Before You Get A Sugar Glider

Interested in getting a sugar glider? Before bringing home these adorable marsupials, make sure to know these seven guidelines.

1. Because captive sugar gliders can live up to 10 years or more, you must be prepared to care for your sugar glider for at least a decade.
2. Sugar gliders require a large cage that must be cleaned on a weekly basis, and need to be placed in area that is quiet during the day so the small animals can sleep.
3. Sugar gliders require very specific diets that must be prepared fresh on a daily basis.
4. Sugar gliders are social animals and should be housed with at least one other sugar glider, if not more. If you can only keep one sugar glider, you must spend time handling your small pet every day.
5. Sugar gliders need veterinary care if they become ill, and should be taken to a vet who specializes in exotic pets.
6. Sugar gliders are sensitive animals and may not be comfortable living with other pets in the household.
7. Sugar gliders are illegal in Alaska and California. Pennsylvania and Massachusetts require a special permit to own sugar gliders. Regulations can vary by state and laws can change, so check with your state Fish, Game and Wildlife Department before you get a sugar glider.