logoPET OWNER VERSION

Description and Physical Characteristics of Sugar Gliders

Reviewed/Revised Jul 2020

Sugar glider membrane

Sugar gliders are generally 5 to 12 inches (13 to 30 centimeters) long, with a tail that is 6 to 9 inches (15 to 23 centimeters) long. Their fur is bluish-gray with a pale belly and a dark stripe that runs down the back. Sugar gliders look like flying squirrels but actually are not rodents, as flying squirrels are. They are marsupials, along with wallabies, kangaroos, possums, koalas, and many other animals. Like flying squirrels, however, they have a soft membrane of skin (called the patagium) that stretches from their wrist to their back leg on either side. When their legs are extended, the patagium enables them to get lift as they leap and glide from tree to tree. These gliding membranes are called patagiums and stretch from the wrists to the ankles. Sugar gliders can glide up to 164 feet (50 meters) using their tails to steer and balance.

Female sugar gliders have stomach pouches in which the young develop. Mature males have a scent gland on the forehead that looks like a bald spot. They have a similar scent gland on the throat and near the base of the tail, which they use to mark each other and their territory. Males weigh 4 to 6 ounces (110 to 160 grams), and the slightly smaller females weigh 3 to 5 ounces (85 to 140 grams).

Sugar gliders are nocturnal, which means that they are most active at night and sleep throughout the day. They make noises such as chirping, barking, and chattering. They feed on insects and on the sap, gum, and nectar from various trees and plants. In the wild, they live in colonies that nest in tree hollows. Sugar gliders are generally strong and healthy when proper husbandry practices are followed. On average, they live 9 to 12 years in captivity. ( See table Sugar Gliders at a Glance.)

Table
Table

For More Information

Also see professional content on sugar gliders.

quizzes_lightbulb_red
Test your Knowledge nowTake a Quiz!
Download the free Merck Vet Manual App iOS ANDROID
Download the free Merck Vet Manual App iOS ANDROID
Download the free Merck Vet Manual App iOS ANDROID