How to Choose A Sugar Glider Breeder Part 1

Always buy a captive-bred sugar glider! Captive-bred sugar gliders are fairly common now, and their genetic lines are quite robust. Fortunately, the chances of your being offered a wild-caught glider are small, due to the large captive-bred population. But some countries, especially Indonesia, still export wild-caught sugar gliders.

In some materials on the internet, confusion can be caused by the fact that advice is given for both wild and tame sugar gliders (in bonding discussions, for example). Some captive-bred sugar gliders may not be tame (because they were never treated properly by a former owner), but that does not mean they are “wild” in the sense of having been wild-caught. If you are offered a “wild-caught” sugar glider, the person offering it is either lying to impress you (the most likely scenario) or is involved with people who export and import wild sugar gliders. Most often, these wild-caught sugar gliders wind up in pet stores, where they may be impulsively bought by someone unprepared to take care of a sugar glider’s unique needs. Don’t support the capture of wild sugar gliders!

You should choose a sugar glider breeder carefully. A breeder should be able to tell you a lot about the particular glider(s) you’re interested in (lineage, any health issues, etc.). Most breeders will also be able to answer any questions you have after you bring your sugar glider home, which is very important if you are new to sugar gliders!

Before you buy a sugar glider from a breeder you find on the internet, read their website and ask others about their experiences with this breeder. There are several sugar glider forums and chat boards on the internet, and you can post your questions there. In fact, some of the best-known sugar glider breeders answer questions on those forums!

The majority of breeders you will find on the internet are wonderful people, concerned with raising quality, healthy sugar gliders. But there are some sugar glider “breeders” on the internet who spread misinformation about what is required to keep a healthy, happy sugar glider. Their general attitude indicates that sugar gliders are simply a commodity.

One tip-off to an unscrupulous breeder is a very cheap price. If you see a breeder offering sugar gliders extremely cheaply, it is a sure sign of a sugar glider “mill”. Breeding a healthy, quality sugar glider is not an inexpensive task! Another tip-off is a breeder who imports and/or breeds everything from anteaters to penguins to tigers. Those breeders do not specialize in sugar gliders and cannot possibly fully understand the species and its needs. They are much more likely to sell you a sick or inappropriate sugar glider. Avoid those kinds of breeders and choose a well-run breeding facility whose first concern is raising quality, healthy sugar gliders.

Avoid buying your sugar glider from a pet store, where impulse buys are encouraged. The same goes for trade shows and flea markets. Buying a sugar glider should be a carefully-considered action. Frankly, many of the sugar gliders at pet stores, come from “sugar glider mills”. And bear in mind that the minimum-wage help at most pet stores will be unable to answer your questions about caring for your new sugar glider.

If possible, choose a local breeder. That way, you can visit the breeder’s facility to actually interact with the sugar gliders before you buy. Also, by buying locally, you avoid having to have the sugar glider shipped. Transportation and shipping are stressful for any animal, and sugar gliders are no exception. That said, there are reputable breeders who are very skilled at shipping sugar gliders, so if you cannot locate a local breeder, contact an out-of-state breeder.

You can find a list of sugar glider breeders who are also members of the International Sugar Glider Association (ISGA). You may not want to necessarily restrict your search to breeders who are ISGA members, but that is a good place to start. Additionally, entering the search term “sugar glider breeder” into Google’s or Yahoo’s search box will yield the names and contact information for many breeders.

(To be continued…..)

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