Sugar Glider University

It's an email we get almost weekly.  Someone purchases a sugar glider that the breeder claimed was "tame" and the new owner is writing us out of desperation explaining that he or she cannot handle their animal, and they don't know what to do.  Not only is their sugar glider not bonding to them properly, but the glider is usually either in poor health or is showing obvious signs of coming from a sub-standard line.

What can be done about this?  

We at GU have spent years studying both wild and captive sugar gliders.  After all the research, we have come to the conclusion that sugar gliders should never have been introduced as a pet outside of their native habitat.  It has only led to an overpopulation of sugar gliders in situations where their human caregivers do not have the resources to give sugar gliders the care they require to thrive. Worse, there is a gross overpopulation of sugar gliders being bred in glider mills like Custom Cageworks and Flying Fur Ranch.

First of all, breeders need to curtail their breeding programs.  Neutering needs to become a standard practice in the sugar glider community. There are too many sugar gliders as it is, and at this point, the sugar glider industry is starting to resemble a pyramid scheme in which people are only buying gliders in order to breed more gliders to sell, but very few people are actually buying gliders as "pets". 

Breeders MUST begin selectively breeding sugar gliders that interact well with humans, are able to adjust to an alternate diet, are non-aggressive, more likely to stay up during daylight hours, and that only reproduce healthy, robust joeys.  Unfortunately, there are far too many breeders who breed indiscriminately only to get a certain color (a good example of this is To and Fro Gliders, which has inbred and also breeds without regard to the health of the sugar glider line in order to get certain color characteristics). 

Glider University, as a result of seeing the incredible results of The Sugar Shack, presents the following Standards of Breeding:

Glider University Standard of Perfection for Sugar Glider Breeders 2006-2008

Objective
A standard of perfection can best be described as the ideal, or perfect goal that breeders attempt to see reflected in their animals. This standard should reflect the goals and desires of all breeders and hobbyists as they work to improve the quality and appearance of the animals they produce. The ultimate objective of this standard is to produce an ideal pet animal.

The GU Standard of Perfection has been designed in such a way that all breeders will be capable of reaching it relatively quickly. Once that has been accomplished, further additions and changes can be made that will reflect the desires of the breeders of the future. For now, however, this standard has been developed to address the immediate needs and concerns of breeders and pet owners.

Temperament of sugar gliders is one of the most important things that breeders can strive to better in captive sugar gliders.  Until the temperament of sugar gliders changes, they will not make good pets.  A pet sugar glider should be tameable, at the very least.

CRITERIA: 

Fit and sturdy looking

Male only slightly larger than female

Adult Males: About 6 - 61/4 inches long in body by 2 1/2 -3 inches wide across the shoulders and hips, their head should be about 1 3/4 inches wide across the back of the skull by 1 1/2 inches long, weight is generally good at about 120 - 150 grams. 

Adult Females: About 5 3/4 - 6 inches long in body by 2 1/4 - 2 3/4 inches wide across the shoulders and hips, their head should be about 1 1/2 inches wide across the back of the skull by 1 5/8 inches long , weight is generally good at about 100 - 130 grams.

Eyes: 2 points (Minimum Points Needed To Breed: 1.5)

Large and circular

Wide Set

Dramatically Outlined

Expressive

Ears: 2 points (Minimum Points Needed To Breed: 1.5)

Solid or slightly translucent

Should appear soft (not dry or scaly)

Somewhat Flexible

Tail: 5 points (Minimum Points Needed To Breed: 3)

Fluffy, fuller tail (even somewhat bushy)

About 6 1/2 inches long

Bicolored tails should be about third of it the darker color

Fur: 9 points (Minimum Points Needed To Breed: 8)

Smooth, soft, silky and flowing

Male coats should be relatively unstained

Glider fur should not be sparse, coarse, or choppy, or have a greasy/oily feel to them.

Pouch (if applicable): 2 points (Must have 2 points)

Should look healthy without any inversion

Movement: 2 points (Must have 2 points to breed)

Should be agile and have the ability to jump

Should be able to glide at least 3 feet

Facial Structure: 3 points (Minimum Points To Breed: 2 points)

Fuller skull structure with a slightly shorter nose (a less "rat-like" or possum-like appearance)

Temperament: 20 points (Minimum Points Needed To Breed: 16 points)

Should be willing to be handled and petted

Should show a willingness to stay perched on the handler and not run off

Should show a definite recognition toward humans

Should not demonstrate any biting or scratching

Should not demonstrate crabbing behaviors

Should not demonstrate any self-mutilating or other mental disorder/genetic behaviors

Should get along well with other cagemates

Should be able to raise healthy, robust joeys without human interference
Total Points Possible:  50 points
Total Points Needed To Allow Breeding: 40 points 

At this point in the game, we will not even begin to look into a color standard, as we must first fix the problems that we have created with the general sugar glider population.

This is a start.  If breeders and enthusiasts would look toward this standard, while neutering all males who do not posess these characteristics, as well as not allowing females who do not posess these characteristics to reproduce, it would be good for everyone.  Not only would it curtail the exploding glider population, but it would increase the quality of animal.  If this standard were followed, perhaps "Tame sugar glider" would actually mean what it says, and perhaps people would stop having to proclaim that they "guarantee a live glider--if it dies within three days, we'll give you a replacement glider free of charge!"  Wouldn't it be nice to put an end to this disgusting practice?