Dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs and hamsters. These are all pets that one can expect to come across in a pet store.

However, a new pet is appearing in pet stores across the country. The latest exotic pet craze is sugar gliders, and they are invading homes near you.

Sugar gliders are a species of opossum that have been imported from Indonesia and New Guinea since 1994. They resemble flying squirrels, although there is no relation. Now easily bred in captivity and for sale at local pet stores, sugar gliders have rapidly become the pets to own.

Sugar gliders are small marsupials. Mothers carry young gliders in their pouch for eight weeks, when the baby reaches is ready to be weaned.

The animals have a membrane from their wrist to ankle that acts as a form of wing. It allows them to "fly" between tree branches. According to the International Sugar Gliding Association, sugar gliders have glided distances up to 150 feet.

Josh Sypes, a shift manager at Planet Pet in Burlington, said sugar gliders are popular because they bond well with owners. Sugar gliders have more personality and are more intelligent and playful than other caged pets, he said.

Planet Pets sells about one sugar glider a month, Sypes added. The summer months see more sales than in the winter.

Sugar gliders are kept in cages that can be purchased at a pet store. They are nocturnal animals,so it is necessary to provide them with a nesting box to sleep in and protection from sunlight. Climbing branches are also necessities, as well as small wire openings that prevent the babies from gliding away.

The animals are known to be picky eaters. Sugar gliders’ diets consist of mainly fruits, vegetables and protein. Melons, apples, oranges, peas and squash are among their favorites, and dairy products such as cottage cheese and yogurt are protein filled treats. Calls to their traditional homeland foods include eucalyptus and insects.

According to the International Sugar Gliding Association Web site, as long as owners spend time with their pet, the sugar glider will trust and respect them.