GliderCENTRAL

Eating Bugs = Stinky Glider?

Posted By: Otodo

Eating Bugs = Stinky Glider? - 08/19/12 01:45 AM

Greetings!

My family and I have 2 10 wk OOP gliders that seem to be doing great - with help from you all!!

I read a ton before getting my gliders - I can't remember where I read it, yet I remember reading somewhere that feeding mealworms etc. to your gliders will cause them to be stinky.

FACT or FICTION? crazy
Posted By: GliderNursery

Re: Eating Bugs = Stinky Glider? - 08/19/12 02:36 AM

FICTION

I feed mealies and it does not alter their odor/smell in any way.
Posted By: JillMarie

Re: Eating Bugs = Stinky Glider? - 08/19/12 08:47 AM

I disagree, in part.

The gliders themselves do not change in odor. But I used to feed dry roasted mealworms every day. And when I stopped because my supplier stopped carrying them, with in days their PEE didnt smell as much.

I had noticed that when I took the occasional break from feeding them it SEEMED like the pee smelled less. But I wasnt 100% sure. But now I am sure because since I have not fed them, their pee does not smell at all! Not a bit. And NOTHING else has changed in their diet/routine.

I have no idea if live or freeze dried mealworms will have the same effect.

If my supplier ever starts carrying them again, will I go back to feeding them? YES! Why? because the pee didnt smell bad, just strong and it is worth it when compared to how much they love them.
Posted By: IslandGliders

Re: Eating Bugs = Stinky Glider? - 08/19/12 11:53 AM

Originally Posted By: JillMarie
I disagree, in part.

The gliders themselves do not change in odor. But I used to feed dry roasted mealworms every day. And when I stopped because my supplier stopped carrying them, with in days their PEE didnt smell as much.

I had noticed that when I took the occasional break from feeding them it SEEMED like the pee smelled less. But I wasnt 100% sure. But now I am sure because since I have not fed them, their pee does not smell at all! Not a bit. And NOTHING else has changed in their diet/routine.

I have no idea if live or freeze dried mealworms will have the same effect.

If my supplier ever starts carrying them again, will I go back to feeding them? YES! Why? because the pee didnt smell bad, just strong and it is worth it when compared to how much they love them.


Very interesting!

I wouldn't stop giving mealies to my gliders no matter what (they love them THAT much) but this is interesting to know!
Posted By: Otodo

Re: Eating Bugs = Stinky Glider? - 08/19/12 01:38 PM

Thanks so much for the postings!

So far we have

1 vote:

fresh mealies no issue

and

1 vote:

freeze-dried mealies make for stinky pee!

Any others??
Posted By: lilangels

Re: Eating Bugs = Stinky Glider? - 08/19/12 04:49 PM

My gliders don't even like the freeze dried mealies but no way would I ever stop giving them live mealies even if they did make them stink but I have never noticed that they smell bad with the mealies.
I always suspected steve larkin tells you live insects or protien make your gliders stink so they won't be healthy enough to breed.
Posted By: JillMarie

Re: Eating Bugs = Stinky Glider? - 08/19/12 08:45 PM

Originally Posted By: Otodo
Thanks so much for the postings!

So far we have

1 vote:

fresh mealies no issue

and

1 vote:

freeze-dried mealies make for stinky pee!

Any others??


No, it was dry roasted that made them smell. My gliders actually refused to eat the freeze dried ones
Posted By: sugarlope

Re: Eating Bugs = Stinky Glider? - 08/19/12 09:52 PM

Protein makes their urine smell stronger, so yes, mealworms could probably do it. BUT most people are not going to notice a change in smell whether feeding mealworms or not (unless they feed a lot of them only every once in a while). The way most people feed (protein daily and only a few mealworms) you aren't going to notice a significant change, if any at all, in the smell.
Posted By: DCMuffin

Re: Eating Bugs = Stinky Glider? - 08/20/12 04:13 AM

Originally Posted By: sugarlope
Protein makes their urine smell stronger, so yes, mealworms could probably do it. BUT most people are not going to notice a change in smell whether feeding mealworms or not (unless they feed a lot of them only every once in a while). The way most people feed (protein daily and only a few mealworms) you aren't going to notice a significant change, if any at all, in the smell.


:agreed:
Posted By: JillMarie

Re: Eating Bugs = Stinky Glider? - 08/20/12 07:21 AM

Originally Posted By: sugarlope
Protein makes their urine smell stronger, so yes, mealworms could probably do it. BUT most people are not going to notice a change in smell whether feeding mealworms or not (unless they feed a lot of them only every once in a while). The way most people feed (protein daily and only a few mealworms) you aren't going to notice a significant change, if any at all, in the smell.


My hubby thinks I need to use my nose in a professional sense ...ummmmm doing what? LOL

I could detect a gas leak in my house that they needed a special meter to find. I can also smell cockroaches by the smell. And I have been known to find infections on pets by the smell.
Posted By: Otodo

Re: Eating Bugs = Stinky Glider? - 08/20/12 11:38 AM

Thank you all so much for the responses so far!!

Judging from the responses, I'll consider this "grain of truth yet substantially false" - time to experiment!

Let the stink games begin!
Posted By: AllisonNicole

Re: Eating Bugs = Stinky Glider? - 08/20/12 02:00 PM

I feed live mealies and I have not noticed any smells! And like said above, even if they did smell, I would still feed mealies because they are in love with them!
Posted By: ValkyrieMome

Re: Eating Bugs = Stinky Glider? - 08/21/12 07:20 PM

I feed my gliders bugs every single night.

I feed them dubia roaches, crickets or mealworms each night. I have MANY gliders - and there is a distinct "smell" to them. But - with routine cleaning, it isn't a bad smell, nor is it a particularly strong smell. It is just a smell. All animals (including humans) have a smell.

The smell is tolerable, and I feel insects are an essential part of a sugar glider's diet.
Posted By: Sweet As Suggies

Re: Eating Bugs = Stinky Glider? - 10/16/12 05:23 AM

I had read the same thing about mealworms and a stronger scent. My gliders don't stink, and they get worms. I literally put my nose on my little ones and breathe in their scent, and I love it! :nanana: Call me weird, but I've always been this way with smelling my animals. Each one is unique.
Posted By: Wisteria11

Re: Eating Bugs = Stinky Glider? - 10/17/12 10:18 PM

My gliders eat crickets and worms and they have almost zero odor
Posted By: Wisteria11

Re: Eating Bugs = Stinky Glider? - 10/17/12 10:18 PM

I think that is fiction
Posted By: deenamarie

Re: Eating Bugs = Stinky Glider? - 06/18/14 06:52 AM

I ordered some dried ones because the live ones freak me out.. I am hoping they enjoy them so I don't have to get live ones.. lol..
Posted By: AshleighNicole

Re: Eating Bugs = Stinky Glider? - 07/18/14 09:06 AM

Originally Posted By: JillMarie


My hubby thinks I need to use my nose in a professional sense ...ummmmm doing what? LOL

I could detect a gas leak in my house that they needed a special meter to find. I can also smell cockroaches by the smell. And I have been known to find infections on pets by the smell.


I hear you! My sense of smell isn't anywhere near that great, but I am pretty smell-sensitive. When I had an earring infection, the smell made me sick for a week, when no one else could smell it with their nose against my ear. I can also smell Saline in the place I donate plasma, and no one else can seem to smell it.
That's really cool that you noticed the pee difference.
Posted By: TSG

Re: Eating Bugs = Stinky Glider? - 07/19/14 06:48 AM

Originally Posted By: Sweet As Suggies
I literally put my nose on my little ones and breathe in their scent, and I love it! :nanana: Call me weird, but I've always been this way with smelling my animals. Each one is unique.

:agreed:
Posted By: JillMarie

Re: Eating Bugs = Stinky Glider? - 07/19/14 11:34 AM

Originally Posted By: AshleighNicole
Originally Posted By: JillMarie


My hubby thinks I need to use my nose in a professional sense ...ummmmm doing what? LOL

I could detect a gas leak in my house that they needed a special meter to find. I can also smell cockroaches by the smell. And I have been known to find infections on pets by the smell.


I hear you! My sense of smell isn't anywhere near that great, but I am pretty smell-sensitive. When I had an earring infection, the smell made me sick for a week, when no one else could smell it with their nose against my ear. I can also smell Saline in the place I donate plasma, and no one else can seem to smell it.
That's really cool that you noticed the pee difference.


Having a sensitive nose is both a blessing and a curse :/

BTW, when I went back to the dry roasted mealworms their pee did get stinky again, so to keep it to a minimum I feed them only a few times a week.
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