By the time the little sugar glider has reached your home for the very first time, it probably has been under quite a bit of stress-leaving what is familiar, new voices, being handled strangely, diet changes, and fear of the unknown. That is, unless you picked it out personally at a breeder's home and carried it home in a pouch. This is a good thing. A very thing, in fact. But as we all know, most people browse the Internet in order to save money and look for the best deals, which typically will involve shipping the sugar glider long-distance. This places a lot of stress on the little animal and is very much unadvisable by many breeders and professionals, depending on how it is done. But overall, stress can be a killer to many animals and most of all to the sugar glider, due to its tiny size and unique personality.
SIGNS OF STRESS IN A SUGAR GLIDER
If the owner of a sugar glider does not know if their pet is under stress, then it is pretty difficult to eliminate or alter the problem before it does serious damage. Consequently, signs of stress should be checked for as part of the sugar glider's maintenance. This requires recognizing the signs of stress and what may be causing it. Unfortunately, by the time the animal is displaying stress signs, they have already been under it far too long and damage is already being done on some level.
Loneliness:
Since sugar gliders are social animals, loneliness plays a big factor in causing stress in their lives. Sugar gliders need to be accompanied by another sugar glider or in a group of them of the same ages. Older sugar glider drive out their babies in the wild when they are old enough to fend on their own, so mixing ages of them in a cage may not be wise unless they are all adults. By having the sugar glider spayed or neutered, they can be grouped in mixed sexes in one cage and in the long run will be the better for it.
No matter how much time you spend with them, there will be times when you will be gone-at work, at school, shopping, or even if you become ill. If they have another sugar glider for company, they will not become as lonely when this occurs. Do not underestimate the fact they need continuous sugar glider companion to be replaced with more time by you. The little sugar glider needs family companionship, their own family, to ensure a happy and unstressful life. But they need a combination of both types of companionship, two to six hours a day from you and continuous communication with their own breed for overall happiness.
Diet:
Stress is easy to recognize if you use some common sense, such as an incorrect diet causing diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, picking at food, or loss of appetite. Things like tremors and shaking are usually caused by fear and stress, or even sudden grabbing or dropping, but incorrect diet will cause malnutrition or starving of the weakened sugar glider, with shaking and tremors both signs of its development. Research the correct foods to feed the sugar glider as an incorrect diet will kill them eventually due to their small size.
Disease is caused by stress, with the wrong type of food making it even worse. Together, the sugar glider stands no chance of survival. Incorrect diet will eventually wear the little pet's body down and cause things like hind leg paralysis. This is a potentially fatal disease, caused by low calcium to phosphorous ratios. Fresh diets with supplement can fix this, usually given by a vet. And if they do not like the food, they will not eat it. Monitor their food consumption, as they can easily starve. Low weight and lethargic behavior are signs of this sort of stress, eventually with them vomiting. If cat food is given to the sugar glider, their body will develop stress and things like lumpy jaw and intestinal blockage will occur, with death occurring from calcium deficiency and liver problems.
Behavior:
Stressed sugar glider will show a change in behavior, such as self-mutilation of their penis, tail, limbs or scrotum. They may also even attack another sugar glider or you. And because stress causes an increase in steroid production, another sign of stress would be hair loss in the little animal due to either chewing at their fur or too much steroids.
Normal behavior in a sugar glider should be something its owner eventually will understand with enough time and patience, the same as when they develop stressful behavior. The more time an owner spends with the sugar glider, the easier it is to recognize abnormal or changed behavior and signs of stress. Recognizing the basics of sugar glider behavior allows one to understand what they want and what they do not want.
A real biggie is to understand the vocalization of the little sugar glider, and how they communicate to you and each other. The most common sounds they make are crabbing, barking, hissing and sneezing. Feeling stressed usually accompanies crabbing, a loud sound which means they are frightened, angry, annoyed or nervous. But if you hear short little barks, they are calling you and really needs some attention as they are lonely. A sugar glider by itself will bark much more often than one which has company, where more of a sneezing sound will be heard instead. Little hissing sounds are those of happiness and contentedness.
If not receiving enough companionship and are housed alone, the sugar glider will become very lonely and stressed out. This causes them to become very ill if left unattended. Their high levels of stress behavior will demonstrate a refusal to eat or becoming very picky about their food, withdrawal, a strong desire for more and more attention, barking throughout the night, fur chewing, lethargy and lack of activity level, or even running in circles around the top of their cage. Signs of this means immediate attention should be given.
WHAT IS STRESS?
Stress in small animals within a small amount keeps survival at its best, but too much stress has been shown to make a small animal like the sugar glider ill, or eventually killing them. What is best known is that disease is caused by stress, with smaller animals having their own unique needs, behaviors, nutritional considerations, socialization needs, and health considerations. Stress in sugar gliders is no different.
Stress is caused by fear responses, challenging and new environments, and new events occurring in their lives that are unexpected. When this happens, preventive measures need to be applied before the little sugar glider develops negative associations with them. Bad behavior, such as biting or not bonding can develop, along with serious health issues.
Overall, stress in a sugar glider can be reduced by feeding them the correct diet and keeping their cage clean, and making sure they are not lonely. Proper nutrition and hygiene are extremely important in their welfare, with normal social groups almost mandatory in the requirements for this little social pet. Appropriate areas where they can sleep and nest are important, provided through correct research or contacting professionals who work with sugar gliders. When playing with them or having them out of their cage, potential predatory animals like the family cat or dog, or even flying birds out of their cages can be extremely stressful situations for the sugar glider. Small children can drop them or squeeze them too tight, which causes them to bite and develop long-term stress. Falling from heights or being accidentally stepped on also causes stress to them also, causing physical damage or the death of the sugar glider. Before bringing one home, research as much about them as you can, in order to prevent as much stress in their lives as you can.
REFERENCES
Sugar Glider Medical Reference. Website: http://sugarglidersrus.com/gliders/index.php?option= com_content&task=view&id=32&Itemid=46
Caring for Sugar Gliders. Website: http://www.ilpetaurodellozucchero.it/doc/Caring_for_ SugarGliders.pdf
Sugar Glider. Website: http://www.sugarglider.com/archives/ruth/health.html