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Yesterday, while looking at photos on Instagram, I found a cute little picture of this sugar glider. At that point, I thought, can I have him? And, I started wondering. After a few seconds, I took my phone and searched every nook and corner of the web to find the answers. Today, I want to share my results with you. Can sugar gliders be good pets? Sugar gliders can be good pets. They are lovely animals who provide a lot of emotional support and can bond with you for a lifetime. But, as bonding with them takes some time [1], it requires a lot of patience to deal with them. But, don't worry, I'm here to help you out. In this post, I'm going to list everything that you need to understand before and after buying a sugar glider. Keep this post in your bookmarks so that you can read as the process follows. Let's start. Things to understand before buying a sugar glider Can you bond with a Sugar Glider? The process of bonding is different for each glider, as sugar gliders can have different kinds of personalities. It could take months for some people, weeks for others. It is a case to case basis scenario. Do Sugar Gliders smell? You shouldn't have to worry much about that but keep a tab on proteins (like mealworms and bugs), and you should be fine. Their smell is quite similar to a ferret. If you can handle that, you are good to go. Are sugar gliders legal? Sugar gliders are legal in most of the states (in the US) except for the states of California, Hawaii, and Alaska, and in New York City. In some states (like Georgia and New Mexico), you must have a permit to own a sugar glider. Their breeding is also regulated under the animal welfare act. Outside the United States, some territories in Australia do not allow sugar gliders as pets.[3] Can you travel with a sugar glider? Yes, you could carry your sugar glider on a plane, but this is conditional on a flight-to-flight basis, and as most of the regulations are constantly changing, you have to search before taking any step. Go to the website of your airline provider and check their rules regarding pets before boarding with a glider. What to do before buying a sugar glider? Give at least a month to research before buying a glider. You need to understand entirely whether you can handle a glider or not. There is a lot of information available online, and you can check that out before making any decision. Do not take any decision in haste. How much do sugar gliders cost? A sugar glider can cost anywhere between $150 to $600 depending on the type and color of the glider. Besides the initial cost, there are others as well. You need at least $250 for a cage, bowls, toys, and other accessories. After that, there aren't many requirements. They don't eat much, so you don't spend a lot of them. The food cost is anywhere between $10 and $30 per month. Buying 2-3 lbs in bulk is the most affordable option, as you can check here. Got it? Now you want to check out the pros and cons? Yes? So, let's have it. Pros of Having a Sugar Glider 1. They are nocturnal. If you are going to work, you won't have a problem caring about your pet in the day because they are going to sleep at that time.[4] You can come home later and have a relationship with your pet when he awakes. 2. They are an apartment friendly pet. They don't need much room to live either. 3. The monthly costs of owning a glider aren't much. 4. They love and show affections once they've bonded with you. 5. They are a relatively quite animal. That's why they make excellent house pets Cons of Having a sugar glider 1. Bonding with a sugar glider can take time. Sugar gliders are not that emotionally supportive, and the bonding could be difficult because some sugar gliders have difficult personalities. Pets like dogs and cats would be much better choices for those who want an easygoing ESA. You could also look at small pets like rats who also bond quite quickly. 2. They require a strict diet. Just kitchen scrap wont work. You cannot just throw in some food in the bowl and have done with it. 3. Not all gliders are affectionate and you can get a bad one. The bonding process is long and could produce adverse results. Also, even after the bonding, some gliders do not like to be held or cuddled. 4. They need special cages and playing toys. It's a one-time investment, but this could be expensive, depending on your budget. 5. Sugar gliders can be illegal in some areas. 6. They take time to adjust in a new home. They can get scared initially when you have your first interactions with them and can respond by biting, scratching your hand. 7. Pairing two different gliders isnt easy. If a glider is kept secluded for a long time, it will be hard for him to be paired with another glider after some months or years. The glider might attack the newcomer and seeing it as a threat until it is comfortable with him. 8. They have sharp claws and could be uncomfortable to hold with bare hands. They would also be problematic to manage in large places because they could fly. They can poop around everywhere, marking their territory. I hope these tips would have cleared your mind and allowed you to decide on whether to buy or not. If you have decided to buy, where to buy one? Where to buy a sugar glider? You should find an exotic vet in your area, and he should know where to buy a sugar glider. Some exotic vets also provide sugar gliders for sale, but their prices could be unaffordable, so try around in the area and get the best price. Also, Avoid buying from breeding mills because they keep the gliders in very inhumane conditions, and you could get a severely damaged glider that would be challenging to bond with. Only purchase gliders from genuine breeders. Not only that, but I have also compiled a list of things that should be kept in mind while purchasing a sugar glider. Things to remember before adopting a sugar glider 1. Adopt two or more, not one Sugar Gliders are social animals. They live in the wild with a pack of 24+ gliders within it. They also like to sleep on a pile with 5 to 6 gliders piling over each other. Therefore, buying a single glider is not recommended. He could die from loneliness. You should always buy a pair of gliders and also make sure that one glider is male and the others could be females. If you buy more than one male, there are likely going to fight with each other and harm each other relentlessly. 2. Ask the store questions When you are buying the glider, ask your vet everything about them from cutting their nails to how to hold them. They know a lot and could help you out with most of the conditions. Several veterinarians also provide information packets to those who need them. 3. Support local industry Make sure to buy locally bread gliders and not imported ones as the imported ones may have problems with the environment and the locality. Gliders with rare colors are much more expensive, so avoid them if you want to reduce costs. 4. Older gliders are better A new sugar glider would take a lot of time to bond with you and might bite you if they are not tamed. The bite is extremely nasty, and it could result in a tiny prick of blood. To avoid that, buy a tamed or an older glider. Its handling is much easier. If you read this much, it is highly likely that you have already purchased or booked yourself a sweet little sugar glider. Now, you have to take care of him. Tips to help you in keeping a sugar glider Train them to pee properly They are not going to learn on their own; they are going to pee wherever they want. Make sure to stimulate their process of going to the bathroom by rubbing a wet cloth on their tail. You can also take off their sleeping pouch and let them roam around for 15 minutes, which would help them to ease off their stored urine. If you do not take these precautions, they could pee on your clothes or your hands when you try to hold them. Join a support group Join the Facebook group called sugar glider guardians, and they would provide a dedicated person to help you out with the complete process. Keep their diet healthy Diet is the most significant part of handling them. You have to provide fruits, vegetables, and proteins. For protein, provide them with fresh meat and worms. Add vitamin supplements so that they would stay healthy for a long time. Buy a proper cage Make sure you have a nice cage for them, and it should have a bonding pouch that they can sleep in during the day and also feel safe. Also, make sure that the cage's bars are not more than half inches apart from each other so that they cannot escape easily. A suitable cage like this would cost you over $60. See this cage, for example. Getting rid of the noise Sometimes sugar gliders can make a lot of noise in the morning, which could not only disturb you but create problems with the neighbors. This could be tackled by putting a cloth over their cages. Do not use a string They may nearly strangle themselves and hurt themselves badly. So, using a string is a bad idea with a sugar glider. Dealing with the smell You can use a dehumidifier if you are too concerned with the smell. Related Questions Can they be Emotional Support Animal? Sugar gliders can surely be emotional support animals as long as you keep all the costs and laws in mind. They can bond well if the processes are followed and if they are sourced well. You should also look at your state and society laws. Some do not allow them. Conclusion Sugar gliders can be great pets, but you have to keep in mind the constraints and precautions before buying them. Taking a decision that is going to affect your life for the next 12 to 15 years is not easy. So, read everything that you can and decide based on the pros and cons listed in this post. Share this post with all of your family and friends who either own a sugar glider or want one. This could help them out. You can also share your opinions with us by writing to us using our contact us page or through the comment section below. Have a great day!

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