.jpeg)
Care Information
Feeding and Nutrition
At Georgian Bay Sugar Gliders, we follow the Pet Glider Diet (TPG) developed by Priscilla Price in consultation with Veterinarians and nutritionists.
We choose the TPG diet because:
-
It uses a variety of fruits and vegetables which helps to maintain the glider's interest.
-
Meal prep can be done in batches that can also be frozen.
-
It includes vitamin supplements designed to maintain gliders' health and immune system.
-
It recommends using dry sugar glider food throughout the day to help support a sugar glider's high metabolism. Dry food such as monkey biscuits contains a dental guard that helps keep sugar gliders' teeth clean.
The TPG diet has allowed us to keep and raise healthy sugar gliders over the years. Although we choose to follow the TPG diet there are also other approved glider diets such as Bourbons Modified Leadbetters (BML) and the Original High Protein Wombaroo (OHPW). For more detailed information on the TPG diet please click on the links below.
Sugar Gliders require fresh water daily. We use filtered water to reduce chemical exposure. We recommend having two water sources in the enclosure in case one becomes contaminated during the night.
Treats are a great way to bond with your sugar glider and can provide enrichment for them. Yogurt drops and live mealworms are a favourite here at Georgian Bay Sugar Gliders. As a reminder treats should be given in moderation due to help maintain a healthy diet.
Some other acceptable treats are:
-
Slices of fruit
-
Small pieces of organic dehydrated fruit
-
Honey Sticks
-
Butterscotch Drops
-
Dried Mealworms
To place your sugar glider treat order please visit Canadian Sugar Gliders.
Some foods will compromise your sugar gliders heath or can be fatal. Please do your research when selecting foods for your gliders.
Enclosure
There are a variety of cages available; however, sugar gliders must have a cage that is a minimum of 18” L x 30” W x 36” Tall. This cage size fits two gliders. Your sugar gliders will always appreciate more room to climb and jump. We suggest that you purchase the largest enclosure your budget accommodates. You must ensure that the enclosure you provide has bar spacing that is 0.5” or less as well as a good locking mechanism to avoid escapes. The room your gliders enclosure will be in must also have a temperature ranging from 21-24℃ or 70-76℉. The room humidity must also range from 45-50%. Do not use heating pads, heat rocks or heat lamps. These may cause burns, over-heating, and death. A space heater can be used to warm up the area around the cage. It should be placed at least 2 feet away from the cage. A humidifier or dehumidifier can be used to control the room’s humidity. Here at Georgian Bay Sugar Gliders, we house our gliders in the enclosures on the right. We remove the ramps and the level dividers.
You enclosure must also include:
-
A glider safe wheel (please note: many suppliers will state that their wheels are suitable for sugar gliders, however some of these wheels have caused injury and death) In Canada we currently recommend the Freedom Wheel. Please contact us for more information on ordering.
-
Two sources of water. We use water silos and bottles.
-
Two food dishes
-
Glider safe toys
Toys and Enrichment
You need to provide various safe toys in your sugar gliders' enclosure, such as running wheels, fleece ropes/vines, tunnels and pulleys to keep their brains and bodies healthy and stimulated. Foraging toys help ensure that you are fulfilling your glider's instinct to search, explore and play. Putting little treats in toy treasure chests and hiding them throughout their enclosure is one example of a foraging activity. Sugar gliders also require platforms that allow them to leap and climb. Incorporating tunnels and other hiding places into the enclosure provide the gliders with comfortable resting places. It's also important to remember to switch your gliders' toys regularly to keep their interest.
You can make your own sugar gliders toys. Here are a few suggestions:
For toys and toy making supplies, check out Canadian Sugar Gliders. It is very important to use sugar glider safe toys and toy-making materials. Please refer to the links below for more information.
Bonding
Patience, consistency and time are needed to build a trusting relationship with your sugar gliders. Like people, sugar gliders have their own personalities. Some will bond quickly, and for others, it can take months. Some sugar gliders will love to be picked up and cuddled, but others may prefer to hang out on your shoulder. It is essential to respect your sugar glider’s preferences. You must spend a lot of time handling your sugar gliders to help them feel comfortable around people.
We spend much time interacting with our sugar gliders at Georgian Bay Sugar Gliders. This is a more than one-person job since many gliders need attention. Luckily, we have family and friends that like to help out. Some of the ways we do this are:
-
Carry our sugar glider families around in bonding bags during the day.
-
Talk, pet and provide treats to each glider as we tidy the cages.
-
Provide supervised play on our sugar glider climbing structure.
-
Hang out in tents with our gliders in the evenings.
-
Training sessions.
Here are a few suggestions on ways to bond with your sugar gliders.
-
Provide your sugar glider with an enclosure that makes them comfortable and secure. Give them time to explore their new home without you interacting with them. Make sure that their home has a sleeping pouch and hide-aways. Allow them time to get used to the smells of your home.
-
Sit in the room with your gliders and carefully observe their body language. What are their behaviours telling you? 60 Sugar Glider Behaviours and Common Indicators
-
Talk to your glider in a soft and calm voice. Approach the cage if their body language tells you it is okay.
-
Offer a treat through the cage bars. When that is successful, try opening the cage door to see if they are okay with that. Please make sure the cage is in a glider-safe room in case they get out of the cage.
-
Put small pieces of fleece in your pillowcase to absorb your scent. Then, place this fleece into your sugar gliders’ pouch so that they can get used to your smell.
-
During the day, place them in a bonding pouch and wear it so they can get used to your smell and the sound of your voice. Rub them through the bag using a firm (not hard) pressure if they crab.
-
Let them see you put their food in their cage. They will begin to associate with you as a provider. You might even get lucky and have your sugar glider climb on your arm or hand to get to the food.
-
Tent time. Using a mosquito tent, sit inside the tent with your gliders, with no other toys or distractions. You may want to wear a hoodie/hat and socks because sugar gliders like to jump on heads and explore toes. You will want to do this late in the afternoon or early evening. Please don’t wait for your gliders to come out of the pouch because they probably won’t come out independently. To get them out, start rolling down the sides of the sleeping pouch until you expose your sugar gliders. At this point, they will usually jump onto the tent. Sugar gliders are very curious. If you sit still, they will jump on you and explore. When you are done, place their sleeping pouch near them. Often they will go in on their own. If not, you will need to guide them back into it carefully. Offering a yogurt treat might help with this process.
-
Try to stay calm and confident. Sugar gliders sense and react to your energy.
There are many resources available online to support you. Here are a couple of video links:
Please see these additional sources for various topics, including nail trimming, health issues and cage cleaning.
Air Travel
We have used Air Canada to transport our sugar gliders to their new homes from coast to coast across Canada. This service is available during the Spring, Late Summer and Autumn when conditions are favorable for transporting. The sugar gliders are placed in a pressurized and temperature-controlled environment and given specialized handling. A tracking number is assigned to allow us to receive timely updates. Please contact us if you are interested in learning how we prepare our sugar gliders for air travel. For more information about the service Air Canada provides, please see https://www.aircanada.com/cargo/all-products/ac-animals
Additional Infromation
Send us a message!
Feel free to send us any questions you may have on sugar gliders or how to procced with an adoption!