Exotic Facts About the Sugar Glider

Sugar gliders have recently become popular as pets, due to their small size, high degree of intelligence, and their ability to closely bond with their human owners. These small marsupials are labeled as exotic pets because they were once limited to a small corner of the world. However, as their popularity with human pet owners grows, so have their numbers, and now sugar gliders can be found in all parts of the world. Before deciding to take on a sugar glider as a companion, it is important to understand all about these furry marsupials and why they do and do not make good household pets.

  1. Habitat

    • Sugar gliders are native to the Pacific Southeast countries of Australia, New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago. They were introduced by humans to the island of Tasmania. In the wild they can be found in forests, usually those thick with eucalyptus trees. They hunt and live in these trees, jumping from tree to tree and "gliding" through the air using extra skin between their arms and legs that act like wings, much like a flying squirrel. Sugar gliders live in groups of up to seven adults, plus the babies of the season, in nests made out of cavities in trees.

    Diet and Nutrition

    • Sugar gliders get their name from the fact that they appear to "glide" from tree to tree, but also because of their preference for the sweet stuff in their diet. They feed primarily on the sweet sap of eucalyptus, acacia and gum trees. They also eat nectar and pollen, as well as manna and honeydew. They also hunt for insects and small invertebrates. Sugar gliders are nocturnal; they do their hunting and feeding at night.

    Locomotion

    • Movement from tree to tree is done by gliding on their skin flaps, called the patagium, that extend from the fifth finger to the first toe. In addition, sugar gliders are able to easily climb through their lofty habitat using long claws that extend from each of their digits except for the opposable toe on the hind-feet. This allows them to hang from branches and easily get into hard-to-reach places to search for food.

    Breeding

    • Sugar gliders reach breeding maturity at about 1 year, with females usually reaching full maturity slightly earlier than males. In the wild, females will breed typically twice a year depending on climate, habitat and food availability, while in captivity females can breed up to three times a year. Normally one to two babies, called joeys, are produced in each litter. Since sugar gliders are marsupials, they will climb into their mother's pouch after a gestation period of 15 to 17 days. Once inside, the joey will latch onto its mother's nipple, where it will remain for up to 70 days. At this point they are still blind and hairless, though they will open their eyes after about 15 days. After four months, they are good to go on their own.

    As Pets

    • In order to avoid painful complications due to calcium deficiencies, sugar glider owners need to ensure their pets are fed a diet where the calcium to phosphorus ratio is 2:1. Otherwise, they can contract hypocalcemia, or hind leg paralysis. Sugar gliders are legal to own as pets in 46 out of the 50 states in the U.S., with Alaska, California, Hawaii and Massachusetts being the only states that do not allow them as pets. In Pennsylvania, a permit is needed to own one as a pet. Sugar gliders need lots of personal bonding with their owners; otherwise they tend to get very depressed. Finding out all the facts about sugar gliders before taking one on as a pet will ensure that you end up with a happy and healthy furry friend.