Sugar Gliders

Sugar Glider

Thinking of getting a sugar glider? These tiny marsupials are energetic and friendly, making them popular choices as pets. Though they weigh less than a half-pound, they're more closely related to kangaroos than they are flying squirrels. If you think a sugar glider would make an ideal pet for your family, here's what our veterinary team would like you to know before making your decision.

Sugar Glider Health

These pets are nocturnal. This means they're awake and active during the night-time hours. Sugar gliders are not the best choice of pet for owners who work night jobs or retire early. To be happy and healthy, they need plenty of interaction with their human. This means taking them out of their cage and allowing them to play and explore in pet-proof spaces. It's important to keep a close eye on your pet's diet, too, as sugar gliders in captivity may easily become obese due to too little exercise and too much fruit.

Sugar Glider Care

The most important thing a sugar glider needs is a friend. These pets are highly social and won't thrive in isolation. This means, if you keep one sugar glider, you must keep two. But a sugar glider needs other things as well, including:

  • A big, roomy cage to leap, jump, and glide
  • A secure lock that keeps it from escaping
  • Branches or shelves to climb on
  • A cozy pouch to sleep in
  • Clean bedding
  • Toys such as bird swings or hamster wheels

Aside from housing and accessories, these cute little creatures need a specialized diet to keep them healthy and happy. Your veterinarian can help you choose the best diet for captive sugar gliders.

Feeding Your Sugar Gliders

In the wild, sugar gliders are omnivorous, meaning they eat both plants and animals. Gliders in captivity should be fed a somewhat complicated diet that includes:

  • Protein -- cooked eggs, crickets, mealworms
  • Fruit and green leafy vegetables
  • Pelleted food containing nectar
  • Vitamin and mineral supplements

Our veterinary team will be happy to advise you regarding the care and treatment of your sugar gliders.

Training a Sugar Glider

Sugar gliders can be potty-trained to go in their cage and learn to come when you call them. If you give them lots of love and patience and reward good behavior with tasty treats, they'll be quite well-behaved.

Location

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Office Hours

Our Regular Schedule

Monday:

7:30 am-5:30 pm

Tuesday:

7:30 am-5:30 pm

Wednesday:

7:30 am-5:30 pm

Thursday:

7:30 am-5:30 pm

Friday:

7:30 am-5:30 pm

Saturday:

Open 1st & 3rd Saturdays of each month. Closed 2nd & 4th Saturdays of each month.

8:00 am-2:00 pm

Sunday:

Closed

Testimonials

Read What Our Clients Say

  • "We have a new 8 week Boston Terrier that we took to Springfield Vet yesterday for the first time. Absolutely pleased with the service, attitudes and genuine care shown to our little boy. The whole team was so professional, but took time to talk to you and explain everything. Dr Cynthia Wiseman is so wonderful, she sat in the floor did Logan's exam and played with him. What bedside manners. I will continue to use them, I highly recommend them to anyone looking for a caring and professional vet."
    Roi W.
  • "We absolutely love this vet clinic and the staff! The facilities are modern and always clean. Everyone is always so friendly and genuinely care for you and your animal- they make you feel as if you are apart of their family.

    Our boy, Samson, is a Rottie (and quite the problem child). We are usually in the clinic almost every other month for something and they are always so helpful and show great care and love for our pup! We are very picky/protective puppy parents, so we were very grateful to have found both Dr. Cynthia and Dr. Heath shortly after getting Samson.

    We have definitely found our "home" in the vet world, and would highly recommend to anyone who is currently looking!"
    Machaelie H.
  • "I have taken my dog here since he was a puppy. The staff are so friendly and caring, a very clean place and they always get us in quickly. When we come in no one passes us without greeting my dog and I and they're never in a rush to get us out of there."
    ShealynR.
  • "We decided to start taking our new kitty here this past fall and we love it! He was not on his best behavior (to say the least) for his first appointment, and the staff was so patient and was still able to safely run his bloodwork and give him his vaccinations. Every service has been reasonably priced, and they did everything they possibly could to make sure that our little guy was off to a healthy start after we adopted him. What I love is that they really seem to focus on the small details, too, like trimming our cat's nails after remembering that I had expressed interest in doing so at a previous appointment, or supplementing his flea treatment with something to safely speed up the process. We will definitely keep coming here as long as we live in Springfield!"
    Megan J.
  • "I have been taking my dog to SVC since 2012 and when I adopted my cat in 2015. I have never had a bad experience. We have seen Drs. Heath & Cynthia Wiseman and I love them both. Always professional, always take their time when looking my pets over, asking questions, and answering mine."
    Katherine P.
  • "We’ve been taking our Moose there for a few years now. After swallowing a toy when he was a puppy, getting fixed, having surgery on his eyelids a couple times, and most recently having a breed specific illness; I can I say I would recommend everyone to go here. They’ve taken the best care of our boy time and time again and went above and beyond."
    Ashley J.
  • "We’ve been taking our Moose there for a few years now. After swallowing a toy when he was a puppy, getting fixed, having surgery on his eyelids a couple times, and most recently having a breed specific illness; I can I say I would recommend everyone to go here. They’ve taken the best care of our boy time and time again and went above and beyond."
    Ashley J.
  • "Pleasant staff.,very informative. Great environment for your pets, including own room for cats to play so as they aren't stressed out."
    Cheryl K.
  • "Dr. Cynthia Wiseman has helped my little Shiba dog with chronic hip problems tremendously with consistent acupuncture therapy! So thankful for this practice and the high quality of care they offer my pets!"
    Lacey M.