Sugar Gliders Flashcards
Sugar glider taxonomy and background
marsupials that are social, arboreal, nocturnal gliding marsupials
sugar glider patagium
gliding membrane, extends from outside fifth finger to inside first toe
T/F: sugar gliders lack a cecum
F, they have a very large cecum
what is special about the second and third digit on the hindfoot of a sugar glider?
the second and third digit on the hindfoot are fused to form a groom comb
T/F: sugar gliders can be kept as a solidary animal
F, they are very gregarious and social need to keep 2-3 at least
sugar glider behavior
- nocturnal
- mark areas with scent and urine
- communicate with yaps, chatterings, and screams
- will readily chew wooden material
sugar glider nutrition
Nectar and insectivore diet (meal worms, ants, crickets, moths), may add in some fruits
need to be fed on a elevated platform
describe the sugar glider tail
Its weakly prehensile
how do sugar gliders have excellent night vision?
avascular retina
sugar glider housing
- aviary type cage with elevated structures,
- avoid newspaper, cedar and pine bedding
- temp 75+, need supplemental heat
sugar glider lifespan
4-7 years
what is essential for sugar glider blood collection
chemical restrain
cloaca of sugar gliders
combines GI, urinary and repro tracts
reproductive anatomy of male sugar gliders
- pendulous scrotum
- typical marsupial bifurcated penis
- testicle attached by short stalk to abdominal wall
Female sugar glider repro anatomy
- ventral abdominal pouch
- two teats in pouch
- typical marsupial repro tract with two vagina and two uteri
what is the biggest disease issue in sugar gliders
malnutrition
Calcium deficiency
from low Ca+ diet or high P with inadequate vitamin D
- lethargy, limping, swollen fingers and toes, fractures,etc.
- diagnose by blood calcium levels and rads
- treat with calcium supplementation
cataracts of sugar gliders
This is due to poor nutrition of nursing females or bacterial infection in the pouch that results in blindness in infants and joeys
what can cause sugar gliders stress?
excessive handling, arousal from torpor, temperature fluctuations
bacterial infection/sepsis of sugar gliders
- fighting/traumatic injuries cause secondary bacterial injuries
- pouch infections are the most common infections
