Sugar Glider Diet Plan For the Day

Sugar gliders have specialized dietary requirements that keep them healthy and happy. They require calcium and certain vitamins in their diets to ensure that they maintain strong bones, teeth, and muscles.

A poor diet can lead to a variety of health complications in your pet. This includes metabolic bone disease (MBD), which can cause their legs to fracture easily, and other health problems like weakened teeth or paralysis.

Fruits & Vegetables

Fresh fruits and vegetables are great for your sugar glider's health. They are high in antioxidants and vitamins, and they also contain calcium and phosphorus which sugar gliders need to keep their bones healthy.

Fruits and veggies are a good choice for a meal or snack, but be sure to offer them in moderation. For example, feed a few tablespoons of fresh or frozen fruit each night to your glider.

The same goes for a handful of fresh or frozen vegetables, such as peas, green beans, cabbage, spinach or kale. These are a good alternative to meat and will not upset your sugar glider's stomach.

If you choose to feed your glider insects, try gut-loaded crickets or mealworms. These insects can help boost your sugar glider's calcium levels and decrease the risk of metabolic bone disease, which causes softening of the bones and can lead to fractures.

Meat

A healthy sugar glider diet should include a mix of insectivore foods, meat, fruit and commercial foods. You should make sure that these foods are spread out throughout the day to prevent them from becoming overly hungry and consuming too much of any one food.

A good rule of thumb is to provide a 1/8-1/4 cup rotation of fruits and vegetables every evening. Choose 3-4 different types of fruit, and cut the peels before offering them to your glider.

Vegetables – fresh or frozen, not canned (if using canned, get plain mixes without sauces or Asian flavoring). Sweet potatoes, kale, collards, green beans, beets, peas, lima beans, carrots, jicama, bok choy, squash, red bell pepper and snow peas are all great choices for your sugar glider.

Small amounts of corn are ok but be careful not to overdo it as it is high in phosphorus and can actually elevate disease opportunities for your glider. It is also a fattening food that can cause obesity in sugar gliders.

Treats

Treats are a great way to reward your sugar glider for eating their diet. However, you need to be aware of the amount and frequency of treats that are being offered to your glider.

A good rule of thumb is to feed 0.5 to 1 Tbsp per glider of ONE fresh fruit OR vegetable per night, preferably with a variety of veggies. Examples include: green beans, carrots, peas, kiwi, avocado, tomatoes, citrus, spinach, bell pepper and sweet potato.

Dehydrated fruits are also fine as long as they are organic (no added sugars) and given in small pieces. They should not contain seeds.

Water

As an important part of the Sugar Glider Diet Plan For the Day, water should be offered daily. It provides essential nutrients, helps them keep their coat soft and shiny, increases their energy level and keeps them mentally active.

Water intake is also important for gliders who are high-energy animals with a high metabolism. If your glider doesn’t drink enough water, they’ll become dehydrated and unable to maintain proper body temperature.

In addition to fresh water, you should also offer a small amount of Neocalglucon or Calciquid (calcium glubionate in a sweet syrup) on occasion to build their calcium levels. Without calcium, your glider’s bones can become brittle and more prone to breaking or fracturing.

Most sugar gliders will eat insects as their primary source of protein, but they can also eat a variety of vegetables and fruits. Make sure to spread these foods out in different meals during the day and night, giving them a mix of healthy treats as well.

Reference: https://sugarglider.website/sugar-glider-diet-list/