Facts about Sugar Gliders
Sugar gliders are called “gliding mammals” because of their unique ability to glide through the air. These small, tree-dwelling marsupials have a special membrane called a patagium, which extends from their wrists to their ankles.
The sugar glider is a small, tree-dwelling mammal with a silver-grey coat, measuring around 20 cm in length, with a tail nearly as long as its body. It possesses a thin membrane that stretches from the fifth finger of its hand to the first toe of its foot.
When they leap from a tree or high surface, they spread out their limbs, allowing the patagium to stretch and form a parachute-like surface. This enables them to glide from tree to tree for distances of up to 150 feet (about 45 meters).
The gliding helps sugar gliders move efficiently in their natural forest habitats, making it easier for them to search for food, escape predators, and travel between trees without having to descend to the ground.
This remarkable adaptation is why they are classified as gliding mammals rather than flying animals, as they do not have wings and cannot sustain powered flight like birds or bats.
This membrane acts like a “parachute,” allowing the sugar glider to glide from tree to tree over distances of 50 to 100 meters. This gliding ability helps it move around and escape predators.
Sugar Glider Diet
what do sugar gliders eat? The sugar glider rarely comes down to the ground. Its diet consists of insects, nectar from flowers, and tree sap, which it obtains by biting the smaller branches of gum trees. Sugar gliders are found throughout eastern and northern Australia, favoring old trees with hollows for nesting. They build their nests from leaves.
Typically playful, sugar gliders can become aggressive when defending their territory. They prefer to live in groups, with a single nest often housing up to seven adults and their young. This group behavior helps them stay warm during cold weather by huddling together.
In winter, sugar gliders enter a state similar to hibernation, where their body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure drop for a few days.
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