Interview with Jessica Furr

Positives of Sugar Gliders as pets?
They are small. Once trust is established they have a wonderful bond with their owners. You can keep them with you most of the day in a pouch. They seem to make very good apartment pets if you don't have a lot of space.

Negatives of Sugar Gliders as pets?
You need at "least" a 3 ft tall cage. It takes a lot of work and patience to gain their trust enough to have the close bond with them. They need a spacific diet. You have to have lots of time to spend with them, esspecially if you only keep one and not a pair. Gliders can die of lonelyness.

Anecdotes/stories about your Sugar Glider pet?
No matter where you go if your Glider takes a peek out, you will be surrounded by people. That's always fun, but I think the best times are at home where they are comfortable. Toby, my little male will hang from the bill of my base ball cap by his back feet, and swing back and forth at my face. He'll chirp and bark at me and try to grab my nose. It's just the cutest thing. I did go to the doctor once with him. I guess I just get so use to having him there that I just didn't think to leave him home. Anyway, the doctor reaches over to listen to my heart with her stethiscope and Toby was sleeping in my bra. I jumped away looking like a crazy person saying "Wait, your gonna crush my baby!" I think she was very close to calling the loony bin untill I pulled down my shirt a little so she could see a pair of feet and eyes peeking out of my bra top. Now she keeps a little bag of Almonds in her office for when we go see her.

Do they have scent glands or an offensive smell?
They do have scent glands, but their smell is not offensive. The males have a scent gland on the top of their head and on their chest. Neutered males won't get their scent glands. If you wash their cage with out soap or scenty products most of the time, it will keep them from scent marking as bad. I do not smell my Gliders at all though unless I put my nose right up to their fur.

What is their average lifespan?
They "can" live for up to 15 or 20 years in captivity. However, there are so many people that get these animals without doing enough research. It is getting rare to find a Glider owner that knows enough about their Glider to keep them alive for their expected life span in captivity.

Do they enjoy interaction?
VERY much so. Once trust is established they live for your attention. Mine will hang on the cage when I walk by and bark at me to get them out. They love to be petted. They will even climb up to my face and grab with their hands and snuggle in to my face. They love to be close to your body. Even when they get crazy and run all around the room exploring, they will constantly jump back and forth to me to check on me and see what I'm doing. Almost like they just want to make sure I'm still there. They seem to even be clued in to what my moods are. When I'm sad they are much more affectionate. When I'm nervous or angry, they seem to get more agitated. When I'm happy, they seem to be more playful.

What is their general personality, disposition, and attitude?
Generally they are very happy loveable sweethearts. The only time I see anything "bad" from them is when they are scared. Hey, lets be honest, if you don't have trust who wouldn't be scared. They are tiny and we are giants.

Are they sweet and petable, or mischievious and playful?
They can be very petable. I love to hold and love on my Gliders. If they are in play mode though, forget it. They are in "PLAY MODE." My Gliders will even play "peek-a-boo" behind the couch with me.

How destructive are they for an average household?
They are not destructive at all. Well, your plants may not think so. Mine like to climb around in them. They may nibble here and there or knock leaves off. I don't find that very destuctive though. If they go to the bathroom out of the cage (which will happen) it's no worse than mouse droppings. Very easy to clean up.

Do they climb or tear up furniture?
They will climb. No they will not tear up funiture.

Are there any problems associated with their claws?
The only problem I have with them is that they are sharp! Keeping branches in their cage will help to dull them out a bit though. I am very fortunate to have trusting tame Gliders. They will sit and let me clip their claws if they get too bad. Don't be suprised if you are not able to do this though.

How messy are their droppings?
Not messy. Like mouse droppings. Very easy to clean up.

Can they be litter box trained?
No, they cannot be litter box trained. We all kind of have our little ways of making this better though. My Gliders know that before they are allowedd to run around or play that they have to do their business on a paper towel. I run my finger along the under side of their tails and they will poop. Then I stroke their back with my whole hand and they will tinkle. This has taken a great deal of work and patience though. Also, it does make it better, but I do still get peed and pooped on. If you have a Glider you should just expect this.

Can they be trained?
To a certain extent I think. No they will not sit, or stay, or roll over. They do know their names though. If they get someplace I can't reach them, or if I think they may be getting in to a dangerous spot I can call them and they will jump to me.

How are they with other pets, larger and smaller?
Gliders are "Arboreal" in the wild. This makes them not afraid of any land dwelling animal. If you have a cat they will probably jump down and say hello. If you have a dog, they will probably try to take a ride on it's back. They are quite curious and would probably love to sniff around and try to figure out what the heck that thing wagging it's tail is. This is DANGEROUS. You have to be very cautious about who or how you let your Glider meet or interact with anyone or anything. Your Glider may be happy to see the family cat but the family cat may be thinking "LUNCH." At the same time, smaller pets are a NO NO. Gliders do in the wild, and will in captivity eat meat. Do not let your Glider meet your hamster, or parakeet. They will be a very filling meal.

What size cage do they need?
The bigger the better, of course. The minimum cage should be no smaller than 3 feet tall. My cage is 3and 1/2ft tall by 2and 1/2 ft long by 1and 1/2 ft wide.

What do you feed them?
They need a mixture of fruits, veggies, protien, and calcium. The diets can be so confusing, and your Gliders can be very picky eaters as well. That's why I chose to use a proven recomended diet called Leadbeaters: BML. This allows me to know that I'm giving them all the nutrients that they need to be strong and healthy. At the same time the diet allows you to be able to offer some fruits and veggies and insects with out disrupting the nutritional balance. This way my Gliders don't get bored with their food. If they get bored they may stop eating. I think this is the best way to go with Gliders but there are many other diets that can be used: Diets, Feeds and Ingredients

What vaccinations/vet care do they require?
They do not need vaccinations. They do need a knowledgeable exotics vet though. At all times. When Gliders get ill you probably won't know anything is wrong until they are almost dead. To be on the safe side it is good for them to get checked by their vet at least once every 6 months to a year. You should at least "call" your vet if anything strange happens with your Glider. Even Diahrea is the sign of a very serious problem in Gliders.

At what age would it be best to get one?
As with most animals, it is best to get them as young as you can. However it's best to at least wait till they are weaned. Lots of people like to bottle feed animals, and normally that would be a good thing. With Gliders it is often best to let them be weaned by their own mothers. It's more nutritious for them, and the chances of a novice bottle feeding a Glider and having it live are slim. Your Glider should be eating well, have his eyes and ears fully open, and their tail should look fluffy.