Most Americans assume that sugar gliders are some sort of squirrel. Actually, they're possums.

They are members of something known as the lesser gliding possums. Their scientific name is Petaurus breviceps (which means "short headed rope dancer" - I think). They are nocturnal, arboreal marsupials. (They sleep during the day, are active at night, live in trees, and carry their babies in a pouch, like a kangaroo.)

A baby sugar glider is called a joey.

Sugar gliders are native to the rainforests of southeastern and eastern Australia and parts of Papa New Guinea and Tasmania, and have been introduced to New Zealand. Because of deforestation by the logging industry, they are an endangered species. In the United States of America, sugar gliders can be sold only by a licensed breeder, and only those sugar gliders born in the USA can be sold. They are classified as exotic pets, and several states have declared them illegal because of concern over how a non-native species can change the balance of the environment.

In the wild, they glide from tree to tree, much like a flying squirrel (which is why they're called sugar gliders).

Sugar gliders are typically 18 centimeters (7 inches) from nose to tail, and weigh about 130 grams (4.5 ounces).

They have opposable thumbs on all four hands.

Sugar gliders make a wide variety of surprising sounds. They bark. (To me, it sounds a lot like a very small chihuahua.) When scared, they make a very loud chattering sound commonly called "crabbing." (It still makes me jump, no matter how many times I hear it.) A friend of ours recently heard the crabbing for the first time, and didn't think it was an animal noise - she thought we had placed some sort of electric motor inside the cage. They make a hissing sound almost like air escaping from the valve of a bicycle innertube. (We don't know what that sound is used for.)

They are social animals. They will bond to other sugar gliders for life, and pet sugar gliders will bond to their human companions for life. Sugar gliders have been known to literally die from loneliness after being separated from those they have bonded to. ("Separated" means both physical and/or emotional separation.) In the wild, a sugar glider will live for about 10 years. A pet sugar glider will live for about 15 years. This is important: Do not get a pet sugar glider unless you are prepared for a long-term, high-maintenance relationship!

Sugar gliders are at the lower end of the food chain. This makes them very cautious animals, easily spooked by sudden movements or loud noises. This is also important: Do not get a pet sugar glider if your family includes young children, or includes larger carnivorous animals such as dogs, cats, or birds!

Sugar gliders are omnivores. (They eat both plants and animals.) Wild sugar gliders are especially fond of sweet tree sap (which is why they're called sugar gilders). Pet sugar gliders will require a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. Some owners of pet sugar gliders report that their gliders love small insects - Gladden, Gladys and Squeak prefer chicken.

I've read several reports that say that sugar gliders are less intelligent than dogs. Based on personal observation, I think this is wrong. Sugar gliders are very, very intelligent. They have excellent problem-solving skills. I believe that a major sourse of the misunderstanding over sugar glider intelligence comes from the fact that sugar gliders rely heavily on their sense of smell - if they can't smell it, and it isn't shaped roughly like a preditor, they will probably ignore it.

A lot of the information on this page came from: The Unversity Of Tasmania, The International Sugar Glider Association, and Britanica.com.

Thank you to the friendly folks at SiteCritique for suggesting this FAQ.