Sugar Gliders as pets

[Patricia]

My husband and I were looking into getting a pet. Among the
pets we have considered is the sugar glider. However, these pets
live quite a few years (as many as 14) and we are planning on
having kids in some 4 or 5 years. Does anyone out there have
experience raising sugar gliders or with kids that have sugar
gliders or have kids and sugar gliders or had a sugar glider
as a kid? We basically want to know how kid friendly they
are and this is too serious a consideration to trust our
decision solely on sugar glider websites and per shop info.

Best,
Patricia

--
Patricia

[toto]

On Sun, 13 Mar 2005 23:50:39 +0000 (UTC),
> wrote:

>My husband and I were looking into getting a pet. Among the
>pets we have considered is the sugar glider. However, these pets
>live quite a few years (as many as 14) and we are planning on
>having kids in some 4 or 5 years. Does anyone out there have
>experience raising sugar gliders or with kids that have sugar
>gliders or have kids and sugar gliders or had a sugar glider
>as a kid? We basically want to know how kid friendly they
>are and this is too serious a consideration to trust our
>decision solely on sugar glider websites and per shop info.
>
>Best,
>Patricia

What in the world is a sugar glider?


--
Dorothy

There is no sound, no cry in all the world
that can be heard unless someone listens ..

The Outer Limits

[Patricia]

toto > wrote:
: On Sun, 13 Mar 2005 23:50:39 +0000 (UTC),
: > wrote:

:>My husband and I were looking into getting a pet. Among the
:>pets we have considered is the sugar glider. However, these pets
:>live quite a few years (as many as 14) and we are planning on
:>having kids in some 4 or 5 years. Does anyone out there have
:>experience raising sugar gliders or with kids that have sugar
:>gliders or have kids and sugar gliders or had a sugar glider
:>as a kid? We basically want to know how kid friendly they
:>are and this is too serious a consideration to trust our
:>decision solely on sugar glider websites and per shop info.
:>
:>Best,
:>Patricia

: What in the world is a sugar glider?


www.chaffeezoo.org/ animals/sugarGlider.html

--
Patricia

[Nan]

On Sun, 13 Mar 2005 18:18:00 -0600, toto >
scribbled:

>What in the world is a sugar glider?

http://www.skinhorse.net/gliders/

Nan

[Jeff]

"Patricia" > wrote in message
...
> My husband and I were looking into getting a pet. Among the
> pets we have considered is the sugar glider. However, these pets
> live quite a few years (as many as 14) and we are planning on
> having kids in some 4 or 5 years. Does anyone out there have
> experience raising sugar gliders or with kids that have sugar
> gliders or have kids and sugar gliders or had a sugar glider
> as a kid? We basically want to know how kid friendly they
> are and this is too serious a consideration to trust our
> decision solely on sugar glider websites and per shop info.

It is illegal to have sugar gliders in some states, including CA. I would
have some ethical problems owning an exotic species like this, especially if
the species is endangered. But most sugar gliders are no longer imported.

Jeff

> Best,
> Patricia
>
> --
> Patricia

[enigma]

> wrote in
:

> My husband and I were looking into getting a pet. Among
> the pets we have considered is the sugar glider. However,
> these pets live quite a few years (as many as 14) and we
> are planning on having kids in some 4 or 5 years. Does
> anyone out there have experience raising sugar gliders or
> with kids that have sugar gliders or have kids and sugar
> gliders or had a sugar glider as a kid? We basically want
> to know how kid friendly they are and this is too serious a
> consideration to trust our decision solely on sugar glider
> websites and per shop info.

they're nocturnal animals. they would be a boring "pet" for a
child, unless you have a nocturnal child.
sugar gliders are cute, but not fond of being handled. they
sleep all day & want to be active at night, which can make
them quite noisy when you want to sleep.
they need an exotics vet for care, so be sure you have a
local vet that can take care of them *before* you get one.
lee

[Peggy]

"Patricia" > wrote in message
...
> My husband and I were looking into getting a pet. Among the
> pets we have considered is the sugar glider. However, these pets
> live quite a few years (as many as 14) and we are planning on
> having kids in some 4 or 5 years. Does anyone out there have
> experience raising sugar gliders or with kids that have sugar
> gliders or have kids and sugar gliders or had a sugar glider
> as a kid? We basically want to know how kid friendly they
> are and this is too serious a consideration to trust our
> decision solely on sugar glider websites and per shop info.
>
> Best,
> Patricia
>
> --
> Patricia

I'd never heard of sugar gliders before today when I googled the term after
reading your post. Thanks for the spontaneous education!
The sites I read noted the creatures are very sociable and so need a lot of
attention. My concern is that when you eventually have kids, you won't have
as much time to focus on the glider, if you get just one. If you have more
than one, that might be okay with kids in the house because the gliders can
be sociable with each other.
Other than that, I have no answers.
~Peggy

[[email protected]]

I'm mom of three, and I doubt very much you want small kids and sugar
gliders in the same house at the same time, unless you can keep them
apart completely. Toddlers in particular can be very rough (they don't
mean to be, but anyone with a cat or dog can attest you have to watch
the kids, or they'll whack the dog, pull ears or tails). I'm not sure
I'd even want a preschooler handling a little critter like a sugar
glider.

This seems like a pet for a household of older kids (I'm thinking kids
primary grades as a minimum) or adults only.

Mary G.