This is a common question, yet kind of tough to answer. To answer this question, we really need to define some things first. So what are we comparing sugar gliders to? Fish? Hamsters? Cats? Snakes? Monkeys? Everyone has different experiences and a different paradigm in which they would define high or low maintenance. So lets dive into this a little more. If you are putting sugar gliders in the small animal category with hamsters and guinea pigs then I would say “Yes, they are higher maintenance.” Here is why:
–They require more space and a larger time commitment than hamsters.
–They are colony animals and need to have at least one cage mate. So it is a requirement (for their health and wellbeing) to have at least two sugar gliders.
–Sugar gliders also need a fresh food diet. Unlike many other pets, they need a specially formulated diet of fruits, vegetables, proteins and vitamins/minerals. There are several well researched diets out there for sugar gliders. We use The Pet Glider diet and it can be made up in large batches and frozen in ice cube trays, so you only need to make it once a month.
–They also require an exotic vet to treat them. Now, sugar gliders do not require vaccines and should not need a lot of veterinary care if they have a good environment and a balanced diet. However, if they do need care, you will need to find an exotic vet.,
I think it is best to think of sugar gliders, not in the small animal category, but in the cat and dog category. Here is why:
–They live 10-15 years which is about the lifespan of a small dog, definitely longer than a guinea pig.
–They also require time (daily if possible) to bond with. They do bond with their owners and they even learn their names, but this takes time.
I would say that a sugar glider is higher maintenance than a cat in ways, but lower maintenance than a dog. So if your only pet experience is with a goldfish, then yes sugar gliders may be considered high maintenance to you. However, if you have had multiple dogs, then sugar gliders really aren’t that high maintenance in comparison. I hope this was helpful. I will be posting a video on our YouTube channel on this topic next week that will have more information. If you have questions before then, please drop them in the comments and I’ll answer those.
~~Megan