Rocky, my first Sugar Glider entered my life two years ago
as a gift from my son. My inexperience
with Sugar Gliders became apparent as soon as I tried to pick up the little
creature. He stood on his hind legs and
batted at me with his paws, making scary chattering noises.
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Sugar Glider
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As I looked at this tough little guy, I knew the name,
Rocky, fit him to a tee. I immediately
went online and read all the information I could find about socializing Sugar Gliders and found out that the worst thing I could have done was try to pick
him up as soon as the baby sugar glider arrived.
I found that forming a bond with my sugar glider depended on
how much time I spent with him during his first few weeks at home.
Sugar Glider Bonding
Techniques
I began the relationship with my baby Sugar Glider by
leaving him alone for two days. The
solitude gave him time to become acclimated to his new home. The Sugar Glider cage that I chose for him
had both vertical and horizontal bars so that Rocky could grab the sides
without sliding down the bars.
In the wild, Sugar Gliders can glide up to 15 feet, so they
jump around in the cage quite a bit. I
used pine shavings for the floor of the cage but newspaper can be used
also. My Sugar Glider was all set to
spend his two days of peace and quiet once I added the glider food and a water
bottle.
A Sugar Glider eventually recognizes the smell and voices of
the people it lives with, so I found an old t-shirt and wore it for a few
hours. Then I cut a small piece from the
shirt and placed it in the cage. This
helped Rocky to become familiar with my scent, strengthening his trust in me. I also used a bonding pouch that I hung
around my neck.
Rocky stayed in the pouch while I went about my daily
routine around the house. I made it a
point to rub the pouch every few minutes so the Sugar Glider would get used to
my touch. Carrying him in the pouch
familiarized him with my scent and the feel of my body.
Once I felt that he knew my scent, it was time to hold him
in my hands. Everything I read about
handling Sugar Gliders emphasized not to be afraid because my fear would
transfer to the Sugar Glider and make him afraid, as well.
Sugar Gliders are marsupials, so as babies they are used to
living upside down in their mother’s pouch.
They feel safe in tight, enclosed spaces. When first handling my Sugar Glider, I used a
firm touch, squeezing him in my hand and petting him firmly. I noticed that a firm touch also calmed him
down when he became excited.
When I first held Rocky, he was frightened but I soon
discovered that the tighter I held him, the calmer he became. The more I rubbed his body, the more he trusted
me. I had to keep reminding myself that
my Sugar Glider wanted to feel my hand tighten around him rather than hold him
loosely. He needed that tight secure
feeling.
I took Rocky out of his cage every day, holding and
squeezing him for as long as could.
After a few weeks, my Sugar Glider felt secure and confident. He trusted me completely and now he never
leaves me when he is out of his cage.
The extra time spent with my baby Sugar Glider in those
first few days of his arrival was the key to the rewarding experience I have
had with Rocky. We both enjoy the times
he sits in my pocket or on my shoulder and his trust in me grows stronger every
day. If you're thinking of getting a Sugar Glider as a pet, take time bonding and he'll be a funny, loving small pet.
References:
Image: “Peanut” by Jason Meredith is licensed
under CC by 2.0
Hi greaat reading your blog
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