~ Sugar Gliders ~

Sugar gliders make interesting pets. they are the size of a hamster with soft fur. They are very social animals and the best kept with at least one other sugar glider.  If kept alone, they require considerable playing attention and social interaction with their owners. Being nocturnal, their eyes are very large, and they prefer dim lighting. they have specialized incisor designated to gauge trees to extract sap, so they need branches to chew. they have several distinctive vocalizations from alarm yaps and hisses to low barking groans, screams and high squeaks. Their life span is 10-14 years.

   Sugar gliders are tiny marsupials that are native to New Guinea and Australia. They inhabit open forest, where they live in trees as family units.Sugar gliders move from tree to tree using their gliding menbrane that extends from their forepaws to their uncles. In this respect only, they are resemble the American flying squirrel. Their furry tail helps serve as a rudder and is somewhat prehensile.

   Free-ranging sugar gliders are omnivorous. Their natural diet in the winter includes the "sugry" sap of various eucalyptus trees. During the rest of the year, they are primarily insectivorous, feasting on moths,  beetles, insect larvae and spiders. Fruit is not a major component of the free-ranging diet. Being a marsupial, sugar gliders bear young that complete their develpment in a external pouch. Before purchasing a sugar glider, one should inquire about state and local laws regarding ownership and obtain proper permits or licenses.

 Gender

Check the lower abdomen for a pouch opening in the female (marsupial) or for the fur covered testicles in the male; the bifurcated (forked) penis is located at the base of the tail. Males develop a scent gland on the forehead that they may rub on the female's chest. Males also have anal glands and scents glands on the chest. Both sexes scent-mark territory in a freshly cleaned enclosure. Sexual maturity is reached at 12-14 months in the male and 8-12 months in the female.
    Sugar gliders breed relatively easy in captivity. The gestation period is 16 days, at which time the infants make their way to the pouch where they attach to a nipple and stay for 2 months. Ten days after they emerge from the pouch they open their eyes. they wean a month after that but remain in the parental nest. Males help with the care and feeding of the babies.

Most common disorders in Sugar Glider that require Veterinary care:

  • Malnutrition
  • Trauma( fractures, injuries).
  • Self inflicted wounds (particularly in solitary animals.)
  • Stress related disease: coprophagia (eating fecal material), Hyperphagia (overeating), polydipsia (overdrinking), behavioral signs such as pacing, self chewing.
  • Intestinal parasites.
  • Pneumonia.
  • Diarrhea, gastroenteritis, constipation/impactation.
  • Hind leg paralysis.
  • blindness/ cataracts.
  • burns (from landing on hot lamp bulbs).
    Many common disease conditions in sugar gliders are the result of improper feeding. Visiting your exotic  animal veterinarian for routine health checks will help prevent many diseases and support you in having a long satisfying relationship with your sugar glider.
     

Behavior

Sugar gliders should be socialized by the breeder when they are very young. they usually are not provoked to bite, although they may investigate fingers with their mouth. Tame sugar gliders bond with their owners and like to ride around in pockets.
Sugar gliders sleep during the day and are active at night. Relative to other animals, their cage should be extremely large with many branches and perches for exercise. They should be let out of their cage every evening for supervised play with their owners. During the day they need a wooden nest box in which to sleep.

Vital statistics:

Total length:11 inches

Body Length: 5 inches

Body weight: 90-130 gr.

Sexual maturity: Male 12 - 14 mo.

                             Female: 8 - 12 mo

Life span: 10-14 years

Avoid:

  • excessive fat in the diet (peanuts, seeds).
  • chocolates, refined sugars.
  •  processed human foods with preservatives.
  •  pesticides.
  •  cedar shavings, branches from toxic trees.
  • bright lighting or direct sunlight.
  •  excessive humidity.
  •  other pets (cats, dogs, ferrets), small children.
  •  unsupervised freedom in the home.
  •  sudden temperature changes.
  •  uncovered light bulbs.

Diet


    Sugar gliders should be fed a variety of foods appropriate for insectivorous/carnivorous animal. A commercially prepared insectivorous diet should be fed up to 50% of the total intake, particularly for active breeders. Leadbeater's mixture can be cooked and feed as the other primary food source (approximately 25%). In addition, 20-25% of the daily intake by volume can be made of chopped produce, specifically apple, grapes, mango, papaya, carrot, sweet potato dusted with vitamin/mineral powder.
Approximately 5-10% of the daily intake may include hard-cooked egg yolk or a variety of  pet industry-raised insects (crickets, mealworms, wax worm or moths, all feed calcium-enriched feed or dusted with a mineral supplement). Nectars formulated for lories (a nectar eating parrot) can be given as a fruit portion substitute or as and occasional treat.

Tips to keep your sugar glider healthy, happy & Safe:

  • Purchase a captive-raised animal because it is usually healthier, of kwon age, and has adapted as a companion animal.
  • Take your sugar glider to a veterinarian for a physical examination and fecal check for parasites.
  • Keep environment temperature between 70-90°F.
  • Heat supplementation to an area of the sugar glider's cage is necessary in most homes
  • Frequently clean enclosure and nest do feces and urine don't accumulate.
  • fresh food in the evening.
  • Provide fresh water every day in a crock (elevated off the floor of the cage to prevent contamination) or sipper bottle.
  • Provide branches from nontoxic trees, such as apple or citrus, for climbing and chewing.

Housing should provide

  • The cage should be as large as possible, at least 2 cubic feet in size(24" x 24" x 48").
  • to prevent escapes have a wire sides with spacing no more than 1 inch square.
  • have a wire bottom and pull out tray for easy cleaning.
  • Include a tamper-free cage door lock.
  • provide nest boxes that are attached high in the cage.
  • Use shredded paper towels or recycled pelleted bedding material to line nest box
  • Fresh food and water in a place free of contamination (not under branches).

 

 

Leadbeater's mixture

  • 150 ml warm water

  • 150 ml honey

  • 1 shelled hard -boiled egg

  • 25 g. high protein baby cereal

  • 1 tsp vitamin/mineral supplement

Mix warm water and honey. In separate container, blend egg until homogenized; gradually add honey/water, then vitamin powder, then baby cereal, blending after each addition until smooth. Refrigerate.