Sugar Glider Community Calendar

Please click here to see larger view
Articles
More coming soon!!
Today's Birthdays
B1u3sky, StellaLuna
Member Spotlight
Hutch
Hutch
Belleville, IL
Posts: 1,482
Joined: November 2015
Show All Member Profiles 
Last 10 Posts
Gliders of the Round Table 10
by Feather. 03/27/24 07:04 PM
Logging in Problem
by Feather. 03/26/24 06:07 PM
Cloaca swollen?
by Hutch. 03/16/24 11:51 PM
Wheels, Toys, Toy supplies, pouches and more.
by Ladymagyver. 03/07/24 11:16 PM
Gliders of the Round Table 9
by Hutch. 03/07/24 10:52 PM
Stewie:" It's MY Mouse!"
by Hutch. 03/04/24 12:12 AM
2024 Sugar Glider Calendar and Cafe Press Store
by theresaw. 02/29/24 08:55 PM
Custom Cage Liners Machine Wash & Dry
by gr8pots. 02/27/24 04:23 PM
Google+

Facebook
Join Us On Facebook
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Do they need mealworms? #144493
09/09/06 04:55 PM
09/09/06 04:55 PM

A
Anonymous
Unregistered
Anonymous
Unregistered
A



I'm confused, I am feeding my gliders BML they are also getting fruit and vegetables, more fruit though because they do not seem to like vegetables as much. Do they need the mealworms, is there any nutritional value at all? I have read they MUST have and I have also read they don't need. My female will eat them my male won't (yet anyway) Can I just skip them? I have a hard time stomaching the sound she makes chewing them but if they need them I will continue to feed the mealworms to them.

Re: Do they need mealworms? [Re: ] #144494
09/09/06 05:43 PM
09/09/06 05:43 PM

A
Anonymous
Unregistered
Anonymous
Unregistered
A



When feeding the BML plan they do not need to have mealworms. The main reason for feeding them with the plan is to help with keeping their teeth clean. They will not suffer health wise or nutritionally by not feeding them.

Mealworms do contain some protein and fat and most people offer extra to a female with joeys IP.

Re: Do they need mealworms? [Re: ] #144495
09/09/06 05:49 PM
09/09/06 05:49 PM
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 659
Hernando, MS - USA
A
Anmaw Offline
Glider Guardian
Anmaw  Offline
Glider Guardian
A

Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 659
Hernando, MS - USA
From what I have read, if you are feeding the BML diet mealies are more of a teethcleaning thing than part of their nutritional needs. There are people who use the BML diet who don't feed mealies. Fruit and veggies, sometimes they will eat more of one than the other. I would just continue offering the same amount of both each night. They might learn to love their veggies, especially if they are still young.

Most gliders do like mealies, but there are some that won't have anything to do with them. If you continue to feed them, just step into another room while they consume them and let them enjoy. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> That way you won't have to listen to the munching. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />


Becky
Guardian of Stryder,
my Grandson's Sugar Glider
Re: Do they need mealworms? [Re: ] #144496
09/09/06 05:51 PM
09/09/06 05:51 PM

A
Anonymous
Unregistered
Anonymous
Unregistered
A



Thanks! My female is pregnant so I guess maybe it would be a good idea to continue feeding her the mealworms.

Re: Do they need mealworms? [Re: ] #144497
09/09/06 07:31 PM
09/09/06 07:31 PM

A
Anonymous
Unregistered
Anonymous
Unregistered
A



This is extra gross if you already don't like feeding them, but one thing you can try with your male to get him to eat them is cut them in half and encourage him to eat the guts as a licky treat. Gross, I know. My male is actually only interested in them if he sees them wiggle.

Re: Do they need mealworms? [Re: ] #144498
09/09/06 08:26 PM
09/09/06 08:26 PM

A
Anonymous
Unregistered
Anonymous
Unregistered
A



Yeah you're right that is really gross! I thought I would feed them to my female because she does seem to like them and she is pregnant but if he isn't interested he is eating the BML and fruits (some vegetables) Hopefully that is enough, but if he sees her eating something he usually goes to see what she has and tries to steal it so he may change his mind. Thanks for all your help with this.

Re: Do they need mealworms? [Re: ] #144499
09/10/06 07:03 AM
09/10/06 07:03 AM

A
Anonymous
Unregistered
Anonymous
Unregistered
A



to be hoenst- with 4 of 7 not eating them we don't feed them... I just offer pieces of wood in all the cages for them to chew on... and that cleans their teeth just as well

Re: Do they need mealworms? [Re: ] #144500
09/10/06 10:44 AM
09/10/06 10:44 AM

A
Anonymous
Unregistered
Anonymous
Unregistered
A



I feed the Insectivore (Suncoast) diet. Do I need to feed mealies for nutritional purposes?

Re: Do they need mealworms? [Re: ] #144501
09/10/06 04:57 PM
09/10/06 04:57 PM

A
Anonymous
Unregistered
Anonymous
Unregistered
A



Yes, the suncoast diet requires feeding mealies and/or crickets. If you do crickets and easy way to do it is throw them in the fridge a few hours before feeding time and they will all be dead when it comes time to feed your gliders so they don't jump out of the cage <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Re: Do they need meal worms? [Re: ] #144502
09/10/06 05:23 PM
09/10/06 05:23 PM
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,659
Wallis Texas
Charlie H Offline
Glider Slave
Charlie H  Offline
Glider Slave

Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,659
Wallis Texas
Lexi you have apparently fooled by the name Insectivore diet. If you will check the ingredients you will see that the Insectivore does not contain any insects.

Even though most gliders enjoy eating mealies or insects if the glider is given a proper diet they do not need worms or insects. Another thing to think about. The nutritional value of the mealies depend a lot on the type of bedding they are housed in and also if you gut load them before serving them to the gliders. Some sites even suggest rolling the worms in vitamins and calcium before feeding them to the gliders.

I think the idea of feeding meal worms to clean a gliders teeth is ridiculous. That would be like telling someone if they eat an apple a day they would never need to brush their teeth again!
Charlie H


Rescue & Rehabilation
http://www.angelfire.com/tx/glidertree/
[]glidertree@toast.net[/]
Re: Do they need meal worms? [Re: ] #144503
09/10/06 05:38 PM
09/10/06 05:38 PM

A
Anonymous
Unregistered
Anonymous
Unregistered
A



What are the mealies good for? Protein? I feed them lots of yogurt and turkey and such. Gabby just won't eat mealies so matter what, though Suki does. Neither will touch crickets. I've gotten them many times and they just don't care about them.

So is there a substitute for feeding mealies?

Re: Do they need meal worms? [Re: ] #144504
09/10/06 10:14 PM
09/10/06 10:14 PM
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 659
Hernando, MS - USA
A
Anmaw Offline
Glider Guardian
Anmaw  Offline
Glider Guardian
A

Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 659
Hernando, MS - USA
</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />
I think the idea of feeding meal worms to clean a gliders teeth is ridiculous. That would be like telling someone if they eat an apple a day they would never need to brush their teeth again!
Charlie H

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Charlie,
It may be ridiculous, but that's what I keep reading on here about feeding mealworms with the BML diet. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/nixweiss.gif" alt="" /> I was just repeating what the experts said. I don't use the BML diet, but I do feed mealworms to Stryder. Not for cleaning his teeth, but because he likes them <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> and he does get some protein from them. Which reminds me, I need to order some from Grubco now that the weather has cooled off some.


Becky
Guardian of Stryder,
my Grandson's Sugar Glider
Re: Do they need meal worms? [Re: ] #144505
09/10/06 10:22 PM
09/10/06 10:22 PM

A
Anonymous
Unregistered
Anonymous
Unregistered
A



"Even though most gliders enjoy eating mealies or insects if the glider is given a proper diet they do not need worms or insects" by Charlie H
Saying that if you feed them a proper diet they will not need insects is incorrect. Many of the ballanced diets call for insects, are you implying these diets aren't any good. Gliders in the wild eat mainly insects as there stable diet. Gliders are partly insectivores.

Re: Do they need meal worms? [Re: beans1977] #144506
09/10/06 10:46 PM
09/10/06 10:46 PM

A
Anonymous
Unregistered
Anonymous
Unregistered
A



Well I know Charlie has a great deal of knowledge and is probably right in the fact that you don't NEED to feed sugar gliders insects if their diet can supplement all they may need. However, I believe insects are good for them and give them different types on occasion. Mealworms I give a lot more often than crickets or other insects. I give them these foods because I believe that insects are part of what they get in the wild and are good for them. I figure if people are going to go out of their way to order a specific tree branch in for them to chew on since they do that in the wild maybe we should offer some insects too. That is just my take on the whole insect idea <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Re: Do they need meal worms? [Re: ] #144507
09/11/06 07:23 AM
09/11/06 07:23 AM
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,659
Wallis Texas
Charlie H Offline
Glider Slave
Charlie H  Offline
Glider Slave

Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,659
Wallis Texas
I am not implying whether any particular diet is good or bad. What I am saying is that 'meal worms and/or insects are not a critical part of a sugar glider's diet'. Many people never feed their gliders meal worms or crickets and the gliders are very healthy. We raised many healthy gliders for over eight years without ever feeding any worms or insects.

If the insects are so critical then why don't the wild gliders die off during the winter months when insects are not available. Anyway to duplicate the insects and worms in a sugar glider diet you would have to order your worms and insects wild caught in Australia. Following you guys logic just a plain ole American worm wouldn't do the trick. Can you tell me any critical ingredient that a worm would offer that the glider could not get from eating chicken breast or scrambled eggs?

If you feed a diet consisting of protein source, mixed vegetables, and mixed fruit there us no need for insects or meal worms to be included in the gliders diet. Vitamin/mineral and calcium are added to fill in the blanks that would be missed in the diet. These are to be used as supplements not substitutes for the diet.
Charlie H


Rescue & Rehabilation
http://www.angelfire.com/tx/glidertree/
[]glidertree@toast.net[/]
Re: Do they need meal worms? [Re: ] #144508
09/11/06 11:44 PM
09/11/06 11:44 PM
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 9,910
Phoenix, AZ
KattyM Offline
Serious Glideritis
KattyM  Offline
Serious Glideritis

Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 9,910
Phoenix, AZ
Whether or not to feed mealies seems as debatable as which diet is "best." Jeff is correct. Depending on the diet, mealworms may be an integral part of the plan. The Sugar Glider Weekly Menu for the SunCoast diet does incorporate mealworms twice a week (Monday and Thursday). If you feed the BML diet, mealies are indeed optional.

We do recommend if you pick a diet plan, to follow it as directed and not deviate with substitutions (in either ingredients or other foods). These diet plans have been carefully formulated, and any variances could change the nutritional breakdown. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumb.gif" alt="" />


Forever owned in my heart by my :grey: "Eight is Enough" colony:

:rbridge:
• 2002: Keiko (F) + 2003: Hiroshi (M) = 2004: joey Tomoki (M)
• 2009: Sammy (F), Charlie (F), Murray (M), Herbie (M)
• 2010: BJ (M)
Re: Do they need meal worms? [Re: ] #144509
09/12/06 12:37 AM
09/12/06 12:37 AM

A
Anonymous
Unregistered
Anonymous
Unregistered
A



Sugarnspice, you said earlier that you feed mainly bml mixture and mostly fruits and not alot of veggies. Make sure the veggies are available every nite. A glider will eat more of what their body needs at different times and their taste change for no apparent reason. They really need the veggies and they need to be available to them for the diet to work correctly and keep your glider healthy. Just buy a bag of frozen mixed veggies and put one teaspoon per glider a night in with the bml and fruit. It is important that they are available to them especially if your female is pregnant. If she doesnt have the correct amount of everything she needs she is likely to reject her joey. Good Luck!!!!

Re: Do they need meal worms? [Re: ] #144510
09/12/06 06:29 AM
09/12/06 06:29 AM

A
Anonymous
Unregistered
Anonymous
Unregistered
A



What do I do for Gabby who won't eat mealworms or crickets? I tried cutting them and squeezing the guts out, but she couldn't be less interested.

Re: Do they need meal worms? [Re: ] #144511
09/12/06 06:51 AM
09/12/06 06:51 AM
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,234
Tarpon Springs, FL
mattysmom Offline
Glider Guardian
mattysmom  Offline
Glider Guardian

Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,234
Tarpon Springs, FL
All I can say is that my dozen (under 1 year old) gliders in my house look soooo happy and sound (squeak, squeak) so happy with a mealworm in their hands that I couldn't stop treating them this way. Mealworms are included several days/week with the approved diet I feed them. Our human vegetarians find substitutes for protein in their diet. I assume it would be difficult to say gliders "have to" have insects since we give them chicken or eggs or other protein as a substitute. But I'd miss our "here she comes with the mealies" moments when everyone's waiting at their cage doors.


Moira & Matty & my zoo
Re: Do they need meal worms? [Re: ] #144512
09/12/06 08:18 AM
09/12/06 08:18 AM

A
Anonymous
Unregistered
Anonymous
Unregistered
A



Lexi - for now just provide some branches and wood in her cage for her to chew on.

If she doesn't seem interested in the mealies/crickets even with squeezing the guts out, you can try dipping them in her regular food (BML, yogurt, etc.) and offer it to her that way. If she still doesn't go for it, then don't worry about it. She doesn't have to have them and you can always try again.

With one of my gliders she refused to eat mealies no matter what I did. I tried for 6 months to get her to eat them and thenjust gave up. Then one day I had one in my hand after feeding some to my other gliders and she grabbed it out ofmy hand and chowed down. Seems like she just needed to decide on her own when she wanted to eat them.

Re: Do they need meal worms? [Re: ] #144513
09/12/06 08:34 AM
09/12/06 08:34 AM
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,659
Wallis Texas
Charlie H Offline
Glider Slave
Charlie H  Offline
Glider Slave

Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,659
Wallis Texas
Since we are discussing meal worms and insects I think it would be a good time to enlighten some of you who have a mistaken idea about Insectivore-Fare. The name is rather deceptive as it implys that it contains insects. Wrong! Before feeding commercial diets read and understand the ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

Porcine By-Products, Fish Meal, Poultry By-Product Meal, Shrimp Meal, Wheat Flour, Dried Bakery Products, Crushed Roasted Peanuts, Dried Kelp, Fructose Sugar, Corn Syrup Solids, Water, Spirulina, Lactic Acid, Phosphoric Acid, Calcium Propionate (Preservative), Iodized Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Concentrated Carotene, Calcium Chloride, Propylene Glycol, Vitamin E Supplement, Taurine, Vitamin A Acetate with D-Activated Animal Sterol (source of vitamin D-3), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Riboflavin, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Choline Chloride, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (source of Vitamin K activity), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamin Mononitrate, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Selenite, Manganous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Ethylene Diamine Dihydriodide., Magnesium Sulfate, P-Amino benzoic Acid, Folic Acid, Sulfur, Biotin, Natural and Artificial Flavors.
Now with taurine added

Look up the first few items listed and then decide if this is part of a diet you want to feed your gliders. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> I am not bashing the diet just making you aware of what you could be feeding. The decision is up to you. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumb.gif" alt="" />
Charlie H


Rescue & Rehabilation
http://www.angelfire.com/tx/glidertree/
[]glidertree@toast.net[/]
Re: Do they need meal worms? [Re: ] #144514
09/13/06 01:57 AM
09/13/06 01:57 AM

A
Anonymous
Unregistered
Anonymous
Unregistered
A



</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />
I think the idea of feeding meal worms to clean a gliders teeth is ridiculous. That would be like telling someone if they eat an apple a day they would never need to brush their teeth again!
Charlie H

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Just a side note Charlie....purely for informational purposes. My mother was a dentist for 40 years (retired now)....anyway in the dental field it is a well known fact that certain fruits and vegatables when eaten after a regular meal can serve as well if not better then brushing your teeth. And you hit the nail on the head with an apple...excellent choice. An apple does a much better job clearing plaque and build up off your teeth then some peoples sloopy job of teeth brushing. I remember she had this "back to earth" holistic family that had 6 kids come in regularly and they implimented natural teeth cleaning instead of tooth brushes and it always amazed my mother that not one of those children ever had a cavity, and they didn't have anything out of the ordinary when it came to teeth. That may help shed some light.....I'm not sure most american know they have a more natural approach.....not that most americans would have the ability to be open minded that to anyway. And then to add to the argument, I went on Safari in Tanzania last Dec and after every meal they served a hard fruit or vegatable....for just that purpose as explained by a local. I commented to one of the locals about how beautiful many of their teeth were...in a "so-called" third world country....and then he explained many do not have running water or tooth brushes....but the raw vegatables after meals help clean the teeth.

So maybe there is something to it being good for their teeth....who knows.

Re: Do they need meal worms? [Re: ] #144515
09/13/06 06:46 AM
09/13/06 06:46 AM
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,659
Wallis Texas
Charlie H Offline
Glider Slave
Charlie H  Offline
Glider Slave

Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,659
Wallis Texas
One of the problems with using these natral things for cleaning the teeth is that thay will sometimes become embedded between a tooth and the gums. Similiar to getting the husk of a piece of pop corn lodged. This includes things like letting a glider chew on wood, the chiten of insects and worms, or hard pelleted food. Although rare, there are instances of gliders becoming choked on the chiten (exoskeleton) of meal worms. Guess there are good and bad possibalities to anything we do. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />
Charlie H


Rescue & Rehabilation
http://www.angelfire.com/tx/glidertree/
[]glidertree@toast.net[/]

Moderated by  Feather, KarenE 

Sugar Glider Help Page



Please click above to see how you can help!!

Moon
CURRENT MOON
Who's Online Now
0 registered members (), 324 guests, and 81 spiders.
Key: , , Owner, Admin
Newest Members
Mellefrl, klowvrrr, gracefulguardian, KiyokoTheDoll, Hazelneko
7324 Registered Users
Forum Statistics
Forums132
Topics10,374
Posts159,160
posts in the last 24hrs0
Members7,324
Most Online2,693
Jan 2nd, 2020
Last 10 New Topics
Logging in Problem
by Anonymous. 03/24/24 11:43 AM
Gliders of the Round Table 10
by Hutch. 03/07/24 10:50 PM
Cloaca swollen?
by Mellefrl. 03/04/24 02:39 PM
2024 Sugar Glider Calendar and Cafe Press Store
by theresaw. 08/15/23 02:37 PM
Stewie:" It's MY Mouse!"
by Ladymagyver. 05/25/21 09:57 AM
Gliders of the Round Table 9
by Hutch. 02/12/19 11:35 PM
Custom Cage Liners Machine Wash & Dry
by gr8pots. 06/03/14 10:25 AM
Popular Topics(Views)
849,574 TEXAS
679,076 OHIO
487,156 OKLAHOMA
432,160 UTAH
321,684 NORTH CAROLINA
Supported Browser
This site was tested and is best viewed in Google Chrome & Mozilla FireFox



Firefox 3

Download your copy today!!!
Home Forums Links Sitemap Vets Breeders Sounds Contact Us Names Rules & Policies

GliderCENTRAL
©1998-2024
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software
(Release build 20180918)
Page Time: 0.042s Queries: 14 (0.012s) Memory: 1.4180 MB (Peak: 1.7109 MB) Zlib enabled. Server Time: 2024-03-28 16:45:39 UTC