Sugar Glider Mating Tips
The sugar glider is a relative newcomer to the group of animals that Americans keep as pets. They are native to Australia, and they are marsupials. Like their larger cousins the kangaroos, the mothers carry their unborn young in pouches. According to sugar glider expert Ruth Rogers, the animal takes its name from its tendency to drink the sap of wounded trees. If you wish to keep and breed marsupials, take note of the legal and financial ramifications that come with such a decision.
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Time Commitment
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Do not become a breeder if you don't have the time to devote to the task. As the Suz' Sugar Gliders website says, while the female is pregnant, you are responsible for ensuring that she has plenty of protein. You must keep a supply of milk at the house that will be adequate for the needs of her young. If the mother decides she doesn't like her babies once they are born, you must become the parent of her new "joey."
Finding a Doctor May Be Difficult
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Before becoming a breeder, make sure you can find a veterinarian near you that has the training to help you take care of sugar gliders. The sugar glider is an Australian animal, and not many American doctors have ever heard of them or experienced any cases of contact with people who keep them as pets. Indeed, as the Suz' Sugar Gliders website says, the lack of an appropriate doctor can become an issue because, when sugar gliders breed, the male can bite the female with which he is mating so hard that the bitten area can set up infection. This scenario requires medical attention right away.
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Legal Concerns
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In California, as well as some other states, the keeping of these marsupials is illegal. Also, as the Suz' Sugar Gliders website mentions, if you wish to have four or more females for breeding purposes, a trip to your local USDA office is in order. You will have to apply for a breeders' license there.
Financial Commitment
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If you become a breeder, make sure it is because you sincerely love sugar gliders, as opposed to merely wanting to make money breeding them and selling them as pets. They do not sell in the United States, as would a dog or a cat. In fact, you could stand to lose money as a breeder. According to Suz' Sugar Gliders, your grocery bill will skyrocket. They need a number of types of food, such as apples, pears, sweet corn and sunflower seeds, to mention just a few foods that these animals have in common with humans. The licensing fees are an expense you must consider, as well as the cost of hand feeding the little ones the mother decides to reject.
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