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A sugar glider is an exotic pocket pet that has steadily increased in popularity since it was first imported into the U.S. in the late 1990’s. Also referred to as the “honey” glider, its appointed taxonomic name is Petaurus Breviceps. The sugar glider is native to Australia, New Guinea, and select neighboring islands. While gliding throughout the canopy layer of both temperate forests and tropical rainforests, this tiny possum tends to resemble a flying squirrel. However, no matter how strongly one may feel this resemblance, a sugar glider is actually a marsupial not a member of the rodent family. Wild sugar gliders are arboreal (tree-dwelling) creatures and commonly sleep in the hollows of trees. They are known to dine on the new growth of Acacia and Eucalyptus trees, as well as saps, fruit, insects, honeydew, and manna. Since sugar gliders are nocturnal (active at night), their primary predatory concerns are snakes and owls. In the wild, sugar gliders are generally golden in color due to their diet and the staining that occurs to their fur as a direct result of the gums and saps that the gliders consume. In captivity, most sugar gliders tend to be gray in coloration, with cream or white colored undersides. Black or brown markings not only encircle a sugar glider’s eyes and offset its ears, but the color also composes a stripe that starts between their eyes and travels the length of their spine, denoting all four legs and consuming the last few inches of their tail as well. Through captive breeding programs, several other color mutations have resulted. These recognized colors are platinum, lion, cinnamon, blonde, black beauty, brown beauty, butter cream, champagne, white & tan, chocolate, white tip, leucistic, and albino. The soft fur of a sugar glider is similar to that of a chinchilla. Sugar gliders are small possums that weigh only 75g to 180g when full grown (about 70g-130g for females & 120g-180g for males). As adults, their body measures about six inches in length and their tail is approximately six to seven inches long. The sugar glider’s long bushy tail acts as a steering device while gliding and is also capable of carrying light nesting materials. The tail is also a marvelous source of body language. Sugar gliders are able to glide through the use their patagium. The patagium is a membrane that stretches from both sides of a sugar glider and runs the length from its wrist to its ankle. By spreading both its arms and legs when leaping, this membrane turns the sugar glider into a tiny kite that can soar for distances up to 150 feet. Sugar gliders also have very sharp nails, which allow them to securely grasp tree branches upon landing. Each foot has five digits. The front feet of the glider resemble tiny hands. The inner toe on each rear foot is opposable and has no nail, while the next two digits on each rear foot are fused together and are used like a comb for grooming purposes. When grooming, sugar gliders make a small sneezing noise. However, this sound is actually not a sneeze at all. It is the sound of the sugar glider spitting saliva onto its hands in order to aid itself in grooming. Sugar gliders are capable of other vocalizations as well, such as hissing, chattering, crabbing, and barking. Hissing is usually heard when sugar gliders are making their fellow gliders aware of their presence or as a warning when quarreling over food. Chattering is a small clicking noise usually used during play or to express great pleasure over a special toy or food. Crabbing is a warning sound expressing displeasure as a result of a sugar glider being startled, frightened, or angered. The crabbing sound is generally very loud and tends to precede either flight or an attack. Barking is used as a means of communication not only used as an alert, but it also helps sugar gliders to locate one another in total darkness. A sugar glider’s ears provide it with keen hearing that can pick up the slightest of sounds, allowing them to catch insects even in flight. Since sugar gliders are nocturnal, their eyes are adapted to seeing at night. Unfortunately, this enhanced night vision leaves them unable to differentiate most colors. It is assumed that sugar gliders only see the color red and varying shades of gray. A sugar glider’s teeth a long sharp pair of lower incisors that are used for stripping the bark from trees in order to reach the insects and sap which lie beneath. Whiskers surround the sugar glider’s bare pink nose, a nose that provides the glider with its wonderful sense of smell. Taking smells in to consideration, sugar gliders are equipped with scent glands that produce a slight musky odor (milder than a ferret). These scent glands are located on the head, the chest, the surfaces of paws, the external ear, in the corners of the mouth, and in the urogenital area. The most prominent scent glands are those located on the head and chest of adult male sugar gliders, appearing as large (sometimes crusty) bald patches. A feature that is unique to the female sugar glider is a pouch that is located in their abdominal region. The pouch is where marsupial offspring both receive nutrients and remain protected from the point of birth until their development is complete. Captive sugar gliders can make hearty companions. When they are supplied with the proper nutrition, care, and environment, sugar gliders have been know to live ten to fifteen years in captivity. Their body temperature is only 89 degrees Fahrenheit and is not high enough to perpetuate the rabies virus. Sugar gliders do not require any vaccines, but an annual veterinary visit is still recommended. Even though the sugar gilder is generally a very healthy pet, one must take into account their delicate build. Sudden falls, rough handing, or other careless treatment can be detrimental, even fatal, to a glider. Sugar gliders are very social animals. In the wild, they live in colonies of seven to nine gliders. When being maintained in captivity, they do best when they are housed in either pairs or small colonies, as space permits. Captive sugar glider pairs do not need to be male-female oriented. Gliders housed as same sex pairs will thrive in a captive environment because it is truly the companionship that they crave. Solitary sugar gliders that fall prey to depression, tend to self-mutilate, can become ill, and may even die as a result of boredom. Sugar gliders can bond very closely with their owners, so it is very important that the commitment to ownership is truly taken seriously. A change of ownership can be incredibly traumatic for a bonded glider. Their behaviors often likened to that of toddlers, sugar gliders are known to be intelligent, curious, and headstrong creatures. By nature, sugar gliders are timid animals and can be fearful of strangers, sudden movements, and loud noises. In comfortable familiar settings, sugar gliders are relaxed and display their wonderfully gregarious and loving nature. Keep in mind that captive sugar gilders, even if they are not captured in the wild, are not domesticated animals. Sugar gliders are considered exotic animals, which means that they have retained their natural instincts and can be unpredictable at times. Although they can still make excellent companions, sugar gliders are only acknowledged as hand-tamed animals at best. If you desire to learn more about what a sugar glider is, including anatomy and vocalizations, please visit the following links: Descriptions: http://www.dpiwe.tas.gov.au/inter.nsf/WebPages/BHAN-53J8XS?open Anatomy: http://www.glideruniversity.org/anatomy/ Vocalizations: http://www.dpiwe.tas.gov.au/inter.nsf/Attachments/SJON-52Q7TJ/$FILE/sglider.AIFF |
