I'm working on making a pretty detailed caresheet for gliders. I've been meaning to do it for awhile now, but I finally got the motivation to get it done (or at least started) Here's the first part, let me know what you think and if there's anything I should change.
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Having a balanced and proper
diet is essential to having a healthy sugar glider. It is probably the most important aspect of keeping them. Although confusing at first, providing the right food soon becomes routine.
The part of the
diet that the sugar glider will eat every night is the staple. Although some people will tell you to use cat food as a staple, do not do it. This idea is outdated and not healthy. It’s usually not a good idea to use any food bought at a pet store, as it is probably not good for sugar gliders, and may just be re-packaged parrot food. It’s best to feed your glider a proven
diet. Probably the most popular is
BML, then
Suncoast and
Darcy’s Diet. Don’t feed gliders hard pellet food; it can cause lumpy jaw (painful abscesses in the mouth). Also, sugar gliders eat by sucking and spitting, so they can’t get much nutrition from something without any moisture. The staple should be fed according to the instructions on the site or container.
Sugar gliders also need fruits and vegetables every night. However, you have to watch the calcium: phosphorus (C:P) ratio, the best is 2:1. Some fruits that sugar gliders can eat, along with their C:P ratios are apples, grapes, oranges, bananas, mangoes, papaya, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, cantaloupe, and kiwi. Be careful with citrus, too much of it can cause diarrhea. For gliders under 6 months of age, do not feed any citrus, but for older gliders, do not exceed one time a week. Some vegetables, with their C:P ratios are sugar snap/snow peas, sweet potato, collard greens, spinach, and carrots. Do not feed any lima beans, they are too gassy, and only feed other kinds of beans sparingly. Baby foods can be used, but be sure to check the ingredients, to make sure there is no onion or garlic, as these are
toxic. Try not to feed baby foods with added sugar, unless as treats. Don’t feed canned fruits or vegetables; they have too much added sugar, as do dried fruits.
Sugar gliders also need protein in their
diet. Live insects can be fed, like mealworms, crickets, and wax worms. Mealworms are fairly high in phosphorus, so don’t overdo it, 5 medium sized ones is a good amount, unless your
diet plan tells you how many to feed in order to keep it balanced (like BML does). Wax worms are very fatty, so they should only be given as an occasional treat. . Crickets have the risk of carrying aflotoxins, so should not be fed if they were kept on corn bedding where you got them from. Do not feed bugs that you caught outside, they may have come in contact with pesticides. Pinkie mice and day old chicks can also be fed, although it’s not necessary, which is nice because not everyone is willing to feed a baby rodent to their pet. Hard-boiled eggs, yogurt, cottage cheese, and tofu are all good sources of protein as well.
Treats can be given to gliders, too. Nuts that are raw and unsalted can be fed, but only in moderation and are very fatty. Licky treats such as yogurt and baby foods are acceptable, and you can read more about them in the
bonding section.
There are some foods that should be avoided altogether. Chocolate, coffee, alcohol, and caffeine should never be offered. Garlic, onions, and many seeds/pits should are poisonous.
The way you feed your glider(s) is important as well. If you have multiple gliders living together, you’re going to need multiple feeding stations to prevent fighting over the food. One station per glider is recommended. You should feed your gliders at night, as that is when they are awake. It’s a good idea to leave a dry food like monkey biscuits of pellets in the cage during the day, in case they get hungry. You can soak the hard food in water or apple juice to soften it up. It’s also a good idea to provide multiple water dishes or bottles in the cage, in case one gets clogged or leaks (in the case of a bottle) or is soiled (like with bowls).
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