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Thoroughly research all aspects of ownership at
www.ASGV.org
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Never purchase from the Internet ...
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Always meet the seller in person, and ask
at least - the following 7 questions:
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"DO YOU HAVE
A FEDERAL USDA LICENSE? MAY I SEE IT?"
This is an “all-or-nothing”
question. The breeding of sugar gliders is strictly
regulated by the Federal Government, and the USDA imposes
high standards of health and safety on those who qualify to
get a breeder’s license. Due to an outbreak of unscrupulous
internet merchants disguising themselves as small “mom &
pop” breeders, many states are now requiring that owners can
only purchase sugar gliders directly from a USDA Licensed
breeder. If the person you’re talking to can’t show you a
physical copy of their USDA License, walk away.
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"WHAT KIND OF
SUPPORT WILL YOU GIVE ME AFTER I GET MY BABIES?"
All reputable breeders will
already have a formal “after-the-sale” education program in
place for all its new parents. This should include a wide
range of written material and instructional videos covering
every topic related to the animal’s care and well-being, and
a convenient way for you to contact them whenever you have a
question.
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"CAN I HOLD
YOUR ANIMALS?" This is the
best possible way to tell if the people you are talking to
really know what they’re doing. Reputable breeders will
gladly let you hold any of their adult animals without
hesitation. The animals should be friendly, tame, and
affectionate. They should demonstrate obedience without
being tied to a leash or restrained in any way. Also, check
to see if the animal has a strong odor. Healthy sugar
gliders (when fed the correct diet) should not have an
offensive smell. NOTE: Reputable breeders normally will not
let strangers hold young babies.
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"HOW OLD ARE
THE BABIES I WOULD BE GETTING?"
The correct answer to this
question is between 7 and 12 weeks out of the pouch. The
“bonding phase” of a sugar glider’s life takes place
primarily at this age, and it becomes much more difficult to
bond with an animal if the process has not at least started
by this time. QUICK TIP: The best way to tell if a sugar
glider is old enough for adoption is to look at its tail. It
should be “bushy”, not slick or flat.
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"WHAT KIND OF
HEALTH GUARANTEED DO YOU GIVE? IS IT IN WRITING?
"Reputable USDA Licensed Breeders will already have an
established, written health guarantee and replacement
policy. The industry standard consists of: 1) a short “free”
replacement period (usually 2-3 days) if the animal dies for
any reason, PLUS 2) a slightly longer “reduced cost”
replacement period if the animal happens to die after that
(usually an additional 1-2 weeks).
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"DO YOU HAVE
THE ANIMALS HERE OR WILL I HAVE TO ORDER THEM?"
The average female sugar glider only has 2-3 babies per
year. They have become so popular in the last few years that
it’s not unusual to have to “order” your animals and then
have them hand-delivered a few weeks later. If the people
you are speaking with have babies right there that you can
take home with you great - but if not, ordering them
directly from a Federally-Licensed USDA Breeder helps ensure
that you’re dealing with reputable people, and quality
animals.
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"IF I HAVE TO
ORDER THEM, HOW WILL I PICK THEM UP?"
The best answer to this question is that they will be
“driven” in and hand-delivered. There are many hidden health
and safety problems associated with shipping individual
sugar gliders on airplanes, so don’t risk it.
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