The exercise
However big the cage is, the Sugar-Glider needs more space. Therefore, one should grant to the animals regularly exercise. It is fed only within the cage, they will return voluntarily in the cage. Tame animals can be put back in anyway without problems in the cage. Because Sugar-Glider are very curious animals, they will examine during the exercise the flat most exactly. To minimise the dangers for the Possums during the exercise, you should follow the following rules:

 

  • No poison plants should stand in the space (ask if necessary with your florist).

  • Pay attention to where they step, so you don't to step by mistake on the Glider

  • Take care to fasten drawers and cupboard doors, because it can easily happen that of the Sugar Glider gets stuck.

  • Because Sugar-Glider are extremely agile, it often happens that they escape while opening a door trough the door gap.

  • Books and similar objects should stand firmly in the shelves.

  • No drugs and cleaning agents should stand in the exercise space.

  • Care with electric cables, these may be gnawed.

  • Hot oven plates, dirty dishes in which the dishwater water stands  in the rinsing, plastic bags of the last purchase, bread bags or chemicals always present a danger.

 

My Sugis have almost daily exercise which connsists of the room where the cage stands and the hall. The favorite activity consists of climbing, in the door strips (smooth plastic!) and then in the gliding to me, or to glide from the uppermost cross rib on the ground. They would do anything for a corner of Camembert (1 times per week) . I feed it during the evening exercise which also promotes the affection for me. If I am sometimes in another room and come to the hall, they jump from their present stay under it, come on the ground to me coagulated and climb on me. If I then speak to them, they sharpen their ears as if they understood every word. My shoulder is anyhow the nicest place. To my wife they have a good relation, but if I am nearby, they jump immediately to me.

 

Cage

The cage can be never big enough, because the small rascals have a big movement. How big the cage is also, exercise must be always guaranteed. My first cage was 600 x 600 x in 2000 and had several interfloors. Because the Sugis urinate, however, wherever they want, it was also hard to keep clean.

A typical strong smell thereby was always in the room where it stood. Today I use this cage for our chinchillas (in the meantime, with several extensions - see "Chinchilla_Keeping"). The current cage has as little wood as possible and no interfloors. All fittings (climbing branches, sleeping boxes etc.) can be taken out. Thereby they can be cleaned easily and one hardly smells anything. The cage is 1500 x 600 x 1200 and stands on an untercupboard. The Sugis can watch them thereby also from above see the keeper and are much more relaxed. The floor of the cage is covered with hay pellets and has a very good adsoption ability.

 
           
 

Breeding

 

 

If one has a couple or a mixed group, young animals appear almost by themselves. However, one should prevent, in any case, intermarriage, because it can come, otherwise, to irreparable genetic damage.

 
     
 
       
               
       
 

It is really an experience to seethe boys growing up. There originates a small bump which reaches a considerable circumference. then the first parts 'hang' out because they do not fit any more in the bag. It looks quite really adventurous when the weight-bearing Sugis jump and one always hopes that nothing happens to the little ones with the landing. But if the females really tame then one may never touch the little ones, because it can otherwise happen, that the mothers do not look any more after her babys!