I’m a new sugar glider owner and I don’t know why I’m being bit! I’ve read so many things but I’m still not sure why or what to do. sugar glider (Timothy) is about 2 years old (from what I’m told)
he lets me hold him and pet him I’ve even kissed him! He’s hopped around my room and climbed all over me it’s been fine! Of course the first day I brought him home he bit me twice and I didn’t pull away and I kept my hand there after so he wouldn’t think him biting would make me go away (that’s what I read he’d think).
I have clothes in his cage so he knows my scent. But the past days I’ve held him I’ll do the treadmill walk and he’ll just randomly bite me! He’s never crabbed I’ve heard him bark once in the middle of the night and hiss once while cleaning his face but that’s it! Today he was in my hand and I gave him a yogurt drop treat he was eating it in my hand he took a couple bites and then randomly bit my finger and then went back to eating! I did yell “oww!” Out of reflex Which idk if that was a bad thing for building the relationship.
But idk what to do to get him to stop! I’m a nurse assistant and I get worried having these little cuts on my fingers cause of infection reasons, but mostly I want this great relationship with Timmy! I want to sit watching tv and him run around and explore and trust he’ll be okay and him crawl all over me and not worry I’ll get bitten! I do have cats but they don’t mind him and Timmy could care less about them! Everything seems so good but this random biting!! He’s not even a teen so it can’t be the teenage phase thing I’ve read about!
Any advice is greatly appreciated!!

you guys are so new to each other. he doesn't even know you yet.
so I would think first off you need more time together.
biting and pull away or don't pull away. I could care less, I believe animals
bite cause they are scared, upset, or think they smell food. If you just had a
yogurt drop on your finger that will leave a strong scent, he could be seeing if
there is more on your finger, he could be thinking your going to take away his
treat. I pick out live mealworms and feed them in a container, once they are
gone the gliders all get a good smell of my fingers I pull the worms out with.
Luckily they have learned its a finger and not food.

If I try to scoop up a glider that is new or doesn't want to be picked up they
will give me a no blood nip, they are scared and telling me not to pick them up, I
do it anyway.
If your glider is so new and you are making him treadmill walk, this may
annoy him, the bite could be to try to get you to stop the treadmill.

I would slow it down just a touch with the hands this early in your
relationship. let him run, explore, (cover open electrical outlets with baby covers, and watch he doesn't chew power wires) run on you and pet him. try to get him to
willingly walk on your hands/arms. My gliders seem to really like when I sit cross
legged. they sit on my legs, jump down and hide, eat some mealies, run up to my
shoulders. Also each one acts different, gus explores, sophie sits in open and eats, gizmo likes more cover while eating, and riggs runs away or gets maximum
hideout area.

In the end, I think he needs to get to know your scent over weeks or a few months, to start trusting/bonding with you, he is not a baby and seems more tame,
so it should happen faster.