https://www.chewy.com/education/small-pet/sugar-glider/12-common-sugar-glider-behaviors
*Sugar gliders are unique pets with big personalities and special care needs. The Sugar Glider Education Hub offers insights into their nutrition, sleep cycles, bonding process, and cage essentials to ensure success with your sugar glider.
Chewy editorial team offers meaningful insight into 12 common sugar glider behaviors to help you better understand these unique little creatures. Learning about their habits in advance can help you decide if you are truly a good match and whether you will be able to lovingly accept and care for them as part of your family before bringing one home.
Sugar gliders are nocturnal creatures, meaning they sleep throughout the day and become active at night - often leaping around their enclosure once the sun goes down. Much like dogs, sugar gliders use vocalizations to communicate and one of their signature sounds is a bark that resembles a tiny puppy, or sounds like a puppy with a squeaky toy in its mouth.
When sugar gliders feel threatened or believe their space is being invaded, they produce a unique sound called “crabbing” - a loud, rapid noise that signals fear or discomfort. In addition to barking, they may also hiss like a cat when agitated. Interestingly, a content and relaxed sugar glider might emit a soft purring sound, although it is much quieter than a cat’s purr.
Crabbing is not their only form of protest, if a glider feels scared or annoyed, it may resort to biting. Typically, they will give a warning by crabbing first, so you will have a heads up notice. Sometimes, instead of a full bite, they might gently scrape you with their teeth as another way of expressing discomfort or displeasure.
When gliders appear to be sneezing and then wiping their hands on themselves, they are actually spitting a bit of saliva into their hands to groom their fur, a natural and important part of their hygiene routine.
You might also notice them rubbing their bodies against objects, since this is their way of marking territory with their scent, a common behavior for maintaining familiarity in their environment. They are also very agile and active, often leaping, climbing, and exploring their surroundings with curiosity and energy.
They love to peek out of cozy spaces, like shirt pockets or pouches, especially if they feel safe and bonded with their person. And when it comes to food, they have a serious sweet tooth and are naturally drawn to sugary fruits and vegetables, which should be offered in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
