PET'S WORLD - Sugar Glider

Sugar Glider @ Petaurus breviceps (Pet-ar-us Brevi-seps)

The sugar glider is a small, omnivorous, arboreal gliding possum belonging to the marsupial 

infraclass.

The common name refers to its preference for sugary nectarous foods and ability to glide 

through the air, much like a flying squirrel.

Sugar Gliders are nocturnal. They sleep during the day and are very lively during the night. They can

glide distances of anywhere from 50 to 100 meters at a time from tree to tree. Sugar Gliders use

their tail to help steer their bodys.

They can be found where there is enough rainfall in both damp and dry forests. Usually in these

places there are acacia gum plants all around.

Sugar Gliders are very playful with their group. They eat the gum and sap from acacias and

eucalyptus (uc-allep-tus.) They also eat a large variety of different insects.

Sugar Gliders breed from July to November because there is a lot of food around for them in this

season. When young are hungry they leave their nest with their father or mother.

Life Span:

Sugar gliders live about 10-15 years in captivity.

Natural Distribution:

Sugar gliders are native to Australia (Eastern part), Papua New Guinea and parts of Indonesia.

What they Eat?

fruits like apples, cantaloupes, and pears need to be cut/chopped into small pieces as well as a 

variety of vegetables like carrots, corn, and cucumbers. When preparing these, you can

decide either a single kind or a variety of fruits and vegetables as long as you feed them

different kinds each day.

Sources of Protein

As insectivores, they eat things like meal-worms, Grasshoppers and crickets. Just like feeding fruits 

and vegetables, you also want to feed them a different kind each day as long as you feed them a

gut load. However, young sugar gliders, also known as joeys, are not ready to consume this source

of  protein. As substitutes, sugar gliders can be fed animal protein, such as chicken and feeder

mice. Prior to feeding, you need to take serious consideration into fat intake since excess fat 

will present heath problems for sugar gliders.

Diet Supplements

Sugar gliders' diets should also involve occasional intake of vitamins and calcium. You can mix both 

elements into any portion of fruits, vegetables, and protein. While doing so, you need to be 

careful not to overdose the vitamins. Another thing to watch is the importance of calcium

supplements for sugar gliders' health. They need to be 2:1 calcium to phosphorus ratio in order to 

prevent hind-leg paralysis.

What Not to Feed

Besides canned products and food high in fat, here are some things that should not be fed due to 

its toxicity or lack of nutritional value:

Wild insects: One may catch them around the yard or around the house, but they may have parasites

or pesticides on them.

Seeds or nuts: Besides the high fat content, they can provide choking risk.

Chocolate: It may contain caffeine, which can cause a toxic chemical reaction.

Colours of Sugar Gliders