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Message: In Reply to: Important message posted by Chris on February 22, 1999 at 16:02:43: : My concern is that many of you don't realize that Sugar Gliders are illegal and banned in most of the U.S. and Canada. The ones that know but continue to flaunt it, so be it. But please, new owners or people that are thinking of getting one - check with your local animal control, I think you may be in for a surprise. Please, don't anyone jump on me - you seem to do that with those that don't fit "your rules exactly" - but I speak from experience, as the foreman of an Animal Control. We are having many calls from people asking if Sugar Gliders are banned and we inform them that yes they are and then we have to visit the store or breeder they come from. They are given 72 hours to dispose of these animals and face a fine of up to $5,000. You may not like to hear this, but Sugar Gliders are surely just another "fad" pet - they will most likely go the way of pot-bellied pigs, ferrets and hedgehogs. They too were so popular and expensive and desired at one time - now you can't even give them away! Sugar Gliders are not domesticated no matter what anyone tells you. They are unpredictable and yes some become quite tame and sweet - but it's increasingly being seen that people are trying to dump them after a bit because they aren't the cute cuddley things they wanted. I recently saw a little girl with quite extensive deep scrapes along the side of her face, barely missing her eye. As her mother showed them to me, I couldn't help but notice the mother's hands were severely scraped as well. These Sugar Gliders have the mentality and potential of wild squirrels - some can be tamed, many cannot. They DO smell and they DO bite and they CANNOT be toilet trained so letting them loose is not a choice for many. This column does not tell the whole truth. The truth is that Sugar Gliders are not for everyone. Not to mention - they are banned in most places. If the popularity continues to grow - there will be many poor sugar gliders set free to suffer and die in colder climates or will create problems in the ecosystem of warmer climates. Come on you people - tell the facts - tell it all - not just what you see from your rose coloured glasses. Don't bother getting defensive and putting me down - this is what I do, animals are my passion and have been my job for several years. No, I don't HATE Sugar Gliders. On the contrary. Thank you for hearing me out. There's always 2 sides to every story, and some of you won't have wanted to know that - but it's true. To all of you out their, listen to what Bourbon says. Most people on this board seem to love their gliders. They do research and ask for advice. I will tell you that I live In WV and the gliders are legal here. We contacted DNR and had to explain to them what they were. We contacted them by e-mail for were able to give them reference to many of the wonderful sites that show and explain about the little ones. What Chris has said about gliders can be said of all animals domesticated and wild. People bought dalmations after the Disney hit and then abandoned them. The dalmation society tried to post notices that the dogs could be mean, ect to discourage but to no avail.. People will do what they want, yes, this may be wrong, but, at leat the good hearted people here are tyring to educate and continue to become educated. My 7 year old Granddaughter loves Mel and Syd, and they seem to adore her. She knows not to get them out of their cage without our supervision, and she wears a flannel shirt to protect her arms and saftey glasses that protect her eyes and face. Common sense must provail. I know this is long, but for someone who loves animals, you seem to want to scare people rather than helping. Sorry if I offend anyone, but we love our little girls, and can tell that others on this board do too. A simple phone call or e-mail can get you in touch with state and local officials about the legality of your glider
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