When my sugar glider licked me for the first time, I knew that we had finally formed the bond that I was reading about. Why Do Sugar Gliders Lick You?
It felt like a light scraping the teeth on my skin, but it continued with repetitive licking. Let’s find out more reasons why sugar gliders lick you in this article.
Why Do Sugar Gliders Lick You?
Sugar gliders form trust, builds a bond and create a relationship with their human caregiver as they attempt to groom them by licking the way that they do in the wild.
They are also sapsuckers who lick trees and investigate scents in the wild or on your hand with curiosity by using their tongues.
How to Tell if a Sugar Glider Likes You
A sugar glider that is comfortable with you will not tussle or move frantically in their cage. They will settle into a deep sleep with you nearby.
This means that they trust you. Also, if a sugar grinder likes you, they will attempt to groom you repetitive licking.
Have your hand out and watch how your sugar glider trusts you enough to be held or use your hand as a perch while licking with light nibbles as well.
How about tail curling? Do you notice that too? See how this is connected in my article all about their tails.
Are Sugar Gliders Affectionate?
Sugar gliders enjoy the affection of their caregivers. You are their companion because you take the time to take care of them. Once the bond is formed, they will be affectionate with you.
This doesn’t mean that sugar gliders are affectionate with everyone. Always make sure that children are aware of this before they make sudden movements with their hands or bodies near a relatively docile and safe animal to be around.
They can sense sudden movements and stress that would cause them to either retreat or act aggressively at times.
Why Does My Sugar Glider Bite Me?
At first, I thought my sugar glider was afraid of me, but I realize that biting could also be a positive sign as well. At first sugar gliders bite for reasons such as:
- self defense
- fear
- unfamiliar with surroundings
- feeling of being trapped
- foreign smells
- sudden movements
- early trauma
- curiosity
Some sugar gliders were born and raised in a stressful conditions. They may have developed the need or reaction to respond aggressively compared to those raised by reputable breeders.
Younger sugar gliders may lick for no reason or out of curiosity. My brother and I finally settled on our sugar glider biting us with gentle nibbles as a sign of affection accompanied by repetitive licking.
This means that she is trying to perform her excellent grooming techniques on us.
Do you also hear barking sounds? Why won’t my sugar glider stop barking? Time to explain.
Do Sugar Gliders Lick Each Other in the Wild?
Yes. Sugar gliders constantly groom each other in the wild when they are comfortable in the presence of their counterparts.
They trust and lick each other out of affection. They desire to keep company with others of the same species. It is a sign of safety and comfort.
Why Doesn’t My Sugar Glider Lick Me?
Your sugar glider might need some more time to bond with you. You might need to spend more time together.
Interaction could be as simple as sitting next to the cage and simply talking to your sugar glider with a soothing voice. Handing your sugar glider treats also helps to build the trust and bond.
Give it a little bit more time and patience. Notice that your sugar glider is feeling more comfortable with you. They will want to lick you as they attempt to groom you out of bonding and affection.
Conclusion
I figured out that because sugar gliders naturally adapted to sucking sap from trees, they have a desire to taste or lick anything that is in front of their mouth.
So, we put our hands out in front of our sugar glider and of course, she wants to lick them. We might have some foreign smells on our hands that she’s trying to investigate.
The tongue is soft and her nibbles are gentle. The next time your sugar glider licks you, this means they trust you, like you or are just curious about you.
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