Housing

FIRST COAST SUGAR GLIDERS

"HOME OF THE SWEETEST JOEYS IN FLORIDA"

Housing

    Housing is an important factor to consider when you are shopping for a sugar glider. What I mean is: don't buy the sugar glider and then the cage. You should have your cage ready by the time your suggie arrives home.

    Now, you may ask yourself why is housing such an important factor?  The issue is that sugar gliders need BIG cages. The bigger the better without comprimising your ability to clean and maintain the cage. You are not buying a cage for a hamster.  Gliders should never be housed in an aquarium and/or hamster enclosure. They need space to glide, jump and play.

    Your sugar glider cage should have as much height as possible. It should be at least 3 feet tall, 2 feet wide, and 2 feet deep. When considering space, keep in mind that a sugar glider is capable of gliding up to 150 feet --- which is more than most people's backyard.

    If you cannot provide a cage at least 6 feet tall, it is very important that you allow your glider ample play time outside his cage in order to compensate for his/her relatively small living quarters. Make sure that the environment is safe and secure for your glider to play.

    In summary, your sugar glider cage should:

Be as large as possible, at least 2 cubic feet;
Have wire sides with spacing no more than 1/2" square to prevent scape;
Have wire bottom and pull out tray for easy cleaning;
Include a tamper free cage door lock;
Provide nest boxes (pouches) that are attached high in the cage;
Have a water bottle available high in the cage - do not use water cups as it can be soiled and contaminated;
Place your food bowls in such way that there is no possibility to become contaminated.
Should be either PVC coated wires, or powder paint coated. DO NOT purchase any galvanized steel cages or any materials that may rust. Rust will cause your glider to develop urinary tract infections and will require a vet visit.

Below are some examples of cages used for sugar gliders:

Your next question should be how to furnish their cage? Please read below for some pointers:

Sugar Gliders need a warm cozy place to sleep. It should protect them from drafts and sunlight. Most owners provide some sort of washable fabric pouch as a nest (preferrably fleece). The fabric nest suits this purpose well because it does not lend itself to being chewed into tiny shreds, like cardboxes and tubes do. Wooden nestboxes have also been used, but they tend to absorb urine and feces, and can therefore become a hot bed of bacteria and disease. So, a fleece nesting pouch is preferrable. Place the pouch high in the cage, not on the floor. In addition, gliders need loots of toys. They enjoy running on Wodent Wheels and they love to run across ropes. They also love jumping (leaping) from one ledge to another. The cage must include items that will enable the glider to climb. Natural tree branches are an excellent furnishing for the sugar glider cage, if you can find a branch that is free from pesticides. But be sure that the wood is not toxic. Gliders tend to nibble on branches placed in their cage, so avoid cedar, ponderosa pine, white pine, walnut, and black walnut branches as they will kill your glider if ingested. Instead, use apple, filbert, poplar, and cherry.

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