How to Make a Tall Sugar Glider Cage

Sugar gliders are native to Australia.

Sugar gliders, or "sugies" as they are known by enthusiasts, are small marsupials that live in the treetops of northern and eastern Australia. They leap and glide from tree to tree, much like flying squirrels, and need a lot of room to exercise and play. Sugar gliders are available as pets in some states in the United States. If you have a pet sugar glider, you need a cage large enough for your pet to jump around and exercise, especially if you have more than one. Not every pet store carries cages that are appropriate for sugar gliders, but you can build your own.

Things You'll Need

• 3 1/2-foot by 3 1/2-foot linoleum flooring
• 8 pieces powder-coated metal shelving, 16 inches by 6 feet, 1/4- to 1/2-inch spacing between wires
• 4 pieces powder-coated metal storage cube (like Neat Ideas Cubes), 14 inch by 14 inch
• Cable ties
• Scissors
• Binder clasps

Instructions

1. Set the 3 1/2-foot by 3 1/2-foot linoleum piece on the ground where the cage will stand. This will serve as the floor of the cage and protect your floor. Make sure that you keep the cage clean so that your sugar gliders do not get sick.

2. Set the eight metal shelves in a row on the ground, with the 6-foot sides touching one another. Make sure that the wires on your shelves are between 1/4 inch and 1/2 inch apart, so that your sugar gliders neither get stuck nor escape.

3. Fasten the shelves together along the edges with the cable or zip ties, placing one zip tie approximately every 6 inches.

4. Lift the shelving up onto its edge. Position the two center panels 8 inches from the back edge of the linoleum. Fold the two shelves on either side of these back two pieces toward yourself until they are positioned perpendicular to the back pieces. They should now be lining the sides of the linoleum piece, 8 inches from each edge. Fold the two pieces at the end of the line of shelves inward toward each other. These pieces will be the door of the cage. The cage should now stand upright on its own.

5. Place the four metal storage cube pieces in a flat, 2-square by 2-square shape on the ground. Fasten these pieces together with cable or zip ties. Each seam should have three zip ties, one each at the top, bottom, and middle of the seam.

6. Place the square of metal storage cubes on top of your shelving units. The edges of the storage cube square should exceed the shelving by 4 inches on each side.

7. Attach the metal storage cube roof to the cage with zip ties, placing a zip tie approximately every 6 inches on both sides and the back of the cage. Refrain from attaching any zip ties to the two shelves in the front of the cage. These are the doors, and you want them to be able to swing open freely. Use scissors to trim the excess plastic from all of the zip ties on the cage.

8. Secure the cage doors shut with the binder clips. If your sugar gliders are particularly resourceful, or you are concerned about your children handling them unsupervised, you may want to secure the door shut with a small chain and lock. Decorated the cage if desired.

References

• Sweet Sugar Gliders: Sugar Glider Cage Information
• Sugar Gliders: Cage--Build or Buy?