Student Mason Bird is currently pursuing technical certifications in cybersecurity. Alongside his studies and avid interest in literature and political science, Mason Bird keeps sugar gliders as pets.
Native to warm, island climates, sugar gliders are small and sociable marsupials. The gray and cream colored gliders weigh between four and five ounces, and can live as long as 15 years in captivity when well cared for.
Sugar gliders require a properly ventilated cage, which should be as tall as possible. Placing branches and perches throughout the cage will allow them to climb and leap as they please. Gliders like to nest in seclusion, so a small box or pouch should be made available.
Sugar gliders subsist largely on fresh vegetables and pitted fruits, which should be made freely available. They also require small amounts of protein in the form of cooked meat, tofu, or the occasional nut. Crickets and mealworms can be given as treats, and sugar glider-specific multivitamins should augment their diet as well.
