by Ann Dahl
Meet Alvin
By Ann Dahl 1994
Some of you have heard about Alvin, my hand-tamed 10 month old male sugar glider. I managed to talk Mary Ann Brown out of Theodore and Alvin last winter. They were her very first domestic-born sugar gliders. They chattered all the way home obviously upset at leaving their surrogate mom. So began my relationship and education with sugar gliders. There have been several excellent articles of late giving facts and information about sugar gliders. Alvin has given me a window into the lives and hearts of these endearing little creatures and what I have learned has been truly amazing.
To begin with, there is a bond between Alvin and myself which rivals that of any dog or cat I have ever owned. He hears me enter the room and peels out of his nest box. Scurrying to the door of his custom decorated cage, he runs circles until I let him out. He immediately charges up my arm to sit on my shoulders, give my ears love-nips and cuddle up under my neck. He rides around the house while I do evening chores and only leaves to investigate something new that might catch his attention. Alvin began to show me what sugar gliders are made of, and number one is curiosity.
They have no fear of “ground dwellers”, since most of their life is spent in the forest canopies. Their only true enemies are large birds, so they have been blessed with a voice that would scare away a condor. Alvin demonstrated this when he first ran down my arm to jump on my Dalmatian’s nose. He, the Dalmatian, nearly dropped his spots.. Alvin was none the worse for the incident. Another time he leaped onto my neurotic part-Persian cat. That was very interesting as cat and glider parted ways in mid-air.
He will jump or glide to other objects when he is in familiar territory. I have walked down a busy hall in our local Mall and he sat tightly on my shoulder not about to leave my person. On one occasion I took him outside while showing him ff to some pilots. I gave him to one rather tall gentleman and I proceeded to walk away. It was very windy that day and I really had not seen Alvin fly that far before. He took air and took off in my direction. The wind caught him and he started to rise. Gliding skin fully extended. He looked like a parachute with a head and tail. I though he was headed back to South Texas when he maneuvered a crash landing on my head. This 20+ foot flight was truly fascinating to watch. More so, is the way Alvin always flies to me if I start to go out of sight or leave the room.
A large part of Alvin’s energy is focused on one goal….PLAY!!! Sugar gliders love to chase anything moving. Play hide and seek and ah yes, the sneak attack and quick retreat. A moving string or hand will have him darting around hysterically. Alvin loves to hide behind the sofa cushions and peek up over the top. When he sees me watching him he scurries away to another spot and tries again to surprise me. If I pretend not to see him, then comes the sneak attack which sometimes includes a hefty glide to land on my un-expecting person. He loves to be handled and I roll him up like the Pillsbury Doughboy. In my hands and rub his stomach or back. He will sit very still and not try to get away if he’s getting cuddled.
To me, this is one of the most interactive, fun-loving pets I have ever owned. To Alvin, I suppose I’m just a funny looking sugar glider, but he loves me and I think the world of him.
Linda LaFrentz
903-389-5339
mailto:critterhouse@hotmail.com
