Sugar Glider Checklist

If you are getting your first sugar gliders, these are the basic supplies you need to have before you bring them home:

• Cage that is at least 24''W x 24''L  x 36''H, preferably larger.  Bar spacing should be no more than 1/2 inch.  The doors should have some type of lock to prevent escapes; if the doors slide up use clips to secure them.  A slide out pan in the bottom is a huge plus, it is so much easier to clean.
• Travel carrier/bonding pouch-great for bringing your gliders home or to vet visits.  
• Safe wheel.  Avoid wire hamster wheels, they can break feet and tails.  Wodent wheels were once a popular choice, but build up urine and feces inside quickly due to the enclosed design.  The best choices are Raptor wheels, Stealth wheels, or Custom cruisers.
• Toys- the more the merrier!  Foraging toys are a favorite for most gliders, hide treats and food in them for added fun.  Toys that make noise are also great.
• Sleeping pouch made of fleece.  Other materials can unravel and threads will get caught around feet, so stick to fleece.  Make sure the pouch is double layered with all seams on the inside!
• Food dish- one that is hard to tip over preferably.
• Water bottle- 8 oz. or larger, make sure it doesn't drip.  It's a good idea to have more than one.
• Nail clippers/file- when your gliders' nails start to get caught in their pouch it's time for a trim.
• Food- this is a whole subject on its own, refer to our past post here for diet choices.

Now that you have the basics, there are a few extra supplies I recommend that aren't quite necessary but still nice to have.

• Treats!  Give in moderation.
• Bedding for the cage bottom, you can leave this out if you wish but it is easier to clean with it.  Carefresh, fleece, or newspaper work well.
• Glider Kitchen- you can make your own out of an old tupperware container, just cut a hole in the side (big enough for the gliders to get in and out) don't forget to sand the edges of the cut if they are rough.  Putting your gliders' food inside the 'kitchen' will minimize messes.
• Tent- great to play and bond in so gliders can't get lost in other parts of the house.

What A Good Diet Will Do For Your Glider

You may be questioning whether it's worth it to go with one of the good diets I listed on my past post (here) or settle for the easy, but less healthy, option of pellets.

Below are before and after photos of a rescued glider we took in a while ago that was eating a diet of mainly pellets in her last home.  As you can see in the first photo, she was completely stained brown with very cracked fur.  After taking her in we switched her to the HPW diet and she has greatly improved.  Her staining has completely faded and the cracks are starting to go away.  She's had increased energy and overall seems like a much healthier glider.

I think the photos speak for themselves.  A good diet makes a huge difference!

Before:

After:

What To Look For In A Breeder

A responsible breeder...

• Is willing to show you their breeding facility, and the parents of the animal you are buying.   Their cages should be clean and their breeders should be handleable.  
• Keeps lineage on their animals.
• Feeds a healthy diet and has appropriately sized cages.
• Educates buyers on correct care requirements, and answers any questions buyers have.
• Offers after sale support.  If a buyer has questions even years after they buy an animal, the breeder should still be willing to answer them.
• Is willing to take back their babies if their new owners do not want them or can't keep them for any reason.
• Provides vet care for their animals, and has a health guarantee for babies.
• Socializes their babies to ensure a friendly, well rounded pet.
• Breeds for improvement of the species, and not for money.
• Asks potential buyers questions and looks for the best home rather than selling to the first person with the money.
• Retains babies until they are weaned and completely able to live without their parents.

*We at Ashley's Animals follow every one of these guidelines, as should every breeder.

Why Hedgehogs Can't Share The Hedge

I was asked today why hedgehogs can't share the hedge.  Well, pet hedgehogs don't actually have a hedge...but they do have a cage, which they also won't share.  This is because they are solitary animals and dislike the company of other hedgehogs.  Males are especially territorial and will fight any intruders in their space.  If you want multiple hedgehogs they should each have their own cage.  Although some owners have reported successfully housing two females together for a while, it usually ends up in a fight at some point and it's best not to attempt this unless the females were litter-mates.  Even then, be prepared to separate them if they decide they don't want to live together.  If each hedgeheog has their own "hedge" they will be so much happier!

Sugar Glider Diets- What you should be feeding your gliders

Feeding your sugar gliders a proper diet is the most important thing you can do for their health.  Unhealthy diets are the direct cause of many common health issues. One of the most common unhealthy diets for sugar gliders is the pellet diet.  Pellets offer very little nutritional value and should NEVER be the only thing you feed your sugar glider.  Brands such as Sunseed, Glide-R-Chow, and Pretty Pets should be avoided at all times as they consist of nothing but fillers.  Other brands like Pet Pro's Happy Glider, Exotic Nutrition's Glider Complete, or Suncoast's Wholesome Balance are fine to feed occasionally in small amounts as a snack.  If you decide to offer a pellet food to your glider it should go along with an approved diet like the ones below:

HPW-  There are two main types of HPW.  The original version can be found here: http://www.exoticnutrition.com/wombpro.html.  The newer version is called HPW complete and is the easy "just add water" version.  It can be found here: http://www.hpwdietcenter.com/complete.html

BML- Most ingredients in this diet can be easily found at the grocery store.  The recipe for this diet can be found at http://www.angelfire.com/nb/sugarglider/leadbeat.html
          There is another version of this diet called Judie's BML which can be found here: http://www.toandfrogliders.com/FileHierarchy/InfoPouch/NewJoeyOwners/SupplyLinks/BML.htm

Priscilla Price Diet- Also known as The Pet Glider Fresh Diet, or The Pet Glider Exotic diet. This was created by one of the largest breeders in the USA.  http://www.thepetglider.com/the-pet-glider-nutrition-system.html

LGRS Suggie Soup- Created by a large sugar glider rescue and sanctuary for malnourished and sick gliders but works just as well for healthy gliders.  The recipe can be found at http://www.sugarglider.com/gliderpedia/index.asp?LGRSSuggieSoup

VGV-  Uses all fresh rather than processed ingredients.  Recipe can be found here: http://vesg.weebly.com/vgv-recipe.html

Candy's Blended Diet-  There are many different versions of this one, which can be found at http://jumpinmonkey.webs.com/candysblendeddiet.htm

Reeps Wombaroo- Recipe can be found here: http://www.sugarglider.com/nutrition/viewrecipe.asp?item=237

                                                                                                                                                  

***All Diets listed above are to be fed along with a variety of fruits/veggies daily!***

Sugar Gliders Grow Up Fast!

Sugar glider joeys triple in size from the first day out of pouch to the day they can leave their parents.  We took a photo a day of one of our mosaic joeys and combined all the pictures into a time lapse to show you just how fast a joey really grows.

What To Feed A Hedgehog

Hedgehogs need a diet that is high in protein and low in fat.  When choosing food, look for those that have about 35% protein and no more than 15% fat.  Since few foods made specifically for hedgehogs have the proper amounts of protein and fat, most owners choose to feed a high quality cat or dog kibble instead.  The best way to achieve a balanced diet is to offer a mix of several different foods.

Quality cat foods include:
Authority
Blue Buffalo
Canidae
Castor & Pollux
Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul
Evangers
Fromm
Halo Spot's Stew
Holistic Select
Innova
Kirkland Signature
Natural Balance
Nutro Natural Choice
Purina One Beyond
Royal Canin
Simply Nourish
Solid Gold
Taste of the Wild
Wellness

*This is not a complete list and it is in no particular order.

Along with this dry mix, make sure to supplement your hedgehog's diet with insects and small pieces of fruits and vegetables a few times a week.

Sugar Gliders: Do I really need more than one?

This can be a confusing topic because most people recommend getting at least 2 sugar gliders, yet others say it's fine to have only one if you give it enough attention.  So who is right?

Technically a single glider will survive on its own, but it will never be truly happy.  It won't drop dead from loneliness, but will become depressed and likely over-groom itself, leaving bald patches.  Sugar Gliders are much happier with a buddy.  They are colony animals and live in large groups in the wild, so naturally they would want company in captivity as well.  If you do choose to get only one sugar glider you will need to spend at least 4 hours a day with it to even come close to fulfilling it's emotional needs.  That doesn't mean just carrying it around in a bonding pouch or pocket during the day, you need to be there to play in the evening or at night when the glider is awake and active.  Obviously this is not an option for most people, so the best thing to do is get another glider.  

Welcome!

I created this blog to answer frequently asked questions about the animals I breed.  My main site is www.AshleysAnimals.com, where you can find more information about my animals for sale.