A love for the extraordinary

However, her love for wildlife has blossomed over the years and has led her to create an eclectic collection of pets that now almost resembles a mini fauna park.

“I remember growing up and having pet chickens and ducks like we never had cats and dogs,” Racheal said.

“It was always something unique, a little bit different.”

Alongside, birds, guinea pigs, bearded dragons, blue tongue lizards, Racheal’s latest additions to her pet family are Rocky, Deja, and Polly — three adorable squirrel gliders that are as captivating as they are cute.

These charming marsupials, native to Australia, are known for their remarkable gliding abilities, allowing them to soar gracefully from branch to branch in their enclosure.

Racheal delights in observing their antics as they explore their surroundings and interact with one another, especially at night.

“I like unique animals and things that are a little bit different, and they're certainly different,” Racheal said as she smiled.

“A friend of mine had one, and I thought, yep, I need to get one of them too, and now I’ve got three.

“There are two females who are about two years old, and the male has just turned one.

“Being nocturnal they sleep all day, and then they come out at night to feed all the little bugs, moths, and spiders … they have excellent night vision, which helps them navigate and find food in the dark, and they’re very active. It’s entertaining to watch.”

Squirrel gliders have a soft, greyish-brown fur coat with a creamy white underbelly.

They have large, expressive eyes and a long, bushy tail that helps with balance and steering while gliding.

They possess a membrane called the patagium that stretches from their wrists to their ankles, allowing them to glide gracefully between trees.

Furthermore, they can cover distances of up to 50 metres in a single glide.

However, inside their enclosure they’re limited to space, but it does not stop them from gliding from one side to the other and quickly.

“They'll, come right up on one side of the enclosure, and they'll jump right to the back the other side,” she said.

“They’re acrobatic.”

Adult squirrel gliders typically weigh between 300 to 600 grams and measure about 24 to 30cm in body length, not including the tail, which is about the same length.

“Mine won’t grow any more now,” Racheal said.

“Their lifespan isn’t that long either, sadly … they live in captivity six to eight years and out in the wild, they only live three or four.”

Squirrel gliders are considered vulnerable due to habitat loss from deforestation and urban development, and conservation efforts are under way to protect their habitats.

They are an extremely unique pet, and you need a special licence to acquire one.

“They are at risk of humans cutting down their trees and things like owls and dogs and cats attacking them,” she said.

“Campaspe Squirrel Gliders on Facebook often rehabilitate them and try to get them back out into the wild.

“If anyone wants additional information on how they can help, adopt or foster, they are the group to contact.

“They’re such beautiful little creatures … I’m looking forward to seeing if mine start a family now that the male is old enough.”