Good afternoon,

Some time ago, I formulated a vegan pap made specifically for sugar gliders — it might be the first of its kind in the world. I haven’t found much information from people interested in feeding these animals a fully plant-based diet.

If anyone is interested, I’d be happy to share the recipe and, of course, I’d greatly appreciate any feedback. I kindly ask that this thread stays focused on nutritional matters — for example, how to improve the formula using vegan ingredients. I’m not looking to debate the moral or ethical side of the decision, as I am fully confident in that aspect and know I’m doing what’s right.

I hope there are others out there who are interested. Here’s the thread — you’re welcome to join the discussion!

Thank you very much.

Glider diets are a hot issue. The standard diets that are accepted by the glider community are Critterlove, OHPW, BML, TPG. Critterlove is the most tested diet out there. Sugar Gliders are Omnivores, even int he wild they do not eat primarily vegetation and saps, they eat bugs, small animals and birds.

GliderCENTRAL will not support a Vegan diet. If this thread gets out of hand it will be closed.

Thank you for your response. I understand that the most well-known protocols are based on omnivorous diets, but I also believe that science and ethics should move forward together.

My intention here is not to debate the morality of the decision, but rather to develop a plant-based pap that fully meets the nutritional needs of sugar gliders. I’d be grateful for any input from those interested in contributing to that goal.

I understand that GliderCENTRAL does not support vegan diets, but it would be valuable to allow space for sharing research and experiences that may enrich the broader knowledge about alternative feeding approaches.

Thank you for the opportunity to raise this topic, even if briefly.

Granted this pertains to a golden retriever, but sugar gliders are also omnivores.

Thank you for your response, Feather.

I understand your concerns and I value the creation of spaces for discussion on this topic. However, I would like to make some relevant clarifications, especially considering that in this forum it is common to see repeated claims without sufficient support or critical analysis. As you surely know, there is currently no conclusive scientific evidence regarding what the optimal diet for Petaurus breviceps in captivity is. The commonly accepted diets—such as BML, HPW, Critter Love, among others—are built upon empirical observations, accumulated experience from breeders, and general nutritional criteria, not upon controlled clinical studies or rigorous comparative trials. By that same logic, and with the same level of analysis, it is possible to formulate a well-balanced vegan alternative.

The condition of being an omnivore does not imply a nutritional necessity for animal products. The fact that sugar gliders are omnivores does not mean they require animal-derived products to maintain good health in captivity. Dogs are also omnivores, and yet there are peer-reviewed studies supporting the nutritional viability of professionally formulated vegan diets for them. In the case of sugar gliders, the absence of similar studies is not due to biological impossibility, but rather to the lack of commercial interest in exploring alternatives free from animal exploitation.

The diet I am developing has been designed with strict nutritional criteria. It includes all essential amino acids through proper complementation of plant proteins, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in balanced proportions, vegan (synthetic) taurine in safe doses, calcium supplementation along with vitamin D3 (derived from lichen), and a precise evaluation of the calcium-to-phosphorus ratio. I regularly monitor body weight, activity, eating habits, and fecal consistency. So far, health indicators have been positive and stable.

It is not merely fruits and vegetables, but a complete, formulated blend. The mixture I prepare contains protein isolates, functional prebiotic fiber (such as acacia), natural fat sources, specific vitamins and minerals (included through supplements or fortified foods), and an adequate proportion of complex carbohydrates.

Many veterinarians are not clinical nutritionists. Although they have general training in animal nutrition, not all of them are qualified to formulate specific diets or to evaluate micronutrient bioavailability in exotic animals. Many conventional diets do not even report detailed nutritional content per serving (mg of calcium, IU of vitamin D, amino acid proportions, etc.). In my case, every formula I design is accompanied by estimated calculations per portion, Ca:P ratio, and documentation of ingredients.

This diet responds to two very specific ethical and health contexts:
• Vegan caretakers who reject all forms of animal exploitation and wish to provide their rescued animals with a compassionate diet, without compromising their health.
• Sugar gliders with allergies or digestive intolerances to animal products, as sometimes occurs with egg, yogurt, or even insect protein, whose digestibility is not always guaranteed.

From a vegan ethical perspective, this diet is not designed to encourage sugar glider reproduction, nor for breeding, sale, or possession. It is a feeding strategy to guarantee nutritional well-being for individuals who already exist and are under human care, many of them rescued or adopted.

What matters is the function of the nutrient, not its origin. Calcium, vitamin D3, taurine, methionine, lysine, zinc, or vitamin B12 can all be obtained without relying on animal-derived ingredients. What is important is the bioavailable form, the correct dosage, and clinical monitoring, not the source per se. This diet incorporates specific supplements and prior fermentation of certain foods to improve absorption.

Let us avoid falling into the naturalistic fallacy. To say that “in the wild they eat other animals, therefore they must do so in captivity” is to commit a logical error: assuming that what is natural is synonymous with what is ethical or optimal. Natural does not always mean best: diseases, parasitism, or even infant mortality are natural, and yet we do not preserve them. Ethics cannot be automatically deduced from nature. Claiming that sugar gliders “need” to eat animal products simply because they would in the wild, without any solid nutritional argument or empirical support, is not only fallacious but baseless. In captivity, our goal is to reduce harm and optimize conditions, not to uncritically mimic a wild ecosystem.

The vegan diet I propose is a viable nutritional alternative in captivity, with permanent monitoring and concrete nutritional criteria. It is not intended to forcibly replace other diets, but rather to open an ethical-scientific space for discussion, based on evidence, coherence, and responsibility. If in the future serious studies are developed on this approach, I will be more than willing to collaborate and share the records I keep on the health, behavior, and progress of the animals under my care. For now, I ask for the same respect that is given to other formulas that are not scientifically validated but are socially accepted by tradition or repetition.

Best regards.

Hello

I'm fascinated / concerned with this diet.

In the glider community, we have had a few people ask about vegan diets. I do have a few more questions about how and where did you start the research journey?

How long have you fed this diet specifically?

Were fecal tests monitored during this time for actual absorption of needed nutrients?

What about average weights? I understand this is for pet only gliders not for breeding.

What about general glider activity? Is it the same?

How are their temperaments?

Are these gliders that are pet only bonded to you?

Do you spend a lot of one on one time with them and carry them with you regularly or are they only kept in a cage?

What is the life expectation of gliders on this diet? Is it longer or shorter?

This is not an attack on your diet. I am concerned with the well being of the gliders.