I have heard that sugar gliders can carry herpes, but I have not been able to find much information online. Is it a different strain than the ones humans carry? Can it be passed between humans and gliders? Can gliders catch herpes simplex from humans and is it dangerous for them like it is for rabbits?
Sorry that a lot of questions. I have been wondering because several times one of my sugar gliders has sniffed my lip and within hours I have gotten a cold sore in that spot! This only happens with the male sugar glider, not the female, and it could just be a coincidence, but it doesn't seem like it. I try to avoid letting them touch my face now.
I have also noticed that since I got the gliders my cold sores have become resistant to abreva. I wonder if I could have been infected with a different strain of the virus. It's also possible that this is just a case of using the cream for too many years and the virus has built up a resistance. My doctor didn't have any answers. Maybe I just need to switch brands.
My main concern is that the sugar gliders could be infected from me. Does anyone know if the virus causes any dangerous symptoms in gliders. I find it very worrisome that since all it takes is a little nose kiss for me to get a cold sore, it could be just as easy for them to become infected.

Any advice and experience is appreciated!

I have been getting cold sores for 20 years, but have only had gliders for 3.5 years. It took me a while to notice a pattern in my symptoms so that's why I havent wondered before. Asking the vet is a good idea, I will do that. It also got me thinking about the risks to the gliders. I used to own house rabbits and it's pretty common knowledge in the rabbit community that herpes can be passed to bunnies and cause serious illness. I haven't seen any information like that about gliders regarding the risks of herpes transmission between species. I wonder if it's a non-issue for sugar gliders or if it just isn't known whether cross species infection is possible?

I will try to do that. I won't be able to contact the vet until Monday because of work and I doubt she will get back to me right away since it's a non-emergency question. I have learned that many marsupials are carriers of their own mostly asymptomatic, species specific herpes viruses. These can cause illness if they are transmitted between similar/ related species. The article only discussed koalas and wombats and mentioned that kangaroos/wallabies carry 4 herpes strains, 3 of them asymptomatic.

I have never heard anything like that. Is is possible that he is just smelling your lips, that he knows your going to be coming down with something. Some animals can sense stuff like that.

Here is the national geographic article

https://www.nationalgeographic.com.au/animals/herpes-prevalent-among-kangaroos-and-wombats.aspx

https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2015-10-07/herpes-widespread-in-australian-marsupials/6783450

More information comes up if you search "marsupial herpes virus", but it's mostly referring to koalas, wombats, and kangaroos/wallabies. Haven't found anything about sugar gliders or other small/ related marsupial species. Some of the articles cost money to read so I haven't read them and could be missing the information I'm looking for.