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Sugar glider Facts

Sugar glider Facts
Sugar glider is tiny marsupial. It can be found in Australia, Tasmania, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Sugar glider can survive in different types of forests, but it prefers forests of eucalyptus and acacia. Name "sugar glider" originates from the fact that this animal likes to eat sugar and that it can glide through the air. Sugar gliders are very social and enjoy company of people. Because of that, they are often kept as pets. Habitat loss due to deforestation is a major threat for the survival of sugar gliders in the wild. Luckily, population of sugar gliders is large and stable and they are not on the list of endangered species.
Interesting Sugar glider Facts:
Sugar glider can reach 5 to 6 inches in length and up to 4 ounces of weight. It has 7 inches long tail.
Sugar glider is covered with soft grey, yellow or tan fur. Throat, chest and belly are creamy in color. It has single dark stripe that stretches from nose to tail.
Sugar glider has large eyes that provide excellent night vision.
Sugar glider is nocturnal animal (active during the night).
Sugar glider is arboreal animal (spends its life on the trees).
Sugar glider is an omnivore (it eats plants and animals). Its diet consists of insects, lizards, small birds and their eggs and small mammals. It also consumes tree sap, flowers and nectar.
Sugar glider glides from tree to tree using the membrane that stretches from the wrist to the ankle. Size and shape of this “parachute” can be changed by modifying the position of the legs. Sugar gliders use tail as a rudder during the flight.
Sugar gliders can glide a distance of up to 148.9 feet. Sharp claws ensure strong grip of the nearby branches and safe landing.
Sugar gliders are very social animals. They live in groups of 7 or more members. Dominant male in the group uses scent glands to mark all the members of the group.
Sugar gliders are territorial animal that live on a territory of 2.5 acres. They fiercely defend their home against intruders.
Sugar gliders are very vocal. They produce high-pitched noise, screams and hissing sounds.
Mating season takes place from June to January, with a peak in June and November, when the food is abundant.
Pregnancy lasts 16 days and ends with one or two poorly developed babies (called joeys). Babies crawl into the mother’s pouch where they will continue to develop during the next 40 days. Young sugar gliders leave the pouch after 60 or 70 days but they stay with their mother until they reach the age of 10 months.
Sugar gliders reach sexual maturity at the age of 8 to 15 months. They reproduce once or twice per year, depending on the climate conditions and available food.
Sugar gliders can survive up to 9 years in the wild and usually up to 12 years in captivity.


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