I bought my sugar bear yesterday (he's a joey) and I was wondering if they have to sleep on the pouch. He sleeps on a cylinder shaped cloth. It's really hard to get him out and he bites me when I try. Is it OK to use gloves? I appreciate any help thanks!

Don't use gloves because he won't be able to smell you and get used to you.

You can cut a piece of fleece and put it under your pillow to get your scent on it then put it in his sleeping pouch and he will get used to his scent. It might take a while for him to get used to you but it will get better I promise.


Do you have another sugar glider with him? If not, please get another one or he will become depressed leading him to not want to eat and eventually pass away.


If you have any more questions you can send me a PM and I will be happy to answer them.

you just got him yesterday..... give him a few days to settle in and get used to his new environment before trying to handle him.

If you can't get him out of whatever he is sleeping in, get him a glider safe sleep pouch and remove the other thing.

There are a lot of "cute" tubes, cubes, and other shaped pouches with small entry holes that only make things more difficult with new gliders.

The easiest thing is to just not use that type of pouch and use one with a wide top your hand can fit in that is easier to 1 remove from the cage and 2 get the glider out of the pouch easier.

The glider won't refuse to eat or die simply from being alone, if it does there was an underlying health issue going on. Many people and I mean mannnnnnnnnnny people myself included started out with one glider. It's OK! it is easier to start with two sure... because then you don't have to do an introduction. But there is nothing wrong with starting out with one and adding more later on. I started with one and now have 10 between 3 different cages. My first was single for 5 months before we adopted a friend for her.

The main thing is to make sure the cage isn't to small, make sure there are stimulating toys for him, glider safe wheel, and glider safe accessories and of course a good balanced diet. With all those things in place a single glider can do just fine for quite some time alone. Of course spending as much time with him as you can helps too.



Now I realize this is going to sound mean, but truly it's not intended to be.


Why overwhelm an already overwhelmed brand new owner ???

You may not know it but it's overwhelming to be told to get another glider or your current one might die. Not only overwhelming, but untrue unless the glider is ill.

Not to mention the information you gave was incorrect and dangerous because you didn't have or ask for any details that could hugely affect the outcome if they followed the advice you gave.

What if the owner has an intact male ?? ( we don't know if he is or not, it wasn't stated either way ) and it was never asked. Even if you did ask the owner may not even know.

What if the owner, based on your advice ran out and got another intact male figuring they are just going to get along great!?

Gliders are territorial, introductions are not always easy, especially if you are unprepared and don't have a clue what to expect or do if something happens and it goes south.

They can't even get one glider out of a sleep pouch yet and certainly shouldn't be adding a second glider right now and probably isn't prepared to do so.

as I said above, it isn't as simple as getting another glider and putting it in the cage with the current one.

I get it, your intentions are good, I used to be the same way omg a single glider get it a cage mate!!! I had to stop doing that myself.

Yes, MOST gliders do better in pairs but I promise you a single glider is not going to die or starve itself simply from being alone. It will not eat most often because of an illness or being fed the wrong kind of food, it will die from infection, parasites, illness, injuries....... but not from being alone.

The thing is introductions are stressful especialllllly for brand new owners who may now feel they can't ask for advice without feeling guilty for a choice they made and are rushed and scared to death their new glider is going to die if they don't.

. If your going to suggest someone rushes out to get another glider be prepared to hold their hand and help them introduce them properly, explain all the steps, be there for them when they need your help, if you can't do that don't suggest it and scare them into what could be a disastrous situation.

Instead, help the new owner learn how to take care of the one glider they have, the best they can. It doesn't matter where the glider came from or how many they start out with.

This is this owners first experience and probably first outreach for help. It can take many months for a new owner to post asking questions the first time, because of responses like the one you gave.

my bad, was just trying to help

I know you were, but please please please keep in mind advice needs to be accurate, and thorough and without scare tactics. to already nervous and scared new owners. It really does prevent a lot of people from asking for help.

Inaccurate advice can be dangerous for someone else's glider and may have consequences you don't have to deal with but the owner will.

It's a difficult line to balance because you want to help, it is for me at times too. I really wasn't trying to be mean or lecture I'm all for helping when it's really helping.

My bad, I apologize

Leela gave you great advice.

We got connor awhile ago, his cagemate had died and he had been alone for awhile. the vet gave him a clean bill of health (even as a single glider). He was scared and very crabby. I took my time, gave him a few treats and talked to him every night. then after WEEKS started petting him WHILE he was busy eating a treat. then started to get him to walk on my hand, NOT ME GRABBING HIM. and letting him eat a treat while sitting on my hand getting petted.

this was the slow way, I can even pick him up (he still doesn't like it) without him biting me.
most gliders don't like being picked up and never will, I usually let most of mine walk on me by their choosing. but I can pick some of the up no problem and some let me but dont like it.
connor is now in a colony of 5, very happy. but he was good by himself.

As colony animals gliders in the LONG term I think will be happiest with other gliders, but they will be fine with a good owner as singles also.

for a new glider owner, take your time, be patience, and let your scared little guy get used to your scent. time and patience, very important.

I usually take out newer glider using the toothpaste method, take the pouch and gently push them out of it, like toothpaste.