A Sugar Glider, also known as Sugar Bears or Honey Gliders, are marsupials indigenous to Australia, New Guinea, and the surrounding islands called the Bismarck Archipelago. They are quite popular as exotic pets in the United States, and are illegal in four of those states.
There are many Glider fun facts, such as its sweet tooth and amazing acrobatic feats. Aside from protein-loaded insects, they also enjoy sweet sap or nectar from trees and plants. They can literally glide through the air like a kite, with their arms and legs stretched out and it's tail used for steering. A thin membrane connects its wrists and ankles, giving the glider a kite-like appearance when in flight. In this manner, they can sail up to 328 feet at a time, moving through the trees very quickly. Their vocalization is commonly described as a “yip yip yip.”
Other glider fun facts are they can be great pets for devoted people. In many ways their mannerisms and behaviors mimic both cats and dogs but are more commonly similar to a dog. As a pet, they are very playful and enjoy spending a lot of quality time with their owner. Even the simple act of spending time in their owner’s pocket throughout the day is an enjoyable and affectionate experience. Also similar to dogs, they can be taught tricks. They are very clean, like cats, and want their living environment free of waste. Unlike cats, they cannot be trained to use a litter box. But, similar to canine companions they will signal their owner when it’s time to go, once properly trained.
Gliders also have a bad reputation as being a smelly pet. A neutered glider that is fed a proper pet diet will not have offensive odors. Proper diets for pet gliders are lower in protein and sweets, which tend to be the culprit for odors, while providing proper nutrition. When properly socialized, gliders rarely bite. If they do, the bite is like a hard pinch, unlike other small pets such as hamsters and gerbils with very sharp teeth that can break the skin.
Many of the negative aspects of owning a sugar glider can be negated if they are purchased from reputable places that breed them as pets. Gliders are commonly plucked from the wild and illegally sold as pets. Since these gliders are not meant to live in captivity, the results can be overwhelming and detrimental to both animal and human. Having a glider that was captured in the wild is illegal. While that does not matter to a person in the U.S. it demonstrates the seriousness of obtaining one these animals in the correct way.
As mentioned earlier in this article, there are four states that do not allow the ownership of sugar gliders. One of these states is California and like ferrets, to own one means breaking the law.
If you are serious about getting a glider make sure it is legal in your state and above all else please get them from a federally licensed breeder which will insure that you are getting a healthy and happy glider.
My name is Allan Stewart and I have several websites dedicated to health and well being for people and pets.
Want to learn more about sugar gliders: sugar gliders facts Or visit my website at Sugar Glider Care for more facts about sugar gliders. Also see my other article for an Online Business:
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Showing posts with label glider facts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label glider facts. Show all posts
Monday, September 26, 2011
5 Important Sugar Glider Facts
Too Sweet: The Care and Raising of Sugar Gliders which are tiny, gliding possums native to Australia and are now commonly kept as pets, especially in the United States, require some special care. Here are some facts.
Arboreal and Nocturnal
Gliders are arboreal marsupials that eat insects, mice and birds and suck the sap of certain wattle, gum and eucalyptus trees. They get their name because the sap it enjoys is sweet, and of course, it glides through the air. They look like a squirrel and have a tail that's as long as its body. They have plush fur that's most commonly a silvery blue color, though some albino gliders are found. They have a black stripe all the way down their back and its dorsal side is cream colored. The glider's little face also has pretty black markings.
Males are larger than the females and the average weight is about four to six ounces. While the glider's most attractive features are its small size and huge eyes that are good for its nocturnal lifestyle, its most distinct feature is the membrane that stretches from its fifth finger to its big toe. This is called the patagium and lets the animal glide from 164 to 490 feet. The tail and legs are used as rudders and the membrane, depending on its angle, is used like a sail. The glider's flight is accurate enough for it to snatch insects out of midair.
More Important Facts:
These animals have scent glands. The males have them on their heads and chests and use them to mark their territory. Females have scent glands near their pouches and their genital areas. The scent glands on the male's head looks like a little bald spot. Like all marsupials, the female also has a pouch in her abdomen to carry her young which, like kangaroo babies, are called joeys. Gliders usually live in colonies of fifteen to thirteen animals, who communicate with a wide variety of calls, from chirps to barks to a weird rattling sound called crabbing.
Male gliders reach sexual maturity when they're around nine to ten months old. Females take a little longer. However, some gliders are able to reproduce as early as four months of age. In the wild they only live from four to six years, but in captivity they can live twice that length if they're well cared for. Sugar gliders have oppose able toes and fingers, two of which are fused together and used as a grooming tool.
Proper Care
Sugar gliders should only be adopted from reputable breeders who at least have a USDA license to breed them. Potential glider parents should do research and ask other parents for information. Sugar gliders are kept in large bird cages or aviaries that should be large enough for them to glide around in. The bars should be horizontal so the glider can climb and play. Gliders use nesting boxes to sleep or rest during the day. A good diet for them would be 25 per cent protein, including fish and cooked egg, 25 percent fruit, 25 percent vegetables including carrots and greens, and 25 percent blend, including yogurt, cottage cheese and maybe dried bread or cereal.
Sugar gliders are best adopted when they're just weaned, when it's easier to acclimatize them to human handling. Because they're social, they should be kept with other sugar gliders, though they will bond happily with their humans. Optimum sugar glider care dictates that they should never be kept without the companionship of another sugar glider, for they'll become depressed and may even die, no matter how well cared for.
My name is Allan Stewart and I have several websites dedicated to health and well being for people and pets. Want to learn more about sugar gliders: sugar gliders facts Or visit my website at Sugar Glider Care for more facts about sugar gliders. Also see my other articles on Carpal Tunnel: The Best CTS Treatment
Arboreal and Nocturnal
Gliders are arboreal marsupials that eat insects, mice and birds and suck the sap of certain wattle, gum and eucalyptus trees. They get their name because the sap it enjoys is sweet, and of course, it glides through the air. They look like a squirrel and have a tail that's as long as its body. They have plush fur that's most commonly a silvery blue color, though some albino gliders are found. They have a black stripe all the way down their back and its dorsal side is cream colored. The glider's little face also has pretty black markings.
Males are larger than the females and the average weight is about four to six ounces. While the glider's most attractive features are its small size and huge eyes that are good for its nocturnal lifestyle, its most distinct feature is the membrane that stretches from its fifth finger to its big toe. This is called the patagium and lets the animal glide from 164 to 490 feet. The tail and legs are used as rudders and the membrane, depending on its angle, is used like a sail. The glider's flight is accurate enough for it to snatch insects out of midair.
More Important Facts:
These animals have scent glands. The males have them on their heads and chests and use them to mark their territory. Females have scent glands near their pouches and their genital areas. The scent glands on the male's head looks like a little bald spot. Like all marsupials, the female also has a pouch in her abdomen to carry her young which, like kangaroo babies, are called joeys. Gliders usually live in colonies of fifteen to thirteen animals, who communicate with a wide variety of calls, from chirps to barks to a weird rattling sound called crabbing.
Male gliders reach sexual maturity when they're around nine to ten months old. Females take a little longer. However, some gliders are able to reproduce as early as four months of age. In the wild they only live from four to six years, but in captivity they can live twice that length if they're well cared for. Sugar gliders have oppose able toes and fingers, two of which are fused together and used as a grooming tool.
Proper Care
Sugar gliders should only be adopted from reputable breeders who at least have a USDA license to breed them. Potential glider parents should do research and ask other parents for information. Sugar gliders are kept in large bird cages or aviaries that should be large enough for them to glide around in. The bars should be horizontal so the glider can climb and play. Gliders use nesting boxes to sleep or rest during the day. A good diet for them would be 25 per cent protein, including fish and cooked egg, 25 percent fruit, 25 percent vegetables including carrots and greens, and 25 percent blend, including yogurt, cottage cheese and maybe dried bread or cereal.
Sugar gliders are best adopted when they're just weaned, when it's easier to acclimatize them to human handling. Because they're social, they should be kept with other sugar gliders, though they will bond happily with their humans. Optimum sugar glider care dictates that they should never be kept without the companionship of another sugar glider, for they'll become depressed and may even die, no matter how well cared for.
My name is Allan Stewart and I have several websites dedicated to health and well being for people and pets. Want to learn more about sugar gliders: sugar gliders facts Or visit my website at Sugar Glider Care for more facts about sugar gliders. Also see my other articles on Carpal Tunnel: The Best CTS Treatment
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