What is the best setup for a sugar glider

A Complete Guide to Cages for Sugar Gliders: Size, Safety, and More

If you are considering getting a sugar glider as a pet, there is a lot to think about. In addition to providing them with proper diet and nutrition, it is also important to provide them with the right kind of cage.

Cages are a crucial factor in providing these animals with the right environment to thrive. Not only do they give a space of safety and comfort, but the size and shape of your sugar glider cage also helps to ensure that he gets the right amount of exercise, stimulation and mental health.

In this guide, we will discuss everything you need to know about cages for sugar gliders, including size, safety and other considerations. Read on to learn more!

Cage Requirements

When it comes to cages for sugar gliders, size is one of the most important factors to consider. A minimum cage size of 2 feet wide, 2 feet deep, and 2 feet tall is recommended for one or two sugar gliders. This will give them enough space to move around, play, and exercise.

The larger the cage, the better, because sugar gliders like to have plenty of room to explore and be active.

Types of cages

When choosing a sugar glider cage, you must know that there are several types of cages to choose from, including metal, acrylic, and wooden cages. All types come with their own advantages and disadvantages, so be sure to do your research before making a decision.

In short, you can take into consideration the following:

• Metal cages: strong, durable and easy to clean
• Acrylic cages: clear view, lightweight but more expensive
• Wooden cages: natural-looking but require more maintenance

One thing that some people may not know about sugar glider cages is that they require a lot of vertical space. This is because sugar gliders are arboreal animals, which means they are adapted to living in trees. In the wild, they would spend most of their time climbing, jumping and gliding from tree to tree, so its important to provide them with a cage that allows them to do the same.

Some people might think that a horizontal cage is enough, but sugar gliders need to have the opportunity to climb and jump. A cage with multiple levels and a variety of perches and branches that are placed at different heights and angles will provide them with the opportunity to engage in natural behaviors and will promote their physical and mental well-being.

Bar spacing and thickness are also factors to consider when looking after cages for sugar gliders. The bars should be spaced no more than 1/2 inch apart, to prevent your pet from escaping or getting their head stuck. The bars should also be thick enough to prevent bending or breaking.

Remember that, even with all the right requirements, your sugar glider will still need plenty of time outside their cage to play, socialize and fly.

Perches and toys

Perches and toys are an essential part of a sugar gliders cage. These items provide them with a place to rest and play, which helps for their physical and mental well-being. When choosing perches and toys for your sugar glider, keep in mind the following:

• Perches should be made of natural materials such as wood or branches, as sugar gliders like to gnaw and chew on them.
• Toys should be made of durable materials and be able to withstand the wear and tear of a sugar gliders playful nature.
• Variety is important, provide different types of perches and toys for mental stimulation and environmental enrichment.

We think that the sugar glider toys should be rotated regularly to keep them mentally stimulated. Keeping the same toys in the cage for long periods of time can cause sugar gliders to lose interest, and they will not engage with them as much. Rotating toys on a regular basis will prevent your little pet from getting bored.

Safety Considerations

Safety should always be a top priority when it comes to caring for your sugar glider. When setting up their cage, we recommend keeping the following safety considerations in mind:

• Make sure the cage is escape-proof, with bar spacing no more than 1/2 inch apart.
• Check for any sharp edges or corners that could harm your sugar glider.
• Avoid using any toxic materials in or near the cage, as sugar gliders are sensitive to chemicals and can easily ingest them.
• Place the cage in a safe location away from direct sunlight, drafts, and other sources of stress.

Setting up the Cage

• Placement of cage in home
• Bedding and lining options
• Accessorizing the cage (e.g. food dishes, water bottle, hideaways)
• Adding a play area or flying space

Setting up the perfect cage for your sugar glider may seem like a lot of work, but trust us, its worth it. These little guys are so loving and affectionate, and youll be the best pet parent ever with a cozy, safe, and entertaining cage for them.

Placement of Cage in Home

The placement of the cage in your home is just as important as the cage itself! After all, where you put their little abode can make a big difference in their overall well-being and happiness.

First and foremost, youll want to pick a spot thats safe for them. Were talking away from windows and doors where drafts can sweep in and play havoc with their delicate little bodies. And speaking of temperature, its important to keep their cage away from direct sunlight as well. Imagine being stuck in a hot, stuffy room all day not too pleasant, right? So, keep their cage in a well-ventilated area with a comfortable temperature.

Another thing to keep in mind is the noise level of the area you choose. Sugar gliders are sensitive little creatures and can be easily stressed out by loud noises. So, its best to avoid placing their cage in a room where theres a lot of foot traffic or close to a TV or stereo. You want their little home to be a peaceful haven for them to relax and play in.

Of course, you also want to think about your own convenience. Sugar gliders are nocturnal animals, so keep in mind that they may play all night and make a lot of noise! Thats why its a good idea to place their cage in an area where the sound wont bother you.

Bedding and Lining Options

The bedding is an important element in keeping your sugar glider comfortable and healthy. Choose a bedding material that is not overly scented, non-toxic, and easy to clean.

Here is a list of safe bedding and lining options to consider:

• The bedding and lining of your sugar gliders cage should be soft, comfortable and easy to clean.
• Options include: paper bedding, fleece, or washable liners.
• Be sure to use non-toxic and hypoallergenic materials.
• Avoid using materials that can be easily ingested such as wood shavings or cedar chips.

Cage accessories

When it comes to accessorizing your sugar gliders cage, there are a few essential items that youll need to include. These items will not only provide your pet with the necessities they need, but they will also make their environment more comfortable and interesting.

• Food Dishes: Your sugar glider will need a place to eat, so be sure to include a couple of food dishes in their cage. These can be made of metal, ceramic or plastic. Be sure to choose dishes that can be easily cleaned, and that your glider cannot chew or tip over.
• Water Bottle: A water bottle is essential for your sugar gliders hydration. Choose a water bottle that attaches to the side of the cage and that has a ball bearing sipper, this type of sipper will prevent leaks and spills.
• Hideaways: Sugar gliders are social animals, but they also need a place to retreat and feel safe. Include hiding spots such as hammocks, tents, or small houses. These can be made of fabric, plastic or wood.
• Additional Accessories: you can also add accessories such as ropes or ladders to help your sugar glider climb and glide around the cage, or puzzle feeders to provide mental stimulation.

Cleaning and Maintenance

Okay, lets talk about something that can be a bit of a pain, but its super important cleaning and maintaining your sugar gliders cage. I know, its not the most glamorous topic, but its crucial for your little pets health and well-being.

As a general rule of thumb, you should be doing a deep cleaning at least once a week. This means taking everything out of the cage, giving it a good scrub down, and then putting it all back together again. This is also a good time to inspect the cage for any signs of damage or wear and tear.

Now, what should you be cleaning? Basically, everything. That means the bedding, food dishes, and of course, the cage itself. Youll want to use a mild, non-toxic cleaner, like a vinegar and water solution. Avoid using harsh chemicals or abrasive scrubbers, as sugar gliders are sensitive to chemicals and can easily ingest them.

In addition to deep cleaning, its also important to do daily spot cleaning. This means removing any food or water dishes that need to be refilled, and disposing of any droppings or uneaten food.

You also need to do regular cage inspections to ensure that the cage is in good condition and that all the accessories are still in good working order. This also allows you to spot potential issues before they become bigger problems, like loose wires, bent perches, or broken toys.

Conclusion

Owning a sugar glider is an incredibly rewarding experience, but it comes with a lot of responsibility. The key to keeping them healthy and happy is providing a safe, comfortable and clean environment.

This means choosing the right cage, bedding, and accessories as well as regularly cleaning and maintaining their cage. With the right care and attention, your sugar glider will be a happy and healthy pet for years to come.

7 Steps to Set Up a Sugar Glider Cage

Sharing is caring!

It can be daunting to learn how to set up a sugar glider cage, but its extremely easy! You just need to know what do sugar gliders need in their cage, what habitat requirements they need, and youre all set!

Learning how to set up a sugar glider cage could be tough, especially if youre not familiar with it.

So, in this guide, Ill be going deep into the topic, and discuss everything you need to know in setting it up!

In anticipation of that, though, whats the size requirement for a sugar glider cage?

How Big Should a Sugar Glider Cage Be?

Knowing the cage size requirement will be difficult. In my first attempt, I even thought a small bird cage is enough, and apparently, it isnt.

So, in choosing the dimensions of your cage and the bar spacing involved, you must consider the following:

• Size of your sugar gliders
• Number of sugar gliders that would share the habitat

As experts suggest [1], the recommended cage size for one (1) sugar glider is 20 x 20 x 30. If youll accommodate two (2), you simply have to double up on the size.

Bar Spacing of the Cage

When it comes to the bars, they should be tight and close enough that your pet cant squeeze through. These little dynamos are flexible creatures and if at first glance you think they wouldnt fit, they would!

The recommendation by many experts would be bar spacing thats not inches wide. [2]

Before learning how to set one up, let us first try to enumerate the things your furry friends need in their cages.

What Do Sugar Gliders Need in Their Cage?

Sugar gliders need toys to beat boredom, equipment for feeding, and of course, the relaxation pods in their cages. During my first experience setting one up, I had no idea where to start.

Sugar gliders are social animals theyre also active creatures. So, keeping their cage lively and fun would be the right thing to do.

But before injecting the fun in the formula, what do sugar gliders need in their habitat?

Nest Boxes or Nest Pouches

Imagine being at home without a bed, what would you feel? Your furry friends will feel the same way, too! One of the most important things you need to put in their cages would be the nest box. Its their haven for the times they want to relax.

NOTE: You can substitute nest boxes for nest pouches if you prefer them hanging instead of them being on the base of the cage.

Water Bottle or Water Dishes

Water bottles are also important to keep inside the cage. Keeping one is as important as providing food dishes or a container for the food that youll feed them.

NOTE: At first, your pet gliders may not know how to drink from a water bottle. So, try adding a water dish instead. They will eventually learn how to use water bottles, so dont worry.

Bird Toys

Sugar gliders, as we know them, are interactive and social animals. They love playing with things they can get their tiny hands on.

Make sure you add toys for sugar gliders, which can be bird toys, toddlers toys, and an assortment of toys you think would be effective.

Exercise Wheels

Apart from animal toys, it would also be great to add exercise wheels.

Its another form of a toy in their minds, but for us, its for them to keep those legs and joints healthy. You could install exercise wheels that hamsters and other rodents use inside their cages.

Food Dishes

Last, but most definitely not least would be food dishes. This is the part of the cage theyll be looking forward to every hour of every day. You can purchase food dishes for hamsters or for birds, any would do.

NOTE: Make sure that the food dish youll place is a few inches wider than their heads. This will help them avoid being stuck in between the bars of the cage.

Now that you know the most important things to put in the cage, how do you set it up? What parts do you establish and put up first?

How to Set Up a Sugar Glider Cage? [Complete Guide]

When I set up my first ever cage, I didnt know where to start and what to do.

So, I went on and just placed it in my room, threw in a food dish and a water bottle, and a small sleeping pouch for my furry friend.

A few hours later, the relentless hissing and barking sounds appeared. It was then that I realized that theyre active social animals and they need something to do, too!

So, heres a foolproof way to set up and keep your furry friends habitats perfect for them.

Step 1: Choose the Right Cage for Your Sugar Gliders

The number one consideration you need to have in choosing their habitat would be the size. Cage sizes will vary depending on the number of sugar gliders you have. Of course, the more sugar gliders youre accommodating, the larger cage needs to be.

Try checking finch cages and bird cages; check on the available sizes, too. Then, carefully pick the one that has considerate bar spacing that would keep your furry friends from getting out without you knowing.

Step 2: Find the Perfect Spot for Your Cage

The next thing you want to do is to find a good location where you will be putting the cage. Experts recommend placing the cage at a spot thats easily accessible and is out of direct sunlight. [3]

Moreover, you want your pet glider cage to be installed at a location thats safe. The location should be:

• Free from drafts and debris
• At a constant temperature of 18 to 24 degrees Celsius (65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit)
• Far from entryways of your home like doors, windows, and exhausts

NOTE: You can install caster wheels on your sugar glider cage so its mobile and not just kept at a single location.

Step 3: Gather the Needed Things for the Cage

After that, gather everything listed above. Yes, everything including those poop trays! Dont install and place them inside the cage yet, as you need to plan it out first.

So, prepare everything, from the nest pouches or nest boxes, the bedding material, to the toys, exercise wheels, ropes, food dishes, water bottles/water dishes, bedding/lining, and pull-out dropping trays.

NOTE: Store them at a place where youll be able to see them all. This is for you not to panic when youre about to install them.

Step 4: Set Up the Nest Box/Nest Pouch

Then, the next thing to do is to start installing their sleeping pods the nest boxes pouches. Dont confuse yourself too much about it; nest boxes can be as simple as plastic, wicker, and even untreated wood.

For nest pouches, it can be a sturdy cloth that youll hang from atop the cage.

And while its something not to stress on, its good to invest in these things, too. You never know when youll purchase another furry friend, so being prepared wont hurt.

Placing the Nest Box

Placing the nest box in the cage is simple, you just have to position it across where youll be placing the pull-out tray. This will prevent them from accidentally eating their own wastes.

You can also position it adjacent to the water and food dishes for them to be able to access it easier.

Placing the Nest Pouch

On the other hand, you can hang your nest pouches anywhere in the cage. If youll install more than two (2) keep the distance moderate (not too far or near).

Furthermore, make sure that the pouches wont entangle with one another if in case your friends decide to play around with them.

Step 5: Lay the Bedding Materials

Most sugar glider cages would be large finch or bird cages. Therefore, the base would be a wire bottom. To make sure that your pets wouldnt make a mess, install the bedding material on the bottom or base.

This can be as simple as an absorbent substrate that would suck up liquid and catch solids that would be free-falling within the cage.

NOTE: If your cage already has pre-installed bedding, theres no need for you to install one.

Step 6: Install the Pull-Out Droppings Tray

The poop tray, as we pet lovers call it, is an integral part of any type of cage. It is where all the waste will be collected.

The pull-out tray usually goes together with the bedding material. Its a complementary addition to the cage. You can purchase a separate pull-out tray if the cage you bought doesnt have one yet.

Mine didnt have one so what I did was install the pull-out tray directly below the bottom of the cage.

Step 7: Add Bird Toys and Other Accessories

Lastly, add the toys and other accessories that would keep your pets occupied. You can do variations on the toys youll add. They can be as simple as leashes, open-ended pouches, chew toys, bells, sounding squeak toys, and many more!

Apart from regular toys, it would also be good to add other sources of activities. These include exercise wheels, ladders, ropes, swings, and soft cloth balls, too!

NOTE: Some experts recommend adding branches, stems, and other wood materials, too. This creates an atmosphere of familiarity with your pet.

Once done, you can now be carefree that your social animals will have a place to call home. Youll know that you were properly able to set it up when you see them spending time, enjoying their vertical space.

You can also opt for a DIY sugar glider cage.

What Makes a Good Sugar Glider Cage?

What many would consider a good sugar glider cage is the one thats placed in the correct spot, as well as the one that contains everything their friends need. This would include:

1. Animal Toys
2. Cloth Balls & Ropes
3. Nest Boxes or Nest Pouches
4. Food Dishes
5. Water Dishes

What baffles most first-time sugar glider owners is how they can make their pets habitats fun and amusing. And in considering the points above, you can most definitely say that your sugar glider cage is different, in a positive way.

Check: How to Clean Sugar Glider Cage

FAQs About How to Set Up a Sugar Glider Cage

Here are some of the most common questions about setting up a sugar glider cage.

Can I use a Hamster or a Rabbit Cage For My Sugar Glider?

No, you cant use a hamster or a rabbit cage to be your sugar glider cage. Its simply because these are horizontal cages. Our pet sugar gliders need headspace for them to be able to climb, glide, and skim through their artificial habitat.

Do Sugar Gliders Need to Be Covered At Night?

No, they do not need to be covered at night. In fact, they cha-cha during the night. Theyre nocturnal animals, meaning, most of their energy is spent at night (eating, socializing, exploring).

Do Sugar Gliders Need a Heat Lamp?

No, you wouldnt need a heat lamp beside your sugar glider cage because experts recommend keeping the habitats of sugar gliders below 85 degrees Fahrenheit (29.4 degrees Celsius) [4].

What Kinds of Toys Do Sugar Gliders Like?

Sugar gliders love a variety of animal toys such as chew toys, squeaky toys, and fun balls. You can throw in heavy-duty ropes, ladders, exercise wheels, as well as stems and branches for them, too.

How Often Should You Clean Your Sugar Glider Cage?

The best and most ideal habit to develop is to clean the cages at least once (1) per week. This would include cleaning the bedding, taking some food from the toys, and removing the waste from the pull-out droppings tray.

NOTE: For the food dishes and water bottles/dishes, clean them daily and sterilize once every 60 days. Clean the cloth, pouches, and nests at least once per week.

Conclusion

If you find yourself troubled in the process of how to set up a sugar glider cage, youre in for a treat!

I outlined everything you need to know about building or setting up a habitat for your furry friend in this guide, and you dont need a separate source any longer!

References:

• 1. Beginners Guide to Sugar Glider Care VetCare Pet Hospital [Internet]. VetCare Pet Hospital. 2016 [cited 2021 Dec 2]. Available from: https://www.vetcarepethospital.ca/beginners-guide-sugar-glider-care/
• 2. https://www.facebook.com/thespruceofficial. How to Set up a Home for Your Sugar Glider [Internet]. The Spruce Pets. 2019 [cited 2021 Dec 2]. Available from: https://www.thesprucepets.com/cages-for-sugar-gliders-1237336
• 3. Suggested Cage Requirements [Internet]. Exotic Nutrition. 2019 [cited 2021 Dec 2]. Available from: https://www.exoticnutrition.com/suggested-cage-requirements.aspx
• 4. Pocket Pets [Internet]. Pocket Pets. 2021 [cited 2021 Dec 2]. Available from: https://www.sugargliderinfo.org/pages/sugar-glider-cage-guide

Do you have more tips on how to set up a sugar glider cage? Let us know in the comments below!

Barry Stingmore

Barry Stingmore is a British content writer living in Fuerteventura, Spain. An animal lover at heart, he shares his home with a dog and four rescue cats and has a passion for writing about animals big and small.

Barry loves finding answers to your animal-related questions, the more research involved the better! You can rely on him to find the facts.

Find him on FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND LinkedinRead his latest ARTICLES.Find more about him HERE.