by Danelle Karth

Created on: February 18, 2009

Sugar gliders are adorable little critters. Often they are found in small hamster cages in pet stores and many are even sold that way. However, proper housing requires a lot more then a tiny hamster cage can provide and knowing what to buy your sugar glider ahead of time can save them a lot of stress.

Size.

The first thing to keep in mind when choosing a cage for a sugar glider is that they are climbers and jumpers. While you may have had to dig the little fur ball out in order to have a look at him at the store, once the dark of night comes he or she will want to be very active. Therefore a large cage is necessary, even though they will continue to be small. The most important part of the cage size is also going to be the height verses the width and depth of it. A good goal to aim for is 24 inches by 24 inches by at least 36 inches. Although this is a decent size for one or two gliders, keep in mind that the larger the better. Even more so, the taller the better!

Bars.

Your cage should be made of wire mesh squares or horizontal bars. Squares should be no bigger then 1/2 inch by 1 inch and bars should be spaced no farther apart then 1/2 inch. This provides easy foot holds for your furry little friend to use as climbing guides. At the same time it keeps your new critter in rather then allowing it to escape out and about. While the ferret cage certainly can look fun, be a great size, and offer a lot of toys, it isn't going to be a good bar spacing and your new pet will be better off if you order an actual sugar glider cage off of the Internet. Most stores won't offer a suitable cage, but you can look around.

Nesting Options.

Not only is it important to have a cage that is proper for your sugar glider there are some other needs that should be met in the housing category. The biggest thing is a nest. Sugar gliders usually sleep during the day and are active during the night. They have eyes that are very sensitive to light and they also are known for being "pocket pals" for a reason. This is that they like to curl up in a nice soft warm place for the day and sleep it away. Because of this, you need to provide some sort of nest.

There are a few different options and what you choose is up to you. The first is a wood box. You can buy one or build your own. This should be attached as close to the top of the cage as possible so that your sugar glider won't go to the bathroom on top of it. The disadvantage of a wood box is that they absorb urine and are hard to clean. This means

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