Help! I Bought my Sugar Glider from a Mill Breeder

What to Do if You Already Purchased from a Pet Store, Mill Breeder, and/or Trade Show

Sugar gliders purchased from a pet store, trade show, and/or mill breeder/broker may require a lot of extra time, patience, and attention.  However, it may not be too late to help your glider live a longer, healthier, and happier life. With the right care and attention, you can still have a tame glider.  These are the main, most critical things we recommend for you to do if you have already purchased a glider from a mill breeder/broker, pet store, and/or trade show: 

1. Get your sugar glider(s) to a veterinarian immediately. Have your glider tested for parasites, especially Giardia. If one glider has the parasite, treat all of your gliders for it. This parasite is highly contagious to humans and other animals. We will be posting more about it in the future. Your veterinarian can also tell you more about it if your glider has it. Our vet told us that he saw a lot of sick and dying gliders that were purchased at the home & garden show and the state fair.  They are no longer being sold in those venues here. 
2. Put your sugar glider on an approved diet as soon as possible. You can turn things around and make a whole world of difference for the life of your glider by switching to a healthy diet. 
3. Take the heat rock out of your glider cage. 
4. Get a larger cage for your glider(s) as soon as possible. Make sure you have a running wheel in your cage, like a Senior-sized Wodent Wheel or a Stealth Wheel. Also, make sure to have a fleece pouch in the cage for the glider(s) to sleep in. 
5. If you have only one glider, get a second sugar glider as soon as possible. We recommend a quarantine period before introducing the gliders, in case either glider has parasites.  
6. DO NOT breed any gliders purchased from these places. Without proper lineage, you cannot be certain that your glider is not inbred (or that it is unrelated to the cage-mate). Breeding a glider without proper lineage information would be very irresponsible. If you have a male glider from a mill breeder, get him neutered right away (if he did not come already neutered). This will help keep the musky smell down (from the scent glands) and prevent breeding and aggression. 
7. Do your research. Use this site and others to learn as much as you can about sugar gliders and start to make informed decisions about your pets. While we are unable to "trash-talk" any specific mill breeders on this website, you will see a lot of talk in the sugar glider forums and Yahoo groups about these different companies.
8. There are several organizations designed to educate and also put an end to sugar glider mills.  If you believe you have purchased from a mill, please contact The Mill Breeder Project, and/or S.P.I.N.  You may be able to help each other.

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