchased them, I'm seeing so much negative things online about their company. My question is that - I guess now I'm second guessing all the info they gave me about how to keep them healthy which is our top priority. We want them in our family for the long haul. I need to know, is there a site that one CAN trust for things like vitamin supplements, kibble, treats, advice, etc. I would be crushed if they were sick and we ended up loosing them way too soon.
I feel kind of like a dupe. I though their set up was cheezy but I didn't feel like it was shady. I'm just hoping my boys are healthy and that we can keep them healthy and happy. We're so scared we're going to do something wrong.

Any advice?

Congrats on your new babies! There will always be negative things online about pp.
I neither support them nor bash them. There are some things I really like about PP and some things I don't care for and I think much of their products are unnecessary and a waste of money. However, I really do like their cages for temp and hospital cages, they are well made and last a long time.

The community has always had an issue with pp because it's a nation wide company and makes money = its the biggest competition for breeders in the community.

PP has some good info, and some not so great info it's a challenge for new owners to sort out which is which. That being said, it's the same for non PP owners because there is so much conflicting information out there based on opinions.

PP has made some changes in the last few years, mostly for the better, so don't get in a tail spin over old comments and threads because they may not apply anymore.

The food pp sells ( glider r gravy and glider chow ) are actually other products repackaged for pp. The gravy is critter love and I believe the chow is pet pro pellets, both are widely used in the glider community. You maybe paying a lil more for them through pp I'm not sure what their rates are but it is still an acceptable diet however I would add the critter love salads to the diet because that is what is suggested to feed with critter love to make it a balanced diet. https://www.critterlove.com/diet-info.html It is also perfectly acceptable to buy from critter love instead of pp but that's entirely up to you as I believe there is a 12 yr guarantee on the gliders if you follow the pp plan and switching brands may null that even though it's exactly the same diet.

The glider community is divided on many topics not just pp. It's just the nature of a community, everyone has different methods and opinions and feel very strongly about them in most cases.

So please, if you had a good experience with pp let it be just that. It doesn't matter where a glider comes from what matters is that you have them now and are interested in learning more so they thrive in your family.

What I have found is best is to try things n see if they work for me and my gliders, if it works I use it, if it doesn't I move on to something else that will. What works for my gliders may not work for yours or you. And don't let someone freak you out because of their opinions a lot of people are pp owners and are very happy with their experience with pp, a lot of people are not happy with their experience with pp again it's the same with non pp owners and breeders.

There is ONE group that is pp neutral on facebook that is a pretty good educational group https://www.facebook.com/groups/847319852005676/ If you have questions about the pp diet, the creator of the diet is one of the admins of this group her name is Peggy Brewer and she is more than happy to answer any questions.

Our first two gliders are from pocket pets, they are over 2 years old now.
Some of our other gliders I think came from PP but not positive.

1. I would get them a much bigger cage then PP.
2. LOSE the heat rock, you don't need it and its dangerous
3. I would personally NEVER put my gliders with my dogs. I have beagle and german shepard. I can only see bad things happening, based off the animals they have gotten in the back yard. same for cats.
4. get them a good wheel to run on.
5. check up the diets available, popular ones are BML, critterlove and others very healthy ones available.
6. It may take some time to bond with your gliders, take your time, keep up the bonding process and be very patience with the little guys.

Leela and BYK_Chainsaw both shared wonderful ideas and suggestions so I would definitely re-read their posts. Extremely accurate and helpful!

I understand your feelings about Pocket Pets. I had no idea what a sugar glider was until I saw PP at a Christmas bazaar 2 years ago. I was instantly hooked and after giving it much thought I decided to adopt a little female. Like you, after bringing her home and later hearing all these negative things about PP, I was so discouraged and worried that I rushed into this and was doing all the wrong things. However, like Leela mentioned, it doesn't matter where a glider comes from...only that you have them now. You are obviously very committed to your gliders, doing your research and wanting to take the very best care of them.

I will always be grateful to PP because through them I ended up with the most amazing sugar glider ever. But being a new "parent", I trusted everything that they told me and now realize that not all of their advice was in the gliders best interests (hence the importance of learning). BYK already mentioned these things but I think it's important to repeat them. Things that I was told by PP (in quotes) that I now disagree with.....

1. "Your glider will be fine in this cage."
For starters it's great, but gliders need room to move around, to play and glide. I would get the largest cage that you can afford and have room for. For 2 gliders the minimum size would be 24" deep, 24" wide, and 36" high (height is important for gliders). Also, bar spacing should be no more than 1/2".

2. "The heat rock is necessary for young gliders in order for them to maintain their heat."
Absolutely not! Too risky and they are fine without it. If you're concerned about warmth, you can always use fleece squares in their pouches (kind of like a little blanket).

3. "Gliders will get along with all pets except snakes. We've never had an issue"
No way! While I wish I could see my little one interact with my parrot and my sister's dog and cats, it is not worth the risk. Animals are unpredictable. I've heard touching bonding stories as well as horror stories. Better safe than sorry!

4. "Our wheel is the safest."
I really don't know about this one. But their wheel looks very much like a wodent wheel which is extremely dangerous. I'd much rather get a wheel that others here in the glider community have recommended (like stealth or raptor).

5. "Our diet is the best, recommended by a top veterinarian."
While they have made improvements, our exotic vet recommended BML which is nutritionally balanced (HPW is also a really good one). Also, PP said the only thing you need to give them in addition to their main staple is a slice of apple each night. In fact, they need variety (generally 1 TBS of fruits and 1 TBS of veggies per glider each day....NEVER blended (like a smoothie) since they spit out the fibers that they can't digest).

6. "Your glider will bond to you quickly."
Oh how I wish this was true! While many gliders bond quickly, my little girl was extremely scared and it took awhile to gain her trust. But she ended up being extremely bonded and attached. The time, patience and love you put into it is so totally worth it!

Lastly (and thanks for bearing with me ), I can't stress this enough....please, PLEASE don't take your gliders outside unless they are secured in a safe bonding pouch (I learned this the hard way). The PP rep told me that bonded gliders will stay with you and come back to you. Usually this is the case, but it's not worth taking chances.

We all love our gliders and want them to thrive. We do the best we can and learn as we go. You are in for such a treat. Enjoy your sweet babies!

The wheel pp sells is "ok" but not the best in my opinion. It IS the upgrade of the woodent wheel, it doesn't have the center bar and it is better, buttttttt there are still things I don't like about it and wish they would improve on. But as far as "safe" goes, it is safer than the woodent wheel was.

The cage is meant to be a starter cage and is meant to upgrade at about 6 months of ownership. However, most people hear the horror stories of pp before they hit the 6 month mark and don't see the notice that it's time to upgrade the cage to a bigger one. The cage is a good starter cage, and it is an excellent travel cage, hospital cage, quarantine cage. But I agree, once you have had them a while and they get acclimated to you a little it is time to upgrade to a larger one. But don't get rid of the pp starter cage they really are good to have on hand even if you think you won't need it.

totally agree with Tia on the heat rock.

other pets........ yep keep them separate. Cat's can cause some serious damage to gliders from their teeth and claws, they transfer a bacteria that quickly turns into nasty infections also Cat litter can cause toxoplasmosis in gliders . Rabbits also pass something to gliders but I don't remember what it is exactly ( i think it is Pasteurell multocida but I'd have to look it up to be sure.) Dogs and cats that go outside can also bring IN parasites that can easily be transferred to gliders.

So ok fine, the dog or cat or bird might "like" the glider but it isn't safe on many different levels to let them interact.



diet, again their diet is ok it IS hpw (Critter Love Hpw ) but I do agree that they need more than a slice of apple. The critter love salad recipes are on the website link I provided on my first post ;) for two gliders it will last quite a while. Correct, never blend the fruits n veg like a smoothie or puree.

your gliders will bond quickly tell that to a few of mine lol. Gliders bond in their own time, don't put expectations or time frames on them just get to know them and allow them to get to know you on their terms.

Outside Out of my 9 gliders right now, I can probably take 3 or 4 of them outside with no fear that they would leave my body, or even wake up. And even they don't leave the house unless they are in a bonding bag or secured carrier. I will and have taken young joeys outside for some awesome pics but once they really start getting around good they stay inside. I've never put them on the ground cause again parasites happen and they are not fun to deal with.

Speaking of parasites since you are feeding HPW, if you plan on continuing to feed it make sure you let your vet know before they do any fecal testing. Because Hpw diets contain bee pollen and bee pollen shows up on fecal tests and give false reads for parasites. If the vet is aware of the bee pollen they can determine if it is indeed a parasite or if its just the pollen.

For the record, I second what Leela states about PP. I pretty much am the same way on my feelings. Things I like, things I don't like, and a few things that kind of really bother me. But all in all, I wouldn't put much thought into all the bashing. Use your common sense, you can tell what's on the up & up usually by listening to what they say about stuff, for instance the heat rock, then read up on heat rocks, even a lot of reptile keepers hate them, and that's what they're manufactured for. That's just an example, so read everything, then use your common sense, ask questions whenever you feel uncertain.

Congratulations!!! Keep us posted on your new little friends.