Aspen Pet Toys

Aspen Pet Toys

How to Choose a Cage for Your Sugar Glider

You're considering getting a sugar glider as a pet. Great – a very unusual choice as they are enchanting little creatures and will bring you a great deal of pleasure, as they enjoy interacting with their owners – you can carry him around in your shirt pocket. They are very affectionate and bond well with their owners as well as with each other. If you are thinking seriously about this however, be aware that you need to have at least two sugar gliders – they are social animals and need to be among their own kind. They are considered exotic animals and as such, have special needs which must be met in order for them to thrive.

Be aware too, that some states have laws against keeping sugar gliders – in their native country of Australia; it is illegal to own one unless you have been approved by the state and are specially licensed. Sugar gliders can live for eight to fifteen years in captivity and taking a close look at your life-style will tell you whether you are equipped to take on such a responsibility for what could be many years. When you acquire a pet, you have it for life – a forever home!

Of course, you have given a great deal of thought to providing a proper home for such an exotic pet. You already know their habits and the fact that they are nocturnal. Providing an appropriate enclosure for them would be your first concern – and there are many ways to build or buy sugar glider cages. Building one might be a better choice, because you are better able to fit it in the spot you have chosen for it.

Its dimensions are important; for a pair, you will need a minimum of twenty-four inches for width and depth – but the important thing is the height of your sugar glider cage as these little animals are climbers. Thirty-six inches high would be the minimum and more would be better to accommodate their climbing instincts. The mesh used to build sugar glider cages should be no more than half an inch wide and if you put some branches and ropes inside, they will remain strong and healthy with climbing exercise. Some toys perhaps; they love an exercise wheel. It should be a large wheel with a solid surface so that tails and legs don't get caught. And how about those clear plastic globes which you can put your sugar glider in – he can roll around the house. How about a length of PVC pipe - this would give them a place to hide, as well as play.

Add a couple of platforms for them to climb on. Fixing a few horizontal bars on the inside of the mesh walls will help too because these little guys love to climb and jump – it's what they do! If you add branches, be certain that they are free from pesticides and fertilizers as well as being from non-toxic plants. Coniferous tree branches such as pine and cedar should also be avoided as they have sticky sap in them.

Consider placing your sugar gliders' cage inside a large plastic tray as this will catch any material which falls outside the cage – it's not easy to house-train them. A secure latch is essential as sugar gliders are pretty smart and can figure out how to open the cage door themselves. In the bottom, put a thick layer of shavings – aspen or fir is perfect as you can clean it out a couple of times per week. Avoid using cedar as it is toxic to small animals.

Your sugar gliders' cage should be placed in a spot which is free from drafts and where the average temperature is above a normal room temperature of 73 degrees F. Your sugar gliders' cage should also have a nest box in it and it's suggested that you place this against the ceiling of the cage so that they can't use the top of it as a bathroom. Best of all is a pouch (they are marsupials, after all) made out of a washable cloth, such as corduroy, which you can attach to the mesh wall of your sugar gliders' cage. You can make these at home – make a few of them so that you can change them frequently. Another great benefit is that you can remove the pouch with the gliders inside to make it easier for them to bond with you. Place their water bottle high in the cage too as they are happier at the top of the structure – they live high up in trees when in the wild.

Enjoy your sugar gliders but remember please - these are social animals and need their own kind to bond with. When you finally get your sugar gliders, get them both at the same time so that they can hang out together in their own new territory which you have provided for them.

 

About the Author

James Watchfield has owned small pets including sugar gliders. He has written a number of articles about different kinds of animals that can be found on the internet. To view our line of sugar glider cages please visit http://www.innovative-enclosures.com. We specialize in animal cages at reduced prices.

Kenneth Andrew Bell and Cute Pet Gazette's "How Cute Is Your Pet" talks pet toys and fish food

Aspen Pet Toys

Buying a New Hamster- How Much Does it Cost to Take Care of a Hamster?

You intend to buy a hamster but feel overwhelmed because you do not know exactly how much it will cost? Here is an expanded list with products your hamster needs and their average costs.

Hamster Shopping List:

-Cage: between $10-$40 .
The price varies according to the type of cage you want: wired, aquarium or bin and on the size of the hamster. If you intend to buy a Syrian hamster, be careful what cage you buy because sometimes they might get stuck in Criter Trail and Sam/penplax tubes.

-Bedding :$2-$10.
It has various purposes: lines the floor, absorbs odor, toilet place and allows your hamster to hide in it.You have to choose from wide variety of bedding: wood pulp fiber, recycled newspaper, aspen shavings, Kaytee Soft Sorbent, Eco-Straw Pellets and the list goes on . At pet shops you can find even bedding smelling like apples or strawberries.

-Paper bedding: this is optional and the price is very low . I use it because my hamsters love it. All you have to do is to put small pieces of toilet paper(1-3 squares) in their cage and they take it and use it as a blanket. Sometimes they use to decorate their room(house).

-Food dish: $2-$9.
Is better if the food dish is not made of wood or plastic because the small hamsters will chew it till there is nothing left. I bought mine a ceramic bowl which they love. This is a better choice because is kind of heavy and they can not move it or spill it.if you want to cut down some costs, you can use some small ceramic bowl you have in your kitchen.

-Water bottle: $2-$5.
It's a must have for your hamster. The bottle is the best choice because your hamster can not spill it and make a mess in the cage.You have to be careful when you put this in the hamster's cage: it has to be high enough so he can not chew the plastic part.

-Hamster mix: $2.5-$5.
This is the food that you should give to your hamster on a regular basis. Be very careful to buy hamster/gerbil mix and not rabbit mix because it's toxic for your little hamster. The additional proteins and calories that the hamster needs should consist of fresh fruits and vegetables according to your hamster needs.

-Hamster toys: $1.2-$30 . This is the part I love most.
First, your hamster needs a wheel ($3-$5) so he can exercise.The hamster ball, all kinds of tunnels and chew toys can be bought later on. Instead of buying tunnels or other stuff that you may not afford at the beginning you can use a trick: don't throw away your toilet paper rolls. Use them to entertain your hamster! You can even make some holes in it to be more fun for your hamster.

-Hamster book $1.99-$20
The books are quite informative and of big help especially if you are at your first hamster. There are books written for 9-12 years old, so pretty much everyone has his learning book about hamsters. Check out these hamster facts for more information about hamsters.

Insider's tip: I recommend you to use a small bowl with sand. The hamster likes to have small sand baths and mine uses it as a toilet as well. I empty and wash it every morning. My hamsters first use it as a sand bathtub and then as a toilet.

After you have all this, the monthly cost are :

-bedding: I usually use one big pack of bedding (I change the bedding of the cage at least twice a week) - I use big packs and they usually are enough for a month: $10 per pack
-food: one or to packs - $5-$10

It is normal that the initial cost is quite high, but after you bought all the products your hamster needs, the monthly cost are quite low.

About the Author

Diana Tudor is a hamster lover for quite a while. She loves these little creatures (especially the 2 dwarf hamsters that she has). She's even created a website called Hamster Bungalow to share her love and knowledge about hamsters. The hamsters and Diana await you at their cozy place to discover more about them.