Sugar Glider Safety Part 3

Living room hazards: The hazards in the living room primarily have to do with furniture and closets. A sugar glider can hide under the cushions of your chair or sofa, so if you have an escapee or you’re not sure where your sugar glider is, look before you sit! You could easily suffocate or squish a sugar glider. Recliner chairs are also a potential danger, because they have moving parts that could crush your glider. Don’t lower or raise your recliner if there’s any chance your sugar glider could be hiding in it.

Make sure your sugar glider can’t get into any fans, heaters, dehumidifiers, or anything else with moving parts in your living room.

Sugar gliders can get caught in the loops of mini blind cords and become strangled. If you have mini blind cords, you can cut the loop at the bottom to greatly lessen the chance of your sugar glider becoming entangled in it.

Definitely don’t let your sugar glider run around when you have a fire in the fireplace or your woodstove. A serious burn injury could occur.

If you let your sugar glider run in your living room, be sure to keep small, breakable items out of his way. Your glider has no idea how much that vase cost, nor does he care, as it comes tumbling down. Not only will you lose a sentimental item, but the broken glass or china could injure your sugar glider.

Bedroom hazards: The biggest hazard in your bedroom is the bed. Those cozy blankets are an inviting snoozing spot for sugar gliders. But if you sit or lay down on the bed, you could easily crush your sugar glider! For this reason, it’s not a good idea to sleep with your glider. You might roll over in your sleep and crush him. Besides, who wants a sugar glider peeing and pooping all over their bed?

Do not leave dresser drawers open in your bedroom. Your glider will be very tempted to hop in and explore or nap! You might accidentally close the drawer on him or his tail, or he might “go missing” while you frantically search the house for him.

Laundry room and utility room hazards: Sugar gliders just love laundry baskets. After all, they are filled with your wonderful scent! So if your sugar glider has escaped, or is just running around your house, make sure you check each item of clothing before you put it in the washing machine. And when your washing machine is not in use, make sure your sugar glider cannot get access to the drain. Once in your plumbing system, he would be difficult, if not impossible, to retrieve.

Never leave your dryer door open! A hot dryer could kill a sugar glider. Dryer vents can also be a problem, because they lead to the outside. A sugar glider could easily chew through a plastic dryer vent hose. If you are ironing, make sure your sugar glider has no access to the hot iron.

Laundry rooms are also filled with laundry detergent, softeners, bleach, etc. All of them could be fatal to a curious sugar glider. The rule is the same for toddlers: if you wouldn’t let a toddler get into or handle it, don’t let your sugar glider get into or handle it!

(To be continued…)

© 2006 SugarGliderAuthority.com. Excerpted from Sugar Gliders: The Ultimate Guide. All rights reserved. No portion of this website may be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written consent of the copyright owner.