Introduction to Sugar Gliders

SUGAR GLIDER
(Petaurus breviceps)

Sugar Gliders are small, aboreal marsupials which originate primarily from Indonesia and Southern Australia. As their common name implies, they possess a gliding membrane (similar to that of the flying squirrels) that stretches from their wrists to their ankles and allows them to 'glide' from tree to tree. As with all marsupials, female sugar gliders also possess a pouch, in which they raise their young. Sugar gliders are nocturnal animals, which spend almost their entire life in trees. In the wild, they live in colonies of between 6-10 gliders and spend much of their time foraging for food.

Sugar Gliders make excellent pets. They adapt very readily to captivity and can develop very strong relationships with their human keepers. They are small in size, and are very intelligent and love to play. They are very smart and have a long life span, most living to be 10 years or older if taken care of properly. Although nocturnal, it can be a benefit, in that they want to play in the evening when you are at home, and if you take them with you in the daytime, they are content to sleep in your pocket or pouch. Most gliders, if handled well and given time, learn their owner(s) scent(s) and have absolutely no fear of them.

Their diet consists of fruit, fresh vegetables, wholemeal bread, yogurt, peanuts, high protein dry food, and supplemented occasionally with mealworms, meatmeal or hard-boiled eggs. Sugar gliders relish sweet foods, such as honey, jam and cake, but limit these items. It is very important for the sugar gliders to receive a steady diet of calcium products (i.e., cottage cheese and/or yogurt) and wholemeal bread for roughage. The dry food and peanuts provide the protein needed. Generally, a typical daily diet will consist of dry "Glider Grub" (a container to be left in cage at all times), fruit, vegetables, and a water bottle. Alternating the cottage cheese (or yogurt) and bread is fine. Peanuts and hard-boiled eggs can be special occasion diets (once or twice weekly). Vita-Glider is a calcium based, vitamin and mineral supplement. We highly recommend sprinkling a pinch of this supplement on the fruit every other day to insure proper nutrition.