If you're feeding your glider foods especially high in phosphorus - such as eggs or meats - you'll want to make sure your glider gets extra calcium that feeding, since phosphorus can make it hard for your glider to absorb calcium. References But with the arrival of COVID-19, the stakes are higher than ever. According to the North Carolina State Veterinary Hospital, the optimal diet for sugar gliders is made up of the following components: 60% Leadbeater mixture (read below on how to make this mixture) – this mixture, once completed, will be frozen in ice cube trays. Amid the current public health and economic crises, when the world is shifting dramatically and we are all learning and adapting to changes in daily life, people need wikiHow more than ever. It’s important to feed the right diet to your sugar glider. Sugar gliders may feel the same way if they experience uncontrollable amounts of stress in their daily lives. Now, we always recommend using APPLES as the MAIN fruit you give them on a nightly basis in the beginning. You can also add some honey or fruit juice to the drier foods. Approved. What should I feed my sugar glider? You should give your glider something different each day to make sure it gets all the nutrients it needs. What a Sugar Glider Can Eat. Then, pop the container back together… set it back in the cage.. and that’s about ALL there is to it! On the previous link to the dining room instructions, we’ve posted pictures of a few different dining rooms – along with step by step instructions for exactly how to make one for yourself – and again, if you’d rather just buy one that’s already made, check out our online store at www.Sugargliders.com . The first is protein, the second is fresh fruits and vegetables and the last thing is just a quick vitamin supplement that fills in all the gaps. The fact of the matter is, they survive just fine consuming blossoms, flower nectar, sap from eucalyptus trees, acacia gum, and insects when in their wild OR captive state. When picking out the right plastic bowl or box, there are a couple simple things that you want to keep in mind. Learn how to provide a safe and enjoyable environment for your sugar glider. We've been helping billions of people around the world continue to learn, adapt, grow, and thrive for over a decade. Generally speaking, you want their dining room to be big enough that all your Sugar gliders can be easily be in it at the same time – but it also needs to be small enough to fit in and out of the cage door. Using the special, WEIGHTED food bowl that we provide to you in our starter kit, put about 20 pellets in the bowl and just leave it in the cage at all times. The first is a CLEAR piece of Tupperware – or some other kind of clear plastic bowl or box with a sealable lid. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published, Avoid giving your sugar glider dog or cat food. Sugar gliders feed on the sap from acacia trees in the wild. Now, obviously some people have a stronger sense of smell than others, so if you’re particularly sensitive you may notice them more than most people. We recommend 3 to 4 pebbles per glider per day, this also depends on the glider’s individual preference. Pocket Pets is the nation's leading resource for Sugar Glider products & information. Now in the beginning, when you’re still in the earlier stages of the bonding process, you’re going to be putting the baby directly in the pouch without handling them directly – so don’t worry about it if they go to the bathroom in their pouch (because you can always just wash it later). Sugar gliders may not drink very much, since they tend to get most of their water from the food they eat. I'm interested in getting a couple of these cuties and the info I've read on the internet seems a bit confusing and misleading. Please consider making a contribution to wikiHow today. My gliders live much longer and much healthier on this diet than when we fed other ways. Throw out old cereal, clean the bowl and put fresh cereal in. % of people told us that this article helped them. Over the last 15 years, we’ve found that Sugar gliders who are PRIMARILY fed Glide-R-Chow ™ & fruits & vegetables as their two MAIN foods (and then OCCASIONALLY given a WIDE range of TREATS like a piece of cooked meat, boiled eggs, or other ’human’ foods that they love) will have very little odor if at all – and instead have a very pleasant smell that a lot of our customers say smells like a “puppy”. freeze it in an ice cube tray. About the only exception to this would be – for example – when they are still very young – or if you had them in a shirt pocket that was velcroed shut and they just couldn’t get out to go… Keeping themselves neat and clean all the time just comes naturally to these little animals practically from the day they’re born. What should I feed my sugar glider daily? How should your sugar glider cage be? Acacia gum is a very important carbohydrate source, and gliders are able to digest 90% of it. Young, just-weaned joeys usually aren't ready to eat bugs, so it's best to give them another source of protein until they get older. For a pair sugar gliders, the smallest a cage should be is 36”H x 24”L x 24”W or 40”H x 21”L x 21”W. wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. With sugar gliders, you want to make sure the cage is taller rather than wider, because they love to jump and climb. yes; my cat is lazy no; my dog is a puppy no; maybe, because they are marsupials not rodents; of course every predator ment for the wild eats tiny animals. WELL, that’s about all there is to feeding your Sugar gliders… Like we said earlier, there are MUCH more complicated and fancy diets out there – but the simple TRUTH is that all you need to do is these THREE simple things…. Gut loaded means meaty or juicy. When you picked up your Sugar gliders, they should have given you a free one-month supply of this – and it looks like this bag of white powder. Then, put their food bowl and all their food in it – and whenever they want to eat, they will go inside. Now, another GREAT way to keep food in your Sugar glider’s cage – and keep their cage VERY clean all the time – is just to make them what WE call a little FORMAL dining room! We only serve the best! A good understanding of a sugar glider's natural diet can help you understand how to feed your glider, so that it can live a happy and healthy life. I appreciate your hard work! Yogurt drops should not be cut in half, as it ruins the perfect dosage. Since the food bowl we give you in our PocketPets starter kit is about 1 ½ inches tall, we usually suggest that your bowl be somewhere around 4 inches tall. Sugar gliders are meant to live in colonies made up of one male, one female, and the offspring (joeys) they produce from the year before and the current year. They have the CUTEST little hands and they are AMAZINGLY good at grabbing and holding onto things. This diet is pretty difficult to replicate in captivity. Not everything safe for you to consume may be safe for your sugar glider as well. The same applies to grapes, which have not been studied enough to know if they're safe to feed to gliders. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time. For more detailed instructions on exactly how to do this, just log in to the Family Circle section of our website. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Is it necessary to feed sugar gliders bugs? I feed them baby food meats with an approved diet in conjunction with approved veggies and fruits. For example, during weekend shows and events where we exhibit, our staff will almost always have at least 4-5 little 8 week old babies bonding with them in their different shirt pockets for HOURS at a time – and even at that young age, they’ll rarely go to the bathroom in our pockets. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. We recommend no more than 8-10 live giant mealworms per day, per glider, depending on your gliders amount of exercise outside the cage. Will your cats and other aggressive animals eat a sugar glider? Keep a water bottle or water dish in their cage to make sure they have access to water at all times. You can also give them other proteins such as lean meats and eggs. We recommend using a food processor. Gut loaded crickets - Feed 3-5 crickets per sugar glider by Lisa. Basically, the idea here is to take some kind of clear PLASTIC bowl or box that has a sealable lid, flip it upside down, and cut a couple holes in it. Basically, all you do is just sprinkle a little PINCH of it on their APPLE every other night. Feeding them the wrong food can lead to nutritional diseases. Feed this for each glider per day. While a little bit of this kind of thing is fine when they are OLDER – like the occasional almond or cheerio – it’s VERY important to remember that little baby Sugar gliders do not have all the stomach enzymes they need to be able to digest a WIDE variety of foods without sometimes getting sick. Some people have even killed their sugar gliders by feeding them with the wrong diet. They eat bugs during their mating season. 1. Offered on a four day rotation with one item offered from the following list daily: Gut loaded mealworms – Feed 10-12 small, 7-10 medium, or 3-5 large mealworms per glider Gut loaded crickets – Feed 3-5 crickets per sugar glider Your gliders may find a favourite! wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. We use it and recommend it because it works! For produce, give it avocado, apples, carrots, melons, and sweet potatoes. Once you pick out the right container, just cut two holes in it – one on each side – with each hole being somewhere around 1 ½ to 2 inches in diameter. The product is called Glide-A-Mins™– and it’s a calcium-based, vitamin and mineral supplement that is made SPECIFICALLY for Sugar gliders. If you don't know whether or not the food is safe, err on the side of caution and don't give it to them until you've gotten a chance to look it up or ask the vet. If you're in a pinch, dried or thawed-out frozen fruits and vegetables are acceptable, but avoid giving your glider canned fruits and vegetables. outcome. Well, if you’re like us and you want to keep things neat – AND clean the cage as little as possible, the best thing to do is to make them this special place to eat. They need a complex and balanced diet. Cook your protein – chicken, turkey, or eggs. Can they eat corn, and how much? The directions are right on the label, but all you do is: Now, according to the most recent veterinary studies, the “protein” part of a Sugar glider’s diet (which is the Glide-R-Chow ™ and Glide-R-Gravy ™) should be roughly about 75% of their total diet. They will also eat bird eggs, lizards, small birds and other small prey items. But the best reason for feeding it is the results. First off, when feeding your new babies Glide-R-Chow ™ the best way to do it is by using a simple method called ‘free choice’. What should I feed my sugar glider? You will need to be … No. – just like a little “dining room”.. Bee pollen and honey can be used in small amounts in your glider's diet, if you have some. 3. Also, as we mentioned before, if you’re not the ‘mechanical type’ don’t worry. And this article is very helpful on telling me what foods are good for sugar gliders, "My sugar glider is happy and healthy, thanks to this article. The study was set up like this. This article has been viewed 34,879 times. Like we said before, you don’t HAVE to build your Sugar gliders a dining room like this – but it is a FUN, quick little project for the whole family… it WILL dramatically cut down on the amount of cleaning their cage needs… and your Sugar gliders will LOVE it. Grapes are sweet, juicy, yummy, and excellent sources Vitamin C---they’re also right up the ally of what sugar gliders like to munch on! Sugar gliders easily can eat raw sweet potato. Sugar glider eating | Sugar gliders diet: Spinach, Carrots, Beets, Pears, Lettuce, Raspberries, Strawberries, Blackberries, Figs and collards, Raw corn occasionally, Then, once a night , just pop out one cube…. Experiment with fruits and vegetables from different parts of the Earth. The other half of their diet is split 25% vegetables and 25% fruits. First off, you need to understand that Sugar gliders are OMNIVOROUS – which for the rest of us NON-SCIENTIST TYPES out there means that they will eat just about ANYTHING you put in front of them…. It is specifically designed for Sugar gliders… it gives them ALL the protein they’ll ever need… and Sugar gliders LOVE to eat it because it has a special fruity flavor that they just go NUTS for. Is this okay? Do your research; some foods are fine when given in moderation, while others should be stayed away from. Please consider making a contribution to wikiHow today. That’s because you’re not gonna waste any food – because every night, most likely their bowl’s gonna be totally licked CLEAN before the sun comes up. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 34,879 times. Then, as soon as you feel confident that your little baby’s tummy is working properly, go ahead and add 1 or 2 small pieces of other fruits and vegetables to it’s food every night. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time. They stay in a tall cage with plenty of branches to climb on, but they like to come out and play as often as possible. When your sugar gliders are hanging out in your shirt pocket or in a pouch, it is unlikely that they would go poop or pee in there – unless of course they have no other choice. Try seeds and sweet treats sold by stores. By using our site, you agree to our. To RECAP, basically if all you do is give them Glide-R-Chow ™, Glide-R-Gravy ™, and a couple pieces of fruits & veggies at night – you’re 99% done… The ONLY other thing left – and this is VERY important – is to give them a special calcium-based multivitamin supplement every other night – just to fill in any gaps and keep them in TIP TOP condition…. Now, if for some odd reason your baby doesn’t want to eat their vitamins off their apple, all you do is mix a little of it into some fruit-flavored yogurt – or applesauce – and let them lick it off your finger. Experiment with how your pet behaves and how much of the food it eats. Feed plain yogurt treats sparingly. To make one of these, all you need are TWO things. There is much speculation regarding what sugar gliders should eat, but there are a few basic rules: Never feed chocolate, anything from the onion family, millet, caffeine, canned fruit, rhubarb, grapes and avocado should also be avoided due to its high fat content. This has been the most requested video by far on my channel. What type of protein do I give my newly weaned joey? After the first SIX weeks of sticking to the “basic” diet of Glide-R-Chow ™, Glide-R-Gravy ™ and APPLES ONLY that we just went over a couple minutes ago, you should slowly start to introduce OTHER types of fruits and vegetables into your Sugar glider’s daily diet, and just keep an eye out for any signs of diarrhea. When it comes to raising a happy and healthy BABY Sugar glider, we’re REALLY talking about TWO things. Feed in small amounts, change Glider Brunch daily; sugar gliders love fresh food! Avoid feeding anything with preservatives, sugar, or color additives. It is recommended that natural bugs be gut-loaded before you feed them to the sugar gliders. Then, when you get up in the morning, make absolutely SURE to TAKE OUT whatever is left over. Actually, the best part about this stuff is that it only takes about 2 minutes to make up a whole month’s supply. Nine young male Sugar Gliders (4-9 months old) were used in the test. So, it is crucial to look a food up before feeding it to your furry friend. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday: Basic Mix Plus Mealworms (about 20 per glider) Don't feed beef, seeds/nuts, or cottage cheese to your gliders. Should I feed my Sugar Glider Meal Worms? You should feed an approved diet so they get all the nutrition they require. Try boiled eggs, pellets, and cooked chickens. Cut up its food into small pieces, then place it in its food bowl at each meal. Cut 1 cm pieces of sweet potato (a few pieces). I feed my gliders a dish of food every night, but it's really up to you. Over the years, we’ve tried almost ALL of them – and all we can say is that based on having raised thousands of Sugar gliders over the last 15 years, we STRONGLY feel that GLIDE-A-MINS™ is – BY FAR – the BEST thing out there – and it’s the ONLY vitamin supplement we feed our Sugar gliders. We also suggest that you DO NOT dice these apples into small chunks – because they dry out a lot quicker that way – and your Sugar gliders won’t get the full benefit of all that natural fruit juice. The other 25% is fresh fruits and vegetables. However, you should always have a source of water in your glider's cage, should they get thirsty. Gliders prefer sweet fruits and vegetables, but these should not be the core of their diet to ensure they get enough nutrients. The first is the feeding and the protection of your Sugar glider – and the second is how to get your new baby Sugar gliders to BOND with you and your whole family – in such a way that you can’t WAIT to see each other every day!…, Now,…Let’s start with one of the most MISUNDERSTOOD and EXAGGERATED parts of raising Sugar gliders – and that is WHAT to feed them…. Healthy proteins include bugs, hard-boiled eggs, and boiled chicken or turkey. The reason you want this container to have a sealable lid, is so that you can easily take the whole thing in and out of their cage – any time you want – without spilling anything. List of common fruits and vegetables your sugar glider can eat You'll want to make sure your glider is getting protein, calcium, fruits and vegetables, and enough vitamins in their meals. These are high in phosphorus. Protein . Now, what happens is that every 3-4 hours, they’ll wake up and come out of the pocket just to check things out and get a little snack … and when it comes to going to the bathroom, probably the best way to think of it is that Sugar gliders are pretty-much like us HUMANS… in that as soon as they wake up from a long nap like that – you’ll KNOW that within a minute or two they’re gonna want to go to the bathroom….. Now, this is ALSO true when you take them out of their cage for the first time each day after they’ve been sleeping under their towel for awhile –especially since – when you pick them up for the first time – you’re immediately going to be squeezing them firmly and massaging their little bodies and tummies with your thumbs. While it IS true that Sugar gliders never need a bath – and they keep themselves impeccably clean – when they eat, they DO tend to ‘shake their heads from side to side quite a bit, which tends to leave small chunks of their food both in the cage – and up to a couple inches AROUND it. The first is that the bowl or box should be CLEAR – and have a lid that seals into place. On the package it specifically said Sugar Gliders have unique dietary requirements. Avocado, lettuce, chives, and onions should not be fed to your glider. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Despite many places marketing mealworms as the "end-all-be-all" food, Sugar Gliders in fact, are NOT insectivores. Sugar gliders eat a mixture of insects and fruits and vegetables. Sugar gliders will NOT overeat Glide-R-Chow ™, and in fact you want them to eat as much of it as possible.. Having said that though, the reason we only want you to put about 20 pellets in at a time is to keep from WASTING food. Sugar gliders eat 15-20% of there body-weight per day, and they should eat kibble and flutes and vegetables. Now, after they’re fully-bonded and it IS time for them to go to the bathroom, all you do – if you’re inside – just hold that tissue or wipey underneath them for a couple seconds, or if you’re outside, just hold them out over the grass – and it’s usually just 2 to 3 hard mouse-like pellets of poop – and a few drops of pee – and you’re ALL done for the next 3-4 hours. We recommend giving them their fruits and vegetables in the evening just before going to bed – but almost anytime later in the evening is fine. There are a variety of recipes for sugar gliders online that follow the recommended ratios for feeding. Recently the father started having seizures... seemingly when I took him out of the cage as I have never witnessed one inside the cage. too much protein or too much of foods high in phosphorus) can result in health problems, such as bone weakening. From the day you bring your new baby Sugar glider home, you will find that they are TREMENDOUSLY playful little creatures, and because of their fun-loving nature – it will be VERY tempting to want to give them all sorts of CUTE…FUN… foods. Feeding schedule should be: Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday: Basic Mix. I get asked this question all the time: “Can you please give me a list of the foods my sugar gliders cannot have?” And for a long time, I have avoided answering the question because I feel it is impossible to come up with a complete list, or even close to a complete list, of the food items gliders should not have. I sometimes cut yogurt drops in half. my ol' guinea pig cage; tall and narrow; a rabbit cage🐰 short and wide. Your support helps wikiHow to create more in-depth illustrated articles and videos and to share our trusted brand of instructional content with millions of people all over the world. While this prepared food is an excellent base diet, it should only make up about 50% of your pet's daily intake. My gliders wouldn't touch chicken if their lives depended on it. I know that pellets are not an option, but what am I supposed to feed a sugar glider. Yes and it can be dangerous for her if she does. Now, once you’ve built your dining room, when it’s time to add or change food every day, just pull the whole container out of the cage, give it a quick RINSE, and set up the food just the way you want it. Please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Some babies just have bigger appetites than others, so as long as you can tell they at least ate SOMETHING, they’ll be just fine. This article has been viewed 34,879 times. How many times should I feed my sugar glider? Fruits and vegetables you could feed your sugar glider are apples, avocados, bananas, cantaloupe, carrots, sweet corn, figs, grapes, grapefruit, mangoes, oranges, peaches, pears, pineapples, sweet potatoes, and many others. The second thing to consider when picking out the right bowl or box is just the SIZE of it. Either way, you want the holes to be big enough that they Sugar gliders can easily come & go as they please – and still SMALL enough that they stop any food from flinging around. Gliders spend about half their time in the wild (43%) feeding … wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. Once you’ve cut the apple, just put it on the floor of the cage. Using filtered water is recommended, but not a necessity. To add calcium to its food, give it papaya, plain yogurt, or berries. Feed your glider once in the morning and once at dusk to keep it from getting too hungry. For 2 Sugar gliders, give them two slices and treat the apple the same. Keep in mind, like we said earlier, Sugar gliders will eat almost ANYTHING you put in front of them – and ENJOY IT – but having raised tens of thousands of these happy and healthy little animals for the last 15 years, we can tell you for a FACT that there are really only THREE basic types of nutrition they need. The balance of the diet should consist of approximately 40% fresh vegetables (such as dark, leafy vegetables, sweet potatoes, and carrots), and 10% fruits (melons, apples, and bananas).