My Sugar Gliders Are Losing the Hair on Their Heads

Not unlike male human beings, male sugar gliders often are experience baldness on the top of their heads, but for totally different reasons. This loss of hair generally occurs as the little guys achieve physical maturity. Sugar gliders are usually around a year to 15 months in age when this happens. If your male sugar gliders have conspicuous, diamond-shaped hairless spots smack dab in the center of their foreheads, you're seeing their scent glands. Adult male sugar gliders employ these glands to claim their turf, whether a preferred resting spot or a mate. Suggies are no strangers to territorial behavior.

If your sugar gliders are experiencing hair loss on any parts of their bodies, whether the head or back, it could be a sign of anxiety -- in both males and females. Severe anxiety can trigger elevated activity of the adrenal glands in gliders, which in turn can bring upon noticeable loss of fur, according to the SmallAnimalChannel.com.

Mites also can bring upon hair loss in sugar gliders. If your sugar gliders are experiencing severe itchiness along with clumps of missing hair, they may just be dealing with unpleasant cases of external parasites.

If your adorable marsupial pets are not as enthusiastic about self-grooming as they used to be, it could be an indication of both stress and anxiety. Insufficient grooming can lead not only to messy, unkempt fur, but also thinning hair that groups together in clumps -- giving the illusion of hair loss. At the other end of the spectrum, excessive grooming activities in gliders can also lead to significant hair loss. Both insufficient and excessive grooming behaviors are signs of possible emotional issues.