Factoids

Sugar gliders live about 13 years in captivity.

These cute cuddly critters are also viscous predators, who are such efficient hunters they are contributing to the extinction of the Swift parrot.

Sugar gliders are nocturnal, and will usually be anxious in bright lights, often seeking a hiding spot.

Sugar gliders sing to their young during birth and for several days around the time joeys come out of mom's pouch. This singing sounds like a unique series of grunts and chirps.

Gliders can have two concurrent sets of joeys of different ages in their pouch at the same time, though this is rare.

The nose of a sugar glider elongates when they are about 6 weeks out of pouch, developing from the squishy face of a joey to the pointy face of an adult over the course of a week or two.

A glider's shoulders are jointed like that of a reptile, where they come out from the sides of the body rather than down below the body.

Sugar gliders can glide up to 30 meters (about 90 feet) given a tall enough jumping off point.

On average, gliders weigh between 80 and 120 grams, roughly a fifth of a pound. Obesity is a common issue with gliders and can be caused by genetics, diet, or disease.

Glider moms usually have two joeys at a time, one in each of their two uteri.

In the wild, gliders breed in colonies, with one male mating up to a dozen females.

Sugar gliders are highly social animals, and being housed without another glider as a cagemate increases the likelihood of depression, self mutilation, and early death.

Gliders are scent-based animals, using it to mark colony members and territories. 

In the wild, sugar glider can enter a torpor state (similar to hibernation but short term) to cope with malnutrition and to lower their body temperature to withstand the cold. Captive gliders don't enter torpor if kept in even minimally acceptable conditions.

Sugar gliders bark. The sound reminds me of a poodle. I am convinced that their barking is communication to other gliders. Every time one of my gliders bark, all of the others freeze, completely stop what they are doing, do not react to treats or feathers, and just listen intently.

Sugar gliders are nocturnal, but they are often awake for brief periods during the day, and nap periodically throughout the night.