Differences for “ Housing ”

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<Image("97081070.jpg,,,right,,Large wood branches for the  
The cage that came with your sugar glider is most likely too small. Sugar
gliders to climb on.")/>
In nature sugargliders are tree-dwelling animals, meaning that they sleep in
small safe places but need large amounts of room to be active in. These animals
are able to leap from treetop to treetop and can hold onto and climb almost
anything. Their eyesight is keen enough to be able to see far distances and
judge whether they can make a jump or not. Typical off-the-shelf cages are not
designed well enough or large enough to house these animals. They need enough
open air space to glide and play. The largest cage you can find to buy is
probably the smallest they should have. The minimum size your cage should be
able to run around freely and jump and climb. It is a bad idea to keep a glider
in anything resembling a hamster cage or aquarium. Also, clear glass or plastic
atrium type cages are bad in that they do not allow for ventilation and the
animal might try to leap through the glass and injure itself. A good cage design
for a pair of animals would be an aviary with walls at least
24"x24"x24" made from small enough mesh material that is about
32" x 20" x 36". The larger the animals cannot escape. My cage
was made by a man selling animals at a local flea market. I got enclosure the
better so long as it as big as he could bend the metal pieces. The main feature
of this cage design is the sheet-metal pan underneath. I am able to completely
remove the pan from the cage, dump the litter and clean the pan, and replace it
refreshed without removing the animals.
  
<Image("97081071.jpg,,,right,,The pan at the bottom has a wire mesh
over it to keep the gliders out of the droppings and pine shavings.")/>
You will notice that I have made their nest out of a plastic ice-cream
container. My animals seem to not like bedding of any kind and are much better
off cuddling together to keep warm. It is wise to make the nest out of plastic
so it will not soak up waste, is easy to clean, is removable from clean. The
more gliders in your cage the cage, is openable larger it should be. The bars of
the cage should be 1/2" wide or less.
  
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The cage should come with a floor grating to get to minimize the animals,
contact gliders have with old food and allows viewing. I also strongly recommend
an oversized exercise wheel. Make sure it is large enough that they wont get
their tales caught while running. Sugargliders are active animals and it is very
important that they have exercise as well as something to do to keep busy. feces
in the drop pan. It is fun good to put the animals in have a plastic hamster
exercise ball and let them run around the house. Wooden logs in variety of
washable fabric items hung throughout the cage look that allow for sleeping,
lounging, and landing areas. Another option is to use perches, shelves,
branches, and nest-boxes. It is sometimes nice and also to
[http://www.sugarglider.com/glidergossip/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=17960 cover the
floor] with plastic square mesh to give the animals something more places to
climb on hold, rest, and jump to. My animals hardly ever go limit their ability
to reach through to the floor drop pan.
  
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A well rounded cage will also include an exercise wheel safe for gliders and
toys that encourage natural behaviors such as nesting, foraging, gliding, and
curiosity.
  
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See popular tower cages [http://www.sugarglider.com/suggested.asp#cages here],
visit the [http://www.sugarglider.com/gliderpedia/index.asp?Vendors vendors
page] for fabric cage accessories or  get inspired by the
[http://www.sugarglider.com/gliderpedia/index.asp?Projects projects page], and
learn more about
[http://www.sugarglider.com/gliderpedia/index.asp?ExerciseWheels  exercise
wheels].
  
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== Further Reading ==
[http://www.sugarglider.com/gliderpedia/index.asp?p=Lighting&a=print Out
of the cage; I can usually find them hanging from the top by their legs and
eating a pecan. For water, use a small animal water bottle hanging on the
outside of the cage. Food can be given in small animal bowls or hanging bird
feeders. They will need cleaning after every feeding. cage time lighting]
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EnvironmentEnrichment
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CageCleaning
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OtherAnimals
  
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