Sugar gliders live in pairs or small groups and climb and glide, so they need a tall cage. RVC’s minimum is 2 x 2 x 2 m, far bigger than the MSD manual’s.
Pet
Sugar gliders
Your cage against each minimum
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Cage size
RVC houses sugar gliders indoors in a spacious, tall aviary-type wire cage of at least 2 x 2 x 2 m (6.6 ft each way) with small mesh. The MSD manual’s minimum is 24 in long, 36 in wide and 36 in high (61 x 91 x 91 cm), with bars no more than 1 x ½ in (2.5 x 1.3 cm) apart. RVC’s bigger size is the safe side.
Company and contact
RVC says sugar gliders are happiest in a pair or small group. Both RVC and the MSD manual recommend at least 2 hours of interactive contact a day.
Temperature
RVC keeps these tropical animals at 24–27 °C (75–81 °F). The MSD manual says they tolerate 15–32 °C but prefer 27–31 °C (80–88 °F).
Bedding
The MSD manual says to avoid pine and other softwood shavings, whose oils can irritate a glider’s airways.
Everyday food
The sources split the diet differently. RVC gives 50–60% insects or a commercial insectivore food, such as one made for hedgehogs, and 40–50% mixed vegetables, with only a little fruit and acacia gum. VCA gives a third each of pelleted kibble, a nectar or sap mixture, and insects with a calcium multivitamin and fresh produce, about 15–20% of body weight a day.
VCA never offers canned fruit, for its sodium and preservatives, and avoids high-oxalate produce: raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, spinach, carrots, beets, pears, lettuce, figs and collard greens.
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