Sugar gliders are marsupials belonging to Indonesia,
Australia and New Guinea. They are small gliding possums and
weight up to three to five oz. They have a silky fur of the
color pearl grey with patches of colors cream and black. The
black color is usually on their ears and end of the tail. They
are named sugar gliders because they are able to glide because
of the patagium or the skin membrane which connects first toe of
the hind foot with the fifth finger of the forelimb, on either
side. They expand them to create an aerodynamic plane to glide
from one tree to another.
Sugar gliders have the habit of nibbling on each other, and this
shouldn’t be confused with biting. They nibble to do many things
like testing food, to show affection, force, groom, etc. Babies
initially are taught by biting. When they are angered, they get
aggressive and bite really hard. So, new owners should be alert
until the pets becomes familiar and stops biting. Care should be
taken that this biting shouldn’t turn into a habit. Incase, if
it turns into a regular behavior, the animal should be held
firmly when it bites, so that it cannot move and gets tired of
crabbing. Although this takes a long time the pet will
eventually get over its natural instinct. The animal must submit
to the owner and it shouldn’t be given the feeling it has won.
He should also be released very slowly; otherwise it will bite
again and flee. Also, they can be fed with some food, to
appreciate their discipline when they start learning. They also
become comfortable with humans, when they eat in front of them.
Usually female sugar gliders are tough to tame, especially those
which come directly from the wild.
Sugar gliders come from a very rough environment. They are
basically hunting animals. So they should be provided with a
rich environment so that they don’t get disturbed mentally. The
cage should be very big so that they can leap freely. Small
cages hinder the health of the animal. They are also very active
and need exercise. Their cage should be equipped with toys like
exercise wheels with a diameter of eleven inches. They are also
very inquisitive animals, so new things like cardboard boxes,
should be introduced in their cage from time to time to prevent
boredom. The food can also be placed in different places to keep
them on their heels. Food can also be hidden in branch holes,
which they can dig out.
The cage of sugar gliders should be cleaned every week to ensure
their hygiene. The urine should be spot cleaned as the ammonia
in it can be very harmful to the respiratory system of sugar
gilders. Also the moisture can encourage the growth of harmful
fungus. If the cage isn’t cleaned for a long time, not only will
the occupants become sick but also the house will be filled with
odor. Some precautions should be taken while cleaning the cage
and also it should be sprayed with disinfectant so as to kill
the germs and bacteria.
Sugar gliders are habituated to living in groups. That is the
reason why they are never kept alone as pets, as this will
adversely affect their health. It also requires attention from
humans around it. They cling onto each other when they sleep, so
as to keep warm. They communicate with each other by squeaking,
crabbing, chirping and barking. They have a good memory and can
retain a grudge against a human after receiving harm from him,
even if it was caused by accident.
Females have the ability to beget offspring every seven to ten
months. They give birth to a baby sugar glider after sixteen
days of pregnancy, which usually weighs only 0.2 grams. After
the birth, the baby shifts to the mother’s pouch, where it stays
for seventy days and feeds on milk from the nipples. Both the
mother and father have equal participation of bringing up their
offspring.