On no, my gliders gaining weight!!

I have seen several people showing concern about their sugar gliders suddenly gaining weight and they want to know why.

There could be several reasons for this to happen.

With the colder months approaching, it is perfectly normal for sugar gliders to pack on some extra grams. This will help to keep them warm and also in the wild they are not guaranteed to find food every night.
Yes, we have captive bred sugar gliders, however, they are not domesticated animals yet. Even if they were, I am sure this is something that will always remain a part of them, much like dogs that shed their summer coat and get in winter coats even though they live indoors.

Another reason for weight gain in a sugar glider is genetics. There are several lines out there that just seem to be on the 'plump' side. It seems to show more often in white face lines and platinum lines. This is not saying every white faced glider or ever platinum glider is overweight.

Another reason could be excessive treats or amounts of food offered. We think our sugar gliders should have lots of treats, we say it makes them happy.... I'm sure it does, but in all honesty, it is US that feel they have to have it. I will not say not to offer treats, as I do on a daily basis, but I will say to limit them. One or two SMALL treats a day is adequate.

Also, may folks over feed the diet they are offering as the look at the amount and think, that is just not enough for them. A sugar gliders stomach is only the size of your thumbnail. It really doesnt take a whole lot to fill it up. If you are feeding a nutritious diet that contains all the nutrients your glider requires, you really do not have to offer a lot.

You took the post right out of my fingertips!

People have actually referred to me (in a friendly way...I think ) as the treat nazi. I do not give my gliders treats. They honestly do not need them! Now, I'm not referring to the treats you give when you are going through the bonding process, those do help, but they do not need to be a daily part of your gliders life. My gliders are not neglected, I have wonderful bonds with them, and they are not overweight and are all very healthy.

With treats, I see people giving them 2, 3, 4, 5...yoggies at a time. That is like us eating an entire bag of potato chips in one sitting! Look at the size of their hands. When you give them a yoggie, if its the normal sized ones, it is way more than a handful. So look at it like this, you just gave them 2-3 handfuls of potato chips (and repeat on a daily basis??). The tiny yoggies, one of those is a handful. Moderation is key, but I think things need to be put into perspective to understand what moderation means.

If you feel like you must offer them treats, offer them healthy treats. Yoggies are not healthy, they are sugar. Marshmellows, I just cringe when I read that one. Dried fruits, pine nuts, things like that are much more healthy..again in moderation. Mealworms are a great treat; they like them, they are fairly healthy, and are a great aid in dental hygiene. That's a win, win, win situation.

Genetics plays a HUGE roll in your sugar gliders weight. And don't just look at their weight. I have a glider that if she weighed 125 grams she would be grossly obese; and I have another that if she weighed 90 grams would be severely underweight. Look at their body structure. Just like us humans, if you're a 4'5" tall person and weigh 175 pounds you would be obese, yet if you were 5'8 and weighed 90 pounds you'd look sickly. The same concept applies to gliders.

Diets can be the cause of being overweight. But there are many things to take into consideration there as well. First, are you following the diet as written? If not, well then you can't blame the diet. Are you overfeeding them? Is it a nutritious diet? Is that diet working for your gliders? Something we all need to remember is that no diet will ever be perfect for every glider out there. I've fed BML for years and it works great for my gliders, yet I know some people that have fed it and their gliders don't eat it or stop eating it. It doesn't make that a bad diet overall, just a bad option for your gliders.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this post!

**Warning: Zoey story**
Zoey has been gaining weight wonderfully!(She's skinny so she needs it) She's up to about 85 grams! When I got her she was probably around 60-65 grams... Tiny. So I've been giving her 2-4 mealworms per day and a helping of avocado every other day for the past week. She loves avocado!

Now I think she has a small frame, so a healthy weight for her is probably no more than 95-100 grams.

The moral of this story: frame size and diet are big things to consider.

Lately I was wondering why Zucky does not finish his staple every night (some nights it seemed like he hardly touched it at all) and then I find out that my husband has been feeding treats!

I prefer dubia roach nymphs for treats. They are lower in fat than mealworms, high in protein and have an easily digested exoskeleton. Besides that gliders love them. Gliders are awesome because they are the only animal that can make you say "Awwwe how cute" while they hold a bug in their hands and share it's entrails. Still anything should be done with moderation because even a high protein snack is throwing off the ratios in the diet.