Sugar Gliders

The ability to "fly" or glide when they spread out in this parachute fashion is similar to the ability of the Flying Squirrel. But other than that, they are very different animals than the Flying Squirrel.
   Sugar gliders are small, attractive, and interesting little animals. Though they sleep during the day, once they wake up in the evening they are very social, lively and active little pets.
   Sugar gliders can make great companions and provide a lot of interaction and enjoyment to their owners. With enough loving care and attention they can form lifelong bonds with people.
   When considering purchasing a sugar glider as your new pet, make sure you are ready for the commitment of time and care that it will need. This little animal can live up to 15 years if you take good care of him.
Scientific Name:
Petaurus breviceps
Background:
   Sugar gliders are small possums found in Australia, Tasmania, Indonesia, and Papua-New Guinea
. They are mammals classified as marsupials. Marsupials differ from other mammals in that they have a very short placenta gestation period. Most marsupials give birth after a very short time and then continue to nurture their young in pouches until they are old enough to come out. They also have more teeth than placental mammals, and have a lower body temperature (around 89 degrees Fahrenheit).
 Description:
   Sugar gliders are only about 5 to 6 inches long (from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail), with another 5 or 6 inches of tail length. They only weigh between 3.4 and 5.5 ounces. Males typically weigh slightly more than females.
   They have a membrane flap of skin stretching from their forefeet to their hind feet called a patagium. It is furred and helps the sugar glider fly through the air by catching the air and helping him stay afloat for a short period of time.
  Sugar gliders are gray with a cream colored underbelly and a black stripe down their backs.
Environment:
   Sugar gliders need an adequate size cage - at least 20 x 20 x 30 inches. A taller cage is better than a wider one because sugar gliders love to climb. Wire cages are best and commercial bird cages work well. You don't want to use screen door mesh wire, as this is too small and your pet can easily get his claws caught in it. Cages with removable trays are also very handy, because they are easy to clean.
   Keep the cage where your sugar glider won't experience large differences in temperature (usually the best place is indoors). Since they are nocturnal, sleeping during the day, you will want to put the cage somewhere out of the way where it won't be disturbed by people's daily comings and goings. But do make sure to keep him where he can see whether it is night or day, so as to not mess up his biological clock.
   Inside the cage provide a nesting box where your sugar glider can sleep during the day. Put aspen shavings, shredded paper, or an old cloth in the nesting box for more comfortable sleep. Put shavings on the bottom of the cage also, to absorb droppings and pushed out food. DO NOT use cedar shavings - these can cause respiratory problems. It is also thought that pine bedding may cause problems as well.
   To make your sugar glider's habitat more natural, it is a great idea to put branches in the cage (many bird perches work great, also). Just be sure that the branches you use are clean and don't have any chemical residues left on them.
  Including toys in the cage will give your pet exercise and enjoyment. Many bird toys work great, and also hollow logs or pipes that they can explore and hide in.

 Care and feeding:
   Sugar gliders need a large variety of food in captivity including fruits, vegetables, protein, and dairy products.
   A good food dish can be a heavy bowl (such as ceramic) so that it does not get tipped over, or even a bird dish that clips onto the side of the cage. Place the dish up high in the cage because this is where sugar gliders feel most comfortable. To know how much to feed, experiment starting with a small amount one evening, and if all the food is gone in the morning, then give him a little more the next evening. Continue doing this until there is a little bit of food left over one morning. In general, there should be about a 3 to 1 ratio of fruits and vegetables to proteins. Food dishes should be cleaned and sanitized daily.
   Sugar gliders will eat just about any fruits or vegetables, including: apples, oranges, cantaloupe, carrots, peas, and beans. They do tend to like the sweeter greens (hence the name "sugar" glider). All fruits and vegetables should be fresh and rinsed - they should not be canned or dried.
   Feed them a variety of fresh greens; it is best to do it in the evenings so that they have food ready for them when they wake up. Remove any uneaten fresh food the next morning so it does not go bad.
   For proteins sugar gliders like meats, eggs, and tofu. Any meat you feed them should be thoroughly cooked and cut up into very small pieces. The meat should not contain any skin or bones, either. Hard boiled eggs are also a good choice of protein, cut or mash them up to make them easier for your glider to eat. Tofu is one of the best proteins to feed to sugar gliders, however many gliders don't like it by itself. Try cutting it into tiny pieces and mixing it with a little yogurt or one of it's favorite fruits.
   Dairy products are another good source of protein for your sugar gliders. Yogurt and cottage cheese work well. Dry cat food as a supplement for protein can be used on occasion, but it should not be an all the time thing - for there is concern that this can cause ill health effects. Nuts, such as peanuts, sunflower seeds, and pecans are also a dearly loved treat for sugar gliders.
   Sugar gliders also LOVE live food, since that is their primary source of protein in their natural habitat. These can include crickets, grasshoppers, mealworms, and even baby mice (pinkies), or young adult mice. Usually, all these live foods can be obtained at a pet store - either live or frozen.
   The other big thing is water - even though many of the fruits and vegetables contain much of the water sugar gliders need, it is still mandatory to make sure sugar gliders must have access to water at all times. Put water in a heavy dish or in a water bottle attached to the side of the cage. If you choose to use a water bottle, continue putting a dish of water in the cage until you are sure he knows where the water bottle is and is using it. Water also should be kept up high in the cage. Rinse out water bottles once a day.
   Giving sugar gliders vitamin supplements can also serve to make sure they are getting all their nutrients. Usually the biggest problem is calcium. Good calcium supplements are things like Reptivite and Rep-Cal (reptile vitamins).