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cat food? #250322
04/01/07 11:35 PM
04/01/07 11:35 PM

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Is this healthy at ALL for gliders? They get fresh fruit and veggies and mealworms of course but as the staple is the cat food even remotely good for them?

Re: cat food? [Re: ] #250358
04/02/07 12:22 AM
04/02/07 12:22 AM
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 602
Ohio
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From what I've read, the whole idea of using cat food was dubunked a couple years ago. Just don't even mess with the stuff

Re: cat food? [Re: nome63] #250378
04/02/07 01:10 AM
04/02/07 01:10 AM

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hmm ok so should we expect some health issues with our babies we are getting in a couple months?

Re: cat food? [Re: ] #250510
04/02/07 09:34 AM
04/02/07 09:34 AM
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Long Island, NY
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In general, most people think cat food is not good to feed gliders nutrition-wise and because it is so crunchy. This is a great debate, though. There are some that will feed a high quality cat food as part of a gliders diet. I will occasionally give my gliders a few pieces of cat food as a treat. They usually eat it. I don't think your babies will have a problem just gradually switch them to the staple you want them on.


Jeannine

3 Cats (Spike, Kismet, Honeycat)
1 understanding Husband
1 WFB Neutered Glider boy - Grissom! (oop 8/7/06) :wfb:
1 BB Glider girl- Willows! (oop 1/7/07) :bb:
Re: cat food? [Re: Gossamer] #250612
04/02/07 11:33 AM
04/02/07 11:33 AM

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Cat food as a sole diet is not a balanced diet for a glider. The biggest concern with the diet you listed is I see no vitamins listed at all or any actual plan for how and what to feed.

Cat food is used in some diets as PART of the whole plan. But also keep in mind that the cat food used in a high-quality brand.

I would recommend using the cat food as a transition food until the gliders can be put in a healthy diet plan. Your best bet is to use some of the cat food and put their new staple over the cat food and slowly ween out the cat food.

Re: cat food? [Re: ] #250722
04/02/07 01:37 PM
04/02/07 01:37 PM

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That's actually what I was hoping we could do is ease them onto the bml diet, I think that diet suits them pretty well. So any ideas how to go about it? Can you just switch without easing them off that cat food or would that cause health problems?

Re: cat food? [Re: ] #250746
04/02/07 02:00 PM
04/02/07 02:00 PM

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Does the breeder you are getting them from feed cat food?
Angie

Re: cat food? [Re: ] #250750
04/02/07 02:01 PM
04/02/07 02:01 PM

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ive been told that you can do it both ways.. either ease them off, or just switch it.. Either way, if they are hungry enough, they will eat. You will still have fresh fruits and veggies which they are already used to, so they wont get dehydrated or starve. When i got my gizmo, he was on some glider pellets and fruit/veg yogurt. I just switched him to the BML without EVER using the pellets to ease him in.. He ate just about everything the first night, and has been eating it ever since

Re: cat food? [Re: ] #250757
04/02/07 02:07 PM
04/02/07 02:07 PM

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yes angie they are and of course it concerns me heh though like I think I stated before, um on one of my post . . .somewhere lol, she's not really a breeder they just got them a couple years ago and never got the male neutered and thus the now 13 large colony.

Lindsay thanks for the info I was hoping I could do that so I wouldn't have to waste money on that cat food heh. I would rather spend it on more nutritious stuff for the gliders.

Re: cat food? [Re: ] #250954
04/02/07 05:00 PM
04/02/07 05:00 PM

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Oh Tiffany, thanks. I know of a breeder who tells people that BML will kill thier gliders and encourages the use of cat food. I was crossing fingers it was not the same person. I would just start them on it, and I would get them in for a wellness check as soon as possible after you bring them home.
Angie

Re: cat food? [Re: ] #251011
04/02/07 06:07 PM
04/02/07 06:07 PM

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yup that's the plan I just hope by some miracle we are able to get the two little girls I was thinking about sooner than that heh but we'll see. The only real thing stopping us right now is getting the cage and the toys and stuff.

Re: cat food? [Re: ] #252026
04/03/07 05:28 PM
04/03/07 05:28 PM
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Posts: 63
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I recommend you read these two threads to get some information about cat biscuits as part of a diet, you will get views from people that use it then as well as from people that do not

http://www.sugarglider.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/207751/page/0/fpart/1

http://www.sugarglider.net/ubbthreads/ub...ge=1#Post226196

both threads are very interesting i think and yes i am a cat food diet person myself i use Iams +1 biscuits as part of my diet recommended to me by a friend and my gliders are in perfect health


www.southwest-sugargliders.co.uk

For all your UK and EU sugar glider needs!
Re: cat food? [Re: eccles] #252450
04/04/07 12:43 AM
04/04/07 12:43 AM

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hmm those were interesting thank you for the links eccles

Re: cat food? [Re: ] #252482
04/04/07 01:57 AM
04/04/07 01:57 AM

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If you are switching diets, it's best to do so gradually so that the gliders' cecum/caecum can develop the appropriate bacteria to properly digest the new food.

High quality cat food such as Dick Van Patten's ultra premium cat food is a viable and good protein, vitamin,and mineral part of a balanced diet plan.


Re: cat food? [Re: ] #252525
04/04/07 04:28 AM
04/04/07 04:28 AM

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Here here! And Tifany, don't worry, because your suggies have been fed cat food doesn't mean they're going to fall ill! I've been using it as a SMALL PART of my diet now for 5 years, and I've had ZERO health issues while using it, in fact it's been used as a part of UK diets for over 15 years now and we have very few health issues with our suggies. It's not that we don't know what we're doing in the UK or we're behind with our diets, it's because many people have tried various Leadbeater mods and have dismissed them because we didn't like the results.

Cat food is an excellent source of protein which is easily assimilated, and it has a positive ca:p ratio which very few protein sources have which means you don't have to supplement with so much powdered calcium, Natural calcium gleaned from a balanced diet is preferable (certainly in my eyes) to the powdered stuff.

As part of a balanced diet it's great, in fact, I've received quite a number of emails from people wanting to move away from Leadbeater mods onto cat food, and then I get emails thanking me for the change in their suggies smile.

Oh, and before I forget, just fyi, Bourbon has said on another forum that she is NO LONGER against the use of cat food as a protein source in a balanced diet.

Last edited by moorie999; 04/04/07 04:30 AM.
Re: cat food? [Re: ] #252544
04/04/07 06:50 AM
04/04/07 06:50 AM
Joined: Apr 1999
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moorie, please continue with what I said,

because it is very important that people understand just as you stated.. {see i do pay attention} when used a small part of their diet.

the caroline mcpherson diet has been used for years, but the catfood is a small part of the diet, and she also uses a high quality cat food. I said that I too was against the catfood, till I spoke with caroline directly about it.

now with what I said, and it is the same as I say about all diets, they MUST be fed as directed. there are many many breeders out there that tell people to feed it as a main part of the diet, or even as a sole diet..

Moorie I know you said you have never read it, but we can assure you that is what they tell people at the flea markets and home shows, pet stores and other mega breeders.

just whatever diet you choose, feed it as it is directed

Re: cat food? [Re: Bourbon] #252571
04/04/07 08:18 AM
04/04/07 08:18 AM

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I did go and try and find the quote Bourbon but i just can't, it's lost somewhere in the forum!

I have stated cat food is a SMALL part of a balanced diet (in capitals even :o).)

I don't understand ... what have I not read? Have I missed something? I know that flea markets and pet stores are responsible for telling people to use it as a sole or large part of the diet, but again, I've stressed the SMALL PART. We have the same problem over here but with parrot food and tinned fruit!

I would like to know though what Caroline said to you to make you change your mind.

Re: cat food? [Re: ] #252651
04/04/07 11:41 AM
04/04/07 11:41 AM

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ok i'm a little lost so how would we go about easing them onto the bml? we can' really afford to buy the cat food as it's really expensive and the bml is a lot more affordable.

Re: cat food? [Re: ] #252661
04/04/07 11:57 AM
04/04/07 11:57 AM

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Are you picking your glider up directly from the breeder? If so, I would ask for a small sample of the cat food they use. If not, see if the breeder would be willing to send some with the glider. That way you do not need to purchase a huge bag of cat food you won't use.

For weaning off one diet to another: The first night feed about 1/2 of the cat food, 1/2 BML and the regular amount of fruits/veggies. Then each night take away a bit more of the cat food and add more BML until you are only feeding BML and fruits/veggies.

HTH thumb


Re: cat food? [Re: ] #252666
04/04/07 12:02 PM
04/04/07 12:02 PM

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It did thank you Kristin I greatly appreciate it. ^_^

Re: cat food? [Re: ] #252766
04/04/07 01:42 PM
04/04/07 01:42 PM

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You can even buy organic cat food these days and premium cat food is not expensive at all when you consider that a glider eats 2-4 small bits per night (depends upon the size of the kibble). A small bag of the best food lasts for a long time!

Cat food can be part of a balanced diet but Friskies and apples is NOT a balanced diet. If you want to add a suggie to your household and come upon someone who recommends cat food and apples as a basic diet, run!!

The cat food I use contains blueberries, flaxseed, carrots,and cranberries, eggs, and oatmeal in addition to the meat components.

Cat food is not a substitute for balanced veggies and fruit, it is just one small component of a suggie diet.

There are no short cuts to healthy gliders.

Re: cat food? [Re: ] #253056
04/04/07 07:19 PM
04/04/07 07:19 PM
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the key thing is that I advocate carolines diet, as she intended it to be fed.. and I am constantly saying as it is directed.... but with so many people out there offering the cat food diet.. it really doesn't give people the diet plan itself to follow..

It really would be interesting to see what cat food diets are being used out there,

Moorie you are in the UK, so i assume you are using carolines, but again i could be wrong, how close is yours to carolines?


Re: cat food? [Re: Bourbon] #253468
04/05/07 04:05 AM
04/05/07 04:05 AM

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I have tweaked Caroline's diet but NOT without research and making sure everything balances. I don't use the same cat food as Caroline because I don't like the ingredients! There's too many of them I don't want to be filling my suggies up with (what I call) junk, which is the main reason I don't use Insectivore Fare. TBH I was using cat food before I'd even heard of Caroline, I'd taken advice from a good friend of mine that had been using it for about 10 years at that time, it's now over 15 years and STILL no ill health! To me the proof is in the pudding, his oldest suggie died a year ago aged 15, it had cat food as a SMALL PART of it's diet all it's life.

I have done vast amounts of research, it's not just a case of throwing stuff together and see what happens, I'm not in the habit of putting my suggies health at risk. smile


Last edited by moorie999; 04/05/07 04:07 AM.
Re: cat food? [Re: ] #253471
04/05/07 04:12 AM
04/05/07 04:12 AM

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Angie what breeder are you talking about because someone told me that BML is dangerous and many people have problems with it.She lives in Texas. SMC

Also I feed my baby BML.

Last edited by akadian; 04/05/07 04:12 AM.

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