Meet one of Australias cutest babies.
The Sugar Glider.
Often named in "10 exotic animals you can have as pets" lists, the sugar glider is known best and foremost for being both cute, and for it's ability to glide through the air.
The sugar glider is in the marsupial family, same as it's cousins the kangaroo, the koala and it's much closer cousins, possums.
The sugar glider is also not the only glider native to Australia. It is simply the face of our gliders and as such is one of four gliders that are not threatened. Sadly, the greater glider and mahogony glider ARE threatened and are in need of help to get their numbers back up.
https://www.fauna.com.au/web_pages/animals/marsupials/greater_glider.html
For more information on the mahogany and greater glider please visit the above two links.
Reproduction.
The sugar glider is a part of the marsupial family and as such raises it's young in a forward facing pouch on the females abdomen. The young are born looking like deformed jelly beans, and stay within that pouch for 60 days, their eyes opening after 80 days, and even at that very moment they are born are stronger and braver than you could ever hope to be.
This is a newborn sugar glider joey. They are born outside of their pouch and seconds after leaving the womb they climb up their mothers body and into their pouch to latch onto one of their mothers four nipples. At this size. Looking like this.
That would be like climbing up a rock wall without safety equipment, with your arms tied from your elbows to your bodies, missing most of the use in your legs, and blind. And with lots and lots of hairs sticking to your body because you are, of course, covered in blood and mucus from your mothers bits.
...yeah.
As a Pet.
Ugh, I hate when people overseas start going "Oh I have a sugar glider as a pet!" "Oh, did you know you can have a suger glider as a pet? I love exotic animals!"
Western Australia, New South Wales, The ACT, Queensland and Tasmania all prohibit the owning of sugar gliders. These are all Australian states and territories.
Sugar Gliders are native to Australia.
Exactly why does the rest of the world allow the ownage of an animal that can't be owned in half of it's native country?
Pft.
Sugar Gliders are popular as an exotic pet around the world, it is one of THE MOST COMMONLY traded animals in the illegal pet trade. Sugar Gliders are especially popular in the US where they are bred in captivity to be sold as pets.
They are considered to be about as intelligent as dogs, and as such if trained properly can learn to come when called and perform many tricks.
When fed the correct diet, sugar gliders tend to have very little smell, they keep themselves clean so very rarely will they need to be washed and will bond VERY strongly to their owner if treated properly, it can take up to three months for a sugar glider to bond with you. They will even bond with any other pets you own. (dogs and cats are not natural predators of sugar gliders and will typically not know what to make of the critter rather than try to eat it. Personally, I still wouldn't risk it).
So that's all pretty positive, here's the downsides to owning sugar gliders.
You have to own more than one. Sugar gliders are social creatures, they live in family groups of up to seven adults. So to own just one sugar glider, keeping it away from its own kind is a little like owning just one bird. It's cruel and your animal will not be properly socialised. Sugar gliders cost up to five hundred each, which isn't terrible especially for an exotic animal, but will add up.
Like hedgehogs, sugar gliders are high maintenance animals and will need plenty of vet visits. But guess what, most vets are not equipped with the knowledge to treat your sugar glider. Say hello to expensive vet bills when it comes to finding someone who knows what they're doing.
Sugar gliders are nocturnal and very verbal animals. If you think a dog barking all night is bad, dogs go to sleep eventually. Not so with the glider.
They have the lifespan of a dog or cat. There are so many people not able to deal with the low maintenance of those animals. Just... it's one thing to see a dog in a shelter, I'd rather not see something as helpless as a glider there too. A dog can bite to protect itself, what can the glider do?
Ahem, this is more a point for guys wanting sugar gliders. It is amazing how many drown in the toilet. Most men can't even put the seat down, let alone the lid.
Fun Facts
The sugar glider’s scientific name is Petaurus breviceps, which means ‘short-headed rope dancer’.
Sugar gliders are relatively small animals, growing to around 24 – 30 cm (12-13 inches) in length, including their long tails.
The sugar glider has 5 digits on each hand. Its hind feet each have an opposable finger, allowing the sugar glider to grip onto branches. (yes, the sugar glider has four hands rather than four feet. Better digits than even monkeys!)
The sugar glider’s tail is long and flat and helps the animal to balance and steer while it is gliding. The tail is also partially prehensile (able to grip) and is used to carry leaves into its nest.
Sugar gliders use their limbs, tail and torsos to control their flight, and land with all four hands held out to grab the tree.
Sugar gliders can glide for considerable distances. Their flights have been measured at over 45 metres (around 150 feet).
Sugar gliders are omnivores, which means that their diet consists of plants and animals. They have a varied diet, which changes according to the season.
Sugar gliders are opportunistic feeders, and will also eat lizards and small birds. Their predation of the endangered swift parrot’s nestlings is a threat to the bird’s survival.
Known (and named) for their liking of sweet foods, sugar gliders eat gum, sap and nectar from trees and plants. In the summer, insects form the main part of their diet.
So there you have it! The Sugar glider!
Honestly I'm quite enjoying writing up these takes for you guys, it's fun to learn about my own critters. I know so much about lions and tigers and bears (oh my). But not a whole lot about the guys closest to home!
https://www.girlsaskguys.com/other/q2298354-what-aussie-animal-do-you-want-to-know-more-about
To vote for which animal I should write about next, please check the above poll!
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