Why a glider?

Just wondering what it was that first got you to want sugar gliders for a pet? What's your story?

For me and my husband...Well, really it starts with my husband. He has always had a serious desire for a pet but neither of us had the time for a dog since at the time, we typically worked 10 hour work days. It just didn't seem feasible or nice to leave a dog (or dogs--as I've always insisted that you should never have less than 2 of any species) alone for so long. Seriously, we couldn't come home and then get mad if the house was tore up and there was poo and pee everywhere.

Well, as fate would have it, one day, my then boss tells me her son got a sugar glider. I had no idea what a sugar glider was, so naturally, I looked it up. So cute! And I remember my heart just squealing in delight and envy! "I want a sugar glider!" I thought but then thought nothing of it. They were exotic animals and again, a pet is a huge responsibility and not something to just jump into. Maybe later, when the time was right, we'd discuss getting a couple of dogs further down the line....

About 4 months later, my boss' son happens to be in the spa that I worked and I asked him about his sugar glider 'Cookie'. He said he was trying to find him a new home because he was working all the time and then going to school, so really didn't have time for him. So, we discussed it and took him home.

He had a too small cage, a hazardous pouch, a hamster wheel and a horrible diet of just apples! He had never been to the vet, nor had his nails trimmed in the 2 years he had been alive! But, we fixed all that. Got him neutered, and while he was out, his first nail trim. Put him on a respected diet, bought him a temporary cage until the XL Exel Tower cage came in, and found him a cage mate.

They are both very spoiled.

What's your story?

Thank you for telling your story, it wonderful to hear of such a success story. It sounds like luck that you found each other, he sure needed rescuing. did you rename him? Can we see a photo? Who is he housed with now?

My first glider, Luna, was given to me by my boyfriend for our anniversary. Yeah, I know what it sounds like but I didn't ask for anything on our couples day, I wasn't hinting at wanting a pet, and I had absolutely no idea what a sugar glider was until that very day. I swear it is the one time I have been genuinely surprised. He put a lot of effort into getting me such a unique gift and he is entirely too thoughtful when asked why he did it :] Luna will 5 years OOP this coming winter. She is housed with Kyra, Aurora, and Amaya. Luna enjoys snacking on pine nuts, likes nest making, loves marking me, and only jogs in her raptor never glides.

Oh, Gosh....I am sorry I forgot I left out key parts to the story. (In my defense, I was getting rather tired. LOL)

So, yes...Cookie was renamed Batman because we both loved the way he hung upside down, stretching out his patagium--and well, Batman has always been a favorite comic book character of ours.

There's actually a little miracle story that almost smacks of Christmas when I think about how we found his cagemate, Catwoman (who was then known as Rosie). The day after we brought Batman home, I found GG and joined as a member and started asking for questions and advice. Neutering & finding a cagemate seemed to be the 2 biggest things everyone was telling me back then. The neutering was definitely not a problem because I have always been a firm believer of responsible parenting and NOT having any unwanted babies!

But in retrospect, finding him a cagemate only took me 2 weeks--which was not a very long time to wait BUT, at the time, NO ONE was rehoming any gliders near me. Keep in mind, I live in GA and it was a long drive to Lucky Glider Rescue Sanctuary! We looked on Hoobly, Craiglist, everywhere! I remember going to bed one night, just exhausted and feeling helpless. I just laid down and bawled my eyes out. I remember praying to God that I could find a little suggie girl for Batman, although, any suggie companion would do--that I was praying not for me, but for the well being of my pet.

The next day, I woke up and went on GG as usual. First post of the day: someone in GA rehoming their lone glider...and it was a girl! We named her Catwoman.

Here's a pic of Catwoman, doing her favorite activity: foraging!

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

And here's Batman, my bra baby in training! XD

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Well I ran across an ad on Cl of someone trying to rehome a sugar glider and of course I had no idea what that was so I looked it up. Of course first thought OMG what is that and I want one!!!! 1 look and I was obsessed already and that has not gone away. So I started doing a lot of reading and yes of course I ran across all the PP stuff and I did find GG and joined as well. I had a hard time trying to figure out what to belive between the forum and the pp stuff. That was before I knew about mill breeder. After months of research and reading anything I could on the web I felt I was ready to get some so I stared look and I about died seeing the prices and told myself someday.

So many months later I had saved a couple hundred dollars and put an ad on CL looking for anyone that was rehome gliders. Didn't get much of anything for weeks. Called on a few that I have seen pop up but they wanted anything from $300 to $500 so it was a no go. I finally got an email from a lady that didnt have them listed on CL and we talked for almost a week. She gave me a price of $150 for the pair and all their stuff. Their names are Batman and Princess. I didn't rename them do to they knew their names. We met up and she handed them to me and I was in love at first sight! The owners cared for them and had had them 2 years. Their cage was clean. Not real safe toys or proper diet but loved. They just couldn't seem to bond with them. I give them updates on them all the time.

I got my second pair and their joey 2 weeks later. That would be Darvin, Kayna and Azelia. Now I am up to 7 gliders! Never thought I would ever have this many gliders but I wouldn't change it for nothing. I love them all and their diffrent personalitys.