Sugar gliders are exotic pets and they make a welcome addition to a household. However, the acquisition of such a pet, or any pet for that matter, should not be made lightly. Sugar gliders live for 12 to 14 years in captivity and you need to be ready to make that commitment. Also, be sure that you know everything there is to know about the care of the animal so that you will be ready to properly care for your pet.
A sugar gliders cage should be as large as you can afford and have space for. The height is more important then the width. The minimum size recommended for a sugar glider cage is 30 x 18 x 36 inches. Wire cages are the best. Glass surfaces like those in an aquarium keep the sugar glider from climbing which is detrimental to the animal’s health. When purchasing your pet’s cage keep in mind that you want it to be able to scale the walls, hang from the top and have perches, ledges or platforms to jump and swing from. You will also need to purchase hanging food dishes, a hamster type bottle for water and a bunch of toys. They like vertical branches and climbing rope. One recommended toy is a rodent wheel.
Sugar gliders need to eat a somewhat varied diet. They need a portion of fruit or vegetable each day. It is probably best to vary what type of fruit or vegetable you give them and not feed them the same thing everyday. For example you could give them squash today and honeydew tomorrow. They then need an equal amount of protein. Some options for protein are chicken or turkey baby food, mealworms, crickets or boiled eggs. The protein can also be varied each day. It is a good idea to feed sugar gliders at the same time everyday. Most of the sugar glider’s nutrition should be coming from the fruit/vegetable and protein. However, to supplement their diet it is recommended to give them a dry food and leave it in the cage for 24 hours. Dry food should always be present in the cage but changed each day so that it is fresh. It should also be changed if the sugar glider soils it. Any insectivore/omnivore dry mix found at the pet store should suffice. The important thing is to be sure that the animal is eating both fruit or vegetable and protein.
Sugar gliders benefit from a vitamin and mineral supplement. Vionate and Rep-Cal are two possible choices. The supplement can be sprinkled on the fruit or vegetables or it can be mixed with a small portion of apple juice or nectar.
Resource:
http://www.sugar-gliders.com/sugar-glider-care.htm
