G'day all,
I don't have time to respond to all, and i feel i would be talking to a brick wall. I never meant to offend, only offer what's right. People can take advice and learn from it, or be ignorant and stand by what they believe, it's up to them.

I feel 6*6*3 foot is very easy to provide, i would sleep on a smaller bed and get rid of all room furnishings to fit in a bigger cage.

Stitchsmom, I don't know it all. I don't even keep sugar glider's yet. I know what i have learnt working at two animal sanctuaries caring for native wildlife (including sugar gliders), and while completing my University degree majoring in wildlife biology, i also know many keepers in zoo's around Australia, many of which keep and research sugar glider's. My suggestion of cage size is based on observations of wild sugar gliders and captives in large cages. The captive sugar gliders i have worked with at the sanctuary performed acrobatics and unbelievable stunts that i couldn't imagine an animal confined to a smaller space being capable of learning. They really are very active and should be able live their full potential. The people who set the minimum cage standards are a government department for the welfare of animals. It is state run, most states won't allow you to keep sugar gliders at all, the ones that do require you to have a licence (to stop just anyone going and getting one and keeping it in small cages, etc). They have officer's that do random checks (that's right rock up at your door) to check to make sure the animals are in suitable enclosures, etc. It isn't taken lightly at all. Animals are seized and enclosures must be upgraded otherwise they don't get them back. If it's a multiple offense their licence is canceled and they are never allowed to keep native wildlife.
Regarding the cage. I was looking for specifically pvc coated aviaries, but they don't make them as big as i want, i was checking if anyone knew of any, but no. But a large powder coated one is easy to obtain, so I'm going to use that or build my own. At no point did i say you shouldn't own sugar gliders. I was trying to give helpful husbandry advice since every time I've tried i get people being defensive, like now, so was trying to get my point across. People with any knowledge of sugar gliders would not keep them in small cages. You would be surprised what people over here sacrifice to have a large enclosure for their animals. Might i add that there are many keepers of sugar gliders in the US who keep them in large cages, they just don't frequent the forums because of the keepers who are trying to match their designer sugar glider cage to the rest of the furniture.

breeders of sugar gliders should only be those who have the space. A rat would be a more suitable pet for alot of sugar glider keepers. Everyone really should do what's best for the animal, not just think of themselves.

One day i will keep a pair, I'm just not in a position at the moment to provide enough space, etc. I could fit in a 6*6*3 foot enclosure but i feel it wouldn't be right so am waiting till i have more room available.

You can feel insulted if you like, i never meant to insult, it just saddens me that this is going on.

My messages are written quickly so if my point doesn't get across, I'm sorry. I feel this is the end of the road, I'm not going to visit the sugar glider forums anymore. People are so ignorant and stuck in their ways (or because someone else has the same size or smaller, it's ok for them) It's not meant to be insulting, this is the internet, it's hard to get what your saying across.

I was just trying to offer some advice from personal experience and from my mates that are keepers at other zoo's. We find it strange that overseas, keepers are having trouble with hip problems, sight problems, and all these other physical and behavioral problems. They are all non existent in Australia so we thought maybe it's due to the smaller cages and different food overseas. So if people started changing and their health improved (cause and effect) we would know if they influenced it. I've tried helping people, but people are stuck in their ways.

I hope it's worth it. I'll see ya in the next life.

Jimmy

Jimmy, we love to hear advice and whats going on in Australia. We werent asking you to leave.
I guess it was the way your post to us came across. Your right about saying its hard to get your point across on the internet. You cannot read someones tone.

In the US, the typical door isn't 3 ft wide, so we couldn't even fit those cages through our doorways to clean outside, or move them if we sold our house.

I can't even fit my repts through the doorways here, and they're only 30" wide they fit through the hallway, but only barely, but the doors? no way! maybe my new house in WI will have bigger doorways, lol

my biggest room right now is only 12ft by 20ft until I move in May but my gliders have large enough cages and are happy and get a ton of out of cage time. There would be NO way I could fit that many 9 ft cages in my room.
Even when i move into a house in May They won't be in cages that large. They will be in cages 4X3X6 tall.

My gliders are happy and healthy. I buy what I think is a good staple food and keep 40 lb cases on hand and they also get fresh fruits veggies and treats. My fridge and freezer has more 'pet food' then people food in it and when we move there will be a fridge just for their food.

I don't think I'm a bad glider parent just because I don't have room or money for 10 9 ft by 9 ft cages!

I understand where you are coming from but I just don't think many people at all here in the states have cages that large or money for cages that large. One place that does rescue had her gliders outside in a large cage and it wasn't even that large (she had them out in the summer and I told her that wasn't a good idea to keep them outside. she rescued them when spca raided a home and took 13 gliders and like 50 cats and other pets)

Jimmy don't leave - you message was a bit harsh but I do believe most of us can understand where you're coming from -and you're right about glider's needing LARGE cages but some of us really don't have the room for REALLY LARGE cages - we make sure the cage is as large as possible and if the glider is out with us during the day or at night then the glider is happy and so are we - it's the same as with bird's - as the saying goes "the larger the better" but how large can we get a bird cage - my bird's are in cages large enough for them to spread their wing's and about 5' high and I'm not too sure how long or wide (I'm not good on measurement's)and they come out of their cages daily and I've had them over 10 yr's and they are as happy as clam's - stay with us and learn more or as much as you care to - this is a good forum - HONEST - and the moderator's on this forum are VERY knowledgeable -

Sue

I just reread my post and I didn't mean to leave out anyone in this forum that is glider knowledgeable - it's not just the moderator's it's alot of other people in this forum that know one heck alot about the raising of gliders - sorry if I offended anyone--

sue

I don't know how things go when it comes to trying to change the law's but I do know it is much easier to make a NEW LAW than to change one.

As far as the the cage size I myself think it should be bigger than you can barter going some smaller. Like I said I don't know.

Willing to help and btw way my play cage is 3 260 repts 2.5 ft deep 6 ft tall and 7 ft long (Dancing made it for me) and my Gliders and I do spend 4 hours a day in the play cage eveyday. 2 in the morning and 2 at night. I set my alarm clock for 5 am so we get our play time. Evey once in a while the time doesn't work like today but you can bet out of a year they might miss 7 times per year.

So yes you can count on me for help.

Anybody know of any other exotic groups or any other group that have gotten minnimum cage sizes chaged? If so you can go by what they have wrote up and just make it to fit for Sugar Gliders.

Another thing ANYTHING bigger is better than the way it is NOW!!!!!

I also think wheels should be a must have. Here the wheel size would have to be set too.

Ok is their a law for having wheels? If not than that would be a start. you can change the cage size by setting standards for wheels.

Like. The glider must be able to stand under a wheel and not touch the moving wheel form any side. Top bottom, or both sides.

I found " In Defense of Animals " through a google search. Most likely I can not post the link but you can google it like I did. Has some real good information to use for different things to help fight for animal rights. If people would just TRY TO take care of their own backyard somebody will make progress for the rest to follow. Their is always going to be more than one way to get the same thing done so until we find out what works we have to come up with stuff to do when we are faced with mill breeders when they come into our backyard.