Relatively wild creatures, like sugar gliders, have their perks as indoor pets, especially when you are naturally an animal lover. Their charismatic eyes and adorable squirrel-like physique could grow into you. However, owning a glider also has cons — one of them is their infamous tendency to bite humans.
Science shows that your pet tends to bite you due to unfamiliarities such as smells, a new environment, and heightened feelings of fear. If you are experiencing the same phase as a pet owner, we provided seven ways to address your query “how do I stop my sugar glider from biting?“
Yes, Family Time!
Since one of the most common reasons gliders bite is due to unfamiliarity, commit time to building a relationship with your pet. It is necessary to guide it every step of the way so that it wouldn’t have to feel anxious, stressed, or scared of its new environment and caregiver.
Pet the Pet
As per the first point guide, another way to build trust and quality time with your pet is through potty training. You could invest in a large cage with enough amenities (slides, hoops, bedding), interactive toys, and space for it to play around and get comfortable.
Give Them a House Tour (No, Seriously!)
Your pet has a strong sense of smell and hearing that’s innate to them. In this sense, you could let them lose the first few hours. This is to familiarize themselves with their new home, far from the wild where they were born.
Maintain Their Lifestyle in the Wild
Sugar gliders are naturally sociable and nocturnal animals outdoors. Long story short, they enjoy having company around and sleeping during the day.
So, you have two things to consider: make sure they have company (like another glider), and no loud noises should be present during the AM. If not, their sleeping routine would be disrupted, resulting in aggressive or stressed behavior.
The Trick is (Licking) Treats!
The fourth trick to answer your concern, how do I stop my sugar glider from biting, is to give them treats that are specifically created to be consumed by your pet. Licking treats may act as an effective way to distract them from biting you.
Form Your Language
Although sugar gliders can’t speak, they can understand actions. Hence, if ever there was a biting instance, you can create sounds (like Ahhh or Tsk) that you would only make whenever you get bitten. This could signify that what they are doing is wrong and will refrain from biting.
Know Your Glider
Just like humans, every sugar glider may differ from one another. To avoid putting them in a stressful situation, refrain from doing things they wouldn’t like (uncontrollable disturbing noises and touching them immediately the first time you see or buy them).
Conclusion
Being a new pet owner of a wild exotic animal like a sugar glider could get you overwhelmed with things. However, it is necessary to take extra precautions in taking care of these mammals. We hope that this is useful for your concern a about how to stop my sugar glider from biting!