BML Questions

Right now my glider's are on a fresh fruit diet - forgot the name. My problem is the protien, so I am thinking of switching - most likely to the BML diet since so many people use this successfully. However - I am not understanding a few things: <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/nixweiss.gif" alt="" />

1. Is BML considered a staple food supplemented with fruits and veggies or is it considered a supplement?

2. As I cannot always get the recommended fruits and veggies in season, can I change them - as long as I watch the CA:P ratios of the fruits I use?

3. How important are the veggies? - my guys only like spinach and "butter spinach" that is similar to lettuce.

4. Does this still need to have extra protien, other than mealies, added? If so, how much?

My guys don't like any protien sources except for yogurt and mealies. (I have taken to feeding them lunch meat - no preservatives, nitrates or salt - just turkey and honey - because they will eat some of that. However, I have to add extra calcium 'cause the phosphorus is so high!)

Sorry for all the questions - this is confusing! I want them to have the right amount of protien, but not become chubby gliders!

BML is a staple diet.

You need to stick the the ingredients of the BML as best as possible.

In my area it is hard to find the right baby food. I know there are places on the net you can order it.

Protien is important. I feed mine crickets and pillars that you can get in the can. They are not interested in mealies just yet.

I feed a tablespoon of BML a night with some fruit and some veggies. They gobble it up and love it. I also feed mine Nutri Glider it is a supplement you mix with fruit juice.

The BML has egg in it (either scrambled or hard boiled) this gives you protien and the insects you feed will give them protien. Just do not go overboard on the amount of mealies you feed. If they are medium sized I would say no more than 3 per glider per night.

Gliders have a very high motabolism and if you feed them the BML with the right mix of fruits and insects they will not get chubby. I fed my male BML for the length of his short life and he was not chubby at all.

The way gliders get chubby is if you feed them too many mealies and they don't get a good diet or people feed them wax worms or anything that is high fat like too many treats. Treats are just that one or two a day is fine.

Hope this helps.

BML is a complete diet plan. The BML mix is the staple of the diet and contains the vitamins and minerals that balance out the high phosphorus in the veggies. There are listed fruits and veggies in the diet plan and it's not advised to change them out with anything else. The veggies are available year round in the frozen section of your grocery store.

The BML mix also contains the protein but you are allowed to offer some meal worms also.

Hi there, Mel2mdl! Welcome to GC! Hmm, fresh fruit diet, I am going to think this might be the Suncoast Diet, which is also a good one. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I feed BML, and I have for almost two years now; so, I will try to answer some of your questions, and I am sure others will be along, too!

1. BML IS the staple in this diet. Fruits and veggies are PART of this diet. To properly feed BML, you need 1 tablespoon of BML, 1 tablespooon of fruit, and 1 tablespoon of veggies, per night, per glider. Sometimes they eat a little more, other nights, a little less, but this is a good average.

2. Gliders, as you know, can be finicky little eaters, but to be honest, my gliders are quite happy with PictSweet frozen mixed veggies; of course, you can always feed FRESH - and they LOVE that... but anytime you are in a pinch, frozen fruits or veggies will work just fine. Just make sure to get the Classic Mixed Veggies with NO LIMA BEANS.

Yes, you can mix your fruits and veggies up, just be careful, as you said, on the CA:P ratios. There is a chart somewhere which lists everything, but I can't remember where it is offhand. Maybe someone will post a link to it. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

3. Veggies are VERY IMPORTANT! I asked Bourbon the SAME question - only flipped. My gliders are veggie nuts, and I have a very hard time getting them to eat fruits. I limit the number of fruits offered: one night, I offer peaches... not a selection of fruits... just one type, and I have better luck that way.

4. The BML Diet is complete, in and of itself, and while Bourbon was visiting me, I learned some more tricks - my bad - I was feeding Mighty Mealies - twice the size of a LARGE - when the BML Diet only calls for LARGE mealies... I'll have to change my standing order with GrubCo on that one. I feed my mealies to the gliders first thing in the morning, and in that way, they get all of their BML and their fruits and veggies. If you feed mealies in the evening, your gliders will fill up on those, and we do not want that to happen.

I am sure there will be another BML user(s) to come along shortly, and I do know that Bourbon is updating her webpage that gives all the details on her diet, and if I can find that link, I will post up. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Really, no other protein source is needed, other than what was previously laid out above. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> The mealies are actually offered to help clean the gliders' teeth <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Now, I would stay away from luncheon meats, though.

The BML Diet, fed properly (and I have had some bumps along the way - admittedly!) is a complete and nutritious diet, in and of itself, nothing else is needed! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I know I can get the frozen food easily, but my husband and I decided several years ago to only buy organic or locally grown produce. I have a hard time buying traditionally grown produce and almost all frozen food is grown that way. If I won't eat it, I don't want to feed it to my gliders. I have a list of CA:P ratios for many fruits I eat, so can keep those level with the recommended ones. Are veggies a must? I worry about iron, since they like spinach so much (and my son likes collards and mustard greens which I read were a no-no!)

hahaha, man, I am long-winded. When I saw this post - there were NO replies, and in the time it took me to write MY post, lol, there are several

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

Cyndi - thank you so much! That clarifies quite a bit for me. The main reason I am switching is the trouble with protien - they just won't eat much but yogurt. I mixed up a batch this afternoon and offered a taste as a licky treat - Karl just about took my finger off! (Then he spit out a chewed up wad of something? but not much) I will move their mealies to a morning playtime treat, rather than night. Thanks again for all the help from this web site - it is the best! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yelclap.gif" alt="" />

If you only want to buy the organic fruits/veggies that may not be available all year, you could always stock up when they are available and freeze extra to carry you through the other times.

Also, the glider 'spitting out' some of the BML is perfectly normal. Gliders will often suck their food dry and then spit out what appears to be little half moon shaped pieces.

Oh - that is a great idea! I rarely freeze fruit or veggies - I am not a real big fruit/veggie eater, although my son is. That never crossed my mind! (BTW - since I got these two fuzzbutts, I have been eating more fruit than ever! I slice them some and then eat the rest myself! They never got the plums until they popped out of their pouch and grabbed one from my hand!)

Just throwing in my two cents - I was in the process of revamping my BML diet (I need to be firm and stick to the listed veggies!) and I found a bag of organically grown frozen peas carrot and green bean medley. It was perfect! No lima beans, no salt added... I found this in Safeway, they seem to have a growing organic section.

[:"blue"] [/] Ok, so my gliders are on BML and I'm not exactly sure which vegetables are required for it. Anyone know? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/nixweiss.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thanx.gif" alt="" />

sugar_and_spice I will PM you the complete list of ingredients and veggies and fruits that bourbon requires for the diet to be complete! And its cool to see someone else from VA here!

Hey FaesMomma - would you PM that to me too? Please?

Thanks Faesmomma! I'm in Hampton Roads too! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

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I have a list of CA:P ratios for many fruits I eat, so can keep those level with the recommended ones. Are veggies a must? I worry about iron, since they like spinach so much (and my son likes collards and mustard greens which I read were a no-no!)

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I would like to read where the spinach, collards and mustard greens are a "no-no". Those three veggies are excellent sources of calcium as opposed to phosphorus, hence they are excellent choices to feed to the gliders. Here is the link to a list of vegetables with Ca:P ratio http://www.repticzone.com/articles/Ca-P_ratios.html And, yes, the veggies are a must.

I hope this helps.


Jen

The list of veggies:
Green Beans, Peas, Carrots & Corn

The list of Fruits:
Watermelon, Melon, Apples, Cantelope, Grapes, Blueberries, & Pitted Cherries (The frozen kind)

Also, with spinach, it's high in Calcium and therefore would throw your ratios off, just stick to the listed items, and what FaesMomma sent you, I think it's probably what I PM'd her a couple of weeks ago, I'll PM you the latest link too so you have it.
Bourbon requested that the new Updated Link not be posted publically until "she" posts it after the edits and added hints and such are done.

Thanks CyCy - I got your PM and I really appreciate all the help and the suggestions. (BTW - I gave them their first batch yesterday, and they almost fought over it! They can't figure out that there are TWO bowls with the same stuff in it!) I just want them to be healthy and happy!