(My Cage built-in under Staircase)

The Cage:There are special cages made just for sugar gliders however they are quite expensive. If you can afford one great, your gliders will love you. Most of these cages are made of vinyl coated 1" x 1/2" welded wire and are normally very tall.  Tall finch cages with 1/2"  bars also work well. It is better to have a tall cage than long cage as gliders are normal tree dwellers.  A good starting size for one or two gliders would be 24" x 24" x 48" but bigger is always better. The following items should be in the cage as well.

water bottle (or dish but water bottles like those for hamsters work better),
Food dishes  
pouch or hide box (for sleeping and hiding )
branches or ledges to climb on
Glider safe wheel optional (such as wodent wheel or other wheel wear there is no chance of getting the gliders tail caught between a wheel beam and a wheel support beam)
chewable or hanging toys like those for a bird or hamster (optional)

No special lighting is needed if the cage is near a window. If no window is available then a light should be put on a timer (12 hours on 12 hours off) to help maintain a normal photoperiod for the animals.

Temperature range at the location of the cage should be between 70 to 90 F.     

Cage: A sugar glider's cage should be as big as you can manage, although no smaller than 24x24x36 inches high for one or two gliders. Height is a very important thing with glider cages, as your glider feels safer the higher up it is. The wire bars of the cage should be no more than .5 inches apart. It is better to have enameled wire, as galvanized wire is harder to clean. Galvanized wire has also been linked to health issues. Do not use screen for your cage, because their nails can get caught in it. Reptariums make wonderful cages for most gliders. They are large, light, and easy to clean. If your sugar glider is a chewer, you may want to consider something other than a reptarium.

Many of these Items can Be found on many Web Site (The Sugar Glider Superstore)                                    
Cage Location/Atmosphere: The location of the cage of you cage should be chosen carefully. Choose a location that isn't loud all the time. Sugar gliders should not be in a room with loud birds, as the sounds birds make will cause stress for your sugar glider. Gliders prefer the sensation of being high up, so if you cage is not a ceiling to floor cage, place it on a sturdy table. Room temperature should be between 65 degrees F and 75 degrees F. This is really convenient, as this is the average temperature of most homes.

Sleeping location: In the wild, sugar gliders sleep in hollow trees lined in leaves. Small nesting boxes designed for small birds make a great slumber box. Some owners prefer to use sleeping pouches. These pouches are similar to bonding pouches, but have clips to attach to your gliders cage. Which ever you choose, place the item high in the cage. This will make the glider feel safer.

Toys: Sugar gliders are very interactive animals. They should have enough toys in their cage to promote interest, curiosity, and movement. Most bird toys and some cat toys make wonderful toys for sugar gliders. A toy that I would highly recommend is a wodent wheel. Sugar gliders naturally seek out holes, and instantly go for this toy. Please don't use wire wheels, as many gliders have gotten their tails caught along with various other injuries.

Branches/Perches: Add perches to your gliders cage, of different levels and sizes. Different perch and branch sizes allow your glider to exercise his feet muscles. Sugar gliders love natural branches, although if you choose to get them from outside, they must be sterilized by baking, or boiling. Never add a branch to your cage without doing this, as you could introduce many parasites to you sugar glider, and his home. Some good choices are elm and apple.

Feeding location: It is important with 2 or more sugar gliders, to have more than one feeding station. One sugar glider could become dominate and not allow the others to eat. Try to have them at different levels in the cage, and on opposite sides.

Introducing New Gliders - Any two gliders should be carefully introduced to each other because first impressions are lasting; even with gliders. There are a number of ways to go about doing this properly,  but there are two methods that I favor. One takes about a week or less and the other takes two to three weeks to implement.  

Although gliders under normal circumstance don't injure each other caution should be used when introducing gliders because it is impossible to reliably predict how they will respond to each other. For two gliders that don't have any obvious antagonism toward each other the shorter method will probably work just fine, but for two gliders that are openly antagonistic to each other I would definitely recommend the longer method.

Also, as a point of information: under no circumstances should an adult glider be housed with a joey that is unknown to it. Adult gliders, both male and female, have been known to antagonize joeys to the point of sending them into shock and that often leads to death. If you have situation like this get used to the idea that it will be necessary to house them separately, to ensure the safety of the joey, until the joey is old enough to fend off this kind of behavior. That means that joey will need to be at least six to seven months old before it is safe. You should allow the glider and the joey to spend supervised time around each other so that they bond with each other and you
 

Method #1:
If you bring the gliders near each other and there seems to be no open antagonism, and you see curiosity rather than aggression,  you can try introducing them. You  should find neutral territory to do this so that territorial instinct does not become an issue. One idea is to sit or stand and put them on you: say one on a shoulder and the other on an arm. You want them to see each other but you don't want to put them so close that either feels threatened. Then you allow them discover, approach, and meet each other. Watch their reactions as they find each other to see if you see curiosity or aggression. If that goes well I would continue to allow them to be around each other but I would not immediately start housing them together. It is important to remember they will been spending quite a bit of time together when you are not around to intervene. It is always better to error on the side of caution.

You should still house the gliders in separate cages, but put the cages near enough to each other that they can see and smell each other, but too far for them to be able to reach each other. That distance should be no less than 12 inches; gliders see and smell very well. Believe me, if there is another glider anywhere in your home your glider will likely know it. Leave them situated that way for at least a  few days  if not a week to be sure that they have accepted each other's presence and are on the road to bonding. 

Method #2:
If you bring the gliders near each other and there seems to be open antagonism then I would use this method to try to get them to accept each other.

Note: For purposes of this method of introduction it is better that the gliders are living in pouches in their separate cages.

First, I would house them in separate cages, but put the cages near enough to each other that they can see and smell each other, but too far for them to be able to reach each other. That distance should be no less than 12 inches; gliders see and smell very well. I would leave them like that for a period of one week or more. 

Then I would switch their pouches so that each is living in the other's pouch. I would leave them in this condition for another week or more. 

Then I would try the above method of introducing them while paying very close attention to their reactions. If they respond to each other well I would spend a week another week letting them spend time around each other outside the cages, and I would leave their living arrangements as they are for the additional week.

If all has been going well I would wash one pouch and one cage and attempt to house them together. By this time that have come to know each other and there shouldn't be a problem.

But in either case you want to continue monitoring the new relationship for at least another two weeks before you claim success. You may want to watch them eat to make sure neither is being denied food. If necessary put two food bowls in the cage on different levels or as far away from each other as you can get them until things settles out.

Remember, it can take a couple of days or a couple of weeks to do it right. Usually it's no big deal and it happens without a lot of problems. But, you do want to be cautious because getting it right the first time usually ensures that there are no problems later.

I believe that in the end all gliders tend to welcome the company so that odds are on your side that it won’t be difficult to make the introductions.

We are a small sugar glider breeder in Baltimore, MD of White Face Blonde, Leucistic (Black Eyed White),and Mosaic

 This beautiful this mosaic sugar glider!...... 

Adopted one of my sweet  Sugar Gliders, We believe no glider should be alone! Ask about our special second glider