Sugar possum is a pet that breaks all mimicry records

If there was a mimicry detector, then near these animals it probably constantly went off the scale. Sugar possum is so cute that it does not leave the most severe men indifferent. Add here an easy-going character, a miniature size and a passion for sweets and still you will not get even a tenth of the idea of how positive this creature is. It is only necessary to see it, and it is better to hold it in the palms of your hands.

In Latin, this animal is called Petaurus breviceps, and in Russian officially-a sugar marsupial flying squirrel. In addition, it is also called sugar squirrel, sugar flying possum, dwarf marsupial flying squirrel, short-headed flying squirrel. In nature, this milaha loves fruits, and in captivity does not refuse other sweet products, for example, honey and dairy-free baby food.

The sugar possum is an inhabitant of the forests of Australia, New Guinea and some islands of the Pacific Ocean. It is very difficult to see these miniature flying birds in nature — they are timid and can be considered real masters of disguise. During the day, the possum prefers to sleep, and its peak activity falls at dusk. At this time, in the jungle, you can see dozens of these animals, spreading their paws, soaring from tree to tree.

The membrane located between the front and rear limbs of the animal works like the wings of a glider, and a long fluffy tail acts as a rudder. Flying birds descend to the ground very rarely, since the structure of their body is little adapted to moving on a flat surface.

In the twilight, the animal feels very comfortable — huge bulging eyes and large mobile ears provide him with all the necessary information about the world around him, even in pitch darkness. The possum's tail, which is equal in length to the body, is used by the animal as an additional limb. He can even carry small objects with them, for example, twigs.

The body length of the sugar possum rarely exceeds 20 cm, and the weight is 100-150 grams. Such modest dimensions are an important advantage when flying between trees. They live in packs of 10-20 individuals and obey the male leader, who marks his flock and dominates it in every possible way.

The mating season of these flying birds falls on June and July. These cute animals are marsupials, so their cubs are born just 15-17 days after conception and are comparable in size to rice grains. The female brings from 1 to 3 babies, which she puts in a bag, where she carries them for another 60-70 days. But even after that, parental care does not end. For about 8 more weeks, a caring mother is nearby and helps the cubs adapt to life in this world full of dangers.

The favorite food of sugar possums, as we have already said — is fruit. But this does not mean that the animals refuse animal proteins. Flying birds masterfully hunt insects and their larvae, which supplement their diet. Despite its delicate appearance, the sugar possum is perfectly adapted to life in the wild — when there is a lack of food, the animal falls into a lethargic sleep, which can last 23 hours a day.

Cute appearance, friendliness, intelligence and unpretentiousness make sugar possums popular pets. At first, they began to be started in the USA, Australia and Canada, and then the fashion for cute squirrels came to Europe. Not so long ago, they appeared in In Russia, where it is now quite easy to buy sugar possum.

At home, these animals are not too demanding and perfectly find a common language with other pets. Possums are friends with rats and rabbits, and they like to ride dogs and cats. However, they have one disadvantage — you should not count on their permanent company during the day, since their activity falls at night.

This exotic squirrel makes sounds similar to barking to attract someone's attention, clicks when angry, whistles with fear and chirps with joy. Thanks to such an extensive range of sounds, you can easily find out the condition of the animal. In captivity, these flying birds live up to 12 years, so the animal can become your friend for many years.

Sugar possums have only one rival in mimicry — the Japanese flying squirrel, but these animals are not kept as pets.