Fun facts about Sugar Gliders

Hi everyone, it's Alvin. I am a Sugar Glider and I live with my brothers & sisters, Theodore, Simon, Laverne & Shirley & my adopted humans at Majical Miniatures. Most humans see a cuddly good-looking Sugar Glider, like myself, at the pet store and decide they have to have one, not realizing how much time and money goes into caring for us. They soon find out it is not easy living with a nocturnal "party" animal that enjoys the nightlife! The majority of us end up like me, at a rescue facility within a year. Don't get me wrong, I love it here at Majical Miniatures, I get all the mealworms I can eat, live in a spacious high-rise cage with plenty of room to fly and host rockin' parties, even my human friends can stop in for a visit. That reminds me, party in my cage tonight 2am BYOM (bring your own mealworms). In the meantime, if you are considering adding a Sugar Glider to your family, check out these fun facts about us.

Did you know? Sugar Glider facts:

• Sugar gliders get their name from their love of sweet foods and a membrane that allows them to glide
• They are native to Australia, Tasmania, Indonesia & Papua-New Guinea
• They are marsupials which means they raise their young in a pouch on the mom's belly
• An adult Sugar Glider will weigh between 4 to 5 oz, grow to 13" long and can live up to 15 years
• Sugar Gliders are Nocturnal which means they sleep during the day and are active at night
• Even though they are fur covered, their ears are hairless. Their ears move independent of each other in constant motion picking up sounds
• Their tail is used for stability and balance and direction of flight when gliding
• A membrane of skin runs from the wrist to the ankle giving the Sugar Glider the ability to glide
• They make loud barking sounds like a small dog
• A Sugar glider is a social animal which means they do better in pairs but normally live in groups of up to seven adults and their young
• Their diet is made up of insects, small vertebrates, tree sap from Eucalyptus, Acacia and Gum trees, nectar, pollen and fruits
• Sugar Gliders can peel the bark of a tree with their teeth! Imagine what a bite would feel like!
• Much like a ferret or skunk they have glands on their body to emit scent and mark with their urine

• They are one of the most commonly traded wild animals in the illegal pet trade, where animals are plucked directly from their natural habitats

To learn more about Majical Miniatures and how you can help visit:
www.majicalminiatures.org
For more info on Sugar Gliders visit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar_glider
http://sugarglidercare.org/