6 introductions to make when you get home :)

Your Scent, Your Voice, Your Hand, Your Fingers, Your Face, Your Breath

Your SCENT
Place your new Sugar Glider into a pouch that you slept with, and add the blanket that he lived with up until pick-up day. ***See Hint Below***

Your VOICE
Leave your new Glider in his cage for 3 days undisturbed other than feeding & talking to him. On day 4, you can hold him in his pouch. If he crabs, comfort him by pressing the pouch against your body. You can start out talking gently & quietly then work up to the voice that you would like to use regularly.

Your HAND
When you’re able to hold the pouch with only intermittent crabbing . You can introduce him to your hand. Hold the pouch in your lap and place your entire hand in the pouch. It is very important to Be Deliberate as slowly "sneaking in" can scare a joey into thinking that you are a predator. Keep your hand there as long as you like. He will curl up next to or in your hand & fall asleep. ***See Note Below***

Your FINGERS
Now is a good time to offer treats. Ideally, you should hold the treat for him while he’s eating it. This will create trust very quickly. A 1/2 grape is ideal because a joey can spend 5 minutes eating it while you hold it for him. Continue talking to your Glider.

Your FACE
Start to coax him to inch out of his pouch gradually. A treat works best. Gliders are very intelligent - you’ll notice that he’ll look at you, at your hair, everything around him, and he will look you right in the eyes. A Glider will remember your face. Gliders are very aware. Their ears are like little radars.

Your BREATH
Now that your Glider is used to you in every other way, try talking to him closer to your face, and exhale a lot when you do it. Once you can do this without your Glider crabbing at you, You have created a strong bond. If you keep it up, YOU will mean the world to your Glider. Enjoy your new friend!

***HINT: Before you bring your Glider home, add some small “blankets” &/or Pouch to your bed, so you have something safe to offer that your new Glider will associate you.

***NOTE: If at any point he exit’s the pouch, this means he needs to eliminate. Place him into a container that he can’t get out of until he’s finished - this will take several minutes. I use a small aquarium for this. Most Gliders freeze in one spot until finished. When she starts to move around again, he’s done and you can show him the pouch & he’ll climb right back in.


credit to chocolatechinchillas.com