Saturday, January 23, 2010

PET differences between Flying Squirrel & Sugar Glider?

I was just wondering what the differences between PET sugar gliders and flying squirrels are?





Yes, I know one is a marsupial and from Australia, but I am more interested in their differences as pets.





I have heard that since Flying Squirrels are rodents they don't have a scent gland and are less smelly. I also know they don't live as long.





Are either litter trainable and which ones are friendlier? Which make the better pets?





Thanks :)PET differences between Flying Squirrel %26amp; Sugar Glider?
Hi there...both can be good pets, however both are very different in nature therefore it depends on what you are looking for in a pet.





Flying squirrels do not put off the odours unlike the sugar glider so they are less stinky, but equally as messy as gliders.





Both are social critters requiring attention therefore they both require physical attention ';daily'; at least for an hour. They are a social animal and depriving them of any attention they will actually die from lonliness as this causes depression. They can live up to 15 years so these are not a pet for someone who is enamoured by them for a couple months and then forgotten. They do better with a mate rather than alone since they are colony animals. In the wild both live in groups on average of 12-20 together. They need at least an hour to two hours of play time daily to stay socialized and well adjusted.





Sugar gliders require fresh fruits and vegetables daily and need insects (e.g. meal worms, crickets) since they are also insectivores. Flying squirrels also need some nuts for plant protein as well as supplemental pellet diet. Both need vitamin supplements as they suffer from hind-leg paralysis since they cannot get these minerals from the diets we feed them like they do in the wild. In their natural environment they also eat small animals (like small mice) to get those much needed minerals.





Both species need toys and an enclosure that is a minimum of 3 feet high by 1.5 feet wide by 1.5 feet deep as they like to jump and glide. Anything smaller is too confining and can lead to health problems.





It's important to find a vet that can care for exotic animals as many regular vets may not have the specialized training to medically treat a sugar glider. Many vets however may know of a local vet in your region who treats exotics.





Sugar gliders defecate and urinate everywhere except their sleeping pouches and mostly when they first wake up. They have a natural scent that some people may find a little pungent and it can become strong if the cage isn't cleaned out and washed down weekly. The vocalizations they make are barking which is equivalent to small yapping dog (at lower volume) and a hisssssing sound. They also make a crabbing noise when angry, startled or frightened which sounds like a broken electric pencil sharpener.





Flying squirrels will be similar in their voiding habits (e.g. defecation and urination).





Both can be friendly if they have been hand tamed well enough when young otherwise they will revert to the wild-like natures.





Southern flying squirrels:


http://www.exoticnutrition.com/Flying-Sq鈥?/a>


http://www.isidore-of-seville.com/flying鈥?/a>





Sugar gliders:


http://www.sugar-gliders.com/sugar-glide鈥?/a>


http://www.isga.org/informationcenter/He鈥?/a>


http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/sugarglid鈥?/a>


http://www.essortment.com/all/sugarglide鈥?/a>


More about sugar gliders:


http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;鈥?/a>

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