19 Feb 2008 08:48:08 | Ruth Bird
Many people are searching for different means to have pets. Dogs
and cats are not always the best choice of pets for everyone.
Here is an amazingly different type of pet. A Pocket Pet! A
Sugar Glider.
The Sugar Glider is a popular pet because of its sweet, lively,
inquisitive nature, but is illegal in certain jurisdictions,
such as California.
Do gliders make sounds? Sugar gliders are very social creatures
and make many sounds, including barking, crabbing, clicking, and
chattering.
Are gliders rodents? No. Sugar gliders are marsupials (mammals
that carry their young in a pouch); they are in the same family
as the koala bear and the kangaroo. I have gathered some
information, and done some research. Perhaps this will be the
answer for many wishing to own a different kind of a pet.
Sugar Gliders make excellent pets. They adapt very readily to
captivity and can develop very strong relationships with their
human keepers. This is why they would be great for people who
cannot have big pets. They are small in size, are very
intelligent and love to play. They are much smarter than a
hamster or rat and have a much longer life-span, most living to
be 10 or older if taken care of properly. Although nocturnal,
this can be of benefit. Sugar Gliders love human attention. And
they really are so cute. They also develop very strong bonds
with their owners. An adult sugar glider is approximately 11
inches long from his nose to the tip of his tail, but most of
that (6 or 7 inches) is tail. They have similarities with our
flying squirrel. The fur is very soft. Here is more information
I have researched.
It is around 16 to 20 cm (6.3 to 7.5 in) in length, with a
slightly longer tail, and weighs between 90 and 150 grams (3 to
5.3 oz). The fur is generally pearl grey, with black and cream
patches at the base of the pink ears. The tail tapers only
moderately and the last quarter of it is black, often with a
white tip. The muzzle is short and rounded. Northern forms tend
to be brown colored rather than grey and, as predicted by
Bergmann's Rule, smaller.
The most noticeable features of its anatomy, however, are the
twin skin membranes called "patagium"s which extend from the
fifth finger of the forelimb back to the first toe of the hind
foot. These are inconspicuous when the Sugar Glider is at rest
it merely looks a little flabby, as though it had lost a lot of
weight recently but immediately obvious when it takes flight.
The membranes are used to glide between trees: when fully
extended they form an aerodynamic surface the size of a large
handkerchief. Sugar Gliders can occupy any area where there are
tree hollows for shelter and sufficient food. Their diet varies
considerably with both geography and the changing seasons, but
the main items are the sap of acacias and certain eucalupts,
nectar, pollen, and arthropods. They are difficult to see in the
wild, being small, wary, and nocturnal, but a sure sign of their
presence is the stripping of bark and tooth marks left in the
soft, green shoots of acacia trees.
Sugar gliders love human attention and they love to play. This
is what makes them special. Make sure you bond with the little
ones when you bring them home. Since they sleep in the daytime,
you can bond with them by letting them sleep in your pocket, but
don't sit on your glider! Sugar gliders will form very strong
bonds with their owners. One article says that they love to play
hide and go seek. They love it when you come home at night; they
are so excited to see you!
Please buy them from a reputable breeder. You can expect to pay
from $200 to $400 for them. I recommend starting with a baby
since they do form much stronger bonds with you. And as always,
study and gather the right information to have a safe and
healthy pet.
About Author :
My name is Ruth Bird and I am the owner of 3 dogs, Dukie, Benny
and Nikki. Benny and Nikki are Therapy Visiting dogs, and Dukie
is blind. I have been married for 27 years to my husband, Chris.
Chris has been battling the monster, MS, for a number of years.
People and Pet Health Care are my passions. Come and see my
dogs, or contact me here http://www.mimfreedom.com