Sugar Glider

Quick Take

• Sugar gliders are named for their love of sweets, but their actual diet would surprise most people. See their real diet →
• They look like squirrels and act like possums, but their closest relatives are something far more unexpected. Explore their taxonomy →
• A sugar glider can cross the length of a basketball court without touching the ground. Here's the anatomy that makes it possible. See the gliding mechanics →
• Two males run every colony, but the way they divide power and responsibility is nothing like you'd expect. Discover the colony structure →

Sugar gliders are tiny nocturnal animals that are native to forested and wooded regions in Australia and New Guinea. They have comparable size and appearance to North American squirrel species. However, their classification as marsupials means they are actually more similar to kangaroos, koalas, and possums. Despite their name and a strong appetite for sweet foods, sugar gliders are actually omnivorous and consume a diverse diet that typically varies throughout the year. Despite restrictions in some countries, they are also a popular choice as exotic household pets.

Sugar Glider Facts

• Baby sugar gliders are called “joeys” like their much larger kangaroo cousins.
• Thin membranes attached to their wrists and ankles allow these mammals to glide for over 100 feet without touching the ground.
• Their colonies are typically run by two males who share authority and various responsibilities related to the group dynamic.
• Adults usually have gray-brown fur that is broken up by dark stripes and a white underbelly.

Evolution And History

The sugar glider genus Petaurus is believed to have originated in New Guinea around 8 to 24 million years ago, during the early to mid-Miocene epoch. This mammal then migrated to Australia, where it further diverged. The earliest examples of the species changing to more closely resemble the sugar glider we see today were believed to have taken place in Australia around 4.46 million years ago.

Classification and Scientific Name

In scientific communities, sugar gliders are known by the name Petaurus breviceps. This name translates as ‘short-headed rope-dancer’ in reference to their remarkable ability to leap and glide long distances. There are also several other names for these animals given by local native peoples, including aymows, kajben, and yegang. This species is part of the Petauridae family in the Mammalia class.

Types Of

The sugar glider was once classified as a single species, but newer research has indicated that there are actually 3 distinct species.

• Sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps)
• Krefft’s glider (Petaurus notatus)
• Savanna glider (Petaurus ariel)

Additionally, there were previously seven recognized subspecies of sugar gliders found in different regions throughout Australia and the Indonesian islands, though a 2020 taxonomic reclassification has since redistributed these into multiple distinct species. The subspecies native to Australia are P. b. breviceps, P. b. longicaudatus, and P. b. ariel. Other subspecies that are found in New Guinea and surrounding islands are P. b. papuanus, P. b. tafa, P. b. flavidus, and P. b. biacensis.

Appearance

Sugar gliders are often called flying squirrels due to their comparable body structure, size, and prominent tail. Adults are generally 5 to 6 inches in body length and weigh between 3 and 5.5 ounces. They are one of the few mammals that have an opposable digit, like the human thumb, that helps them keep their grip. Their short, soft coat typically appears primarily gray with black stripes and a white belly. Selective breeding in captivity and genetic mutations in the wild have also produced white and cream-colored gliders.

Their most distinctive physical characteristic is patagia, or thin membranes of skin, that stretch from their wrists to their ankles. These wing-like membranes allow them to glide gracefully through the air for distances of up to 150 feet. Sugar gliders can also use their long tail to maintain balance in the treetops and steer itself during a glide.

Behavior

Sugar gliders are animals that live in small groups, called colonies, composed of up to seven individuals. The colonies usually feature two dominant males that share authority and subdue other males in the group. The two leading males assume various responsibilities, including scent-marking colony members and territory as well as helping care for offspring. Gliders are mostly active at night and typically forage in an area that spans several acres.

Gliding

As their name suggests, these animals can glide across significant distances by leaping into the air and spreading out the membranes attached to their limbs to maintain lift. They will fall about 1.5 feet for every 2.5 feet of horizontal distance traveled during a glide. Gliding is not only an energy-efficient way to travel, but it’s also an effective way to escape predators in the trees while avoiding those on the ground.

Habitat

These tiny marsupials are almost exclusively arboreal, which means they spend most of their time among the branches of trees. Their geographic range is limited to the eastern coasts of Australia, New Guinea, and a few of the surrounding islands. They have a distinct preference for trees in the Acacia and Eucalyptus groups and are dependent on wooded or forested habitats. They are found in both wet and dry environments ranging from wild rainforests to cultivated plantation areas.

Food And Diet

Even though they do have a penchant for sweet stuff, sugar gliders are adaptive omnivores that have different food targets throughout each season. They primarily forage along the underside of the forest canopy, so they have access to a wide variety of dietary options. They can eat almost 10 percent of their body mass in food each day. Sugar gliders are also capable of entering a state of torpor that allows them to slow down basic body functions in order to conserve energy.

What Do Sugar Gliders Eat?

Insect species and their larvae are their biggest food source during the warmer months of the year. Sugar gliders exhibit remarkable speed and dexterity when they momentarily leap from trees to capture flying insects. They seek out the gum or sap secreted by trees during the cold season, particularly that of the acacia and eucalyptus plants. They are also known to prey on small animals, particularly reptiles, that they come across in their foraging expeditions.

Predators And Threats

Despite their narrow geographic range and limited habitat preference, sugar gliders are not considered an at-risk species. In fact, they are currently classified as a species of least concern according to wildlife conservationists. The ability to adapt to habitat fragmentation and survive in close proximity to human development has allowed them to fare better than other small possum species that are native to the same regions.

What Eats Sugar Gliders?

Their small size makes them a tempting target for a wide range of predators in their native range, which is why they have to rely on their speed and gliding ability to make frequent escapes from danger. Local owl species are their primary predators, but they can also become a meal for various snakes, kookaburras, goannas, and quolls. Feral and domestic cats are also a serious threat to gliders.

Reproduction, Babies, And Lifespan

Female sugar gliders have a pair of ovaries and uteri, much like other marsupials, and can enter heat multiple times in a single year. They also have a pouch on their abdomen suited for housing baby gliders after they are born. Breeding typically occurs between the two dominant males and the females within a colony. Depending on the subspecies and region, breeding may be limited to certain seasons or occur throughout the year.

They have a short gestation period of around 16 days. Mothers give birth to one or two babies, which crawl directly into their pouch to continue their development. Each baby, called a joey, remains completely in the pouch for about two months and won’t even open its eyes until it is around 80 days old. They leave the nest and start venturing out on their own when they are about 110 days of age.

Sugar gliders typically reach physical and sexual maturity by the time they are a year old, although males may mature somewhat faster. Lifespan in captivity ranges from 10 to 12 years, although the average adult only lives for around 5 or 6 years in the wild.

Population

The facts regarding the wild sugar glider population aren’t clear, but conservation authorities have little reason to believe they are in imminent danger and consider them a species of least concern. Habitat loss due to wildfires and human development is an ongoing concern that could eventually lead to an observable decline in their numbers. There is also a substantial market for these animals as pets, and they make up a sizable portion of the exotic pet market in the United States.