Other Sugar Glider Drawbacks

If you happened to miss my first post regarding Sugar Glider Drawbacks, please read it so you get all of the information you need! Continuing from the last post we covered things from their extensive diet to their distinct smell and cage cleaning needs, but we do have more to cover. Unfortunately as adorable as these little guys are, they can be a handful.

Messy: One of the bigger drawbacks is the messes they can create. They will extricate from their bowels, when they wake, while moving around. It is also common for them to do this while, eating, playing and when they are on you. It is to be expected that they will poo and pee on your clothes, skin, furniture, even your hair. Sugar gliders also spend a lot of time high up when inside of their cage. They have been known to pee and poo outside of the cage. Sometimes they even throw food and waste out.

Reproduction: In captivity, sugar gliders are still very capable of breeding…and constantly. Litters usually have 1 to 3 joeys in them and they can breed 3 to 4 times in one year. That many litters can put a strain on the female and can become a problem for the owner trying to keep up with that many animals. If you have a male and multiple females you could have a large problem with overpopulating. Overpopulation is a very big issue and their are many unwanted sugar gliders living in bad conditions.

Biting: They are exotic wild animals and they to have instincts to protect. Many people have had problems with biting, this can be common especially in sugar gliders that have not been socialized enough. However ones that are social, have been known to bite as well. In the wild they normally peel bark off of trees, human skin is much softer and easier to bite into.

Lifespan: Sugar gliders can live up to 15 years in captivity . The amount of time you have to put into feeding, playing, cage space, pet sitting, socializing, a lot of owners just are not prepared for the long haul and eventually give them up for adoption.

Companionship: Sugar gliders are not meant to be alone. Human contact is not enough and will not replace their need for a companion of their own kind. If you are considering adopting a sugar glider, keep in mind you absolutely need to at least adopt two. Do not plan to ever have just one sugar glider! If left in solitude, they will have health issues, self mutilate or bite, or even stop eating all together due to depression. Their is no replacement for being with another sugar glider.

Health: Sugar glider health problems are not only something you may have no idea how to deal with, you may have trouble finding a vet in your local area who knows how to deal with them either. Most vets have little to no experience with sugar gliders. Their health problems can be emotionally and financially draining.

Abandonment: A large percentage of sugar glider owners give them up within a year if not sooner. They finally realize that keeping sugar gliders are not as rewarding as they had hoped for. All exotic animals require above and beyond care that might be given to a domestic animal. Most people unfortunately do not accept that until they have experienced it. Consider this before you decided and take a couple minutes to watch this video as well.

I know everything I have gone over will probably dissuade a lot of prospective owners from investing their time into a sugar glider, but please do consider them if you know they are right for you. Owning a sugar glider is not easy and can be time consuming, but for people who do have the time and determination to keep up with it for years, will absolutely love having sugar gliders as part of their family. Take some time to think about it, and never be afraid to ask questions!