Sugar gliders (Petaurus breviceps) are marsupials, meaning they carry and nurse their young in a pouch on their belly. Other marsupials include kangaroos, koalas, opossums, and wombats. Sugar gliders are small and nocturnal (mainly active at night). These mammals are native to Australia, Indonesia, and New Guinea, and began appearing as pets in the United States in the 1990s.
Adult sugar gliders measure about 5–12 inches (13–30 centimeters) from the top of the head to the base of the tail. The tail can add another 6–9 inches (15–23 centimeters) to their total length.
The fur of sugar gliders is bluish-gray, and they have pale bellies and a dark stripe down their backs.
Sugar gliders resemble flying squirrels but are not related to them. Flying squirrels are rodents, whereas sugar gliders are marsupials.
A stretchy skin membrane called the patagium runs from each wrist to the back leg on the same side, forming a winglike gliding membrane that allows them to glide between trees. With these membranes, and their long tails for balance and steering, sugar gliders can glide up to 164 feet (50 meters).
Sugar glider patagium (gliding membrane)
Females have pouches where their young develop. Mature males have scent glands—one on the forehead that looks like a bald spot, and others on the throat and near the tail base. These glands are used to mark mates and territory.
Adult males typically weigh 4–6 ounces (110–170 grams); females are slightly smaller at 3–5 ounces (85–140 grams).
Females reach sexual maturity (puberty) at age 8–12 months; males, at 12–15 months. Females become receptive to mating about every 29 days.
Pregnancy in sugar gliders is short—about 15–17 days—after which tiny newborns, called joeys, crawl into the mother’s pouch and stay there for 70–74 days. Most joeys wean from their mothers at around 4 months old.
Average litter size is two joeys. A newborn joey weighs only about 0.007 ounces (0.2 grams).
In the wild, young female sugar gliders leave the group (called a colony) before puberty. In captivity, they should be separated from the group after weaning, to avoid aggression and fighting over territory with others in the colony.
Sugar Gliders at a Glance
Lifespan | 9–12 years |
Adult male weight | 4–6 ounces (110–170 grams) |
Adult female weight | 3–5 ounces (85–140 grams) |
Respiratory rate | 16–40 breaths per minute |
Heart rate | 200–300 beats per minute |
Body temperature | About 97.3°F (36.3°C) |
Age puberty begins | Females, 8–12 months; males, 12–15 months |
Breeding cycle | About 29 days |
Length of pregnancy | 15–17 days |
Typical litter size | 1–2 joeys |
Birth weight | About 0.007 ounces (0.2 grams) |
Length of time in pouch | 70–74 days |
Time of weaning | 110–120 days |
Sugar gliders are most active at night and sleep during the day.
Communication among sugar gliders is through chirps, barks, and chatters.
In the wild, sugar gliders eat insects, sap, gum, and nectar and live in colonies that nest in tree hollows.
With proper care, pet sugar gliders are usually healthy and live about 9–12 years in captivity.
