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Help! Biting Sugar Gliders

19K views 5 replies 6 participants last post by  RenaRose 
#1 ·
My husband and I got 2 female sugar gliders 2 weeks ago. They both like to bite so we were wondering if they were a teenage age but the seller swears they were only 8weeks old (which I would like to believe because I wanted baby sugar gliders but she has not been totally open with me in other areas). I was prepared for them to bite occationally and to take the bite.

They have occationally bit when they are tired which isnt a problem but when they are awake and playing with my husband and I in the bathroom they go crazy. It has gotten worse since we first started playing with them in there. We have tried to be careful at not pegging it all as agressive biting and sometimes they do sample us or seem to groom us but the biting seems to be more frequent.

They expecially like going after our ears, and will also bite our neck, fingers, hand and anything they can get into their mouth. They will also bite our clothes, a wooden rod, our shoes, the bathroom rug, and toys.

They do like play time and enjoy jumping from one of us to the other. Climbing on the rope course I have tied to the shower curtain rod. Saturday night it was hard to put them back in their cage because they wanted to stay out with us and play so I dont think the biting is due to fear or anger. Do you think they are wanting to hunt and are pretending to bite their prey?

They often have squabbles between each other but over all they get along, they are sisters.

My husband lightly popped the sugar glider when he first bit him but I told my husband that I read that was not good. I told him that I read that blowing on them sometimes works. I first would lightly take my fingers and move their mouth away when they were biting me but they seemed to just go after my fingers then. Now I have started to blow on them but it is hard to reach them sometimes. I can see that blowing might be better because it is not your hand that is doing the punishing so they might be less inclined to lose trust in your hand.

I dont want to always take the bite because they bite too much and seem to get enjoyment out of it so I dont think they will ever be inclined to quit on their own.

Does anyone have any advise? Will they grow out of this? Is anyone else having/had this problem?

Thanks,

Salamander
 
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#3 ·
why people are allowed to keep Australian wildlife as pets i will never know, but seeing as you have them at least learn the right way to look after them.

hitting them, no matter how lightly, will get you nowhere and it won't stop them biting you, the links posted above looked very helpful, i hope they solve your problem.



felicity
 
#4 ·
felicity said:
why people are allowed to keep Australian wildlife as pets i will never know, but seeing as you have them at least learn the right way to look after them

Ouch!!! Advice was solicited not judgements. Sometimes there is no way to avoid and also many are born into captivity. They are young so have patience but I do agree that disciplining with a tap or slap may end up with the opposite effect and result in more biting or adverse behaviour. Give them time to build a bond and trust with you. I've gone through this with my prairie dogs and it really didnt take long. Primarily I gave them a firm "No" and would quit handling them for a few every time they nipped. They soon got the idea if they nipped then no belly rubs so to speak.
 
#6 ·
felicity said:
why people are allowed to keep Australian wildlife as pets i will never know, but seeing as you have them at least learn the right way to look after them.

You know our domesticated dogs and cats were once wild too. Are you against all pet owners or just those who keep "Australian wildlife". My sugar gliders are great pets.
 
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