by Perry McCarney

Created on: February 27, 2009   Last Updated: November 17, 2010

Small amounts of stress can be invigorating for any animal. It gets the blood moving and the senses tingling. Yet, in our modern society, there is often an over abundance, so much that it can be harmful to both our mental and physical well-being. And not only for us, but for the animals we share our lives with, our pets,  as well. Whether they are domesticated species like dogs and cats or wild species such as sugar gliders.

These little marsupials are becoming popular in North America and Japan for their cute appearance and friendly natures. Unlike their close relatives the yellow-bellied gliders (Petaurus australis) that form pair bonds, sugar gliders (Petaurus breviceps) live in small clans of up to seven adults and dependent young in the wild. They are most vulnerable to predation, mainly by owls and kookaburras, when they are alone, and therefore have developed an instinctive fear of being so. As they are nocturnal, they like to sleep together during the day and be active in company at night. Pet sugar gliders that are left alone to any extent can become highly stressed. Inappropriate diet or housing may also cause stress. As can disease or a heavy parasite load; they are quite susceptible to some internal parasitic nematodes (roundworms) such as Parastrongyloides trichosuri.

Signs of stress or anxiety can manifest in several ways:

* Overgrooming. Some grooming is perfectly normal, it has become excessive when it results in fur loss. This is most likely to be first apparent at the base of their tail, where it joins the body.

* Self-mutilation. This may be an extension of the overgrooming; continuing to groom bare skin can lead to sores forming. Or they may start biting or scratching themselves, causing open wounds.

* Eating disorders. These may be in either direction, either eating too little or too much.

* Polydipsia. An increase in their water consumption.

* Coprophagia. They eat their own feces (droppings). While this is normal in some species of animals and insects, it is not for sugar gliders.

* Cannibalism. This usually manifests as adults killing and eating the young, so is highly unlikely in non-breeding adults.

* Pacing. While sugar gliders can be highly active at night, climbing around their environment and volplanning (gliding) from location to location when they can, moving from one place to another and back again repeatedly is abnormal.

* Priapism. Stressed sexually mature males can suffer from this. Their penis remains extended from the protective cloaca. This can result in its physical damage, to the extent that it must be amputated.

Any one or more of the above is a strong indication that something is wrong and excessive stress is a good candidate as the culprit. For eating disorders, polydipsia, self-mutilation and priapism you should take your sugar glider to see your veterinarian. For the others you need to check you are giving the sugar glider the correct diet and housing them suitably. If you have just one sugar glider, you need to very seriously consider either giving them up or getting some more to keep them company. If they are still displaying signs of high stress when you have done all you can think of, consider consulting an animal behaviorist for help. Your veterinarian should be able to recommend one in your area.

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