WITH SUGAR GLIDERS IN A ROOSTER NAMED CHICKEN NUGGET.
[CYMBAL CRASHING] KAREN: CHICKEN NUGGET IS NO SPRING CHICKEN.
AT 13 HE IS WAY PAST HIS PRIME BUT HE STILL RULES THE ROOST.
>> HE LITERALLY WILL CLIMB RIGHT UP ON YOU AND JUST DON’T TO SLEEP, AND HE IS COMPLETELY RELAXED.
KAREN: AND COMPLETELY SPOILED.
THE JAPANESE BANTAM ROOSTER AS DR. DIANE RICHTER WRAPPED AROUND HIS LITTLE CHICKEN FINGER.
DR. DIANE AND HER THREE SONS ADOPTED NOT GET AS A DAY-OLD CHECK.
-- DAVE-Y-OLD CHICK.
>> HE USED TO COME TO THE BACKDOOR EN CROTE AS THE BOYS WERE WATCHING -- AND CROW AS THE BOYS WERE WATCHING TV.
>> YOU ARE A GOOD GIRL.
>> HER PATIENTS, HUMAN AND FOUR-LEGGED, FIND THAT CHICKEN NUGGET REDUCES ANY ANXIETY DURING EXAMS.
AND KIDS LOVE HIM.
WELL, MOST OF THE TIME.
I OFFER A HAND, TRYING TO GET THIS ADORABLE 2-YEAR-OLD NAMED BERNIE TO WARM UP TO NUGGET.
PUT YOUR HAND ON, LET’S DO IT TOGETHER.
THERE YOU GO, GOOD JOB.
♪ KAREN: NOW THAT THEY ARE PALS, BERNIE CAN HELP CELEBRATE NUGGETS 13TH BIRTHDAY.
>> HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU.
KAREN: HIS BIRTHDAY TREAT, BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE.
THE DESERT SAVE TO ME YEAR AGO AFTER A HEALTH EMERGENCY.
>> HE REALLY WASN’T RALLYING AFTER A STROKE.
AND I WENT TO GO GET HIM SOME CHEESECAKE AND HE DOVE INTO THAT CHEESECAKE AND BY THE NEXT DAY HE WAS FEELING BETTER.
KAREN: PET CHICKENS TYPICALLY LIVE SEVEN TO NINE YEARS.
DR. DIANE CALLS EACH DAY NOW A GIFT AND SAYS CHICKEN NUGGET HAS BEEN THE PERFECT PET.
HE LETS TO TAKE NASS WITH YOU.
HE LOVES TO BE HELD.
HE ACTUALLY RELATE YOU KNOW WHEN HE HAS TO GO TO THE BATHROOM.
HE WON’T SOIL ON YOU.
HE CLUCKS A CERTAIN WAY AND YOU HAVE TO PUT THEM BACK IN THE CAGE.
HE IS A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME BIRD.
♪ KAREN: TINY LITTLE EYES PEERING OUT OF SOFT WARM POUCHES, SUGAR GLIDERS ARE NOCTURNAL, BUT THAT SOUND [CRUNCHING SOUND]
IS ENOUGH TO WAKE THEM ANYTIME OF DAY.
>> THEY LEARN THAT SOUND REALLY FAST.
SO, YOU WILL FIND THAT WHEN I SHAKE THE TIME THEY WILL COME UP.
KAREN: LOUISE FOR ROBBERY HOUSES 40 SUGAR GLIDERS AT HER HOME IN FARMINGTON.
>> THESE TWO ARE SISTERS.
HI.
KAREN: MANY ARE FAMILY PETS BUT SHE’S ALSO A BREEDER AND PUT SOME UP FOR ADOPTION.
>> I LOVE THEM.
IT’S REALLY HARD TO DESCRIBE.
THERE IS JUST SOMETHING MAGICAL ABOUT THEM.
KAREN: SUGAR WAS HER FIRST.
>> THAT’S MY ORIGINAL GIRL, SUGAR.
KAREN: MARSUPIALS WILL BOND WITH THEIR OWNERS BUT YOU HAVE TO PUT IN THE WORK.
IT’S LIKE TRAINING A PUPPY AREA -- TRAINING A PUPPY.
>> THEY WILL GO IN YOUR POCKETS, THEY WILL GO WHEN YOU’RE AT, THEY WILL GO DOWN THE SHIRT.
MY GIRL QUEENIE, THAT IS HER FAVORITE PLACE.
KAREN: GLIDERS ARE EXTREMELY SOCIAL SO IT IS BEST TO PAIR THEM UP.
SOPHIE AND CHAMOIS ARE NEW PARENTS, AND DAD IS ULTRA PROTECTIVE.
>> HE WILL POP UP AND GO, WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH MY LITTLE GUY.
AND IF YOU PUT THE BABY BACK, AS THE BABY GOES BACK AND HE WILL WRAP THE BABY’S TAIL AND PULL IT BACK IN THE POUCH AND LITERALLY TALKING MEN.
IS SO ATTENTIVE -- HE IS SO ATTENTIVE BECAUSE HE’S LIKE THE SWEETEST POP UP.
HE IS SO CUTE.
♪ KAREN: AT NINE WEEKS THEY WILL LEAVE MOM AND DAD.
LOUISE THEN PAIRS THEM UP WITH ANOTHER JELLY OR MAYBE SUGAR GLIDER.
THEY GET PLENTY OF EXERCISE IN THIS CUSTOMER-BUILD PLAY ROOM.
-- CUSTOM-BUILT PLAY ROOM.
[LAUGHTER] LOUISE MAKES MOST OF THEIR TOYS.
>> THE GLIDERS WILL PLAY WITH THESE, THEY WILL PLAY WITH THESE, BUT THEY ALSO LIKE TO SLEEP IN HERE.
KAREN: GLIDERS CAN BE NOISY LITTLE CREATURES.
THE PARKING, A SCIENTIST JELLY IS SCARED.
>> THE OTHER REASON THAT THEY BARK, LIKE I SAID THEY ARE REALLY INTELLIGENT AND LEARN VERY QUICKLY THAT SOMETIMES IT THEY PARK YOU WILL COME.
KAREN: AND YOU HAD BETTER BE CARRYING TREATS.
>> ARE YOU GOING TO USE YOUR HAND?
THERE YOU GO.
SUCH A GOOD BOY.