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Possums and Gliders Downloaded from http://meridian.allenpress.com/book/chapter-pdf/2644066/rzsnsw_1990_011.pdf by guest on 29 September 2021 Ray Williams School of Biological Science, University of New Southi Wales P.O. Box 1, Kensington, New South Wales 2033, AustraUa QJ INTRODUCTION Several species of Australian possums and gliders are often kept in zoos, wildlife parks and research establishments. All are nocturnal and arboreal with a wide range of dietary preferences. For the purposes of this chapter, these marsupials can be divided into the following groups; the most commonly kept species is given as an example: (1) Phalangers, e.g., the Common Brushtail Possum Trichosurus vulpecula; (2) Ringtail possums, e.g., the Common Ringtail Possum Pseudocheirus peregrinus; (3) Striped Possums and gliders including Leadbeater's Possum, e.g., the Sugar Glider Petaurus breviceps, (4) Pygmy-possums and the Feathertail Glider, e.g., the Eastern Pygmy-possum Cercartetus nanus; (5) The Honey Possum Tarsipes rostratus. For a review of the biology of Australian possum families, see the various chapters in Walton and Richardson (1989). Phalangers There are six species in this group ranging in adult size from 1-5 kg. The Common Brushtail Possum Trichosunis vulpecula is the only species of this group often kept in captivity. The Bobuck or Mountain Brushtail T. caninus and the Northem Brushtail Possum T. arnhemensis are locally common in the wild but only a few seem to find their way into captivity. The other three species, the Scaly-tailed Possum Wyulda squamicaudata, Spotted Cuscus Phalanger maculatus and the Grey Cuscus Phalanger orientalis are rare in Australia. Most specimens of cuscus held in captivity originate from New Guinea. In the wild, all species appear to be omnivorous, feeding on leaves, flowers, fruits, fungi, insects and possibly eggs and carrion. The brushtails often search for food on the ground, particularly in open forest and have been known to use fallen, hollow logs and the like for Downloaded from http://meridian.allenpress.com/book/chapter-pdf/2644066/rzsnsw_1990_011.pdf by guest on 29 September 2021 shelter during the day. Cuscuses tend to consume more leaves in their diet and the Spotted Cuscus is more arboreal. Phalangers are solitary and males in particular have a home range that is defended partially or wholly against unwanted intruders. With this in mind, these species are best kept in breeding pairs or singly because the confines of the cage make escape by the subordinate animal difficult. The usual number of young for this group is one, except for the Grey Cuscus where two young have been observed in the pouch (Winter 1983). Brushtail possums are reasonably easy to breed in captivity. The Common Brushtail Possum has a single young bom after a gestation period of 17-18 days (see also Table 1). Birth can occur throughout the year but major peaks during spring and autumn have been noted. Pouch life is 4-5 months and the young continues to ride on its mother's back for a few weeks. Weaning takes place at 6 months of age and at 8-9 months the young is indepen- dent. Female young can breed at 1 year old and males are fertile at about 16 months of age. To my knowledge the Spotted Cuscus has only been bred once in Australia. This was in 1971 at the Australian Reptile Park at Gosford in New South Wales (B. Drake, pers. comm.). Ringtail Possums Of the five species in this group only the Common Ringtail Pseudocheinis peregrinus is commonly kept in captivity. Three species, the Herbert River, Green and Lemuroid Ringtail Possums (P. herbertensis, P. archeri and Hemibelideus lemuroides respectively), are restricted to northern Queensland rainforest and efforts to keep them in captivity have met with little success. Their diet in the wild is almost exclusively rainforest foliage although at least the Lemuroid Possum also eats stems. The Rock Ringtail Possum (P. dahli) is found in rock escarpment areas of northwestern Queensland, Arnhemland in the Northern Territory and the Kimberley region in northwestem Western Australia. It has rarely been kept in captivity but is known to eat blossom, fruits and leaves of vegetation near the rock escarpments. The Common Ringtail Possum is, as its name implies, relatively common throughout its range on the east coast of Australia, Tasmania and southwestern Western Australia. It usually lives in dense vegetation and unlike many other possum species is not restricted to the use of hollow logs for nesting. Where tree hollows are rare, nests (or dreys) are made of stringy bark in dense vegetation. Table 1. Breeding data for Australian possums and gliders. Gestation Pouch Sexually period Litter Litters life Weaned mature Breeding Species (days) size per year (months) (months) (months) season Phalangers S 2 Trichosurus vulpecula 17.5 1 1.4 5 6 24 12 Mar-May Sept-Nov T. caninus 16 1 1 6 8.5 36 36 Mar-May Downloaded from http://meridian.allenpress.com/book/chapter-pdf/2644066/rzsnsw_1990_011.pdf by guest on 29 September 2021 T. amhemensis 1 1.8 6 All year (peak July-Aug) Phalanger maculatus 1 P. orientalis 1-2 All year Wyulda squamicaudata 1 1 6? 8 24 Mar-Aug Ringtails Pseudocheirus peregrinus 1-3 1.2 4 6.5 12 Apr-Nov P. archeri 1 Aug-Nov P. dahU 1-2 All year? P. herbertensis 2 1 4 5 12-t- Apr-Dec Hemibelideus lemuroides 1 Aug-Mov r ,.1 Ciliders Petauroides volans 1 1 5.6 7.5 24 18 Apr-June Petaunis australis 1 1 3.3 5 Mov-May May-Jan P. breviceps I 16 1-2 1.4 3 4 8 (captive) P. norfolcensis J Aug-Nov (wild) Gymnobelideus leadbeateri 20 1-2 1.4 3 4 18 May-June Oct-Nov DactytopsUa trivirgata 1-2 Feb-Aug Pygmy-possums and Feathertails Burramys parvus 14-16? 4 1 25 days 2 18-1- 24 Nov-Dec Cercartetus caudatus 1-4 2 1.5 2 Jan-Feb ^ Aug-Nov C. concinnus 50 4-6 2 25 days 1.6 All year C. lepidus 4 3 Sept-Jan C. nanus 4 2 2 Spring/ Autumn Acrobates pygmaeus 3 2 2 3.3 12 8 All year (in north) Honey Possum Tarsipes mstratus 60 2-3 3 2 3 6 All year Information gathered from various authors in Smith and Hume (1984) and personal observations. The Common Ringtail Possum breeds between April and November. This species has four teats, in contrast with the other ringtail possums which have two. The usual litter size is two but three have been recorded (How etal. 1984). The pouch life is four months and young are weaned at 6-7 months. Offspring are sexually mature by the following breeding season. The Herbert River Ringtail is similar in its breeding habits except for an earlier weaning time (Haffenden 1984) and a maximum of two young. Gliders Included in this group are Leadbeater's Possunn Gymnobelideus leadbeateri, the Striped Possum Dactylopsila trivirgata and the four species of larger gliders, the Greater Glider Petauroides volans, the Yellow-bellied Glider Petaurus australis, Squirrel Glider P. norfolcensis and Sugar Glider P. breviceps. With the exception of the Greater Glider which is a folivore, this group feeds on insects, nectar, sap and other exudates of plants and animals. It is not uncommon to observe the Yellow-bellied Glider and Sugar Gliders feeding from incisions in bark made by the Yellow- bellied Glider. In captivity 1 have found that both species, plus the Squirrel Glider, regularly Downloaded from http://meridian.allenpress.com/book/chapter-pdf/2644066/rzsnsw_1990_011.pdf by guest on 29 September 2021 share nestboxes when kept as a mixed group. Sugar and Squirrel Gliders are by far the most commonly kept in captivity and usually they breed readily. Introducing a new animal, male or female, into an established colony can be difficult and the new arrival should be observed closely. After a gestation period of 16 days in these species, one or two young are bom during June to November. After about 70 days, the young are left in the nest which is often communal. At this stage the young are furred and the eyes have just opened. About 30 days later, the young make excursions vwth their mother in search of food. When 7-10 months old the young may disperse from the group. The Greater Glider and Yellow-bellied Glider differ from the Sugar and Squirrel Gliders in having two teats rather than four and only have one young. Pouch life is about 3 months, then 00 the young rides on its mother's back, in the case of the Greater Glider for a further 3 months. The Yellow-bellied Glider is left in the nest for 2 months, after which time weaning takes place. Greater Gliders are weaned at about l^/z months of age. Until recently Leadbeater's Possum was thought to be extinct but was rediscovered in 1961 in Mountain Ash (Eucalyptus regnans) forest in the central highlands of Victoria. Some were taken into captivity and now several thriving colonies exist. There are two main breeding seasons, May-June and October-November, and litter size is usually 1-2; there are four teats available. Pouch life is 3 months and weaning takes place at 4 months. Interestingly, the mother forcibly ejects female offspring when they are about 10 months old. Male offspring are ignored and they disperse when about 15 months old (Smith 1983). The Striped Possum, found only in northem Queensland, is rarely kept in captivity. It has an elongated fourth finger with a sharp claw enabling the animal to prise insects and larvae from cavities inside tree branches torn open with its teeth.
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