The following notes cover essential points on sugar glider physiology and basic behavior patterns. Use this information to better understand why your sugar glider (SG) is behaving in a particular way.

1. Information about the group or the colony is transmitted through odors. If you introduce a new sugar glider to an existing colony, it will most likely be scented by the dominant sugar glider. Either this happens, or a fight will ensue.

2. Only male suggestions have scented tassels on the face. This makes it easy to tell males from females. Male glider bears are more willing to mark their territories than females.

3. A sugar bear that has been replaced by a more dominant member of the colony may become depressed and begin to show signs of depression.

The behavior of other sugar bears toward particular gliders in a group also bears a direct relationship to a sugar bear’s behavior in the long term. For example, if a sugar bear is regularly bullied by older, stronger gliders, the weaker sugar bear may become depressed or exhibit excessive aggression.

4. Fights that arise because a new suggie has been introduced to an existing group should be avoided because adult sugar bears have been known to fight ‘intruders’ to the death. At the first sign of aggression, remove the newcomer and transfer the new sugar bear to a separate cage.

5. Do not remove the dominant male from a group because this will cause stress to the entire group. The stress can eventually lead to extreme symptoms like self-mutilation.

Some pet owners remove the dominant male to ease the entry of a new SG. This approach may or may not work, because the glider colony system is so important that other members of the group are weakened physiologically when a dominant member is forcibly removed from the group.

6. Rubbing a piece of cloth on the body of a newcomer would be a better approach when introducing new gliders to an existing group. Let the old gliders bond with the scent before showing the existing group their new member. This way, the entry of the new member will have a less negative impact on the existing group.

7. New gliders should be placed in a starter cage for at least 21 days before being introduced to the existing colony or group. This is done to reduce the chances of spreading infection or disease.

8. If a new SG has been attacked or has not been integrated through general sniffing, the sugar glider should be taken out and placed in a separate cage once again. Any attempt to reinstate the new honey glider should be made after a week or two.

9. Honey bears are naturally active at night because this species of marsupial is nocturnal. In the wild, honey bears also hunt at night.

10. Behavioral synchronization is sometimes observed in small groups of sugar bears. If one glider becomes alarmed, the others may also become alarmed.

11. When temperatures drop, a colony of honey bears huddle together to raise or maintain their body temperature.

12. The gestation period of the sugar bear is only fifteen to seventeen days.

13. A sugar glider can breed at any time of the year.