I would advise a lot of thought be put into starting to keep sugar gliders. I've kept them for the last 4 years, and although they CAN make good pets, they really do need a lot of attention.
Not just a couple hours a day really, they are very dependant socially, more than I can really describe. Having a second glider helps, but you still have to plan on spending a fair amount of your day AND night with them. If you have a LOT of other pets, this won't be as possible, otherwise you become someone providing a place to live for a couple of animals who aren't necessarily conscious you exist other than a means of feeding. If you have a job that requires no lifting and lets you keep them in your clothes all day, then it's more feasible.
My husband absolutely detests them. Their smell is very different. Some don't mind it, and others are absolutely offended by it(such as my husband). Aside from the normal poo/pee the males mark incessantly - in fact it's ill advised to really clean their cages completely, because it causes them to OVER mark. This is curbed in part by neutering(which mine are) but not completely.
Feeding isn't bad, I rather enjoy feeding live mealworms and pinky mice because it makes them VERY happy. There is, however, a fair amount of debate over WHAT is a good diet. I choose the BML diet plan because it's a version of the austrailian zoo recipe that's been modified with ingredients available in the US(high protein baby cereal is NOT available in the US, which the aussie recipe called for).
I love them and all, but there are a lot of things that I know really makes them not for everyone. I made a mistake and let a pair breed, with particularly devastating consequences - the likes of which made me unable to keep said pair. I thought i could handle it, until i saw it for myself. PM for more info, I won't go into detail here
If you want a pet that will READILY accept you and can spend some time on it's own - stick with kitties and rats. If you want a pet that will begin consuming your life, go for gliders. (i don't mean that as cynically as it sounds, but even as a glider owner I don't believe they're really *very* good pets in general. they're not really in the same category as dogs/cats/rats and shouldn't be considered in the same vein for ownership.)
Not just a couple hours a day really, they are very dependant socially, more than I can really describe. Having a second glider helps, but you still have to plan on spending a fair amount of your day AND night with them. If you have a LOT of other pets, this won't be as possible, otherwise you become someone providing a place to live for a couple of animals who aren't necessarily conscious you exist other than a means of feeding. If you have a job that requires no lifting and lets you keep them in your clothes all day, then it's more feasible.
My husband absolutely detests them. Their smell is very different. Some don't mind it, and others are absolutely offended by it(such as my husband). Aside from the normal poo/pee the males mark incessantly - in fact it's ill advised to really clean their cages completely, because it causes them to OVER mark. This is curbed in part by neutering(which mine are) but not completely.
Feeding isn't bad, I rather enjoy feeding live mealworms and pinky mice because it makes them VERY happy. There is, however, a fair amount of debate over WHAT is a good diet. I choose the BML diet plan because it's a version of the austrailian zoo recipe that's been modified with ingredients available in the US(high protein baby cereal is NOT available in the US, which the aussie recipe called for).
I love them and all, but there are a lot of things that I know really makes them not for everyone. I made a mistake and let a pair breed, with particularly devastating consequences - the likes of which made me unable to keep said pair. I thought i could handle it, until i saw it for myself. PM for more info, I won't go into detail here
If you want a pet that will READILY accept you and can spend some time on it's own - stick with kitties and rats. If you want a pet that will begin consuming your life, go for gliders. (i don't mean that as cynically as it sounds, but even as a glider owner I don't believe they're really *very* good pets in general. they're not really in the same category as dogs/cats/rats and shouldn't be considered in the same vein for ownership.)