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| Buyer Beware Now that I've covered the Signs of a Good Breeder, I want to cover some information about things that should make you run... |
| Pocket Pets is a multi million dollar, Florida based company that travels from mall to mall all across the country selling thousands of sugar gliders to uneducated consumers. These sugar gliders are bought wholesale from unknown sources which lead many people to suspect that Pocket Pets is a front for mill breeding operations. Since Pocket Pets is a mobile operation, it is very hard for officials to make sure that they are following laws and selling healthy well adjusted animals. Often after this company moves out of an area, their customers are left with sick, underage, dying or viscous animals that the inexperienced customers don’t know how deal with. Many of the animals end up in rescues organizations. Pocket Pets does have an A+ rating with the BBB. However until a few months ago, they had a D+ rating. Apparently all you have to do to improve your rating with the BBB is to offer resolution to those who have filed a complaint. The resolution does not have to be a good or reasonable one and the unhappy customer does not have to accept the resolution, it just has to be offered. Pocket Pets misleads innocent consumers by telling them that sugar gliders are an easy pet to care for, that sugar gliders don’t need veterinary care, and that they have no odor (sugar gliders have a scent gland and mark their territory). Also Pocket Pets deceptively advertises that sugar gliders are great pets for children and that sugar gliders play well with other pets. Please don’t purchase a sugar glider from Pocket Pets. Find a reputable breeder in your area or get one from a rescue who will work with you and teach you how to take care of a sugar glider. They can be great pets if you have the time and knowledge to work with them. Mill Breeder Project www.millbreederproject.com |
| This information is provided by the Mill Breeder Project. |
Where Not To Buy a Sugar Glider (also how to identify a too young glider)
1. Anybody that recommends a heat rock. If your suggie is fully weaned and ready to leave mom and dad it can regulate it’s temperature on it’s own and does not need a
heat rock.
2. Any breeder or Broker that claims you have to feed their diet; such as a pellet food with an apple and a slice of bread or a bird food diet or just a plain pellet food.
Sugar gliders are omnivores and need a wide variety of protein, fruits, and fresh vegetables.
3. A person that recommends a small bird cage or a parakeet cage for an animal that is arboreal. That means it spends most of it’s time in the tree tops. The
smallest cage should be at least four feet tall by two foot. Or the equivalent by going three feet tall and three feet wide. The tallest cage you can find or build the happier
your babies will be in their LARGE home.
4. Sugar gliders are not easy pets or inexpensive pets to own. They are an exotic critter which means a special vet or an extra cost just because they are an exotic and
not like a cat or dog. Some gliders require more time to adjust to their new home and new family, also if scared and pushed can draw blood when they bite. They require a lot
of socialization from their new human parents as well as a lot of patience so you don’t scare your new baby.
5. Anybody that is in a public place or that brings a group of joeys for you to see that are all lumped together in one cage. There is no way of telling who is related
to who. The person can not tell you about the individual personality of any of the babies such as who may crab, who is a rough groomer, or what their favorite food is, etc.
6. The tails on the joeys should not be smooth looking they should be a full fluffy tail. Any smooth tailed joeys are under four weeks old and WAY too young to be
away from their parents. The person should also know when the joey came out of pouch, which is like a second birthday. They should be at least 8-12 weeks old depending on
what they looked like when they came out of pouch.
7. A joey that makes a baby-like cry when held or put on a strange surface. A fully weaned joey will not cry for his/her parents as they can eat, drink, and potty on
their own. Another sign of a too young joey is if it rides on another gliders back it is way too young to be away from it’s parents. A weaned suggie will not ride around on
another gliders back. Except for mating behavior.
8. A baby glider that walks on your arm or on a surface that looks kinda like a dog that is walking through tall grass and is trying not to get their feet or legs wet after
a rain storm. A baby that is all sprawled out on all fours and that is not steady as it walks or that is not sure footed is definitely to young to leave its parents!
9. Any person that will NOT let you see the sugar glider before you purchase your new family member.
10. A breeder or broker that will not let you handle the suggie and play with it before you buy it. You need to see if that sugar glider or baby glider will accept you or
if it is tame or has been handled by the breeder.
11. Any sales method that is geared toward children. Suggies can be a family pet but they are not a good starter pet for kids. Gliders are not a good pet for children to
have the responsibility of feeding and bonding to an animal that can and will draw blood if scared and also may like to nip or be a groomer.
12. Any persons that says a glider will get along with any other pet, such as a cat, dog, or ferret. Gliders should not be let loose with any other animal whether it is
supervised or not. If you have a cat or dog that chases animals outside in the wild, they will chase a suggie.
13. Any sales person or breeder that says suggies don’t bite hard enough to draw blood. Any animal that is scared and that is pushed into a corner can and will bite to
defend itself. Any critter that has teeth can bite,
14. Anybody that says they won’t potty on their new owners is lying about glider behavior.
15. Anybody that tells you or shows you how to bond or stop a glider from nipping or biting by physical force. You have to use common sense in bonding/training your
suggie as to not use any physical force that could hurt or kill your baby glider. The ONLY type of verbal or physical discipline technique that CAN be used on a glider is the
behavior the moms and dads use toward their babies. It is subtle at first and WILL NOT hurt your glider. You try to mimic the behavior that you observe between male and
females and also the way the parents teach the baby gliders what behaviors they will tolerate. You use a loving touch and do not scare the glider into crabbing or lunging and
biting your hand. You may get groomed or nipped until they understand your glider talk.
16. Sugar gliders live in colonies out in the wild, so any person that says a lone glider for it’s entire life is ok. A pair is always better together.
Do not buy:
1. Any sugar gliders fur that is matted looking or wet looking could be a sign of a parasite or bacterial infection.
2. Any glider that is lethargic and not awake looking at things that are going on around them. They should be aware of movement in their area. A suggie can freeze when
scared but in a few seconds to a minute will take a treat or at least be aware of their surroundings.
3. A suggie that will not eat it’s favorite treat.
4. A wet tail or poop that is matted to their rear end or their tail can be a sign of illness. If they are not grooming themselves. It also can mean that they are too young to
be a way from the parents as they can help and teach the babies to groom themselves.
5. The eyes that don’t look full of life and are dull looking, blueish color, or that look infected or have a lot of gunk in them.
6. The ears that constantly stay down and that don’t stand up when sweet talked to, or that look dry or scaley.
7. Greasy or sticky fur can be a sign of an illness or too many gliders together in dirty conditions.
8. Their fur should be shiny and very smooth and soft to the touch. Diet can also effect their fur quality.
9. A skinny sugar glider where the ribs are showing and wobbly as they walk can be a sickly glider or a sign of dehydration.
10. Any suggie that has loose or watery stools. Any poop or pee that has a very strong or foul odor.
1. Anybody that recommends a heat rock. If your suggie is fully weaned and ready to leave mom and dad it can regulate it’s temperature on it’s own and does not need a
heat rock.
2. Any breeder or Broker that claims you have to feed their diet; such as a pellet food with an apple and a slice of bread or a bird food diet or just a plain pellet food.
Sugar gliders are omnivores and need a wide variety of protein, fruits, and fresh vegetables.
3. A person that recommends a small bird cage or a parakeet cage for an animal that is arboreal. That means it spends most of it’s time in the tree tops. The
smallest cage should be at least four feet tall by two foot. Or the equivalent by going three feet tall and three feet wide. The tallest cage you can find or build the happier
your babies will be in their LARGE home.
4. Sugar gliders are not easy pets or inexpensive pets to own. They are an exotic critter which means a special vet or an extra cost just because they are an exotic and
not like a cat or dog. Some gliders require more time to adjust to their new home and new family, also if scared and pushed can draw blood when they bite. They require a lot
of socialization from their new human parents as well as a lot of patience so you don’t scare your new baby.
5. Anybody that is in a public place or that brings a group of joeys for you to see that are all lumped together in one cage. There is no way of telling who is related
to who. The person can not tell you about the individual personality of any of the babies such as who may crab, who is a rough groomer, or what their favorite food is, etc.
6. The tails on the joeys should not be smooth looking they should be a full fluffy tail. Any smooth tailed joeys are under four weeks old and WAY too young to be
away from their parents. The person should also know when the joey came out of pouch, which is like a second birthday. They should be at least 8-12 weeks old depending on
what they looked like when they came out of pouch.
7. A joey that makes a baby-like cry when held or put on a strange surface. A fully weaned joey will not cry for his/her parents as they can eat, drink, and potty on
their own. Another sign of a too young joey is if it rides on another gliders back it is way too young to be away from it’s parents. A weaned suggie will not ride around on
another gliders back. Except for mating behavior.
8. A baby glider that walks on your arm or on a surface that looks kinda like a dog that is walking through tall grass and is trying not to get their feet or legs wet after
a rain storm. A baby that is all sprawled out on all fours and that is not steady as it walks or that is not sure footed is definitely to young to leave its parents!
9. Any person that will NOT let you see the sugar glider before you purchase your new family member.
10. A breeder or broker that will not let you handle the suggie and play with it before you buy it. You need to see if that sugar glider or baby glider will accept you or
if it is tame or has been handled by the breeder.
11. Any sales method that is geared toward children. Suggies can be a family pet but they are not a good starter pet for kids. Gliders are not a good pet for children to
have the responsibility of feeding and bonding to an animal that can and will draw blood if scared and also may like to nip or be a groomer.
12. Any persons that says a glider will get along with any other pet, such as a cat, dog, or ferret. Gliders should not be let loose with any other animal whether it is
supervised or not. If you have a cat or dog that chases animals outside in the wild, they will chase a suggie.
13. Any sales person or breeder that says suggies don’t bite hard enough to draw blood. Any animal that is scared and that is pushed into a corner can and will bite to
defend itself. Any critter that has teeth can bite,
14. Anybody that says they won’t potty on their new owners is lying about glider behavior.
15. Anybody that tells you or shows you how to bond or stop a glider from nipping or biting by physical force. You have to use common sense in bonding/training your
suggie as to not use any physical force that could hurt or kill your baby glider. The ONLY type of verbal or physical discipline technique that CAN be used on a glider is the
behavior the moms and dads use toward their babies. It is subtle at first and WILL NOT hurt your glider. You try to mimic the behavior that you observe between male and
females and also the way the parents teach the baby gliders what behaviors they will tolerate. You use a loving touch and do not scare the glider into crabbing or lunging and
biting your hand. You may get groomed or nipped until they understand your glider talk.
16. Sugar gliders live in colonies out in the wild, so any person that says a lone glider for it’s entire life is ok. A pair is always better together.
Do not buy:
1. Any sugar gliders fur that is matted looking or wet looking could be a sign of a parasite or bacterial infection.
2. Any glider that is lethargic and not awake looking at things that are going on around them. They should be aware of movement in their area. A suggie can freeze when
scared but in a few seconds to a minute will take a treat or at least be aware of their surroundings.
3. A suggie that will not eat it’s favorite treat.
4. A wet tail or poop that is matted to their rear end or their tail can be a sign of illness. If they are not grooming themselves. It also can mean that they are too young to
be a way from the parents as they can help and teach the babies to groom themselves.
5. The eyes that don’t look full of life and are dull looking, blueish color, or that look infected or have a lot of gunk in them.
6. The ears that constantly stay down and that don’t stand up when sweet talked to, or that look dry or scaley.
7. Greasy or sticky fur can be a sign of an illness or too many gliders together in dirty conditions.
8. Their fur should be shiny and very smooth and soft to the touch. Diet can also effect their fur quality.
9. A skinny sugar glider where the ribs are showing and wobbly as they walk can be a sickly glider or a sign of dehydration.
10. Any suggie that has loose or watery stools. Any poop or pee that has a very strong or foul odor.
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| ~ Store Pages ~ |
| ~ Information ~ |