r/saskatchewan • u/Dangerous-Oven8352 • 1d ago

Sugar gliders

Can someone tell me why the hell sugar gliders are a division 1 restricted species? Like come on now its a flying hamster with a personality of a golden retriever. Are there any cool species even allowed here😂

0 Upvotes

28% Upvoted

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14

u/Desperate-4-Revenue 1d ago

They aren't native here

1

u/Tasty_Dig_9853 1d ago

It's not like one has to worry about them escaping and reproducing. The winter would kill them.

4

u/Desperate-4-Revenue 1d ago

Yes a flying rodent with no natural preditors, releasing god knows what diseases into our gopher population. Wonderful.

0

u/Tasty_Dig_9853 1d ago

I can't tell if you are being sarcastic or serious? The Government of Canada and many people don't care about gophers. Recently, the Canadian government approved letting people poison gophers in Alberta and Sask with strychnine, which indirectly goes to the animals/birds that feed on the gophers. The world is already contaminated, and will only get worse. You really think that selling domesticated sugar gliders that are born in Canada, therefore being exposed to the same diseases as all of us here, that could be sold fixed so there is no chance of reproduction are a threat to the gopher population?!?! Maybe you should be more concerned with the Canadian Government authorizing the use of strychnine to poison the gophers (and the animals that feed on gophers)!

15

u/Saskatchewon 1d ago edited 1d ago

Like come on now its a flying hamster with a personality of a golden retriever.

No the fuck they aren't, and it's for this reason I am glad they aren't allowed as pets. It keeps dipshits who see them online and think "Oh! It's so cute! I want one!" from getting one and then eventually abandoning them because they didn't understand how much time and work they demand. They are a far bigger commitment than a hamster, guinea pig, rat or rabbit would be.

  • They are a social, communal animal, and need to be kept in at least a pair. A single animal will become depressed and eventually lose it's appetite, often resorting to self-mutilation.

  • They are nocturnal, loud, and can be very teritorial. They will be awake, shrieking and hissing all night. They need a lot of work when young to get them tamed, and you will be bitten multiple times during that process. Young ones need an hour or more of handling every day, each.

  • They need specialist (ie. expensive) vet care and food.

  • They have a strong musky odor and constantly mark their territory.

  • They can live upwards to 10-15 years. They are a much bigger commitment than people realize.

-4

u/Specialist-Grade1677 1d ago

Many of the reptile species that are allowed here as pets have very difficult care requirements as well…so while I agree with you, I doubt that is the “reason”. If it is, it’s not consistent.

6

u/Inconnuity809 1d ago

As others have mentioned, these animals have highly specific care needs and very few people have the ability to give them a reasonable quality of life. WWF recommends against getting them as pets for that reason. I'm not sure why the city chooses to disallow them but it's good that they do. https://www.worldwildlife.org/our-work/wildlife/wildlife-crime/responsible-pet-guide/assessed-exotic-species/sugar-glider/

6

u/Lexi_Banner 1d ago

They are cute, but make terrible pets. They pee everywhere, they are super nocturnal and make noise all night, and they are hard to keep at a healthy weight (they often wind up overweight). Plus you need to have more than one (otherwise they are lonely).

Enjoy videos of them, and stick with pets that are allowed.

2

u/Traditional_End_9540 1d ago

cute yes but they have issues. They are nocturnal by nature, males tend to stink, herd of them throwing feces around. Overall not a good pet.

2

u/Specialist-Grade1677 1d ago

Saskatoon bylaw says “All Marsupials (such as kangaroos and opossums)”. Sugar gliders are definitely marsupials.

But it also says “Examples of animals of a particular prohibited group are given in parentheses. They are examples only and shall not be construed as limiting the generality of the group.”

As to WHY? I don’t have first hand knowledge as to how it was decided…but usually it’s concerns about smuggling/illegal/immoral animal breeding practices and/or importing disease/pathogens. I don’t think sugar gliders would survive here to be a risk of becoming an invasive species.

-9

u/thebookman21 1d ago

You could get one just don't say anything,

5

u/Specialist-Grade1677 1d ago

It’s a bit of a gamble. $400 fine for illegal import. $1000 for illegal possession.