PLAY TIME!!

It's been a while since I posted last and I have to apologize. Although this blog is very important to me, life sometimes gets in the way of things. I have been busy making toys and fleece items as well as staining my kitchen cabinets!

If you haven't already taken a look at my eBay store, please do so by following the link below.

http://www.ebay.com/usr/glidergoodies?_trksid=p2047675.l2559

I offer a range of toys, cage sets and bonding pouches. When you are ready to make a purchase, let me know!!

So... on to the important stuff.... SUGAR GLIDERS!!

You have your gliders, you have toys but now what?? We have already discussed the different ways for playtime (ie tent time, bathroom time, bonding pouches, etc.) If you are at all like me then you have discovered that maybe the bathroom isn't the safest place. While many, many people choose the bathroom as a great place to bond with their babies and allow playtime, I am one that doesn't believe it is safe. Even after closing the toilet seat lid, blocking all drains, and placing a towel under the door it still doesn't seem safe to me and I'm terribly afraid to let my little ones loose to free roam. You can only "glider proof" so much and what if you forget something? What if, while you are watching or playing with one baby, another baby opens a cabinet and gets into cleaners or shampoo or maybe even a medicine that you forgot to put the lid on? For me, there are way too many things they could get into and I am just not willing to take the chance. I have allowed my babies to play in the bathtub but it doesn't seem like too much fun for them. They wonder around the tub, slip and slide everywhere and stare at me like I am the craziest person on the planet.
I prefer tent time above all else. Yes, I know the "good" tents are expensive but you don't have to be left out. You can buy a two person tent at pretty much any department store for around $20 and for that money... your gliders will love you like there's no tomorrow! I don't always have time to get in the tent with my babies but they are happy being out of their cage and exploring all the bigger toys which won't fit in their cages.
I started with a 2 person tent from Meijer. The tent worked out pretty well but was a total pain to set up and take down every single time I got the babies out to play. I don't have enough space in my home to leave the tent up so it got to be more of a hassle than a joy. Being the incredible man he is, my husband purchased a Sansbug tent as a gift and it has been amazing! Although, I have two gliders who seem to enjoy biting the bottom canvas part of the tent so I would suggest laying a blanket in the bottom.

I am providing a few links for affordable tents for all of you in hopes of everyone finding a tent within their price range!

If you are looking for a Sansbug tent, stop looking on eBay, you will over pay. I found this one on Amazon for $59.95 which is about $20 less than eBay.

https://www.amazon.com/SansBug-Free-Standing-Pop-Up-Mosquito-Net-Floor/dp/B003BWF9WI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1489587140&sr=8-1&keywords=sansbug+tent

Here is another good one, although it only has 3 mesh sides but again, seems to be cheaper on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Genji-Sports-Instant-Beach-Shelter/dp/B003UDW7EQ/ref=sr_1_5?s=outdoor-recreation&ie=UTF8&qid=1489587316&sr=1-5&keywords=genji+tent

This one is about $30 and only has 2 mesh sides with a smaller mesh window but would work if you need something a bit cheaper.

https://www.amazon.com/Genji-Sports-Instant-Beach-Shelter/dp/B003UDW7EQ/ref=sr_1_5?s=outdoor-recreation&ie=UTF8&qid=1489587316&sr=1-5&keywords=genji+tent

This dome tent has 2 mesh sides and is very reasonably priced at $19.10 with free shipping.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2Person-78-L-Double-Layer-Outdoor-Waterproof-Shelter-Canpoy-Dome-Tent-Carry-Bag/112328021994?_trksid=p2045573.c100508.m3226&_trkparms=aid%3D555017%26algo%3DPL.CASSINI%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D41376%26meid%3D960eb0e15e644826ae1a1ed77ba5f697%26pid%3D100508%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26

Hope these links help anyone looking for a tent. Remember, the more mesh, the better but if you can only afford a tent with one or two mesh sides, IT'S OKAY! I started with one mesh side then went to two mesh sides before I got the sansbug so start where you can can and upgrade as your budget allows.

Enjoy and as always Happy Gliding!!

Cages

If you think you can buy a sugar glider and stick them in a hamster cage.... you are sadly mistaken.

Believe it or not, even with as small as these little fuzz butts are, they require a lot of room. Yes, I said require; that means this is not optional or personal preference. 

Have you considered the size of the cage or cages you need? Do you have enough room in your own home? Do you have a safe place to put the cage? These are all questions you should be asking yourself BEFORE buying a sugar glider. Cage size is very important whether you already own and glider or are considering becoming a new owner. 

The minimum recommended cage for a single (or pair) of gliders is 30" x 18" x 36" or 24" x 24" x 36".  Sugar gliders prefer their food to be placed high up so height is important. Keep in mind they like to climb and jump also so the taller the cage, the better. 

Bar spacing on the cage should be no more than 1/2 inch apart. If the bars are any further apart, it is a pretty safe bet, they are going to escape. If they can fit their head through the bars, their little bodies will follow. 

Your cage should be in a draft free room and should not be placed near a vent. There should be plenty of natural light so they can tell day from night but should not be in direct sunlight. 

There are several cages to choose from and the price varies depending on the type you choose. Amazon is a great place to order a cage from and some pet stores have great cages as well. If you are on a budget, I suggest also searching Craigslist. Please be very cautious if you decide to shop on Craigslist and watch for any broken bars, sharp edges and rust. 

~ Happy Gliding ~

What goes in the bottom of the cage??

New owners and many others often ask what to use in the bottom of the cages. 

Depending on your cage, most have a wire grate with a drop pan. However, some cages do not have the grate. In the case your cage is one without a grate, you can use newspaper which is not highly recomended because the ink from the paper can cause a urinary tract infection. My suggestion would be to use a piece of fleece cut to the size of the cage. You may want to cut several pieces as it should be changed at minimum every two days to help prevent smells and again, urinary tract infections... we want these little guys healthy and clean. You can use newspaper under the fleece as well if you wish to do so.
As for cages with the bottom grate and drop pan, below is a list of things you are able to use. 
1. Newspaper 
2. Equestrian Bedding Pellets - make sure they are pine, not cedar
3. Fleece- either in the drop pan or to cover the grate in the bottom of the cage
4. Puppy Pads
5. Freezer Paper
6. Cozy N Frsh

Personally, I have cut fleece to fit over the grate in my cages. Please feel free to share your ideas and what works for you!

Happy Gliding!!

Stains?

Just so we are clear, I am not talking about clothing stains or carpet stains. Although I have a good fix for those 😄

As I am standing at my cage this morning giving the usual yoggie treat or marshmallow to my fuzzbutts, I noticed Bam Bam is severely stained on his chest and part of his belly. Being that I am not at all an expert or "veteran" on sugar gliders, I reached out for help. My first step was to post on Facebook and start asking questions... why is he stained? What causes staining? Did I do something wrong? What do I do and how can I fix it? My second step, because I didn't get an immediate response on Facebook and I am the most impatient person on earth, I Googled it! Yes, I am addicted to Google.

Here are the answers I found to all my questions;

There are literally like 5 things that can causing yellowing, or staining as we suggie slaves call it. 

1.) Poor diet - Yellowing of the fur could mean the glider is not on a good, healthy diet resulting in poor health. Changing the diet will result in an improvement but will take time. Considering all my gliders are on the TPG diet with vitamins, I pretty much ruled this one out.

2.) The living conditions are not clean - Living conditions must be improved and fur will reverse itself but, again, will take time. I deep clean my cages once a month and "spot clean" almost daily so this was also ruled out.  

3.) The glider is ill - I haven't noticed anything else going on with Bam Bam or any pressing concerns with his attitude or mannerisms. This has not been completely ruled out and will more than likely result in a vet visit if the staining does not improve over the next few days or so. 

4.) Scent gland/marking/grooming-  If the yellowing is on the chest of a male glider, it can be from his scent gland. He could be marking, flossing or grooming. Considering he is an intact male, this could be the culprit. 

5.) UTI (urinary tract infection) - this could very well be the cause of Bam Bam's staining. He has been making the hissing/spitting/sneezing sound but as we all know, that could just be from flossing or grooming. 

At any rate, I don't have an exact answer to give as to why my sugar glider is stained, however this is a good guide to finding out why he is. 

Please note that this is only possible causes of staining. This blog post in not in any way intended as a medical reference for your gliders. If you have concerns with your gliders and staining, please contact your vet for advice and/or care. 

As always, thanks for visiting my blog!

 ~ Happy Gliding 

TOYS! TOYS! and MORE TOYS!!

    TOYS!.... oh boy!! Aside from all the handmade toys you can find on Ebay, Amazon and Etsy, there is also Little Tikes, Playskool, etc. I personally have 3 houses, 2 buses, 2 shape sorters, 3 cars, an airplane, an elephant ball popper, a dinosaur ball popper, a barn, a treehouse and 2 other treehouse type things.... that's the things I can think of off the top of my head. you can seriously spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on this little guys! So where do you find all these things without spending a fortune at retail stores like Wal-Mart, Meijer, Target?? Let me tell you... Goodwill will be your best friend if you own a sugar glider.
I went to our local Goodwill last week and finally found the airplane I wanted. It was $4.00 but had all the little people with it that I didn't want, didn't need. So I asked to speak with the manager and got $2 off because I didn't want the people. Same with the big treehouse, I didn't want or need the people so they took $2 off the price.
Another good place to find toys?? Yardsales and flea markets. During the spring, summer and fall most people are cleaning out their homes and getting rid of stuff they don't need, things their kids have outgrown and just plain clutter. I bought my elephant ball popper for $5, they retail at $35. How? Yardsale.
My point to all of this... don't pay retail for toys! Get out to those yardsale's, go to Goodwill. They are everywhere once you start looking.

Happy Toy Hunting 😉