Monday, March 9, 2009

How to Find a Decent Sugar Glider Breeder

If you have taken the time to research sugar gliders and have decided you have the time to commit to them, you may be wondering where you are going to find a decent breeder who as healthy sugar gliders and who knows what they are doing.

One thing I wouldn’t really recommend is buying one from a pet shop if the pet shop in your local area does have sugar gliders. It’s heartbreaking to see how many sugar gliders are kept in small aquariums sitting in pine shavings meant for rabbits or guinea pigs. If you have been researching sugar glider care, you know how incredibly inhumane that is. Do your research on specific breeders before buying from them or on organizations. Although it is hard to be completely sure if a breeder is qualified. I would suggest if the breeder will allow it, ask if you can actually see where the gliders are being kept and how they are raised to make sure the person who is breeding is actually caring for the gliders correctly and not breeding and selling gliders to make a quick buck. As awful as that sounds, it happens consistently throughout the US daily and if you are not careful, you can end up buying gliders that may not make it through the week because of improper care that led to them being sick or having a disease.

Even if they say that they are USDA licensed, that doesn’t mean they care for their joeys and sugar gliders properly. When you go to visit the breeder, make sure they are in cages large enough to house them and make sure they are not being fed pellets. An experienced breeder will know that a sugar glider has a complex diet. Make sure to ask any questions you may have, even if you know the answer, a good breeder will know the answer and will provide you with it quickly. When you take a look at the joeys, they should be at least 8 weeks old, furry and has a pink nose, tongue, nails and footpads. They should be lively and alert. They should not have diarrhea, odd colored stools or strong smelling urine.

Always ask for the breeders contact number in case you have any other questions. A good breeder will not hesitate to give it to you. Make sure you have looked for all of these things before deciding on which breeder you will buy your new baby sugar glider from. The last thing anyone would want is to spend $200 to $400 on a sugar glider only to have it pass away soon after because of living in an unhealthy environment prior to you adopting. If you are looking for older sugar gliders, I would recommend trying pet finder. Sometimes they do have younger sugar gliders on their also. Almost all sugar gliders on this website are in shelters and have been abandoned, most likely by someone who bought on an impulse. If you adopt from here you can give a sugar glider a second chance, but I am going to STRESS this, make sure you can care for it for as long as it needs it. The last thing the sugar glider needs is to wind up at a shelter a second time.

For a complete guide to caring for Sugar Gliders, visit Sugar Glider Pet Guide. You will also find out more information regarding what states Sugar Gliders are legal in.

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