The Sugar Glider (Petaurus breviceps) is a gliding possum and has about the size of a squirrel, living in Australia, New Guinea and Tasmania. They can glide up to 45 meters and they can bark as a squirrel also do. Sugar gliders are omnivorous and they are very fond of eucalyptus tree sap. They can fall into hybernation for a short period of time, when the weather in a particular area becomes too cold or there are long periods of food scarcity. Sugar gliders make excellent pets and there has been a recent boom in the American pet population of sugar gliders. Currently, the USDA's guidelines for owning and breeding sugar gliders in the United States varies from state to state. In captivity, sugar gliders can become 14 years of age. Links
International sugar glider association
Image
Photograph by User:Dawson, licensed under Attribution ShareAlike License v. 2.5
Which zoos have them?
Saint Louis Zoological Park (United States)The Sugar glider is listed as Least Concern (LR/lc), lowest risk. Does not qualify for a more at risk category. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category, on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Some facts about the
Sugar glider
Adult weight : 0.11 kg (0.242 lbs)
Maximum longevity : 18 years
Female maturity :236 days
Male maturity : 456 days
Gestation : 16 days
Weaning : 122 days
Litter size : 2
Interval between litters : 311 days
Weight at weaning : 0.025 kg (0.055 lbs)
Basal metabolic rate : 1 W
Body mass : 0.129 kg (0.2838 lbs)
Temperature : 35.85 °C (96.53 °F)
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