Because sugar gliders are nocturnal (active at night), they should be kept in a quiet area during the day so they can rest. Waking them or handling them during the daytime can cause them stress and increase the risk of illness. They are most playful and vocal in the evening and at night.
Housing must be safe and sturdy. A poor enclosure or allowing sugar gliders to roam freely and unsupervised can result in serious injury. Household hazards and interactions with other pets can cause wounds or injuries that may be life-threatening.
Sugar gliders have sharp claws that can catch in clothing or fabric. If caught, their claws must be carefully freed to avoid broken toes, wrists, or ankles.
Sugar gliders are social animals and are happiest in pairs or small groups. Keeping one alone often leads to behavior problems. Social stress—being alone, being stuck with an incompatible cagemate, or living in an unsuitable enclosure—can lead to overgrooming, fur loss (often at the base of the tail), self-injury, changes in eating or drinking, eating of droppings, pacing, or even cannibalism (killing and eating each other) in extreme cases.
Male-specific problems include a condition called paraphimosis (persistent and painful "sticking out" of the head of the penis), which can cause injury and may need surgical care.
If males and females are kept together and breeding is not wanted, the males should be neutered (that is, have their reproductive organs surgically removed by a veterinarian).
