For those of you who do not know me, I am a glider-mom of three (3) and for the past two (2) + years of ownership I have wade in the confusion of the "
diets."
However, this is NOT going to be yet ANOTHER post about "
diets." Instead, I want to address the vitamin issues...again.
As many of us already know, each
diet has its own specific vitamin ingredients i.e. REP-CAP is mainly for BML, Sustagen a.k.a. Ensure is in the Darcy's
diet, etc.
I know. The whole world of "glider
diets" is complicated at best and down right scary at worst. However, hopefully in the near future, technology, science and
veterinarians will eventually catch up with the experience and knowledge of properly caring and/or raising Sugar Gliders, until then we are stuck "wading in the confusion."
Over the years, I have consulted with many proficient, experienced and knowledgeable glider guardians and no matter what
diet you use, these individuals all say same thing.
Use caution with ALL vitamins. Do not overdose the vitamins. Too many vitamins can be just as harmful as not giving them at all.
However, what they fail to clarify is what EXACTLY happens to sugar gliders if you overmedicate dietary vitamins.
We all agree that it cannot possibly be good, but aside from that no one knows or at least no one is informing ME of the information.
I understand the Ca:P vitamin ratios and why too much phosphorus can be lethal. That was rule number one! Know your Ca:P ratios and know them well!
However, I have also been told that too much vitamin D3 is not healthy for sugar gliders, while other glider guardians argue that sugar gliders do not need vitamin D3 at all!
Personally, I disagree with this argument. I feel that sugar gliders DO need SOME D3 being how they are nocturnal marsupials and are not exposed to enough sunshine (a source of vitamin D3.)
However, I never understood why too much is considered unhealthy. Does this imply that if too much D3 is administered it can actually kill a sugar glider?
With humans, felines, canines, equine, etc. if consumed too much of a certain vitamin the body will only absorb what is needed and the rest is expelled via stomach juices, sweat, urine, etc.
Now this is NOT true with minerals i.e. iron. Too much iron in the body will result in iron poisoning which IS lethal.
I just wanted to bring this up in hopes that the GC community could help shed some light onto this issue.
Does anyone have any answers to vitamin overdosing, besides not to do it?