Fun Facts About the Sugar Glider

Sugar gliders are small forest-dwelling marsupials (the same family of animals as koala bears and kangaroos) who are native to Australia, New Guinea and the islands of the Bismarck Archipelago, to the north of Papua New Guinea. They are also found, having been introduced, in Indonesia and Tasmania and are kept across the world as pets. Sugar gliders have specially adapted membranes that run from the wrists to the ankles that allow them to glide from tree to tree.

  1. Behavor

    • Sugar gliders live in forests and rarely even touch the ground. They make their nests in holes in older trees and can live in family groups of up to 30 individuals. In order to recognize their own and others' nests, sugar gliders mark their nests with urine.

    Gliding Ability

    • The sugar glider is approximately 10 to 12 inches long, from the nose to the tip of its tail (which itself accounts for about a third of its length). However, because of their special membranes, they are capable of gliding for over 150 feet. When they launch themselves from a tree, they spread their limbs so the the membranes act as a kind of parachute. They also move their legs to regulate their glide while their tails help them steer, acting much like the rudder on a boat.

    Hands and Feet

    • On each hand, the sugar glider has four fingers and a thumb. The thumb is opposable (opposite the fingers, like human thumbs) meaning they can grip onto things tightly--useful when clambering among trees. They have four fingers and opposable thumbs on each foot as well. All these fingers and thumbs are shaped like little hooks, making their grip extra strong.

    Offspring

    • Like other marsupials, female sugar gliders have a pouch in which their young live until they are old enough and strong enough to fend for themselves. When born, the tiny sugar glider, who hasn't even developed eyesight yet, has to find its way through the mother's fur to the pouch. It then stays there for about two and a half months while it grows.

    Diet

    • Alongside all manner of insects and grubs, the sugar glider eats the sap that runs inside trees. Their taste for this sweet liquid is the reason for the "sugar" part of their name. They usually eat the sap of the eucalyptus tree which, like the sugar glider, is native to Australia. As pets, sugar gliders are usually fed fruit, vegetables, mealworms and lean meat.

    Fun Fact

    • Male sugar gliders have a hairless patch on the top of their heads. This is a scent gland and they will rub it on the leaves and bark of trees within their territory, leaving a distinctive odor in order to warn other, rival sugar liders to keep out.