Sugar Gliders Essay

The Greater Gliding Possum

Have you ever wondered what gliding possums are? Gliding possums are small omnivorous, arboreal, and nocturnal gliding possums belonging to the marsupial infraclass. The common name refers to its preference for sugary nectarous foods and ability to glide through the air much like a flying squirrel.

What Do Gliders Eat?

Gliders eat at night, their diet includes nectar, pollen, insects and the sap of certain eucalypt or wattle trees. Sugar Gliders are like the bigger possums, but bigger possums eat fruit among other types of insects. Gliders do NOT eat chocolate nor diary, if they do they can be possibly killed. Human beverages are toxic for sugar gliders especially the ones that contain caffeine. All fruits and vegetables should be

washed before they are fed to a sugar glider, to ensure chemicals and pesticides are eliminated. Likewise, glider owners should avoid feeding their pets fruits and vegetables, such as blackberries or broccoli that are difficult to clean thoroughly.

Breeding and Life Cycle

The greater glider is the only gliding possum that does not live in a family or social group. These animals only come together for mating, and usually only one young glider is born. Other gliders have one or two at a time, although the feather tail glider can have a litter of up to four. Following birth, it crawls through its mother's fur to her pouch, where it attaches itself to a

teat. Here it is kept warm and nourished with milk. After about three or four months it will come out into the nest and, with the adults, search for food. When the young are big enough to look after themselves, they will usually leave the family and set up a group or territory of their own. Some females may stay with the original group, but males are often forced to leave. Captive animals often suffer from stress, improper care and preventable diseases. Take your sugar glider to a qualified vet at least once a year for a checkup, including a fecal exam to look for parasites. Because you might not see obvious symptoms until your pet is extremely ill, be alert to any symptoms, such as pain, lack of appetite, and change in routine or watery excrement. Consult your vet immediately if you notice any behaviors that might indicate injury or disease.

Threats

The greatest threat to gliders comes from the destruction and alteration of the forest habitats in which they live. Gliders need mature forests with lots of tree hollows to nest in. When forests are cleared they lose their home and food supply, and may become prey to other species such as owls, foxes and cats. The gliders are easy targets in cleared or opened-up areas.

How Do Sugar Gliders Glide?

When a sugar glider launches himself from a tree, he spreads his limbs. The gliding membranes from his wrists to his ankles open up and slow his descent, much like a parachute. He can change the curvature of the membrane by moving his legs to regulate the glide, and also uses his tail like a rudder. They have been known to glide over 150 feet. Sugar gliders mate during the winter and spring, and generally have two young per litter. Sugar gliders, like kangaroos, have a pouch. About 16 days after mating, the small embryos pass through the vagina

and crawl to the pouch. There they nurse off of their mother's milk and develop for another 60-70 days. After that time, the mother sugar glider will leave them in the nest while she forages for food. At 4 months of age, the young sugar gliders are on their own.

Their Social Behavior

Sugar gliders are extremely social, especially for marsupials. They live in small family groups with up to seven adults and their young in a nest. This also helps to conserve heat when the weather is cold. They have scent glands which they use to mark their territory, and also mark their nest with urine. They communicate using a wide variety of vocal

sounds.