Hello, my name isJessica and I'm new to the forum but not new to gliders. I had a colony years ago that I took in from a friend who couldn't keep them anymore. I had them a little over 5 years, but sadly they passed away one by one (they were older when I took them in). I just last week got a new little guy, and am on the hunt for a sister for him (he's already fixed). I'm enjoying the bonding process with just the one, as I'm finding it a lot easier than bonding with a colony.
I do live in an illegal state, but I've never had a problem getting vet care (I have a great exotic vet, that sees tons of illegal animals), food supplies, or anything else. I sew and have always made all of my own pouches, liners and toys. Besides sugar gliders, I have been owned by a few other illegal pets in the past, and I'm currently owned by a mini zoo. I am the proud fur mom to 2 small dogs, a cat, a cockatiel, a turtle, 2 rats, 2 guinea pigs, a bearded dragon, and now 1 sugar glider (soon to be 2).
Kimberley Feathers-Sweetie, Mister Peanut & Big Mack Fur-Guinan, Mr. Spock, T'Mir, Cho, Toothless, Maverick & Maharet T'Pol, Elizabeth & Curzon TY, TJ, Light Fury, Madison & T'Pring Forever in my heart, Gizmo, Tucker, Khayman and the rest of my babies over the
Thanks for the welcome! My guy is a little camera shy, so I've only got dark pictures of him (he really dislikes the light), but I've been trying ☺. For only having him almost a week, the bonding is going so great. He still crabs a lot when I touch him, but I'm able to pet him and pick him up. He hasn't bitten me, but he has lunged at my daughter (without biting her) but I think that's because she got a little overzealous and tried to go to fast. He's been eating really well, since I got him off the crap diet (if you could even call it that) that the pet store had him on.
But he does have a different sleep schedule than what I was used to with my old colony. My colony would all be up by 10 pm at the latest, but usually all up by 8. This guy doesn't start getting up until about midnight, and that's usually to run a lap around his cage and see what's going on. He'll go back to his pouch for a bit than finally get up. But since he gets up so late, he goes to bed around 10/11 in the morning! I'm loving his personality, so different from any I've had in the past
Awww how cute! Such a sweet face! His sleep schedule will change as time goes by. He is still adjusting to his new home and new schedule. He will need a lot of attention. Was he alone at the pet store?
Sugar gliders like things nice and slow. They also need to know when you are approaching them. Just soft talk, light pets on their sleeping pouch will assure them.
Do you have any blankies for him? (Pieces of fleece cut up into about 4" squares). You can rub them on your skin or sleep with them under your pillow, or put in laundry basket. It will give him something to cuddle with while he is alone and he will get used to your scent.
I did notice his fur color is a bit different. I think it was from the diet he was on. Nothing to be alarmed about, it will turn back to normal in a few months.
He might like a few reset toys since he is curious about his surroundings. A quick easy one is straws. You can weave them in the cage bars, bend into shapes and push ends togwther, even dip one end in honey and he can tear into it and have a treat.
I never used reset toys before, but that's a great idea thanks! I'll pick up some straws today. I didn't notice anything off about his color maybe it's his red bag washing him out? But they were giving him some type of pasty powder that you mix with those kerns strawberry canned juice drinks. They weren't giving him fruits or veggies. I'm feeding him the bml diet because it's familiar to me and I know it works. But when I've tried offering him treats, he doesn't eat them. He seems afraid of mealies, and wont eat them even if I leave them in his cage. He won't eat yogurt treats either. I'm hoping with time he'll adjust to treats, or maybe when I get another and he sees that their okay.
He has a few blankets that I change out daily that have been kept on me, and I put my day old shirts draped over the top of his cage for the night before they go in the laundry in the morning. Im able to keep him in my bra all day until I feel him fidgeting around cause he wants to play. He has no problems with me holding or petting him. And I play with him for about an hour at night, and a few hours in the morning while he's still up. Since the other night he's been barking at me during the night, and I've gotten up to play with him. I keep his cage right next to my side of the bed.
He did have 2 other males in the cage with him at the pet store, and they told me he was about 10 weeks oop, but to me he looks at least 6 months old. He's far too big to be 10 weeks. But since he's already fixed it's hard to tell too because he doesn't have a bald spot. Am I off about this? I'm assuming the store lied because they thought people would only buy younger gliders, but I fell in love with his face not his age.
Oh wow she was tiny. Yeah I think they got the date super mixed up, because they kept asking what age I wanted to know the day he was born or oop. And I was really confused about that because from my understanding you can't tell the day their born just the oop age. But all the gliders in his cage were the same size, so I don't think they were getting his oop date confused with another gliders. But I think they were intentionally lying about it. Because they just kept saying over and over that he was 10 weeks oop. Either way, he's a sweetheart. It just scares me not really knowing his age because I don't want less time with him if he's a lot older than they said. Is there any way to tell if he's older? My colony (to me), you could tell they were older, even the way they acted was very "set in their way" lol. But this guy still seems young if that makes any sense?
so glad you're here!
TY, TJ, Light Fury, Madison & T'Pring 
