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Is it that bad?

Sep 25, 2009

Is it that bad?

I have to say, I am vary excited about this web site :)

I haven't started my journey as a Sugar Glider owner.

The first time I saw a Suggie was at the Taste of Colorado in 1998. This crazy lady had a mouse in the pocket of her shirt, ( I didn't know any better) Scared me half to death. First I thought I was seeing things. It popped it's little head out and looked at me. After the third time seeing those big black eyes, I had to ask! She whispered to me, A Sugar Glider. The lady bent down and let me peek into her pocket. Yes! I fell in love with those big black eyes. I went home and started to research them on the Internet. After fighting with my computer (It's a love hate relationship, I love the computer, but it hates me, lol) I found out that Sugar Gliders were not allowed in the state of Il. My husband was starting a new job In Chicago and we would be moving soon after our house was done being built. I was Crushed, :(

Last summer, I stumbled upon an add for a Sugar Glider on Cregs list. After jumping up and down with excitement about finding out we can have Gliders in IL. (I have to say jumping up and down, after having 3 kids and getting older is never a good thing,ha ha) I have done A LOT!!! of reading on Gliders. I found my self knowing more than some breeders.

My Kids are all growing up...ugh!

I work from my home

Both my husband and I are night owls

I found a wonderful breeder. (USDA) Two people recommended me to her.

Two cages (one is for when the other cage is being cleaned)

Toys

Exotic Vet

Lot's of good Diet information

Etc...

I have made sure I didn't rush into this. I was planing on getting two Suggies sometime in January. This is when I hit a brick wall, My Mother in law....(sigh!) had her old friend call me and tell me some horrible story's about Gliders. I was told by her...

They will bark all night long ( I read they will bark once or twice a night?and if you put a night light in the room it can help?)

The female would bit her until she would bleed and she has scars to prove it ( I read they will bite, but it will stop after you are bonded with them?)

That they stink worse than a ferret ( I read they have a sweet smell to them and as long as you have them on a good diet and clean the cage once a week it's not that bad?)

Glider fling poop at you (I read that they do poop and pee on you when you first take them out of the cage but not throw it at you. Gliders are messy eaters, but if you put a plastic rubber maid shoe box with a hole cut out in it into the cage it can cut down on the food mess)

and if I cared for my children at all I wouldn't bring one of those rodents in to my home.

I am a shy, quite, person and didn't know what to say to her and now find myself second guessing if this is the right Decision for our family. Is everything she said true?

I don't know anyone who has ever owned a Suggie before. I hope all of you could help me to understand what it is like to have a glider as a pet.

Comments

Oct 09 2009 : 03:11:50 PM

suggieluver02
i think you would do fine u just need a little guidence which alot of us can give u i say go for it!

Oct 03 2009 : 07:26:39 PM

skittlesandpeanut
They are by far the best pets I have ever had and are totally worth the effort. JUST DONT GET AN ADULT Glider who has not been handled much, is isnt tame. Your first glider should be one that is already use to being handled. Trust me, it will make your life much much easier. Anyway I think you sound very dedicated, and see no reason why you shouldnt go thru with it. Worse case seniro is that its just so so horrible (which i promise you it wont be) then you have to give your glider to home more fit for it. And no damage caused. They are awesome companions and I'''m sure you'll love it. As with any animal there are drawbacks, but gliders have very very few. *sorry about the spelling...I'M typing this quick on a new lap, not use to key placement yet

Oct 03 2009 : 07:18:31 PM

skittlesandpeanut
I am new at this whole glider experience myself, however I amloving it! I was told the same things you were told first and formost...they are not little rodents, damnit, I hate when people say that! LOL. But most of what she said was false. They do not stink much, but you must give them a variety of food or else this will case a smell. DO NOT clean everything at once if you are give the cage a good do over. Now i am trouble myself with that one...they have started marking their terratory and i cant get rid of the smell...and they are even neutered. But they dont fling poop.. they do throw food tho. but thats in the cage. I dont know if they do it on purpose or not. And they are messy eaters, but theres way to help with that, such as a lunch room. Its a plastic box with holes cut in it so all the food stays in the box, not your cage, or the floor. BUt it isnt that messy really. You just need to vacumn a little at times. I do find my little guys pooping on my and peeing on me often. I heard storys about ways to get them to stop going on me, but have yet to find anything that works. It seems the more nervous they are the more they pee on my. When waking from a nap or after eating they always go. That has helped me in figuring out there "potty habits". I was told the barking would be that of a dogs bark and it would be all nite. For me even their first nite with me they never barked that way. I live in a small effiecency and i will admit at times I wake up from them barking. But it is few and far between, and it only lasts for a minute or two. Honestly what I hear the most of at nite is their rodant wheel going. They just love that thing. It is loud at nite in a quiet room. But they make wheels that are silent wheels. And last of all the biting....my boys were already tame when I got them. But they do bite at times. And I have had the skin broken, and have bleed. However it isnt very painful. No where near as much as a hamster bite (ohhh i hate those little animals with a passions..due to one to many bites, lol) They really only bite when they want to be left alone, or they dont like what you are doing. There a ways to get them to stop biting if its a big problem. But the way I see it is that its a good thing, bb/c it lets me kno to back off cuz they just dont wanna be handled right then at that time. WHich is their right. We all have bad days sometimes, you know. Anyway go check out this site, i found it last nite and it was pretty interesting. http://asgv.org/pet_owners/videos.php

Sep 27 2009 : 04:42:14 PM

suggieluver02
gliders are different but, not everything she said is true. the process is slow but worth it. my glider throws poop but that is because they are tidy creatures. mine does it when she can find it and grab it she is so snooty! she hates a dirty cage and mine is still young but man is she sometimes a hand ful. i had one that biit and bit and bit but never bit the blood out of us. she only bit cause she got scared. if a glider bites u , u r obviously doing something they dont like.seems those gliders werent properly taken care of. but it sounds like u have done lots of searching and u are determined. i think u would make a wonderful suggie mom with the right guidence. :-)

Sep 26 2009 : 10:47:46 PM

kyro298
They are definitely all different like swithers mentioned, but they can indeed bark and be loud. They should not stink. If they do, it can be from poor diet, a UTI, an unneutered male marking, etc... I have 3 girls and 3 boys all living together-no smell. I clean the cage once a week. Out of all of them (and besides those 6, I've had 3 more), NONE of them have EVER broken skin. I have a nipper but he never bites to hurt and it's never been aggressive. Quite honestly, it doesn't sound like they may have the best care. Flinging poop? I don't think so. They will poop and pee on you-especially at first. They'll mark you that way as well. I can honestly say I never get peed or pooped on anymore. Not sure why-guess they realized I'm not the toilet? LOL It sounds like you've done your research. Feel free to post questions on the forum...and welcome!

Sep 26 2009 : 02:15:13 PM

swithers
All gliders are different. I have 3. They all bark once in awhile. Its not loud. It sounds like a puppy. I have never seen them throw poop. Or even pick up their poop. The gliders do not stink. Their urine stinks. It is a managable smell as long as you clean the cage. I clean mine about once a week. I have 1 girl who has NEVER bitten me, 1 girl who bit for the first week and 1 boy who loves to nibble.(he never breaks the skin) You might be able to find someone who has gliders that will let you visit or the breeders might let you visit a few times befor you make a decision.

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Roxanne22

Member since: Sep 24, 2009
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