Hello, I know everyone here has a story to share about the first time they read, saw, met etc... their first Glider. Would LOVE to hear about how you discovered Sugar Gliders and why you decided to get your first baby? What kind and what was your first gliders name? Tell your Glider story!!!
I was laying in the cardiologist office when my Mom said she ran into someone selling some kind of little odd looking creature, that looked like a bat and a squirrel. Imagine the look on me and my Dr's face hearing this in the middle of the echocardiogram. We were both interested to hear what she was going to say next so we looked at her and then both said "say what?" She then said she would show me this thing and takes out her phone to a sugar glider web site. All I could do was oohh and ahhh, the Dr said, "that's a strange looking little thing." of course I yelled "I want one" my Mom told me to read all I could first as it was a exotic animal that take a lot of work and time.
After reading about them the entire way home Mom drove the three hr trip back, I talked and talked about them and decided I was going to do the research etc... cause I wanted one.
I took the next month looking into them, reading and researching about them etc. My Mom said "I knew if I showed these things to you you were gonna want one, but if anyone can and will take care of them it's you" I was devoted in it for the long haul,then came Stuart.
I knew with my disabilities I am home a lot and my night time schedule is easily adjusted. I knew it would work. I met
Stuart and it was love at first sight. He is a common grey and I brought him home Jan 1st just 23 days ago.

sugiemom to Stuart

We were working in Midland TX and the county fair was going on in Odessa (for the non Texans they are side by side).

We spotted a booth inside where many people stood. Peeked and got my first glimpse of a sugar glider. It was love at first sight. We observed for about an hour and asked lots of questions. Hubby was interested too. So we walked away and talked. Hubby has always wanted a little critter of some kind. He was tempted to catch a chipmunk once. Because we travel in an RV with work and might work overnight or daytime we never considered a dog or cat. I'm not big on walking a dog and having to carry a poo bag. About an hour later we went back and they let me pick out a bonding pouch and sleeping pouch and color choice on the cage. Then they asked male or female. Then suddenly my new bonding pouch was handed to me with a crabby wiggly beast inside. She did not act or sound like the calm 13 year old demo glider I saw earlier... I had sudden buyer remorse. But too late credit card was run and we were politely booted aside for the next paying customer.

While credit card was processing, the lady pulled me to one side and handed me a piece of paper. She whispered" do you cook?" I said of course. She said "here is a recipe for glider staple. It is much better than the pellets. You look like someone who might take better care of them. Please buy the ingredients and make this".(BML diet)

So I stuffed it in with the other paperwork we were given I took my crabbing pouch, put it around my neck.Hubby grabbed the assembled cage (30"wide by 24" high by 24" deep). It was quite a site walking to the truck that night.

When we got to the camper, it was after 11pm. My pouch never quit crabbing.nothing like thinking I'm waking up the campground with this little critter... oops! Are they allowed?

Anyway, our first glimpse was of this little spitfire that was only a fraction of the size of her demo counterpart. She was 8wks Oop supposedly. I cried and told hubby there was no way I could keep something so tiny and scrawny alive...But lord she was cute!

Then I did my research and here we are!16 months 17 days and 12 hours a glider slave and Fiona is alive and well! bonded and have enjoyed every minute of every day.

Dawn, I love how you tell that story. You had my husband and I both laughing.

I had seen pictures of gliders before, but the first time in person was at the state fair in September. We saw the gathered crowd and stopped to see the cutest little balls of fluff. We all wanted one. Until we saw the price. Hubby was the financial voice of reason. "I bet we could get one cheaper if we bought everything ourselves (instead of their all-in-one kit)." So we avoided the impulse buy.

On the way home, being the real voice of reason, I told the kids that they are hard to take care of and we were probably not getting one. Then without saying anything to each other, both hubby and I spent the next 2 weeks actively researching gliders. Finally we sat down and discussed it. We decided we could get them for a family Christmas present. But hubby couldn't wait that long and a month after meeting them at the fair, my daughter and I were off to pick up our newest family members. 2 standard grays (12 and 16 weeks oop).

Hey all...
Some great stories. Mine might seem a little sterile by comparison.
After some life changes I decided I was going to start pursuing something I have always wanted to do, which is have more pets. Had looked at rabbits, and other small mammals. Not wild about reptiles. Was considering even trying to get a license for a raccoon.

(Reason #213--Suggies can keep you from making stupid mistakes.)

Honestly, at first, sugar gliders were *off* the radar. I had heard so much about how they were difficult and demanding and that so many people end up having them re-homed, etc.
But eventually I took a look and did my own reading...and WOW!!! These are just what I am looking for!
I hatched a grand plan. I was saving up for a pair of leu joeys from the breeder. I wrestled for a while with this, because all my other animals have been rescues...

Ended up with a 2.5 year-old pair off Craigslist. When I went down to pick them up these nice young folks had them in the bonding pouch. The first time I ever saw a glider in person was that moment--two little pairs of eyes looking out of the pouch.

Now, I am an animal lover. Steve Irwin was a big personal hero of mine. He was the guy that showed me you could even love a crocodile.
I love all animals. But I have discovered that gliders are very special animals.

A discover something new special about them every day.

Really they are like something out of a fantasy novel. Pull out the image of your sugar glider and paste in there a tiny dragon hatchling--and then compare the narrative to, say...Anne McCaffery...
It reads like a fantasy.
Really glad I got into Suggies. And really glad there's a place like this to learn from!

Thanks
Dave

Thanks Emily! Funny things happen to us. Or maybe it's our optimistic view of the world. It's not always easy, but it is fun to laugh at yourself after the fact.

And I am horrible at waiting for Christmas too! Once I see something I want I can't wait! Like right now we are talking about getting a neutered male. We feel that he would round out the girls more. Hubby wants to wait and I am all excited!

Dave -Comrade Fruffy, I, like you love all animals, Steve Irwin was also my hero, I love what he stood for and lost it when we lost him. However I wanted to share a little about Irwin that most may not know. I had a non profit org for terminally ill children and we gave beanie babies to children who were ill. Steve and I agreed he would be my guy in Australia, I mail him the beanies and he pass them on to the childrens hospital. So we did. I have his autograph and everything he was truly a HERO to animals and to ill children.

sugiemom to Stuart

I kind covered mine in my intro, but here it is again: A good lady friend of mine became the proud parent of two on a bit of a whim. That said she started doing her research & doing what she could to make a good home. She also shared her excitement with some of her friends, especially me.

I decided I wanted to help her out & get her some things she was hoping to get in the future... but was clueless myself having never heard of the critters are pets before her. I did my research, continued to receive updates, pictures, & videos from her, and you tubed them to get ideas... & fell in love.

Yes, she (there fore her babies) received many glider toys & treats for her birthday. I continued to read & learn, falling more in love with who these furballs are... & eventually sent some emails to supplies & breeders who had good reputations & advice on their pages. After a few months of communication, I committed and had my four glider colony a month later, all roughly nine weeks old.

Once I paid for them and knew wha I was getting, I knew I needed names. I'm currently living in Europe & something reminiscent of that seemed appropriate. I also love fantasy & history, so an overlap of all three seemed doable. I decided on Arthurian legends for my source, thus Arthur, Gwynevere, Merlin, & Morgana were christened. There are plenty of names left should my colony expand, too.

I still support my friend & her babies (she got me hooked after all). They got treated quite well for Christmas as a thank you for getting me started, LOL.