Sugar Glider

Natural history

(Petaurus breviceps)
The sugar glider is native to northern and eastern Australia, New Guinea, and surrounding islands. This arboreal nocturnal creature spends its days in leaflined nests in tree hollows. Sugar gliders are e tre!ely social and vocal. "lass #a!!alia $nterclass #arsupialia %rder &iprotodontia ('angaroo, wallaby, 'oala, wo!bat) (a!ily )etauridae (posso! species)
(ree-ranging gliders feed on insects, larvae, arachnids, and s!all vertebrates during the spring and su!!er. )lant products such as sap, blosso!s, and nectar !a'e up the bul' of the diet during the autu!n and the winter wet season. There are a nu!ber of captive diets reco!!ended for gliders. The co!!only reco!!ended diet listed below co!es fro! the Taronga *oo. The following recipe feeds two ani!als+ Apple (, g) -anana.corn (, g) Grapes.'iwi (, g) )ear (/ g) #elon (/ g) %range with s'in (0 g) Sweet potato (, g) &og 'ibble (1.2 g) (ly pupae (1 tsp)

Taxonomy

Diet

3eadbeater4s !i ture (/ tsp) &ay-old chic', when available (once wee'ly) 3arge insects, !ealwor!s once wee'ly 3eadbeater4s #i + 125 !l war! water 125 !l honey 1 shelled boiled egg /2g high protein baby cereal 1 tsp vita!in.!ineral supple!ent 155!g calciu! carbonate

#i water and honey. $n a separate container, blend egg until ho!ogeni6ed, then gradually add vita!in.!ineral powder, then baby cereal, blending after each addition until s!ooth. 7eep refrigerated. The !i ture can be fro6en in ice cube trays.

Husbandry

Sugar gliders are social ani!als that nor!ally live in groups of five to twelve. These groups are e clusive and territorial, and introduced gliders !ay be attac'ed. Solitary gliders re8uire at least 1-/ hours of hu!an attention daily. )rovide as large a cage as possible li'e a tall aviary wire cage. 9ire spacing should be no !ore than 1.5 5.2 in (/.2 1., c!). "age furniture should include ite!s for visual security (i.e. hide bo , sleeping pouch) as well as e ercise and enrich!ent (i.e. branches, shelves, solid running wheel, swings, and bird toys). )rovide supple!ental heat during the winter !onths.

Normal physiologic values

"loacal Te!perature )ulse >espiration -ody weight #ean life span Se ual !aturity Gestation -irth weight 3itter si6e 9eaning age Target environ!ental te!perature+

:;.<=( /55-,55 bp! 1<-05 bp! :5-1<5g (the fe!ale is s!aller) 1/-10y in captivity fe!ales (:-1/ !o) !ales (1/-10 !o) 12-1? days (young stay in the pouch ?5-?0d) ,5-25 gra!s 1-/ (usually /) 115-1/5 days <2-;5=( or 1:.,-,/./="

,/="

0-2y (in the wild)

Anatomy / physiology

Gliders possess a large gliding !e!brane (patagiu!) which e tends fro! the 2th digit of the forepaws to the an'les. The tail is wea'ly prehensile and it also serves as a rudder during gliding. &ental for!ula+ $ (,./) " (1.5) )# (,.,) # (0.0) @ 05 The incisors are speciali6ed for gouging tree bar'. An enlarged cecu! assists in digesting gu! fro! the acacia tree. The bifurcated penis splits about halfway down the protrusion. Testicles are per!anently descended into pendulous, pre-penile scrotal sacs. #ales possess large prostate and "owper4s glands. (e!ales have two uteri and two long, thin lateral vaginae (e!ales are polyestrous, cycling every /; days. Scent glands+ !ale (frontal, sternal, paracloacal) fe!ale (within pouch) Gliders !ay enter torpor during the winterA torpor !ay last up to 1<h.day.

Restraint

%ptions for restraint of the sugar glider includes+ Grasp the head between the thu!b and !iddle finger.

Scruff >estrain through a s!all cotton bag or pouch $nhalant anesthesia 3arger volu!es+ Bugular vein, cranial vena cava C.- tibial artery S!aller volu!es+ 3ateral saphenous, lateral coccygeal, cephalic, and fe!oral veins

Venipuncture reventive medicine !mportant medical conditions

Annual physical e a!ination &ental prophyla is as needed Alopecia, stress-related -acterial enteritis "ataracts "loacal or rectal prolapse &ental disease Dncephalo!alacia, hypovita!inosis D #alnutrition Nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidis! %besity Self-!utilation of the penis and scrotu! Trau!atic inEury Frinary tract infection, urolithiasis

Re"erences
"arboni &, Tully TN. #arsupials. $n+ #anual of D otic )et )ractice. #itchell #A, Tully TN (eds). Saunders, St. 3ouis, /55;. )p. /;;-,/2. Bohnson-&elaney ". (eeding sugar gliders. D otic &G# 1(1)+0, 1;;:. 3enno A#. D!ergency and critical care procedures in sugar gliders, African hedgehogs, and prairie dogs. Get "lin North A! D ot Ani! )ract 15(/)+2,,-222, /55?. #ac)herson ". Sugar Gliders. Hauppauge, NI+ -arronJs Dducational SeriesA 1;;?. #itchell #A. -iology and !edicine of the sugar glider. )roc North A!er Get "onf /555. ). 1510. Ness >&. $ntroduction to sugar gliders. )roc North A!er Get "onf 1;;;. )p. :<0-:<2. Kuesenberry 7D, "arpenter B9 (eds). (errets, >abbits, and >odents+ "linical #edicine and Surgery, /nd ed. )hiladelphia, 9- Saunders, /55,. S!ith #B. The reproductive syste! and paracloacal glands of )etaurus breviceps and Gy!nobelideus leadbeateri. $n+ S!ith A), Hu!e $& (eds). )ossu!s and Gliders. Australian #a!!al SocietyA Sydney, 1;:0. )p. ,/1-,,5. Author# "hristal )olloc', &G#, &ipl. A-G)-AvianA 3afeber "o!pany veterinary consultantL Date# Buly 1/, /55;

To cite this page+ )olloc' ". -asic infor!ation sheet+ Sugar Glider. 3afeberGet website. (eb 10, /515. Available at+ http+..www.lafebervet.co!.s!all-!a!!al-!edicine.sugarglider.basic-infor!ation-sheet-<.