Criptic's Page On Herps - Mammals - Sugar Gliders

Petaurus breviceps, the sugar or honey glider is native to New Guinea, its offshore island, the Bismarck Archipelago to the east of New Guinea, and Northeastern Australia.

The sugar gliders, in their wild habitat, live in the trees of deciduous forests. They sleep during the day in nests in the hollows of tree branches. They gather leaves in which to line their nests. They place the leaves in their tail, which curls around them for transporting to the nest.

Sugar gliders live in family units. These units are typically one or more males, females, and their offspring. Sugar gliders are territorial, and will defend their family against other families.

As the family gets larger, the young adults will leave and seek new mates from another family and start a new family unit of their own.

The family unit will recognize other members by scents secreted from glands on the back and undersides of the male. The male will also use his urogenital organ. Females will use her urogenital glands as well as glands in the marsupium. Dominant males will scent mark their territory and their conspicifics.

Sugar gliders diet is very omnivorous. They will consume both plant and animal items. Their diets include worms, small spiders, and insects, as well as most other invertebrates. In the wild it will include any very small mammals they come across and eggs of nestling birds. They enjoy the sap of some trees (eucalyptus), nectar, and flowering blossoms, as well as a wide range of fruits.

Travel is by clambering among the branches of trees. They, of course, will glide from one tree to another. Sugar gliders will also travel short distances at ground level. Sugar gliders can glide about 148 feet. This, of course, depends on the height from which they launch and the prevailing winds. Sugar gliders can catch flying insects while gliding. They change direction of their flight by adjusting the tautness of their gliding membrane on one side of the body, as well as using their tails as a rudder.

To land, they arch their back and bring their legs into a normal position. The gliding membrane will act like a brake to slow down the speed.

Sugar gliders have natural enemies such as;

	Snakes
	Raptors
	Rodents
	Humans

Their longevity under captive conditions has been recorded at up to 14 years. Maturity is normally obtained late in the first year.

Previous | Next

All photos, sounds, and text are covered in the copyright laws Please do not use without permission!!!! (permission has already been granted with all sound files on this site)