sugar glider pouches

Why Pouches?

Sugar Gliders LOVE pouches! In the wild sugar gliders live in holes in trees that they fill and make comfy with dried leaves and such. In the home how can we provide them with this? A nice alternative is nesting boxes. The problem with wooden nesting boxes is they WILL start to smell from urine and marking and you cannot just throw them in the washing machine! So a nice easily washed alternative in a "pouch". They seem to take readily to pouches as well, perhaps because they were carried in a pouch by their mom!

Comfy and well fed! Please scroll to the bottom to see more pouch photos!

Why Fleece or Flannel?

Why Fleece? Fleece is the "accepted" material for Sugar Gliders as being safe. It doesnt fray like other material. Sugar gliders can get their nails and toes caught when material frays and this can be a safety issue, so care is needed whenever using ANY material, as over time even fleece can start to wear out and they can get caught in it.

So why am I using Flannel in some pouches? I have found that my sugar gliders love flannel, and as long as you keep their nails trimmed, it presents no greater hazard than fleece, as well as ALL the edges are "hidden" in the Comfy Corner Cage Pouch. So why are the edges exposed in the Bosom Buddy Pouches??? Because they are "BRA POUCHES" are NOT to be used in cages...EVER! They are to be used as bra pouches, so therefore you are "watching" them while "wearing" the pouch, the sugar gliders should be sleeping in the pouch, and not playing, so therefore there is minimal risk of getting caught.

And more about MY pouches....

About the Bosom Buddy Sugar Glider Pouch: A smaller softer "bra pouch" to keep your furry friend comfy and hidden.
Why do I make these the way I do? Well there are a number of reasons. The first and foremost was inspiration from my dear Arwen! (of course) As well as some of the complaints I have heard from other woman who like to carry their furry friends in their bosom.

Here were some of my problems:
1. A sugar glider who loves to "travel" with me, but sometimes feels squished by my ample bosom.
2. The desire to travel with my dear sugar glider but not liking the other "bra pouches" I have purchased elsewhere as they are bulky. Let's face it...You have a glider in there, that is funny enough, but now you have these square edges of the pouch sticking out also!
My solutions:
1. A soft plastic "cup" design to keep my bosom from crowding her. Called the "Bosom Buddy Sugar Glider Hideaway"
2. A lower profile design to "hide" her better
3. Rounded corners because, well, she LIKES them better, but also they hug your own shape better and there are no square corners sticking out.
4. Use softer material! Well again she likes the flannel better, but since it is thinner, it is also less bulky and again doesnt add to that "I've got something there" profile.
When I started to use my Bosom Buddy design, not only does she stay VERY hidden, but it is incredibly comfy for both of us!

AN ADDED BENEFIT to the "HIDEAWAY" design: ever feel like when you are "packing fuzz" that if you move you will squish them? I no longer feel that way! My friends could always tell if I was "packin'" by the way I move (very stiff), now I am more comfortable and they cant tell I am "packin'"anymore because I move more naturally!

Dimensions: These are smaller, made for one sugar glider, inside seam of the pouch is about 5" wide and 6" deep. Spring clips are attached by a satin cord. Email me if you need something larger.

Seams are exposed on the Bosom Buddy Pouch as these ARE NOT to be used in cages! They are only for when carrying your sugar glider with you! In that case exposed seams are not an issue as the glider is always supervised. To make hidden seams would make the pouch bulkier on the edges and corners and that is exactly what I was trying to get away from! A zig-zag stitch is used on all edges of flannel pouches to prevent unraveling.

IMPROVEMENT TO DESIGN: I now make the Bosom Buddy Pouch with a decorative ribbon edge to the front hem, so if it "peaks" out a bit from your shirt it has a nicer finished edge. I also recommend hand washing only for both the Bosom Buddy Pouches and Hideaways. "Bosom Buddy Pouches" are available in Fleece and Flannel, "Hideaways" are only available in Flannel. Fleece is just too bulky for the "Hideaway".

Bosom Buddy Hideaways are made with all hidden seams. The "Hideaway" works best when you wear a "sports bra" or "shelf bra". Feel free to email me with concerns or questions. The "cup" part of the "Hideaway" is a soft plastic cup about 4" deep and is sandwiched between the two layers of flannel. I chose flannel, as the fleece makes it just a bit too bulky. The way the cup is designed, once you put it on, the cup will flex to your shape and keep your bosom from crowding your sugar glider. This cup will comfortably fit one sugar glider (or two joeys). AN

ADDED BENEFIT TO THIS DESIGN: ever worry about leaning on your sugar gliders while in your bosom? The way I have designed this, the front part of the "cup" will add SOME protection to your furry "Bosom Buddy".

Info on the Comfy Corner Sugar Glider Pouch and How to Order:
Size of The Comfy Corner Pouch: From top to bottom the pouch is about 9" deep. I can make them deeper if you wish. Please email me if you need it deeper. However I have found that this size is fine for 2-4 sugar gliders. The width is about 7" from seam to seam.
All Comfy Corner Sugar Glider Pouches are fully reversible!
All seams are hidden except for the one around the top of the pouch. I chose to make it this way because I would rather have the seam at the top, very visible to me and easy to get to incase of problems, and far away from where they will be sleeping and moving around or grooming during their nap times. The seam at the top I feel is better and safer because they will only be "passing by" it and not digging around and grooming near it.
Free clips included!

Why do I make my pouches the way I do and what materials do I use?
MATERIALS: Well first let me say that while fleece is generally the best fabric to use for sugar gliders, when care is used I see no reason why other materials cannot be used as well. My sugar gliders, during play time in their room will ALWAYS seek out anything made from flannel material. When given a choice they always choose it over the fleece. I am very careful to make tight stitches and make sure they wont pull apart at all. I also have a small amount of material that is a polyester and is fuzzy on one side. In construction the material is almost identical to fleece. And again my sugar gliders LOVE this fabric (but they still like the flannel best). When I do use fleece I use only high quality fleece! If I am paying less than $7.00 a yard I figure it is NOT good enough quality for my gliders (or yours)!

PRODUCT TESTING: Let me say that I love my sugar gliders like they are my own children...maybe even more (LOL). With every item I make, I first make a "prototype" and test it out with my own sugar gliders. Only after I am convinced it is safe and they LIKE it, do I make more and then offer them to sell here. However: even the best pouches and best materials can wear out over time with washings and use. PLEASE check your pouches everyday! A sugar glider can get a nail stuck even in the BEST pouches so check those pouches and keep those nails trimmed!

WHY ROUNDED CORNERS in the Comfy Corner Pouch? Here again my own sugar gliders gave me an answer. My sugar gliders are always digging at the corners of their pouches that have the square or "boxed" corners. They constantly are stuffing blankets in them and moving around. This was also true in any "bra pouch" I had purchased elsewhere that had square or "boxed" corners. Always digging and trying to get comfy. Plus I had a funny profile with those square edges sticking out AND the glider lump! So one day I am watching Arwen and since she really likes sleeping in my cupped hand, I thought that perhaps a rounded bed would be more comfy. So I made her a rounded corner pouch and she LOVED it! When given the choice...my sugar gliders again always go for the rounded corner pouches. Rounded corners are COMFY CORNERS!

Bosom Buddy Hideaway

Ok... so this isn't such a good picture, but you cant really see the pouch. it is a lot less noticeable than other pouches I have worn

Bosom Buddy Hideaway

Ok...so this isn't a good picture either...I was doing this myself as everyone in my house was tooooo busy to help! Looking down you can see how the pouch is barely noticeable. By the way the glider is Gizmo and the guinea pig you see is my beloved HONEY, he is awesome! likes the gliders, walks on a leash, comes to his name, and says hello when he hears me. loves to cuddle too!

I tried to be discreet, but here I am wearing a grey sports bra and a lilac "Hideaway" complete with my lovely glider Arwen sleeping inside. Notice you see just 2 small bumps near the top. These are from the "cup"