I have a few questions I believe that my female may be getting ready to be a mom again, how should I prepare for lil joey's? In the store they sell milk for cats and they also sell the carnation milk in a can that some people have switched there newborn babies to. Would either of these be alright to give your gliders? Also tuna fish in the can has alot or protien, how about giving them some of this?? Right now they are on the bml diet and I give them fresh fruits everynight? They also like the special K cereal with the dried strawberries. I know that when the mother is pregnant it is important for her to have a milk supliment to produce milk for her little ones. Im just trying to get an Idea of what people are giving there gliders. Thanks Everyone for your input. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thanx.gif" alt="" />

[:"green"]Cat milk is higher in lactose and shouldn't be given to your glider. If you're going to use a pet milk replacer, I would recommend either: Brisky's Booster Milk -or- Wombaroo Marsupial Milk Replacer -or- Esbilac Puppy Formula (available at most pet stores).
For increased protein, you can give Tuna packed in water but since you already have her on BML, it is not really necessary since BML is already high in protein to begin with.

Since your questions are really related to breeding, I'm going to move this post to the Breeding & Babies forum for more responses <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />.

I have a concern with Tuna because of the possibility of mercury in the fish. Many doctors will tell pregnant women to avoid fish during pregnacy due to the risk of mercury poisoning.

Since you are feeding BML, you really don't need to add anything to her diet except perhaps provide more of the bml mix for her. If you start adding other things, you can throw off the ratio of the diet possibly causing more harm then good.

Okay thanks very much I will stay away from the tuna I just wasnt sure if the BML diet was enough for her.

[:"green"]I learn something new every day! I had no idea about the potential of mercury poisoning with tuna... wow! Good to know! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumb.gif" alt="" />

Doctors will say to avoid or severely limit fish (including tuna) while pregnant. (no more then one serving per week) How the risk translates to such a small critter like a glider...???? Not a risk I am willing to take.

Also, I know that for a while I was feeding my gliders tuna once or twice per week and it really made their poop STINK! While a good source of protien, it wasn't worth the smell my gliders were putting out.

If you are really wanting to increase their protien, try offering scrambled eggs (no oils or seasonings) or boiled eggs a few times per week. Eggs are one of the most easily digestable protien sources we have available.

Also, giving a pinky mouse (live is ok, but frozen then thawed is fine too and not nearly as grusome to me) once a week is a good protien booster too.

Some will sprinkle Wambaroo milk replacer or Wambaroo high protien suppliment on the food also. But with BML, any changes you make can throw off the ratios so do so only after tons of research.

I gave them one scrtammbled egg last nite with no salt,milk,or butter in the pan. The male eat more than she did. I guess I just wanna make sure she gets enough protien if she is carrying. I wanna post something that I found on a website and get some opinions on it. POSTED BELOW, Would this be safe to give a glider in small amounts?

Recipes for Milk Replacer Formula and Weak Puppy Booster
There are many versions of these formulas available now. What you see below is my experimenting to find a formula that worked for MY puppies. So, these formulas have been field tested and I find them very useful. Good luck.
Milk Replacer Formula:
10 oz. evaporated milk (whole fat or part skim -- do not use all skim) or goat's milk
3 oz. sterilized water (baby water or boiled water) -- delete if using goat's milk
1 egg yolk (raw)
2T regular mayonnaise (optional)
1 cup whole fat yogurt (whole fat or part skim -- avoid all skim)

Place all ingredients in a blender and mix (or use a wire whisk) till well blended. Use all formula within 7 days.

Warm formula to puppy body temperature before feeding. Always discard formula leftover at a feeding. This formula is thick and so is best administered by stomach tube. If using a bottle, you may need to enlarge the hole slightly. It provides 11 calories per cc.

[:"green"]I would not give that puppy formula to sugar gliders. It appears to be very high in lactose & I don't know how well joeys would handle the high lactose. If you are looking for a formula to give joeys, you can find one on my page about Hand Raising A Joey or directly linked at Joey Formulas

While most recommend increasing calcium and protein for pregnant/lactating mom's, I personally would not overdo adding too much to the diet. You still want her to eat a good portion of her BML each night as that has all the vitamins and protein in it that she needs. In fact, Bourbon recommends to add extra BML to the plate for pregnant momma's and a few extra mealies each day. That's it.

If you do choose to add extra to the diet, I think it is safest and smartest to stick with additions that breeders have used for many years with good results (scrambled/hardboiled egss, extra insects, pinkies, Wombaroo, etc.) but just don't over due it to the point that the female isn't eating her regular diet. While nursing mom's do need more than non-breeding gliders, too much calcium and protein can still be more harmful than helpful.

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

One of the concerns I see in that puppy formula is the fat content. It has been shown that to much fat in the mother's diet can cause the joeys to be born with fat deposits on their eyes. (yes, I have seen some joeys just that way, the owner fed the mother CHOCOLATE PUDDING cause she LIKED IT!)

I would stick with diets that are designed and been used for sugar gliders.

I have had 18 gliders born in my home. Out of those, all I did for the mothers was increase the amount of BML and offered a small amount of additional protiens (eggs, extra bugs, yogurt).

Yes, giving to much can be as harmful as them not having enough.

Gliders, like most animals have been having babies forever. They really do know what they need and what to do (MOST of the time) and we can tend to over react and make the process much more difficult and complicated then it needs to be. Just try to relax and enjoy mother nature at work.