There was a thread started about Oxlates in certin foods, the oxlates were mentioned in the thread being high, low and even dense should theese foods and vegies just be avoided. I don't wanna give my suggies things that are gonna harm them at least not knowingly I can't rember all the things that were listed in that thread but a couple mentioned were kale and collard greens, I believe the star fruit was even mentioned, the whole subject on oxalates really has me rather confused but I was wondering is it just best to avoild theese food for the better health of the suggies? or perhapes is it best if used in moderation, and even than are we hurting them?

If you feel uncomfortable, then don't fed anything you are unsure of. It's better to not feed and be safe, than to feed and be sorry! I give starfruit very sparingly when it's in season. I don't give a lot of it because of the oxalates but since they do love it and it's not toxic, they do get it.

Oxylates are NOT toxic and will not hurt the gliders.

Oxylates function in most mammals to block the uptake of Calcium from the specific foods they are eating. The oxylates in spinach, for example, can block some of the calcium absorption from spinach. Not all - but the theory is that oxylates make calcium-rich greens less calcium effective as a food source.

However, SOME studies suggest that marsupials are actually not affected by oxylates. They seem to be able to eat very high oxylate containing foods and still thrive. Eucalyptus is one.

So - it isn't hurting them. And it may be helping them. So, my gliders get collard greens daily.

I may give things like that as a rare treat and I do mean a very rare treat, I just don't wanna feel like im contributing to what could possibly be their death... in other words if things were beyond my control and I did everything within my power to save them and they still died.... I don't want to go through the rest of my life wondering if I did it, was there somthing I could have done to prevent it, should I have done more, ultimately feeling like I was a bad mother sums it up in all words.... There's still apart of me that feels guilty about my lizards death and that makes my day hard to get through... so if there's away I can avoid contributing to what could be their death than that's where my heart lies.
But as it has been mentioned so many times theese guys are fairly new as pets and there's so much we have yet to know about them because theres not enough information out there
but I do have a bad habbit of blaming myself if any of my animals were to die.

This is good to know, Alden! Thank you!!! My gliders thank you too!!!

Dark leafy veggies are one of the BEST foods you can give your glider!

IF marsupials are affected by oxylates.. remember feeding them spinach is still very good.. but they will not be receiving the full about of calcium in that spinach ONLY.. they will still receive some and still from other calcium provided.

Thank you, Kris! I had cut down on spinach because I was afraid to feed it!

go under www.sweet-sugar-gliders.com it gives a list of
safe and unsafe fruits and vegs. i printed out a copy
and use it every week when i go shopping.
kale is actually low in oxalates and my gliders eat it
alot.

regards,
nancy in detroit

p.s. thanks chris that was good to know and i will
be buying spinach once again.

Ok I was just warned by someone to watch out for grapes and rasberries, dark leafy greens and such because they are high in oxlates and so I was lead to believe they were bad, and you have a point they eat Eucalyptus in austrilia obviously and as you said it is high in oxalates and it obviously isn't hurting them so why restrict them. Tther thing is The gliders are on BMl and im not gonna switch once I get my pair (Why fix somthing that isn't broken) I know when on this diet you are to strictly follow the diet as is, adding or taking anything away from the diet throws of the ratios, so Id still have to use them as treats but thank you for clearing this up for me it makes me feel 10000 times better now that I understand and know that Im actually not gonna be hurting them but instead helping them. Thanks alot, i appreciate the help.

Spinach is great.. try some Collard Greens as well... they are tastier it seems and the oxalates are about 1/4 of spinach.

thanks for the info kris. i used to feed collard greens
alot until i seen the safe and unsafe list so i have
been feeding only low oxlate veg/fruits, but now that
you have given us this good info. i will be expanding
their diet of fruits/veg.

regards,
nancy in detroit

Kay- I would talk to Bourbon... BML is pretty strict about changing up things... She might have some good ways for you to though. If you need her number let me know.

Sure I'll take it down.. I dunno when Im gonna get some minutes for my phone.... im in the process of trying to be a great mother and do whats right for the suggies Im trying to get everything done before the suggies arrival date.. Im selling things that I no longer need/want to make some money to get the little boy to the vet asap after I get him my aunt is supposed to come today and look at the entertaiment center Im sure she will buy it, that money is being donated to my puppy to have him nutered for the purpose of preventing him from getting testical cancer trying to sell some other things around here is just taking up space, im also jumping into getting a paypal account started ( well I have that) I just need the money to get my visa so I can start putting all the money I make working with my mom at the resturant into my paypal account so that if I run up on hard times with them such as high vet bills I have somthing to fall back on. Im trying
to be the responsible mom here and I hope all my efforts through and prove me a responsible mom, as Im giving up things I want for the things they need. But yeha if you don't mind gimme her number and I'll put it in my contacts that way when I get some minutes I'll be able to call her since my hubby is so pickey about calling long distance on the house phone. if you don't mind add in her real first name please also

I still gotta get the pomeranians shaved down in their lion cuts.... they have trampled the mud so much their hidious looking.. well mine is any way

Hwh, i have a comple note pad that I keep on my computer loaded with a wealth of iformation that I think and find important for my suggies life I also have that list, but last night when I read that thread and some was telling me back when I first started my suggie addiction to watch out for those food that contained high oxlates and scared me on that fact I deleted the food that were high in oxlates.

Here ya go 321-331-1608

Would like to see links for the studies showing that oxalates don't affect marsupials if anyone has them.

Also are you worried about effects of high iron foods such spinach on the liver.

Collard greens is what I feed more than the other leafy greens. I think it had a better ca:ph ratio too.

Maybe Alden has a link??

There is only 0.27g of iron in one leaf of spinach approx 10grams in weight compared to one hard boiled egg (large approx 50g) with 0.59 of iron. In one cup of collards (chopped approx 36g) there is .07g of iron.

I was just warned to stay away from foods high in oxalates..