9 Fascinating Facts About Sugar Gliders

By Hedy Phillips

When one of my friends told me she had a sugar glider, I admittedly had no idea what she was talking about. She sent me a picture, and totally intrigued, I decided to learn more about these little creatures. And when I say little, I really mean little. Here are just a few things I learned about them that I found superinteresting.

  1. Sugar gliders are marsupials. They aren't rats! They're related to kangaroos.
  2. Their gliders are like parachutes. The membranes are from wrist to ankle and open up to slow their descent.
  3. Babies are called joeys. Just like kangaroos, they carry their young in a pouch.
  4. They live in trees. And they try to never touch the ground. They never need to!
  5. Sugar gliders are tiny! Full-size sugar gliders only weigh about 4 ounces.
  6. They're nocturnal. They're active at night and sleep during the day. Their large eyes allow them to see better in the dark.
  7. Sugar gliders are very social animals. They live in groups of at least seven and band together to defend their territory whenever needed.
  8. Gestation is just 16 days for these little animals. Once the babies are born, they go into their mothers' pouches to develop further.
  9. Sugar gliders can live up to nine years in the wild and up to 12 years in captivity.