Australian Sugar Gliders are marsupials (warm-blooded animals with pouches like kangaroos and opossums). Sugar gliders are found in Australia, New Guinea, and South Australia. They spend most of their time in trees, licking tree sap. Sugar gliders have gliding membranes on both sides of their bodies that extend from their wrists to their ankles, allowing them to glide through forest canopies. They are now kept as pets because of their cute appearance, clinginess, and portability, earning them the nickname "little sugar".
Also known as: flying squirrels. Sugar gliders, like flying squirrels, have thin membranes between their forelimbs and hindlimbs, allowing them to perform long-distance flights from treetops. When sugar gliders fly, they first look into the distance with their eyes and smell the air, then they make preparatory movements before taking off. When not flying, the thin membranes shrink and hang beside their bodies. Sugar gliders have long, slender fingers and sharp nails, which are conducive to climbing. They are omnivorous and their diet is primarily focused on protein, with a preference for sweets. Wild sugar gliders enjoy eating various insects, especially during breeding season, when more than 50% of their diet consists of protein-rich foods. In addition to insects, they also enjoy fruits and tree sap.
Chinese name: Sugar Glider
Latin name: Petaurus breviceps
Also known as: Australian Flying Kangaroo, Sugar Pouch
Binomial name: Petaurus breviceps
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Marsupialia
Family: Petauridae
Genus: Petaurus
Distribution: Australia, New Guinea, and South Australia
In southern China, people sometimes see a peculiar animal that can glide from one tree to another. Studies have found that they are a kind of mammal related to squirrels called squirrels and flying squirrels. There are also gliding animals in Australia, but they all have a pouch on their bodies, so they are called marsupials. In fact, marsupials are a branch of marsupials that have developed in the air. Some of them are like members of the squirrel family in the rodent family, capable of gliding short distances between trees. Why can marsupials glide in the air?
Originally, marsupials have large and furry membranes on their limbs and sides, which allows them to fly. For example, the smallest marsupial, the sugar glider, has a membrane similar to the flying membrane of squirrels between the wrist of the front limb and the ankle of the hind limb, also called a "winglike fold". With this membrane and feather-like tail, they can glide a distance in the air using wind or air currents. Their long tail can act as a fifth limb, wrapping deftly around branches like a South American spider monkey, allowing them to hang upside down from branches and use their front limbs to catch small insects and eat nectar.
For small pet lovers, it is recommended to keep Sugar Gliders. Sugar gliders are nocturnal animals and are close to herbivorous omnivorous animals. Evening is the best feeding time. In their natural environment, they prefer sweet-tasting food, such as flowers, nectar, pollen, etc. They also eat tree buds, sap, leaves, seeds, and insects are also one of their food sources. In artificial breeding, in addition to supplying commercially available food, you can also provide them with sweet foods such as fruits and nectar that they like according to their food preferences in the natural environment as a source of food supplementation. Avoid feeding them frozen food, as it can easily lead to death.
Cataracts
The Sugar Glider is a cute and small "big-eyed" creature, with a pair of agile and adorable big eyes. However, some Sugar Gliders are born with congenital cataracts, and their pupils appear white or cloudy.
The cause of cataracts in Sugar Gliders may be a hereditary disease. In the statistical treatment cases of Sugar Gliders, it is not difficult to find that the probability of Sugar Glider offspring suffering from cataracts is greatly increased when female Sugar Gliders are obese or malnourished during pregnancy. This may be due to a lack of vitamin A or a high sugar content in their diet, as well as diabetes in female Gliders. Non-congenital cataracts may be caused by a lack of vitamin A.
Corneal Damage
Sugar Gliders often move and glide between trees in the wild. Their eyes are prominent and vulnerable to corneal injuries during their movements. Therefore, in the process of artificially raising Sugar Gliders, it is not recommended to use homogeneous bedding such as wood shavings, as this type of bedding can have a certain impact on the eye and respiratory health of Sugar Gliders.
Dental Calculus and Periodontal Disease
Sugar Gliders have large incisors similar to rabbits, but their incisors do not continue to grow. Therefore, Sugar Gliders do not need to maintain the proper length of their incisors by gnawing and grinding. Artificially raised Sugar Gliders have diverse dietary conditions and rich food contents and components. Therefore, Sugar Gliders are prone to develop dental calculus and other periodontal diseases. When necessary, owners can seek professional veterinarians to perform oral cleaning and other professional treatments to maintain the oral and dental health of Sugar Gliders.
Enteritis and Prolapse
Sugar Gliders, like most mammals, may also be infected with bacteria, viruses, or parasites. These bacteria, viruses, and parasites are the main causes of intestinal inflammation in small mammals. Infection with enteritis can cause severe diarrhea or even prolapse and other abnormal conditions. When pets have such abnormal conditions, owners need to promptly provide relevant medical interventions and treatments to prevent serious problems such as intestinal inflammation or necrosis.
Muscle Weakness
Individual Sugar Gliders have certain requirements for nutrient intake. When Sugar Gliders lack calcium and nutrients such as vitamin A, E, and D, they may experience muscle weakness or even spasms and paralysis. This will affect the daily activities of Sugar Gliders. Therefore, when raising Sugar Gliders, it is important to pay attention to the balance of their diet and provide a diverse range of food options.
Tumors
Due to their genetic characteristics, Sugar Gliders have a higher incidence of tumor diseases in the lymphatic system. These tumors occurring in the lymphatic system can cause certain damages to the organs of the pet, such as the spleen, liver, and kidneys. When Sugar Gliders suffer from such diseases, the mortality rate is higher.
Skin Problems and Inflammation of the Pouch
The skin health of Sugar Gliders not only relies on daily nutrition support but also depends on a clean living environment. When the breeding conditions of Sugar Gliders change, such as unclean breeding environment, malnutrition, infection, etc., their skin health will be affected, leading to inflammation, redness, and other related skin problems. The pouch of female Gliders may also become inflamed and experience related issues due to infections caused by bacteria, fungi, water infiltration, etc.
Australian Sugar Glider Feeding Tips
Sugar gliders are social animals, typical members of a group, including a dominant male glider, two subordinate male gliders, and four mature female gliders. As long as there is sufficient food and family members can get along peacefully, the number of the group can reach up to 12. In other words, when artificially breeding sugar gliders as pets, at least a pair should be kept. Sugar gliders without companions may engage in self-mutilation due to boredom. Newly born sugar gliders are hairless and weigh only 200 milligrams (about the size and weight of a small capsule). They stay in their mother's pouch until they are 70 days old and open their eyes, at which time their fur also grows completely. At this stage, young gliders can leave their mother's pouch and explore the environment. Before this age, if the female glider unfortunately dies or the young glider falls out of the pouch accidentally, the survival chance of artificially breeding hairless young gliders is almost zero. Therefore, the owner must not forcibly open the pouch of the female glider out of curiosity, so as to avoid the death of the young gliders.
The following are six feeding tips for raising Australian sugar gliders:
1. They are very sensitive to insecticides, cedar shavings, poisonous plants, direct strong light, and other animals.
2. The mesh size of the bottom of the cage should not be too large, and the wire spacing is best between 1 and 1.2 centimeters.
3. It is best not to use nest with round hole-like openings in the cage, as it may provoke sugar gliders. It is best to have two to three sleeping bags made of cotton-like material instead of using towels because the fibers may cause injuries.
4. Eucalyptus branches must be placed in the cage to prevent dental diseases and maintain physical health.
5. The diet should consist of 75% vegetables and fruits and 25% other protein sources. Occasionally, give some miscellaneous foods and vitamin minerals.
6. It is best not to use wood shavings as bedding, because some wood shavings contain volatile oils which can cause respiratory allergies in sugar gliders, and they may also cause intestinal obstruction if the gliders mistakenly ingest them, which is difficult to treat!
Feeding Environment for Australian Sugar Gliders
Because sugar gliders rest during the day and are active at night, combined with their unique body structure, there are many special considerations in the selection of cages and supplies. Sugar gliders are also known as Australian flying pouches, sugar bears, and sugar babies. They are cute in appearance, clingy, and portable, becoming more and more people's "sweethearts." Sugar gliders have a membrane between their front and rear limbs. With this membrane, they can glide like flying squirrels, leaping from high places and gliding a distance of 50 meters in the air. Therefore, a large living environment is more ideal. Generally speaking, the minimum size for non-pet glider cages is 1.8 meters long, 1.2 meters wide, and 1.8 meters high. To prevent sugar gliders from squeezing out of the cage, the cage mesh should not be larger than 1x2.5 centimeters.
1. Water dispenser: Although sugar gliders do not drink a large amount of water, the selection of water dispensers should still correspond to the number of gliders being bred.
2. Nest box: Wooden nest boxes will be chewed by sugar gliders. Although they are quickly damaged, they are very suitable for sugar gliders to use, and they also have a beneficial effect on dental health. In addition, some habits of sugar gliders can easily cause the nest box to become dirty, messy, and smelly, so please regularly replace it.
3. Branches: Setting up branches allows sugar gliders to climb and increase their exercise, and the friction with the trees can wear down their nails to avoid excessive length.
4. Feeding bowl: Sugar gliders have a habit of carrying food back to the nest box where they feel safe, so the feeding bowl should be cleaned every day and fresh food should be provided.
5. Baseboard: It is recommended to separate sugar gliders' excrement from their living environment. A cage with a mesh bottom can be used, so that the excrement will fall onto the plastic tray below. Newspapers can be placed on the plastic tray for easy cleaning.
6. Secure latch: You may not believe it, but sugar gliders' hands are really very dexterous, and they can easily open the cage door. Therefore, the cage door must be locked with a latching ring to prevent sugar gliders from escaping in the dark.
Feeding Requirements for Australian Sugar Gliders
Sugar gliders are omnivorous animals, and their diet is more focused on protein-rich foods and they love to eat sweets. Wild sugar gliders like to eat various insects, especially during breeding, when their protein intake can exceed 50%. In addition to insects, they also like to eat fruits and tree sap. Sugar gliders are nocturnal animals, close to herbivorous omnivores. Evening is the best time to feed them. In their natural environment, they prefer foods with a sweet taste, such as flowers, nectar, pollen, etc. They also eat tree buds, tree sap, leaves, seeds, and insects. In artificial breeding, in addition to supplying commercially available food, you can provide them with their favorite sweet foods such as fruits and nectar as supplementary food sources. Avoid feeding them frozen food, as it can easily lead to death. You can also feed them pineapple, peach, strawberry, cantaloupe, papaya, apricot, pumpkin, fruit juice, blueberries, dried fruit, peanuts, raisins, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, dried peas, and almonds.
Principles to note when feeding sugar gliders: 1. The protein content should not be less than 25%, and during the breeding period, it is best to exceed 50%. 2. Clean drinking water should be provided regularly. 3. Calcium and other vitamins and minerals should be supplemented regularly. 4. Give less fatty and sugary foods.
To bathe the Australian sugar glider, first rinse its whole body with clean water. Then, apply a mild soap to its body, being careful to use gentle motions and avoid its eyes and ears. Try not to let the soapy water flow into them. After that, rinse off the soap with warm water directly from the body. This will complete the bathing process. Before bathing the sugar glider, pay attention to the environment temperature which should be maintained at around 20 degrees Celsius. Also, be mindful of the water temperature, which should be adjusted to be close to body temperature. After bathing, use a hairdryer to dry its fur instead of letting it air dry naturally. This is because air drying can easily cause a cold. After drying, you can wrap it in a clean towel or apply some moisturizing oil.
Pet Encyclopedia
