About Sugar Gliders

In the wilds of its native habitat, the Sugar Glider is a tree dwelling creature, often living in groups of 15 to 30. It is active by night when it hunts for insects and small vertebrates and feeds on the sweet sap of certain species of eucalyptus, acacia and gum trees. The Sugar Glider is so named for its preference for sweet foods and its ability to glide through the air like a flying squirrel.

The Sugar Glider can occupy any area where there are tree hollows for shelter and sufficient food. Its diet varies considerably with both geography and the changing seasons, but the main items are the sap of acacias and certain Eucalyptus, nectar, pollen, and arthropods. It is difficult to see in the wild, being small, wary, and nocturnal, but a sure sign of its presence is the stripping of bark and tooth marks left in the soft, green shoots of acacia trees.

In suitable habitats it is common, often reaching densities of 1 per 1,000 square meters provided that there are tree hollows available for shelter. It lives in groups of up to seven adults, plus the current season's young, all sharing a nest and defending their territory. Adult males mark the territory with saliva and with a scent produced by separate glands on the forehead and chest, and also mark members of the group with this scent. Visitors which lack the appropriate scent marking are expelled violently. The dominant male mates more frequently with the female of the group than the other males, and does most of the scent marking. When an adult member of the group dies, it is normally replaced either by one of the group's own offspring if female, but by an outsider if male.

In the more temperate south, breeding starts in mid-winter (June or July). In the north, there seems to be no particular breeding season. Two young per female is typical; they remain in the pouch for about 70 days, and after leaving it stays inside the nest for another 40 or 50 days, then begin to forage outside, usually under the care of the mother. The young are normally ejected from the group territory at 7 to 10 months of age. Sometimes they form new groups if an area is vacant, but competition for territory is fierce and not many survive the first months of independent life. In captivity, they may live up to fifteen years.

Sugar Gliders as pets



	*Sugar Gliders Info* Sugar Gliders in the Wild In the wilds of its native habitat, the Sugar Glider is a tree dwelling creature, often living in groups of 15 to 30. It is active by night when it hunts for insects and small vertebrates and feeds on the sweet sap of certain species of eucalyptus, acacia and gum trees. The Sugar Glider is so named for its preference for sweet foods and its ability to glide through the air like a flying squirrel. The Sugar Glider can occupy any area where there are tree hollows for shelter and sufficient food. Its diet varies considerably with both geography and the changing seasons, but the main items are the sap of acacias and certain Eucalyptus, nectar, pollen, and arthropods. It is difficult to see in the wild, being small, wary, and nocturnal, but a sure sign of its presence is the stripping of bark and tooth marks left in the soft, green shoots of acacia trees. In suitable habitats it is common, often reaching densities of 1 per 1,000 square meters provided that there are tree hollows available for shelter. It lives in groups of up to seven adults, plus the current season's young, all sharing a nest and defending their territory. Adult males mark the territory with saliva and with a scent produced by separate glands on the forehead and chest, and also mark members of the group with this scent. Visitors which lack the appropriate scent marking are expelled violently. The dominant male mates more frequently with the female of the group than the other males, and does most of the scent marking. When an adult member of the group dies, it is normally replaced either by one of the group's own offspring if female, but by an outsider if male. In the more temperate south, breeding starts in mid-winter (June or July). In the north, there seems to be no particular breeding season. Two young per female is typical; they remain in the pouch for about 70 days, and after leaving it stays inside the nest for another 40 or 50 days, then begin to forage outside, usually under the care of the mother. The young are normally ejected from the group territory at 7 to 10 months of age. Sometimes they form new groups if an area is vacant, but competition for territory is fierce and not many survive the first months of independent life. In captivity, they may live up to fifteen years. Sugar Gliders as pets Although Sugar Gliders can make wonderful pets for the young and the young at heart they are NOT a pet for every one. They adapt well to humans and develop strong relational bonds with their owners. They are communal animals that need and crave attention from you, the owner, or another Sugar Glider. How close your newly adopted pet bonds to you will depend on the time you spend together and how you approach bonding time. A minimum of 2 to 3 hours a day is recommended but more time is always better. Sugar Gliders can live up to 12 years, possibly longer With proper food, shelter, and companionship your pet can live a long and happy life. Sugar gliders are better in pairs so they can keep one another company when you can not spend time with them. It does not take any more time to bond to one then it will to two gliders. I strongly suggest getting two gliders if your going to get them. Sugar gliders tend to sleep during the day and are up at night. Although you can train gliders to be up when you are this may or may not confuse them. Sugar gliders make a wide range of noises from chirps to crabbing and so on. Each noise they make can mean a wide range of things and I feel it also depends on the glider its self. Sugar gliders can be an easy pet to care for but they can also be an expensive pet. You will need a nice sized cage to place them in, toys for them to play with, sleeping and bonding pouches, food dishes, water bottles, exercise wheels and a good healthy diet. I try to express these things to people when they consider getting such a CUTE pet. With cuteness comes a responsibility as with any pet. Sugar gliders (as of to date) do not need yearly shots or any type of shots such as rabies etc. When considering getting a sugar glider be sure you do your research on them. Feel free to ask me any questions you may have because I would rather you be sure this is the pet for you then you to buy on impulse and later decide they are not the pet for you. Sugar gliders are supposed to be a Hyper allergenic animal but in server allergic reactions to animal fur and dander it has been know to effect some. Despite what some may tell you sugar gliders do have a smell to them as most animals will. Males some times smell more like a musky smell because of the scent glands on the head and chest area. If you keep the cage clean and are sure to clean every thing in it there should be little to no smell. Sugar gliders should be placed in a low traffic area to keep from over whelming them. Some people do just fine with 5 kids running around the house and lots of noise. Personally my home is set up with a dedicated glider room. Gliders need to be set away from direct sunlight but they also need to be able to tell what time of day it is. If a glider is kept in a dark room 24/7 the glider may become confused and not know when to eat or sleep. My gliders eat every night between 7:30-9:30 pm. You should always take any left over foods out first thing in the morning. Although gliders are great pets I do not recommend them to be given to children as pets. Mainly because children loose interest in them, parents end up taking care of them and soon out the door they go. Gliders have become a fad pet to impulse buyers. So I suggest you research them as much as you can (months even years) before jumping in and getting one just because it is cute. I understand that each website is different and some times sites can be confusing and contradicting but it is most important that you try to read as many sites or ask as many glider breeders questions you may have. Never go with what just one person says always get as many opinions as you can and use common sense to judge what would be best. HOUSING: Before you buy any cage, you should consider the following: food placement, bedding, toy area, and exercise area. Make sure food holders are large enough to keep food in but too small for your pet to sit in and possibly soil the food as they eat. Always replace perishable items on a daily basis as spoiled food attracts bugs and can make your pet ill. Sugar Gliders also need a sleeping pouch or nesting box to sleep in during the day and protect them from the sun this is important since prolonged exposure to sunlight can kill a Sugar Glider. (Note: Nesting boxes are not recommended due to them becoming soiled with urine and they can stain gliders as well they carry bacteria which can harm the gliders) . Your Sugar Glider should have a cage that will allow plenty of room for exercise. The wire spacing should be no more than 1/2" wide. Over all the cage should be at least 30" x 18" x 35”. There should be a wire bottom to allow droppings to fall through. Keep them away from drafts or heating/air-conditioning vents to prevent them from catching colds. The best temperature range is 70-90 degrees F. Sugar Gliders have a natural need to climb and love tree branches. These are useful for exercise and keeping their nails trimmed. Be careful which branches you choose as some are toxic to gliders. You can go to your local pet store and find bird toys or other small animal toys that your pet can climb, push, or carry around. For the best reaction, place new things high in the cage. Do not use cloth materials (other then pouches, double sewn fleece items) as your Sugar Glider may eat loose threads or become entangled in them. If you are going to use any types of cloth be sure to check them daily to ensure no threads have come loose. And be sure to check the insides of pouches as they do become worn over time. You should clean the cage of any droppings of food each day to ensure no mold or other harmful things can make your glider ill. Fresh water is a MUST every day. If you use a water bottle you can give them fresh water every 2-3 days will be okay. It is a good idea to clean your cage once a week. I do this by taking the cages out side and first spray them down really good with a water hose. Then with soapy water and a small amount of vinegar added to it I wash the entire cage down with a rag or sponge. Some times you can use small bits of bleach water but please be sure to rinse well as the bleach will leave a strong smell for the gliders that can harm them. A good product to use for cleaning & to get rid of odor would be "Odor Ban" you can purchase this online. It is best to swap out pouches with clean pouches one or two times a week. You would want to do the same thing with toys or any other items in the cage. Cleaning them on separate days not all at once as this will not only stress the glider out but make him/her go nuts trying to scent the items up again. It is very important to have an exercise wheel in the cage. Do not use hamster wheels I recommend a Wodent wheel or stealth wheel. It is best to use Powder coated type bird cages (some use the screen mesh types of cages made for reptiles although I personally think these are a waste of money due to gliders chew through them and they do not last as long as well you need to clean them way more often). Never use galvanized wire because it can and will harm your gliders (it rust and the zinc in it will give gliders urine track infections). BONDING: There are many ways to bond with your glider it all depends on how you approach it as to how fast your glider will actually bond with you. It also depends on the age and history of the glider at hand. If you have just taken in a joey just weaned bonding shouldn’t take long. If you have taken in an older or abused glider it can take much longer. The more time you spend with them the faster your going to actually bond. Before I had a glider safe room I used a small pop up tent for playtime and bonding. Taking a few treats in with me along with some toys. They are bound to jump on you and start to learn you are a safe place. They are able to get your smell by jumping on you too. You can also try pouch bonding. Placing them into a bonding pouch with a screen window around your neck. To carry them around like this it’s always best to maybe tuck them down your shirt to help keep them from bouncing around so much. To bond in this way they learn your movements, sounds and your smell. Gliders must learn they can trust you before they will become bonded. By making a clicking or smooching sound every time you walk in the room they will learn it is you and not something trying to eat or harm them. Patients and lots of love as well as time is what you will need to bond with a glider. Never chase a glider this will only scare the glider. The best way to go about taking a glider out of a cage is to do so when the glider is already inside of the sleeping pouch. Best time would be mid morning when they have snuggled in to sleep and are a bit groggy from being up all night. Also in the early evening time before feedings. Place the bonding pouch on the floor of a pop up tent and coax them out with treats or you can turn the pouch upside down against the floor or your lap and they will soon come out. To get a glider back in the pouch place the sleeping pouch up next to it and the glider should go back in no problems. If it doesn't gently place your hand in front of the glider (fingers together) as to block the glider and gently scoop under the glider or lightly nudge it back into the pouch or into the palm of your hand. Some times gliders tend to nip, taste or bite you. NEVER use abusive thumps or such things in return to them as this is not only uncalled for but will make them even more scared, it will set you back with bonding and can make them mean. If they bite you do your best to try and take the bite. If you jump & scream the glider will soon learn you are scared of it. Gliders pick up on your vibes and feelings very easy. If you are stressed, angry, scared etc the glider will feel it. Try to approach them with your knuckles instead of your finger tips if you have one that tends to nip. Also you can try to put yogurt or applesauce on your knuckles so if they do bite they will get a taste of treat and eventually see your hand as a good thing not bad. Giving your glider live mealworms or crickets, as well as other healthy treats is a great way to bond with your glider. Try petting him/her while you give treats. If you are dealing with an abused, neglected or un-tame glider it’s going to take time. You must remember that no matter what, sugar gliders are wild animals at heart. Being patient and with given time daily any glider can become tame and trust you. Sugar Gliders are scared of us to start with and you must remember this when they crab or bite you. It is very important that you stay on a day to day schedule as well with them. So gliders can become used to your every day actions. Just remember the more time you spend with them, the faster they will learn to trust you and bond with you. Quick movements and loud noises will scare them and gliders need to be able to see you as (mommy) a safe place for them to be, a trusted place. Take in mind when getting a glider not all gliders are going to be your pocket pet right off the bat. When a glider is bonded to you they will let you know it. Do not try to rush things as this will only make it worse. You will know when your sugar glider has bonded to you when they do not crab at you, when you can scoop them up while they sleep and they stay sleeping in your hand. When they mark you with the scent glands and run to you when scared. Introducing new gliders: It is very important that when bringing home a new sugar glider that you place this glider away from other animals (gliders, cats, dogs etc.) for at least 30 days to make sure this glider is not sick. It is very important that you also take your sugar glider for a vet check with in 48 hours of bring it home. After the 30 days has passed if you wish to introduce your new friend to another sugar glider or more to do so the best way is to place the cages side by side a tail length apart from each other. Every few days you want to swap pouches and toys out. Meaning take the pouch from cage 1. and put it into cage 2. only the pouch not the gliders. If you have two intact males you will need to have one of them fixed before they will be able to be cage mates. (although some males do okay together sooner or later they are bound to fight because males are more dominate. I have heard some cases where people have no problems with 4-5 intact males in the same cage. Personally I do not do this in fear of fights). After pouch swapping for 2 weeks you may wish to try introducing them in a pop-up tent. always have a pouch near by or some thing to grab and separate them with in case they do fight. If you are introducing a male and female for the first time, the male will most likely grab the females head and rub the top of his head (his scent gland) under her chin. This means he is marking her as his. Most of the time a male and female will do just fine together but not always. It's best to make sure the female is sexually mature before placing an intact male with her. You may have to do this type of introduction a few times before they will be okay with each other. If you are planning on doing a trio or colony it is best to take baby steps. Trio's do not always work out. Some times 3 or more gliders can seem to be fine together but once breeding ages they will some times steal, or kill each others joeys. This does not always happen but if you are going to place 2 females with one male it is best to place twin sisters or two females that have grown up together in with that male. If you do not plan to breed please make sure all males are altered and there should be no problems but then again there could be. You learn as you go. What kinds of health problems do gliders commonly have? Gliders can get a variety of illnesses. Urinary tract infections and pouch infections in females are not uncommon and a veterinarian should be consulted immediately. Mites can infest ears and must be treated, or the ears can harden and essentially fall off. Problems resulting from dietary deficiencies are common. Hind leg paralysis (HLP) is a metabolic bone disease that can be a primary or secondary effect from diet or another problem (i.e. infection). Seizures may also result from a diet insufficiency. Problems with cyst and teeth may also occur (sugar glider teeth do not grow so you will not need to have them trimmed) and these are only a few of the health issues with gliders. Gliders can become depressed and self mutilate and can die from depression. For more information please check with your exotic vet. Having a knowledgeable exotics vet - and an emergency vet for weekends, nights, and holidays - is part of owning a glider. Checkups every six months to a year are also part of responsible glider ownership.