You may be wondering how you can tell the age of a sugar glider. This article is a guide to the life cycle of a sugar glider. We’ll cover the various stages of the life cycle of a sugar glider, including when they are fully grown, when they are just babies, and how large they grow at each stage.
There are a few things you can look for to get an idea of their age. One is their size – an adult sugar glider will be much larger than a baby. Another is their fur – young sugar gliders have much softer, fluffier fur than adults. By keeping an eye out for these various indicators, you should be able to get a pretty good idea of how old your sugar glider is.
But before we get started, let’s go over some basics first.
How can you tell the age of a sugar glider
Sugar gliders can live for 12-14 years in captivity, but their lifespan is usually shorter in the wild. This furry creatures are small, with adults only weighing 100-160 grams.
There are a few ways to tell the age of a sugar glider. The easiest one is to look at the size and weight of the animal. A young sugar glider will be, of course, smaller than an adult. Below we provide a table on what is the usual weight of sugar gliders in the first 8 weeks.
Second, check the colour of the fur. Young sugar gliders have darker fur than adults. Finally, look at the eyes. A young sugar glider will have brighter eyes than an adult.
With a little practice, you should be able to tell the age of a sugar glider fairly accurately.
Sugar gliders stages and life cycle
Sugar gliders stages of life
There are four main stages in the life cycle of a sugar glider:
- Birth to 8 weeks – During this stage, the sugar glider is born, grows rapidly, and starts to develop its adult features.
- 8 weeks to 12 months – This is the juvenile stage, during which the sugar glider continues to grow and develop.
- 12 months to 6 years – This is the adult stage, during which the sugar glider reaches its full size and weight.
- 6 years to 12 years – This is the senior stage, during which the sugar glider begins to slow down and may develop health problems.
Birth
After a gestation period of fifteen to seventeen days, the female will give birth to one or two babies, known as joeys. The joeys will crawl into the mother’s pouch, where they will attach themselves to a nipple and drink her milk for the next sixty to seventy-five days. Once they are old enough to fend for themselves, the joeys will leave the pouch.
In pouch
During the first eight weeks of life, the joeys will grow rapidly, more than doubling in size. They will also start to develop their adult features, including their fur, tail, and ears.
In the first 6 weeks, the joey will be in the pouch and attached to the nipple. Around the second week, you might be able to see the joey. Around week 4, you’ll be able to see the joey for sure.
Between weeks 6 and 8, joey may leave the pouch to look around, but he or she will still spend most of their time in the pouch.
Between weeks 8 and 10, joey will be coming out of the pouch.
Out of the pouch
For the first few weeks after OOP (out of pouch), a joey will cling to its mother’s back. During this time, owners should handle the joey for short periods of time to get it used to human interaction.
By weeks 4-6 OOP, the joey will start to explore its surroundings and taste different foods. However, mother’s milk will still be its main source of nutrition. By weeks 6-8 OOP, the joey will spend less time attached to its mother’s back and become more independent. At this point, the joey should weight around 30-35g.
Although sugar gliders typically reach full maturity at around 12 months old, they will continue to grow and learn throughout their lives.
Mating
Sugar gliders can mate at around 12 to 14 months of age, though some may be able to reproduce as early as 8 months old. Sugar gliders breed year-round and will mate often, sometimes multiple times per day.
How old is a fully-grown sugar glider?
As any sugar glider owner knows, these little creatures are full of energy and personality. It’s hard to believe that sugar gliders are fully grown at just 8-12 months of age, but that’s typically when they reach their adult size.
While they may add on a small amount of weight after their first year, they’re considered fully mature by that point. The first 8 weeks out of pouch is where you notice a rapid growth spurt, and after that they’ll gradually grow until they reach their full adult size.
Even though they’re fully grown at just 8-12 months old, sugar gliders continue to mature and learn throughout their lives. So even though your sugar glider may be fully grown physically, they’re still just a baby in many ways.
Now that you know how to tell how old a sugar glider is, you can better understand their behavior and needs.
How big is an 8-week-old sugar glider?
At eight weeks old, a sugar glider is fully furred and their tail is about as long as their body. They are weaned from their mother’s milk and are eating solid food. They should weigh at least around 30 to 35 grams.
Sugar glider joey growth table
| Age | Weight |
| 1 week | 12g – 22g |
| 2 weeks | 12g – 26g |
| 3 weeks | 12g – 27g |
| 4 weeks | 23g – 33g |
| 5 weeks | 30g – 40g |
| 6 weeks | 30g – 45g |
| 7 weeks | 40g – 50g |
| 8 weeks | 45g – 60g |
How old should a sugar glider be when you get it?
If you are getting a sugar glider, it should not be younger than 12 weeks out of pouch. This is because they need to be weaned from their mother’s milk and eating solid food on their own.
They should also be at least 30 grams, as this is when they are considered to be fully independent.
Ideally, you should get a sugar glider that is at least 4 to 6 months old. This is because they will have had time to bond with their mother and littermates, and will be less likely to be afraid of humans.
They will also be big enough that they can easily be handled without being injured.
Conclusion
In conclusion, sugar gliders reach sexual maturity at around 12 to 14 months of age, though some may be able to reproduce as early as 8 months old. Sugar gliders breed year-round and will mate often, sometimes multiple times per day. They are fully grown at just 8-12 months old, but continue to mature and learn throughout their lives. If you are getting a sugar glider, it should not be younger than 12 weeks out of pouch and ideally should be 4 to 6 months old.
