LETTERS: Petaurus breviceps, or sugar glider, is native to the tropical and cool temperate forests of Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and Australia.
This mammal is an omnivore that feeds on nectar, eucalyptus tree sap, pollen and acacia. They can also be seen on trees searching for spiders, beetles and other insects for snacks.
Although they are one of the most wanted animals as pets, they should not be one.
Their name comes from their love of eating the sweet sap of eucalyptus trees. The name "glider" is from their ability to glide from tree to tree.
This is the first reason why they should be free in the wild. Their strict diet is not as easy to maintain.
They need natural diets, and you would not want to keep live spiders and insects in your house to feed them, would you?
The second reason for not taking them as a pet is because they are nocturnal animals. Sugar gliders become active at night.
Moreover, they are highly sociable animals.
In their natural habitat, they live in groups. If they are kept alone, it is a cruel thing to do as it may cause them emotional distress and physical illness, which will lead to death.
To ensure that they are not lonely, they need to be kept in pairs or small groups, or the owner needs to always give attention to them.
And never be fooled by those adorable looks. Sugar gliders can be aggressive. They have sharp teeth and claws for biting and scratching.
The aggressiveness happens when they are new to an environment and are not familiar with people around them. It sounds dangerous for adults and children.
To make things worse, this animal may carry diseases. They will transmit the diseases to humans and there is always a risk of infection from those bites.
You would never want a sugar glider as a pet because they are messy and dirty. When they eat, food splatters everywhere.
They also relieve themselves everywhere and would not hesitate to do it on you. They cannot be potty-trained like dogs and cats.
Only specially trained vets can deal with them. They are small and sensitive creatures. A single mistake can cause a bad reaction to their body.
In addition, animals with fur often have problems with mites and fleas. Regular small animal ointments may not work and will cause negative reactions.
Nevertheless, they are popular among exotic pet lovers and are the trending animal that you can buy on social media and shopping websites.
Due to high demand, they are illegally traded and overly harvested from their original habitat. The Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) has this animal registered.
It shows that the number of this animal entering the country is increasing.
Seeing them as pets and trending animals should be stopped. Animals, too, have the right to freedom.
KIM CATALINA
Ecology and Biodiversity programme, Universiti Malaya
DR HASMAHZAITI OMAR
Senior lecturer, Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times