Q: What the heck is a sugar glider, and how do you take care of them? My kid wants one.
Is a sugar glider a good pet for a kid?
By Marty Becker
July 7, 2023 at 12:55PM
A: Sugar gliders (Petaurus breviceps) are interesting animals. The small, arboreal, nocturnal marsupials are native to New Guinea and Australia. And while they're certainly cute (bearing a strong resemblance to Baby Yoda), there are pros and cons to keeping them as pets.
In a lecture at the North American Veterinary Conference earlier this year, my colleague Grayson A. Doss, DVM, a zoological medicine specialist, described them as "tiny but ferocious flyers." In the wild, they live in groups, so they need at least one companion. Their lifespan is 10 to 14 years.
Playful, smart and curious, well-socialized sugar gliders can enjoy cuddling and attention. If you get one as a pet, plan to spend a lot of time with them in the evening, when they're active.
While they can bond closely to family members, sugar gliders don't give strangers a warm welcome, often responding to handling with biting; vocalizations such as barking, hissing or screeching; and urination.
Their ability to squeeze through tiny openings makes them escape artists. They also enjoy chewing and need tough toys that they can't tear apart and swallow.
In their natural habitat, sugar gliders are insectivores. As a pet in a home, a commercial pelleted food accompanied by fruits and vegetables, properly gut-loaded feeder insects and regular calcium and multivitamin supplements are the best choices.
Because obesity is a common problem in the species, it's important to avoid giving them excessive amounts of fruit, which is high in sugar, and insects, which are high in fat.
As in so many species, male sugar gliders are usually larger than females. Males should be neutered to avoid self-mutilation.
Sugar gliders readily bite, so they must be handled carefully and appropriately by children, adults and veterinary professionals.
Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.
about the writer
Marty Becker
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