Image of a sugarglider
Courtesy of Dawson/Wikimedia Commons
Whenever I talk about my pet sugar glider to my friends, they ask me, "What is that?"
A sugar glider is a small, gliding marsupial that looks like a tiny monkey or a flying squirrel. They can jump and glide from tree to tree. Sugar gliders can hang upside down to eat their food, and like to live in large groups, called colonies. They are nocturnal, so they sleep all day and play all night. The male sugar glider is missing fur on the top of his head and chest where his scent gland is.
My sugar glider is as gentle as a bunny and as playful as a kitten. He has the biggest eyes and pinkest nose and can bark like a small chihuahua. He also makes a hissing sound like a snake with hiccups.
Sugar gliders are social creatures that can bond easily with their owners. In captivity, they can live up to 10 or 12 years. Sugar gliders are omnivores and their diet includes eucalyptus sap, nectar, a wide variety of insects and fruits.
Sugar gliders can be a handful and they aren't your average pet. The sugar glider needs a lot of commitment and loving care!