Sugar Gliders Essay

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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 …show more content…

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

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