Instructions
Prepare your home for your glider. Purchase a cage that offers ample space for the glider to jump and glide. Go for a minimum dimension of 30-by-18-by-36 with half-inch bar spacing. Perches and branches are a must in a glider cage. Choose taller, narrower structures instead of shorter and wider ones. Ready the cage with hanging food dishes, a full hamster water bottle and a sleeping pouch. Place some toys as well. Get ready with a bonding pouch, too. Ask the pet seller about the behavior and diet specifications beforehand.
Allow the glider to adjust to his new home. Leave it alone in the cage for one to three days. Do not chase it around the cage, as this will only add to its stress. Just talk to it in soft tones through the bars of the cage during this period.
Expect the glider to fuss the first few days by making crying or barking sounds. The glider is afraid of the new surroundings and calling for its parents or siblings. Don't let these sounds put you off. Talk to the glider softly to calm it.
Familiarize the glider with your scent. Wear a T-shirt for several hours and then hang it on the cage. Rub your face and neck with a paper towel and put it in the glider's sleeping pouch. The towel will now carry the scent of your body oils.
Spend as much time as possible with the glider. Take it outside in the bonding pouch frequently. If you are going to be out with the glider for over 45 to 60 minutes, make sure you put apple pieces in the pouch so that it doesn't go hungry and have the hamster water bottle at hand. Gliders respond well to a routine. Spend the same amount of time every day at the same time.
Pet the glider by putting your hand inside the pouch. If it continues to crab, just stroke it till it calms down. If it tries to bite you, pet it from outside the pouch. Once the glider gets accustomed to you, it will climb onto your hand.
How to Help Sugar Gliders Adjust to a New Home
Sugar gliders are social animals that are not difficult pets to keep once you know about their specific needs. Sugar gliders are extremely territorial, and these are creatures that bond by scent. Do not expect instant relationship-building with your suggie. It is a slow process that happens gradually and over time. As with all pet relationships, it takes persistence to make that special connection with your sugar glider.