Text Box: Helens Little Critters specializes in hand fed pet quality sugar gliders. Handled from a young age, these little marsupials are pet quality babies ready to bond to their human companions. Sugar gliders make excellent pets. They adapt very easily and develop a strong relationships with their human owners. They are also great for people who cannot have large pets, they are small in size, intelligent and love to play. They love to spend time with their owners on their shoulder or simply in a pocket or bonding pouch to be near them. They are easy to care for, however, if no one is home all day one little sugar glider becomes very lonely. If left alone especially in the early dusk and/or dawn you may want to get a pair. Text Box: Helen's Little Critters Text Box: Sugar Gilder Care and Facts: Average Lifespan: 10-12 Years Diet: A Sugar Gliders daily diet should consist of a premium quality sugar glider food, protein, fresh fruit and vegetables. Calcium must be added to their diet. This can be accomplished with Rep-Cal or a similar product sprinkled on the fruit & veggies. Size at Adulthood: 10-12 inches long including the tail and weight between 5-7 ounces. Minimum Cage size: Sugar gliders need a cage at least 18"x18"x30". A Sleeping Bag or Pouch should be provided for them to sleep in. We do not recommend using wood nest boxes. Provide plenty of non-toxic branches for you glider to climb on. Bonding: It is important to acquire your baby sugar glider at 6- 8 weeks (Out of Pouch) and carry it in your shirt pocket or in a bonding pouch for several hours a days for at least two to three weeks. Text Box: Sugar Glider Text Box: Click here to see our Sugar Glider Nursery Text Box: Frequently Asked Questions: Q:Do they have scent glands or a smell? A: Yes the sugar gliders have a scent gland that is excreted when they feel they are in danger and when they mark their territory. Q: Do they require any vaccinations? A: No vaccinations are needed. Q: What is their general personality? A: Curious, becomes bonded with immediate family members, very affectionate, required many hours a week of attention and affection. Q: How are they with other pets? A: Because of their size the sugar glider should not be introduced to other animals. Q: Can I take my sugar glider outside? A: No, your squirrel will more than likely run up the nearest tree. It is best to take your squirrel outside in a cage or kennel. Q: Should I get two, so my sugar glider wont be lonely? A: Gliders do exceptionally well with two since they have a play mate at night when they are awake. However, it is not imperative to get two, many gliders are fine by themselves, as long as you give them enough love and attention. Q: If I get two will the glider bond with me less? A: No. The gliders will bond with each other and you. As long as you spend enough time with them both. There’s plenty of bonding to go around! Q: How do I make my glider bond to me? A: Our baby gliders are adopted at 8 weeks Out of Pouch (OOP), the babies will be eating solid foods, and they will require a few daily hand feedings of a glider nectar until they are about 10-12 weeks old. Hand feeding is imperative for the bonding and socialization of your baby glider. It is also very important that you spend more than 3 hours a day with your glider by either letting it sleep in your pocket or in a bonding pouch and getting it out to play. This will occur for the weeks that you are hand feeding it. After a few weeks of spending many hours with your glider, it should be bonded very deeply to you. It will enjoy it when you get it out to play and when you let it run around on you. Q: Will my glider bond only to one person? A: Generally the glider will bond with everyone in the house that handles it regularly. It can become agitated by strangers if you do not introduce it to any “new” people during the first 6 months. Q: Can I let my glider run free in my home? A: My personal answer is no. But many people do let their glider run free and leave their cage open all day for them to get out. It is very easy for a glider to get hurt by drowning, jumping on to dangerous objects, falling, trying to glide through glass, and they can easily get lost. Text Box: Find out the difference between a Flying Squirrel and a Sugar Glider