Hi Everyone!
I'd like to introduce myself! My name is Kendra and I will be getting a pair of suggies this summer ! I just wanted to let everyone in on my situation so that I can get some honest opinions about me and my plans. and get to know you all of course
First off, I'm so glad I discovered this site. I unwittingly fell victim to youtube's shining glider vet and ate up everything he said. If I hadn't found this site, I would have been destined for very sick and unhappy gliders

I am a college student attending university out of state in MI. It's rather lonely so far from home. I've always wanted a little suggie to play with and snuggle with and let play in my huge hair haha! (Of course I'll be getting two, thank you all for firmly instilling that in your readers)

There is a USDA breeder in my home state that I have been in contact with and will be visiting when I travel home for the holidays. I've been doing research for almost an entire year: I've decided to feed my babies the Blended Diet as it seems to be the most secure in the Ca:P department and I already have a large cage and fun toys picked out! I'm so excited!

There are two problems.

First, Pets aren't "technically" allowed in the dorms.

Now before I get a lot of firm "talkin-to"s I'd like to explain. Yes, pets are not allowed. However, I happen to be friends with many Resident Advisors and upperclassmen who attest to having snuck in animals as large as dogs! The only advice: make sure to take them home during the breaks because that's when room checks are done.

So though it's not legal, nobody checks the rooms until winter break, when they'll be with me! Whew! Besides, they'll be with me all day during the semesters too. Since I'm a bio major, when im not in class i'll be spending all my time studying and if I do it in a play tent with my babies bouncing all over the place, things will be a bit more bearable.

I've even got a neat little plan cooked up for their cage: on the sides and the back of their large cage i will attach plastic paneling so that, if i turn the cage around so the open front faces the wall during breaks the back will look like a large, innocent cabinet. With locks, of course.

I swear it's not as bad as it sounds. The penalty for getting caught is minor if anything. I will be fined. That's it. No permanent record, and nobody will be taking my babies away. Believe me, I've explored every possible outcome.

The other problem is travel.

I fly home 3-4 times a year. It's a 4 hour flight, not very long, and I have already contacted Frontier about allowing gliders in the cabin. no WAY i'd let them go into pet cargo!
I'm just worried how the suggies will take the travel. I plan on reducing the stress as much as I can by picking day flights when they're asleep and having familiar cages both at home and in the dorm.

It's a lot of money, I know. But I've already budgeted for them.
They're a lot of work, I know. But I'm so ready.
Now I'd like to know what you all think! (if you read all the way to the end of this novel lol)

Welcome!

Sounds like you put a lot of thought into this!

Listen, Im a soph in college. I lived in the dorm and I understand. When our RAs did room checks they told us when they would come. walk in the door. be like., "okay good" without looking and leave. My teacher even said he hid ducks in his dorm and another person I talked to had a raccoon in their dorm. Its not hard to get away with stuff in a dorm! lol. Right now I have a glider and "technically" pets arent allowed in my apartments. However, if they were ever to be found, which I doubt, they would move to my boyfriends or I would get fined.

As for flying, I know nothing about it other than its stressful for them. You will need someone else opinion on that one!

It seems like you are doing the research and trying to be prepared to be aloving glider mommy!

I see a few problems with keeping sugar gliders in the dorm.

One is that they can be pretty loud at night. Mine don't bother me, but a friend of mine is constantly being woken up by her gliders that are kept two rooms away from her bedroom. I can see there being possible complaints about them being there. And, even if you're given the okay, that could change as soon as complaints start coming in -- especially as you'll (clearly) have nothing in writing. Also, will you have a roommate? The roomie may not be okay with a large cage taking up a lot of the room, and with the noises that sugar gliders make at night (even if they say they're okay with it now, the reality may be quite different. For instance, my boyfriend said he was okay with keeping sugar gliders in the bedroom, but after sleeping in the same room as the gliders for a few nights? That changed to, "if we ever move in together, the sugar gliders need their own room so I can sleep").


Another issue, is..well.. how colleges can be in general. I know people who have had their dorm pets seriously messed with by other kids in the dorm. Unfortunately not all people are as respectful of our animals as we are. My friend, Erica, actually came home from a study group one evening to find that someone had got into her dorm (even though she locked the door) and basically tormented her pet hamster. I know you're thinking, "that won't happen here!" but, it very well could. Erica didn't think that sort of thing would happen at her dorm. Neither did I -- I visited Erica's dorm many, many times and it was always a very calm, quiet, friendly dorm. It was the sort of place that everyone in the building seemed to be like best friends. But someone still tormented her pet. And, unfortunately, I've heard many many more of these stories.


Traveling..
I know of no airlines that will allow sugar gliders on the actual plane.

My personal opinion? Wait until you're out of the dorms.

Welcome to Glider Gossip!

It sounds like you've given this a lot of thought and have a game plan in place, however I would take WinterSong's advice to heart as well as she makes some really excellent points. For a tiny creature, gliders are noisy. Not just because they bark - but because they clang around the cage, knock toys over and run on their wheel. Even a stealth wheel, which is what I have, makes a little bit of noise.

Lol skye you know where I'm coming from. Everyone's got something to hide XD

The plane thing was one of the first things I checked on and Frontier does allow pets in the cabin for a fee.
As far as dorms go, I'm in a 'very little rough-housing' one. I'm in the honors college but I completely understand what you're saying and believe me I've thought of that too. But the good news is that I wont have a roommate.

I'm on a scholarship that allows me to have my own room so there will be no problem there. I could see a problem with neighbors though =/.

Of course I'll be talking to the breeders about all of this and taking all the view points into consideration. I hope more opinions come in. Thank you for responding!

Oh yea.. I didnt really think about the noise. Isis (my glider) wakes me up almost every other night with her barking! While I dont mind it, your room mate might. and if your room mate doesnt, the rooms around you might and that will get your caught. They are quite noisy for their little size. All my friends say they cant believe Isis can make that loud of a noise! Yeah.. now that I think about it, it might not be the best idea, depending on what type of dorm you live in.

welcome!
i am a junior in college and just recently received my little glider. i did it for almost all the reasons you did, except for the playing in my big hair....?
i wanted a little buddy to keep me company on my nights studying and something that naps a lit during the day. so i researched sugar gliders and just watch a ton of videos and finally found one from a girl who was a freshman in college and just couldnt maintain him.
well i have a house here on campus, so i dont have to worry about room checks or anything and im technically not supposed to have pets, but screw my landlord, he wont fix my washer and dryer

you are gunna have to take in account these little guys are going to bark and crab.. which can be loud in a quiet dorm in the middle of the night.. i keep mine in my room because i dont trust my roommates one bit with him. him barking can get a little annoying, but i simply went over to his cage and started talking to him and he quieted down. also you will need to talk to your roommate and make sure he/she is ok with this.

i think it is possible, you may have to find ya somebody that owns a house just in case

good lucky with it! as you can see everyone on here is more than willing to help with anything!




Drew

EDIT
i retract my statement about the roommate, but think about neighbors and suit mates you may have.

quote:

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Originally posted by silkendrava


The plane thing was one of the first things I checked on and Frontier does allow pets in the cabin for a fee.

---

When you checked with Frontier, did they specifically state that they'd allow sugar gliders? .. because most airlines that will allow pets in the cabin will not allow exotics. I've checked with a few airlines that allow pets, and each time have been told that sugar gliders would NOT be allowed in the cabin due to their exotic status.

yep specified gliders. the lady on the phone said that theyd had this question before and they will allow them on board as long as you have a certificate of health

Someone else mentioned a few days at that Frontier Airlines will allow sugar glider to board the cabin, but they are the only airline that will.

I'm glad you're willing to take our advice to heart, silkendrava. That's the sign of a good sugar glider owner. How much longer do you have in school?

You all have experience that i dont and i appreciate you all answering my questions =)!!
Im a freshman and itll be 5 years till im a bio teacher. but next year is the last year i have to stay in the dorms. Ive already got an apartment fund started so i can get a place for myself and my gliders =)

you should also have money saved up for vet visits and emergency vet visits. and also make sure you do have vets that will see gliders around you (also an emergency vet)
since its not that much longer till you get your own place (that allows pets lol) i dont see much of a problem. and you have done your research and have a plan. i just wanted to say that you could also rescue/adopt gliders there isnt anything wrong with buying from a good breeder.

yea, definitely save up a "emergency/vet" fund. Here I was saving up for my male glider, new cage, toys, ect and Isis had to be taken to the vet and get shots because shes sick. It cost me 120 dollars out of pocket and, it may not be over. So be prepared for things like that

Are your parents prepared to take over full time care of your glider should they be banned from your dorm?

If you dorm has housekeeping services as most dorms do, the smell of your gliders is going to be a give away, not mention crabbing if someone comes in the room.

I am not sure covering the sides with solid material of the cage and turning the open side to the wall to hide the fact that there is a cage there is a good idea. Gliders need well ventilated cages and this would cut down the air flow in the cage.

If you cannot get permission to have the gliders in your dorm, then you should wait until you have a living situation that permits them.

You should also be considerate of other students and teachers in your classes. If you do not have permission to bring gliders to class their presence could be disruptive. Gliders are not always quiet when you want them to be.

Science lab classes are no place for gliders.

"I fly home 3-4 times a year. It's a 4 hour flight, not very long, and I have already contacted Frontier about allowing gliders in the cabin. no WAY i'd let them go into pet cargo!
I'm just worried how the suggies will take the travel. I plan on reducing the stress as much as I can by picking day flights when they're asleep and having familiar cages both at home and in the dorm."

In answer to this, those who have flown with their gliders & those who ship gliders swear that it doesn't stress them out. I would plan daytime flights while gliders are asleep.

There have been some good post on the problems but another that hasn't been mentioned is gliders don't like the lights. You may have some problems studying in semi-darkness.

I'm not very familiar with dorm living but do you have a fridge? A sink? You will need one for food etc. How much room? I live in a 2 storied house & I feel sometimes that I am busting at the seams with glider stuff!

Good luck & welcome to GG!

Candy- There are dorms with house service?! SIGN ME UP! No seriously, what school has this and how much do they charge for it? Neither University I've been at has had anything like this.


Silk- I'm a college student living in University Apartments. Honestly, I'm not sure I would have one in the dorm... but then again I had a crappy dorm experience. I waited until I had an apartment (no pets allowed but whatever lol)

I have two amazing glider girls and I love them dearly. Thankfully my parents are also helping me out since I lost my job.

One thing thats been overlooked is that you aren't going to be able to have them on you all the time right off the bat. That takes some times so you don't over stress them. I made Win pretty sick by doing that right from the start.
Don't forget the patience... VERY important :D

I'd ask about how you're going to keep food but then I remembered what a huge fridge I had in the dorm lol.

Thanks for coming here and feeling it out prior to jumping head first into it! Ask away!

Wow! Thanks for all the replies!

Yes I will have a personal fridge for glider food and
My gliders will be covered under my family animal health insurance

My parents will not be involved in the gliders- they live too far away- however my two best friends are getting apartments next year and, should anything happen, I already have them lined up to be my emergency-rescue

I have an almost 5 month summer (yay MI) so, if I do go ahead with getting a pair of suggies I plan on getting them early in the summer to have as much time letting them get used to me before I go.

I do still have a lot of things to take into consideration, as you guys have pointed out- thank you

Maybe it'd be better if I rescued a pair. I've been watching videos on poor babies given up by people who bought from PPP or who have no idea what they're doing. I dunno, just a thought.

Good thinking!

I guess I simply don't understand the logic behind having all these ways to get around the dorm rules when you could just wait a year and do it legally.

Yeah =( There's still a chance of me bunking with my roommate when she gets an apartment. My scholarship requires I remain in the honors dorm for two years but they cant make me sleep there, I just cant be in a different dorm. That would, of course, cost more money.

I'm going to see, by the end of next semester, how my financial situation is. I'm looking to at least volunteer at the CO glider rescue. At the very least it'd allow me to be near gliders, familiar with them etc

Suggie Savers? They are no longer running. I'm in CO too.

I may not be in college any longer, even so my college didnt offer dorms. But the apartments that I live in have thin walls. I can hear everything going on in the apartment above me and below. My gliders do bark, and crab and make tons of noises. My apartment wants to charge me $150 per glider, for a dog under 30 lbs its $300 and above 30lbs its $500. So we've kept the gliders from the management; maintenance knows about them because they come in regularly to check the water heater and smoke detectors. But with all the noise they make, I have never had a complaint from my neighbors. Now that might be because the people above me are constantly fighting and throwing things and dont want me to start complaining but still.

Aw thats a shame =( their website is still up and running. We're all pretty cool on this floor- more than half are hiding pets and no one cares so we'll see

FYI...Kissed82 (Jamie) is in chat right now. She is the one that owns Suggie Savers and she has some that need to be rehomed. They aren't taking in anymore. If you want to chat with her, now would be a perfect time. :)

I spoke too soon...she just left. Sorry about that. Just to clarify, they are closing and no longer taking any new rescues but she does have some that still need to be re-homed.

You have done ton of homework I can tell by how you speak of gliders. You even have their diet all lined up and that is comendable in my book. We were just going to feed pellets....the breeder said thats all they needed. I changed that when I came here. Our oldest which is about 6 or 7 months is looking much better now. It has taken him a good 2 months on BML but he looks lighter. So any neigh-sayers out there that think pellets only are an okay diet, I beg to differ. I used to panic ifthey didn't eat all their BML or it looked as though they didn't eat their food but believe me, now, if they go one night without eat they make up for it the next. As for sneaking them into your dorm, be very careful. It would be a shame to lose your scholarship over gliders. I wish I could say wait but Iknow how much joy they are so I can't.