I`m just curious how everyone else feeds their Darcy`s (ensure mixture). I put mine in a feeding dish separate from their main meal. I`m just asking this because it really hit me that I see all my gliders lapping up the ensure but I`m not sure if my older male is eating it being that the first thing he does when he wakes up is darts for the glider kitchen with his meat and veggies lol. I do know that I`ve seen him eat it months ago, but I`m wondering if he got bored of it or if he eats it when I go to bed. I`m thinking that maybe I should mix it in with their main meal so I know he`s eating it too. Thing is, I almost hate to have it get soaked up by the chicken breast and ruin the flavor of that being they look so forward to their meat. That`s why I`m just curious about how everyone else feeds it, separate dish or not? And how do you know if everyone is getting their share?

I hope this isn`t too dumb of a question lol

First of all there is no "dumb" questions, only the ones you don't ask LOL.

I don't feed Darcy's or really know anything about it. So let me go run for help.

I am sorry your post has gone unanswered for so long. We usually try and answer no longer than an hour.

Hi Denise,
Apologies for missing your post <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />,

I used to feed Dracys, I always kept the Ensure seperate for the reasons you stated.. it would change to flavor of the other foods.

What you could try is to withold your protein source (chicken or whatever other meat you think he's eating first), this will encourage him to eat the staple first. What I used to do was put in the ensure, fruits & veggies in the evening time for when they first woke up. Then early morning before they went back to bed I offerd the protein source.

Any other questions just ask.

That`s ok, thank you so much for coming and helping me, and Ellen, thank you for getting me some help <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Chaungo, that sounds like a really good idea! I`ll feel so guilty holding back on him but the first things he goes for is the protein source (no matter what it is) and maybe a few veggies, if there`s peas in there, he`ll gobble them all up before anyone else gets a chance LOL! He`s also getting to be a little "Chunker" LOL, I`m getting a little concerned about that but seriously, he`s probably about the size of an average glider. I`m going to take your advice and give it a try. Thanks so much!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/muchlove.gif" alt="" />

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumb.gif" alt="" />Your welcome.

Some have noticed that the ensure can cause weight gain especially in a not too active glider. This diet was originally created for a glider that was ill. Have you weiged him recently?

No I haven`t weighed him lately but I`ve been meaning to do so. The thing is, I don`t think he`s eating much of the ensure, I think he`s filling up more on all the other stuff. Plus I feed them bugs every morning because my girl has 2 IP and I couldn`t give them to only her. I wonder if this could be causing the weight gain? Like I said earlier, he may be an average size glider and I think he`s big because all my other gliders are on the smaller side, but then again, 2 of them are only 13 weeks old lol. I`ll have to get him on the scale one of these days.

I actually have the opposite problem with Darcy's... Mine eat up all the Ensure first and tend to leave behind a lot of their fruits and veggies. They mostly eat their proteins but sometimes some of that's left too. The Ensure is always all gone <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />!
I do put the Ensure in a seperate dish too but it's right next to the other dish.

As for weight gain... (well if you find out he actually is eating the Ensure, that is), you can always cut back on the amount some. The creator of the Darcy's diet has stated several times that the amount of Ensure is adjustable as needed for weight maintenance. She says you can go as low as 1 teaspoon per glider, if needed. Just something to keep in mind <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumb.gif" alt="" />.

Also, what flavor of Ensure are you using? I started out with strawberry and mine seemed to like it a lot. But after awhile, I wanted to try some other flavors, so I tested out butter pecan and vanilla. They like the butter pecan okay, but they LOVE the vanilla... so much so, that they don't eat the strawberry as well anymore. So now I pretty much just stick with vanilla. And like I said, it's always the first thing eaten and the dish is always empty in the morning <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />.

First of all, I have been blessed with a good little boy that is not a picky eater and will eat most anything. I mix everthing together in one dish - Ensure/Equate, protein, fruits & veggies. On nights when he has mealworms I put them on top of his food and if he doesn't come right down to the dinner table he has to go fishing for his worms. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> He doesn't seem to mind having all the flavors blended or fishing for his worms. My reasons for doing this: 1st and most important, he eats some of all of it and usually cleans his dish; 2nd and least important, I don't have as many dishes to wash and don't get dishwater hands. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yelclap.gif" alt="" />

Denise,
I have started using the Darcy's diet because mine were not eating the BML as well as I would have liked them too. They have all gained weight and look much healthier. My only problem is they do not want to eat thier fruits and veggies anymore. LOL So I am going to try the acacia gum like Lorna stated in a post that I had made earlier today for help. I really hope that encourages them to eat more <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Oh, the protien source only in the morning. That seems like a great idea. I was giving it to them at night and in the morning. I feed my ensure seperate like you due to the fact I also do not want it to mix.

I`m sorry I haven`t responded sooner but I`ve been having lots of problems logging onto GC <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />, This has been going on for quite some time now.

Stephiy, when I first started to feed the Darcy`s diet, mine used to go after the ensure first thing too, but now it`s the protein and even sometimes the veggies they eat first lol. Now for my joeys, they go after the ensure first.
I give them both the vanilla and strawberry because they love them both ( I alternate them every night, spoiled kids lol). I never tried butter pecan or any other flavor because I can`t find it anywhere.

I didn`t know that you could offer as little as 1 teaspoon per glider! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> I knew you could offer more or less than 1 Tbsp but I didn`t realize you could offer so little though. But now that kind of confuses me about the ca:ph ratios. How do you know if they`re getting enough calcium? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> Is that something you don`t have to worry about with this diet plan?

Well, I did try to hold back their protein until early morning and I had them in the bathroom for playtime and I`m sorry to say that I caved <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> lol, I felt so terrible cuz Nicky looked sad and was hunting for food but couldn`t find any (except for ensure, fruit and veggies). He was not a happy camper so at 3 a.m. I gave them their protein and he was happier than anything. I decided to try something else and it seems to be working so far. I put the ensure in a little round snack cup and am placing it in the middle of their food plate IN the glider kitchen and now it is all gone in the morning. I was placing a cup in one of the small doors of the cage. That used to work for them but not anymore. I still haven`t seen Nicky drink the ensure but it`s all gone in the morning so I hope he is getting his share. I just wish there was a way to know who`s eating what. With 4 gliders now, it`s so hard to know if they all get protein, ensure, fruits and veggies. Does this ever get any easier LOL <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/question.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/question.gif" alt="" />

Could you maybe leave Nicky in the cage during tent time to see if he eats his share? I had to do that to one of mine to make sure she was eating and the other was not hogging. LOL HTH <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

i have seen ensure with high calcium. could that substitute the calcium supplements?

Andrew,

It's only recommended to use the regular Ensure. The High Calcium and High Protein ones have higher levels of sodium.

It's a good idea to keep a journal with weight and behavior noted daily for each glider.
If your gliders are gaining too much weight on Darcy's diet, cut back on the Ensure, or switch diets entirely.
Cornell recommends the Nekton for Sugar Gliders supplement, and I use that several nights a week now, for Darcy and the rest of my gliders.

Donna
"Nekton Sugar Glider" is a wonderful product, I have been recommending it & using it for many years - Not surprised that Cornell is recommending this!

Donna,
On the nights you give Nekton,... do you give that instead of the Ensure or just an extra treat along with everything else?

I mix the Nekton into fruit juice, and serve that (instead of the Ensure) along with their nightly bugs, yogurt, fruits & veggies.

What is Nekton and where can you get it?

I know I am late on this, but missed it before... I started feeding Darcy's a while back b/c mine weren't really eating the BML.. I haven't had a weight problem with any of mine.. they are all healthy, active, and no one is overweight, except maybe my mama glider, but that is my fault...

I feed mine in plastic portioned plates I got from Walmart. They were four for a dollar, and are perfect. I use the smallest portion for the ensure, the medium for protein and the big one for fruit and veggies... HTH.. and sorry for resurrecting an older thread.

What a good idea bugsmama..mine keep knocking the little bowl of liquid over, I'll have to try the divided plate.