The Sugar Glider is a tiny animal with rounded ears and big black eyes. It is covered in a soft,
fine fur (like a tiny mink) with gray upper parts and cream underside. A black dorsal stripe runs
from its pink nose to the base of its long fluffy tail. The stripes are also on each side of the face,
running from the nose, around the eyes and around the ears. As the name suggests they are
particularly fond of sweets such as honey, sweet fruits and nuts.
Sugar Gliders are "exotic" animals, it is illegal to sell them without an appropriate U.S.
Department of Agriculture license. This restriction includes pet owners and hobby breeders.
This is a wild animal whose potential threat to the native species of animals and plants is
unknown. The Humane Society of Tucson strongly discourages owners from breeding Sugar
Gliders and selling them to an uneducated public. People who would like information on the
standards of keeping sugar gliders and the regulations regarding keeping and/or breeding of them
should contact:
U.S. Department of Agriculture PROBLEMS WITH THE SUGAR GLIDER AS A PET
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Regulatory Enforcement and Animal Care
Sector Supervisor
9580 Micron Avenue, Suite E
Sacramento, California 85827
(916)551-1561
Sugar Gliders are wild animals and do not possess the symbiotic qualities which allow us to live
in such harmony with dogs, cats, horses, etc. Domestication is not something that can be
imposed on an animal; it is an evolutionary process which creates compatibility among two or
more species. For dogs, this process has been taking place for many centuries. Sugar Gliders
have been in American homes for approximately one year. Regardless of being captive bred,
they are born with the instincts of a wild animal.
Odor:
The Sugar Glider's body usually does not have any discernable odor, but they will urinate on all
their surroundings as a means of marking territory (including the pet owner!). This can produce
a very strong and unpleasant smell, requiring frequent and thorough cage cleaning. This
happens especially when introducing a glider to a new environment. When a glider has an
established territory, it is less of a problem. A sugar glider cannot be potty trained although
there is a method for avoiding the majority of the mess. Let the glider wake up and "eliminate"
in his cage before handling or place the glider on a paper towel before letting it roam about freely.
Nocturnal nature:
The Sugar Glider is strictly a nocturnal animal, becoming very active around dusk. During this
active period, the glider produces a variety of barks, chatters and shrieks which can may loud
enough to interfere with the sleep of the owner and other household members. Glider's
highly-specific needs may be impossible to fully meet, thus reducing the animal's life span or
rendering it more susceptible to disease. It's so very easy for a glider to be neglected due to their
sleep/wake schedule. An owner gets up in the morning when the gliders are snug in their nest
and is snug is his own bed when the glider awakens.
Aggressiveness:
Sugar Gliders are territorial animals and will attack other gliders who stray too close to their
nest. Captive gliders have been observed to viciously attack newly introduced gliders. This
behavior is most prominent in mature animals. This instinctive nature may result in aggressive
biting and scratching of the pet owner especially if the owner has the scent of another glider
present. It is best to wash hands before handling especially if there are other pets in the
household. The scent of some soaps and cosmetics are very offensive to gliders and will
intensify aggressive behavior.
Size:
Because Sugar Gliders are tiny, fragile animals, owners have encountered problems with
keeping them in some households. Gliders can be easily crushed, being forgotten in a pocket or
by being sat upon Gliders also suffer from hip and leg paralysis, a result of improper handling.
Gliders also have very sharp claws that get caught on the side of their cages and in fabric of
clothing, pulling them when they are grasping these easily sprains or breaks fingers, wrists and ankles.
Health Problems:
Owners are reporting a variety of injuries and maladies, including blindness, cataracts, lameness
and hernias. Unfortunately, since American veterinarians are unfamiliar with this species, they
are often at a loss on how to treat these ailments. These problems may also be related to a poor
diet.
Socialization:
It has been reported that a sugar glider can die of loneliness, they lack daily interaction with
other gliders or with their owner. Sugar gliders are "communal" creatures and they need the
company of their own kind or consistent attention from the owner. It is suggested that an owner
spend at least two hours per day with the single glider.
Expense:
Currently running $200 a piece, a Sugar Glider is a sizable investment for anyone.
Unfortunately, no one can guarantee the animal's life span thus making the investment more
risky. The housing requirements for the glider can also be a large investment and ongoing
nutritional needs are another consideration.
Environmental Concerns:
Although domestic breeding stocks will eventually be established for the Sugar Glider, their
procurement from their tropical homes is undoubtedly producing a negative impact on the
environment. There have been reports that wild gliders are captured by having their tree-homes
cut down. Unfortunately, no independent verification of these rumors has been found so their
validity remains suspect. Certainly the mass removal of a wild animal from its habitat
produces a chain-reaction effect on other species. It is too early, however, to discern the loss of
the glider on other animals which rely on them for predation or as a food source.
Although Australians have kept Sugar Glider as pets for many years, it should be noted that this
circumstance does not completely remove the creature from its natural environment.
Presumably, an Australian enthusiast would have access to the foods, nest materials, and
information needed to help this tropical animal adapt to captivity.
A question of concern is, "Can these elements be successfully recreated in the United States?"
Another is, "Are we expecting too much from these little creatures when we bring them from
their moist forested homes and make them live in the hot dry desert?"
Although it is legal to keep Sugar Gliders at this time, there are genuine concerns about their
welfare and their potential effect on local animal populations. The Arizona Fish and Game
Department is monitoring Sugar Gliders to determine whether they pose any threat to native
species in terms of disease or habitat encroachment should some escape captivity. When
introduced to Tasmania in 1835, gliders rapidly spread across the island. This, however, must be
partially due to a similar environment and food sources between Tasmania and Australia. It is
unknown at this point whether escaped Sugar Gliders could adapt to the Sonoran Desert; or if
they present any real threat to health or environment.
This article was prepared with the help of the Reid Park Zoo, Arizona Fish and Game
Department, Tucson area veterinarians, the Australian Consulate General (Los Angeles) and
Sugar Glider breeders, owners and enthusiasts.
For more information on this or other topics, please contact The Humane Society of Tucson's
Education Department at (520)321-3704, ext.125.