Sugar Gliders

The sugar glider is a small arboreal marsupial from northern and eastern Australia, New Guinea and other nearby islands, where they live in the eucalyptus forests.

Sugar gliders reach up to 6 inches in body length. They have long bushy tails, velvety gray fur with black markings, large black eyes and feet well adapted to their life in the trees.

Their most striking feature is their gliding membrane, which stretches from wrist to ankle. This gives them the ability to glide through the air, up to 150 feet in a single leap.

Pet sugar gliders have a life span of 12 to 15 years. Intelligent animals, they recognize voices, can solve problems and love to play.

Pet sugar gliders enjoy spending time with their humans and make wonderful pets. However, they require much more time and attention than most small animals and have special dietary and housing needs. Extremely social animals, they should always be kept in pairs or small groups.

Bringing any new pet into your home is an important decision which requires thought and planning. For your sake - and the sake of your new pet - please seriously consider these realities of living with a sugar glider before deciding to share your home with one:

• Sugar gliders are extremely social animals
  Sugar gliders live in large colonies in the wild and need the companionship of their own kind. If deprived this companionship, a sugar glider may become depressed, withdrawn and unhealthy - possibly even dying from loneliness.

  Sugar gliders also require a lot of attention from their humans. Be sure you have the time and desire to provide the daily attention they deserve and need.

• Sugar gliders aren't "lap pets"
  Sugar gliders bond strongly with their human, but are not lap pets. When out of their cage, very few adults gliders will want to sit and be petted - at least not for very long. They would much rather spend this time exploring and playing.

  If you want a pet which will sit with you for extended periods, letting you caress and snuggle him, a sugar glider wouldn't be a good choice.

• Sugar gliders won't respond to discipline
  Sugar gliders are extremely independent thinking animals. Trying to force a sugar glider to act the way you want will not be successful. They will never become litter-trained. They will mark when out of their cage. They will not learn the word "no." They will nip if you try to force them to do something they don't want.

  Never discipline your pet for any reason. It won't have the desired result. You will only make your glider pal distrust - and eventually fear - you.

• Sugar gliders require a safe space when loose
  When out, sugar gliders will explore any opening or secret place they find. Make sure windows, doors, drawers and closets are securely shut. Remove anything which might get knocked over, especially if it will break. There should be no house plants - gliders might eat them. They are also likely to mark or go potty while out. Some gliders will chew on furniture, carpets, electrical cords and almost anything else.

  They may sound like destruction machines. And, they can be just that! However, it is extremely important to the well-being of your pets that they get daily out-of-cage play time. We recommend choosing one room which can be completely "glider-proofed" and using this as their play space.

• Sugar gliders should not be taken outside
  No matter how tame your sugar gliders may be - even if they respond when you call - they should never be taken outside unless securely confined.

  Extremely curious animals, they will go off exploring and are likely to become confused, disoriented or frightened. This will result in your pet hiding or going even farther. It is unlikely you would ever find your pet and it is unlikely he will survive outside on his own. We can think of no sadder fate than a friendly, happy pet getting loose and dying from starvation, exposure or cat attack.

• Sugar gliders are not hamsters
  If you are looking for a pet which will happily live life in a cage, with only minimal care and interaction, sugar gliders aren't the right choice for you.

  Sugar gliders will not be happy or healthy if kept confined to a cage and denied the attention they deserve. This is true no matter how big the cage may be. If you do not have the time or desire to provide the attention sugar gliders require, don't get them as pets. It would be unfair to the animal and you.

Choosing your new sugar glider

A recently weaned sugar glider which has received daily handling from about one week out of the pouch is the best choice for a new pet. At this age a well-socialized sugar glider will readily transfer that friendliness to his new human and will most readily adjust to a new home.

A Tip From Michelle If you are unable to locate a joey at least 8 - 10 weeks out of the pouch, we suggest selecting friendliness over age. Early handling is important in insuring your pet will be as friendly as possible. A friendly glider - even if a bit older - will make a better pet than a frightened, unsocialized younger animal.

Finding a sugar glider which is just weaned and has received a lot of prior handling can sometimes be difficult. In most cases, a glider less than 10 weeks out of the pouch will quickly become socialized with just a small amount of effort.

Whenever possible, get both gliders at the same time. There are some breeders who insist a single glider will bond more readily with his new humans. We have found just the opposite to be true. When a glider has the companionship of his own kind, he will be more confident and willing to trust humans.

If your new pets are already well-socialized, it should only take a day or two for them to adjust to their new environment and be as friendly as they were when you first met them. In addition, getting both at the same time prevents the first glider from developing an "ownership" of the cage, which could lead to difficulties introducing a companion, especially with older animals.

Your new pets should be friendly, eating well on their own, have clear eyes and no nasal discharge. If the tail is not bushy, the glider is too young to have been weaned. A sugar glider should be at least 6 weeks out of the pouch before being weaned. This translates to almost 4 months old. Never get a glider younger than this.

Ask the seller lots of questions, and know the answers before you do so. If at all possible, visit the breeding facility. Small, dirty cages, unhealthy looking animals or a seller who cannot answer your questions correctly are sure signs that this is not a good source for your pets.

We recommend not getting sugar gliders from a pet store. Even if the store is committed to providing the best care possible for their animals, it is impossible to compensate for the high-stress, noisy environment.

Glider cages

When it comes to glider cages, the bigger the better. Also, height is more important than depth or width. We recomend a minum size of 3 food high, 2 foot deep, and 2 foot wide as a very minum.

This is a good size for happy gliders, but is based on the assumption that the animals will have plenty of play-time outside their cage. A pvc wire-mesh cage should have spacing of no more than 1/2 inch by 1 inch. A finch cage is also a good choice since the bars are close enough to prevent escape.

Furnish the cage with non-toxic branches for climbing and gnawing. A nine to twelve inch exercise wheel will be used by most gliders, especially if introduced to them at a young age. Also, be sure to provide your pets with a snug, comfortable sleeping spot. A wooden nest box for finches works well, but will need to be replaced occasionally.

Play time

When kept as a pet, some of the primary activities of any animal - such as finding food - are eliminated. Without such activities, your pet can easily become bored. To help prevent this when in their cage, be sure to provide your glider pals an interesting environment.

In addition to branches and an exercise wheel, some sugar gliders also enjoy a variety of toys designed for birds. Be sure they are safe for your pets. Ropes to climb and some toys designed for small rodents will also be appreciated by your pets.

Daily out-of-cage play-time is important for sugar gliders. If you are unable or unwilling to provide this, don't get sugar gliders! Gliders deprived this daily play-time won't be happy, healthy, or friendly.

Even an extremely large cage will not provide the same exercise potential as regular out-of-cage time. Sugar gliders are curious animals by nature. A different environment will encourage them to explore, leap, hop, jump, and run in a way they wouldn't when in the familiar surroundings of their cage. A "glider-proof" room for your pet is a good idea.

Health

Sugar gliders are generally hardy animals when properly fed, kept in a warm environment and provided adequate daily exercise.

We recommend an annual veterinarian visit for all sugar gliders, during which a basic physical exam is conducted. Not only will these annual exams alert you to any concerns which may be developing, they can also be an important source of information on the care of your pets and provide a "baseline" of comparison if a problem was to develop in the future.

 

Welch, Paul DVM - Forest Trails Animal Hospital

(918) 299-8448

6528 E 101st St Ste A
Tulsa, OK 74133

 

This is the Vet we take our gliders to and highly recomend him.

“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.”
— Anatole France