Sugar Glider Appearance/ Behavior

• Sugar Gliders are small mammals that have thick, soft fur that is usually a blue-grey in color; some are also yellow, tan, white and albino. They have a black stripe that runs the full length of their spine. There belly, throat, and chest are cream colored.

• Has large bulging eyes to help them see at night. Because they are nocturnal their eyes are more sensitive to bright light.

• They have hairless ears that swivel independently and are in constant motion to pick up sounds and help locate prey in the dark.

• Sugar Gliders have 5 digits. All digits except the opposable thumb on the hind feet have a claw. On the hind feet you will also notice that their second and third toes are partially fused together, forming a grooming comb. They will scratch themselves with this comb and then bring the foot to their mouth, clean it, and repeat the process over and over. It will sound like they are constantly sneezing but what they really are doing is spitting into their hands to clean themselves. You will probably observe them rubbing their noses, heads, and ears while making this sneezing noise.

• Sugar Gliders have the ability to glide from a membrane called patagia. It extends between their fifth finger of each hand to the first toe of each foot. Their tail is used for stability and balance and acts as a rudder to control the direction of flight. They glide up to 50 meters.

• The adult Sugar Glider weighs between 4-6 ounces, the males being larger than the females.

• Sugar Gliders have 4 scent glands. They are located on their forehead, chest, and two near their cloaca. These scent glands are used for marking purposes, mostly by the males. On Male Sugar Gliders they have one scent gland, which is a blad diamond shaped spot and a bald spot inbetween their front legs on their chest. They also have 2 scent glands near the cloaca. The females scent glands are located near their genital area and pouch.

Male Sugar Glider                                                   Female Sugar Glider Scent Glands                                                               

• Male Sugar Gliders reach maturity at 4-12 months of age. The development of the bald spots caused by active scent glands is a sign he has reached sexual maturity. You can tell the male apart from the female by their genitalia. The male Sugar Glider has a bifurcated penis which means it is divided into two. It is long, thin, and pink, and is often mistaken for a worm or intestine. They can also be identified by the scrotum that has the appearance of a wart where you would expect to find a belly button.

• The Female Sugar Glider reach maturity between 8-12 months. Females can be identified by their pouch. The pouch is viewed as a vertical slit where you would expect to find a belly button. Female Sugar Gliders have two seperate vaginae and cervixes and a divided uterus. This allows the female Sugar Glider to maintain babies of different developmental stages. Each milk gland works individually allowing her to be able to change and support each baby at their stage of development. She will give birth to one (19%) or two (81%) joeys per litter.The gestation period is 15-17 days, after which the joey(\(\(\(s) will crawl into their mother's pouch for further development. The younger the female, the higher the risk is of her neglecting her babies.

​Socialization in Gliders/Humans

• Sugar Gliders are very social animals. They will engage in social grooming, which in addition to improving hygiene and health, also helps bond the colony and establish group identity. Within a colony there is typically no fighting beyond threatening behaviors.

• Sugar Gliders do require a significant amount of attention because they can become lonely, depressed, or stressed.If they become lonely or stressed they can overgroom, or even self mutilate. Loneliness is NOT the only possible cause of self mutilating so be aware it could be something different. 

• In extreme cases on Sugar Gliders being lonely, depressed or stressed they have been known to stop eating and basically "loose the will to live". 

• Some Sugar Gliders are ok when left alone, but they are more prone to obesity and boredom. From the lack of playing and stimulation that another Sugar Glider or human provide, some Sugar Gliders may over eat. There are few cases where the Sugar Glider was perfectly fine by itself, but that it truly rare.

Vocal Sounds/Meanings

Bark

• This sounds much like a puppy or small dog yipping.

• This is one of the common sounds you may hear them make. They make this sound for many reasons such as: introducing themselves to a new Sugar Glider, just to hear themselves "talk", because they want attention from their human and want to play, if your late with their dinner they may let you know with this bark as well, if a female goes in heat the male may bark to get her attention, might be a warning sound or possible story telling.

Crabbing

• This is the noise they make right before they decide to bite (if they are feeling threatened or scared).

• They tend to make this noise when freightened, agitated, angry, or just trying to scare you.

• Crabbing is hard to describe but it is a very loud screeching sound and makes them sound like they are much bigger than they actually are. Alot of the times it works too.

• Some Sugar Gliders crab just because they are vocal.

Hissing

• This sound when they make it depends on what they are doing. Joeys will often hiss at one another if they feel crowded or are fighting for mom and dad's attention.

• Very short and deliberate hisses can be the sound of constipation or urinary tract infection. If you see your Sugar Glider with their tail straight up in the air and hunched over, chances are they are having a hard time going to the bathroom. If they do not stop that within a couple days this problem will need to be addressed to your vet.

• Slightly longer interval hisses could mean your Sugar Glider is annoyed or do not like something.

• Very long and drawn out intervals means they want another one near them or their human. This means "Come here Right Now!"

Purr

• This sound few people get a chance to hear because it is a very faint sound that sounds much like a small kitten purr. 

• Your chances of being able to hear them purr depends on the trust that your Sugar Glider and yourself builr between one another.

Chattering/Clicking

• Your Sugar Glider will make these very short, very quick clicking sounds, much like a squirrel clicking when they are content and feel safe in their surroundings. You hear it mostly when they wake up which can be interpretted as "Good Morning" or "Hello, Glad to see you".

• Do not confuse this clicking sound with the popping sound you would hear if your Sugar Glider has pneumonia or and upper respiratory infection. Be sure to know the difference.

Chirping

• You will hear this sound most likely when you give them something to eat that they really like. This sound is like a gurbuling sound. It means that they are happy and content.

Crying

• This sound is mostly heard with the seperation from cage mates, family, or moving into a new home. Baby joeys are generally the ones heard making this noise.

Singing

• Sugar Glider mothers will sing to their babies while they are still in the pouch. It sound very much like a churble and changes in sounds and pitches. Like our music, no two songs are the same. It is a very sweet sound and you will love this sound if you get to hear it.

Fighting/Attacking/Mating

• They use a short burst attack vocalization when they attack you through their pouch, attack each other while getting introduced or just fighting in general,while showing dominance, and possibly during mating.

• If you are introdusing them and they make this noise be sure to watch them closely because this sound could mean death of one.