Taking care of a sugar glider takes quite a bit of patience and dedication. You need to know how to properly care for this small animal, which is native to Australia and Guinea. Proper care of this exotic pet includes knowing what types of food this creature will eat and how to properly house it.
About 30 percent of a sugar glider’s overall food intake includes vegetables. Some sources suggest a little more than 30 percent while other sources suggest less. The point is that sugar gliders need healthy foods in their diet, and veggies contain one main source of nutrients that they need. Likewise, 25 to 50 percent of what nutrients a glider needs come from meat and the remaining 15 percent comes from breads and cereals.
Overall, the food that is fed to these animals should contain as low of fat as possible, with as little amount of sugar as possible. Of course, cutting these animals off from sweats will be a challenge since they naturally have a taste for it. However they will feel full and satisfied if you give them a proper diet. You can read more information about the exact diet that a sugar glider requires if you read more articles and search for more information online.
In addition to feeding your pet properly, you need to house it properly as well. They do not do well in cages that are less than 3 feet high. Therefore, even though they sell them in pet stores in some cases, you will have to use your better judgment and either find a larger cage or make one. If you choose to make a cage, you are better off using unexposed metal that is not galvanized.
Also, you will want to use coated metal to make the walls of the cage, because metal that is not vinyl or powder treated will irritate your pet. If you want to make your cage even more homelike for your sugar glider you will want to add tree branches or other climbing gear so they can enjoy their time in the cage.
The best type of materials to use for making climbing devices is non-toxic wooden structures and tree branches of different varieties. Plastics and other materials that give off harmful fumes are not recommended for your pet. You will also want to use a pillow or other small material to make a bed for your animal so it can sleep at night. In addition, you may want to provide for your animal a friend, such as another sugar glider, since they are social animals. In fact, the more the merrier for them, so you may want to invest in a few of them so they can hang out in a pack.
To further keep your sugar glider occupied, you will want to add some small toys to its cage. Examples of good toys to give your pet include swings, rings, ladders, and mirrors. All toys that you provide for your glider should be free of loose ends or fabric that they could possibly swallow. You can also add an exercise wheel that contains no cross bars or spaces in which the animal’s tale can get caught. Your glider will love running around in the wheel, and could possibly do so for hours.
One more fact about gliders that you should know is that they get bored fast. Therefore, you may need to rotate the types of toys that you include in the cage in order to keep their interest. You can also take them out and hold them. Usually they will be sleeping when you hold them if you do so during the day. You can also play with them if you are up when they are up.
Important things to remember about cleaning a glider’s cage, particularly a male sugar glider’s cage, is that you need to make sure you do not clean it too often. Otherwise, your male pet may increase his male territory marking, which leaves even more of a stench. If you cannot stand the stench of the male’s cage you may need to spray it with a baking soda and water mixture and then rinse/wipe it off. You will not have to clean the entire cage every single day.
If you are contemplating the purchase of a sugar glider the above tips can help you. If you have any further questions regarding these or other aspects of owning a sugar glider as a pet you will want to contact professionals trained to deal with them. You can get most of your questioned answered researching online.
No comments:
Post a Comment