SUGAR GLIDER NUTRITION

All of our sugar gliders are fed The Pet Glider (TPG) Diet. It is a well researched, nutritionally balanced fresh food diet that our gliders love and is very healthy for them! Please read below or click here to visit the TPG website and find more information and recipes for the TPG Diet.

You must feed your sugar gliders a researched and approved diet, such as the TPG Diet. It is very important to closely follow your diet’s instructions. Deviating from the recipe will cause your diet to be imbalanced, which may lead to a multitude of health issues for your glider. Examples of other approved diets for sugar gliders include Bourbon’s Modified Leadbeater’s Diet (BML), Critter Love Complete (CLC), or Original HPW (O-HPW). A pellet diet is not sufficient for your sugar gliders!

For the TPG Diet recipe, scroll to the bottom of the page.

TPG Diet

From www.thepetglider.com

DIET

There are several different theories on what you should feed a sugar glider daily. Most sugar glider experts agree that, when raised in captivity, gliders require a FRESH DIET containing a variety of fruits, vegetables and protein (recipe at the end). We recommend The Pet Glider Exotic Fresh Diet as an everyday source of sustenance with The Pet Glider Vitamins (which include minerals, calcium, bee pollen, acacia gum, fresh ground milk thistle and probiotics) sprinkled on top. Avoid feeding anything with preservatives, sugar or color additives. Gliders in the wild eat very low fat diets and get lots of exercise gliding through the rain forest. Gliders raised in captivity can become overweight and develop health problems if not given a healthy diet.

Sugar gliders are very active animals with high metabolisms. Therefore, it is important that you have staple food in their cage, always available for them to munch on. In addition to this we recommend you serve our fresh diet daily as this is their main source of nutrients. You may also offer occasional healthy treats and mealworms. Make sure gliders have fresh water at all times.

Staples

Cereal: The premium cereal we use here at The Pet Glider is high protein and low fat, containing human grade chicken. A standard serving is one teaspoon per glider.

Monkey Biscuits: We recommend and sell the Mazuri Growth and Repro biscuits which consists of 25% protein. This staple contains a dental guard and will help keep your sugar glider’s teeth clean and healthy. Our recommendation is ½ to 1 biscuit per glider. You can purchase both the cereal & monkey biscuits at The Pet Glider store. Always keep these items available in your gliders’ cage and replace the bowl with fresh food daily. Sugar glider Brunch should be stored in an air tight container in the freezer to maintain the one-year shelf life. Your Brunch can be kept at room temperature for 6 months.

Fresh Water

You must be sure to provide your sugar glider with fresh filtered water daily. We recommend you use filtered water and never let your water bottle get empty. Bottles should be dumped out and cleaned every week to prevent bacteria growth. WE DO NOT recommend Gliderade. It is high in sugar and contains an unspecified amount of vitamins. The Pet Glider uses water bottles for our gliders vs bowls. Bowls can lead to drowning and bacterial growth. Glass bottles are highly preferred.

Mealworms

The favorite treat of a sugar glider! It is a high protein treat that can be given daily, 7-8 giant sized live mealies per glider. Mealworms are a great tool to use when bonding with your sugar glider or to have fun hand-feeding your pet.

Treats

Other treats that seem to make sugar gliders happy are yogurt drops, dried cherry drops, dried mango chunks, dried mealworms and dried crickets. Cutting up fresh fruit such as watermelon and oranges, or sweet potatoes will make your sugar gliders jump for joy! Remember that these are not their main diet so use sparingly.

Vitamins

You must sprinkle The Pet Glider Vitamins with calcium, on your glider’s food every day. These are specifically made for sugar gliders, with a calcium to phosphorous ratio of at least 4:1. DO NOT USE REPTILE VITAMINS WITH YOUR SMALL MAMMAL! Our vitamins are sold by many breeders all over the world. They come in a 30, 90, 180 and 360 day supply. Bulk supplies are available for breeders and small companies. The sugar gliders’ diet which requires a high volume of fruits and vegetables contains inverse levels of phosphorous to calcium. High phosphorus and low calcium will lead to brittle bones which are easy to break or fracture. Calcium deficiency will first make your glider sick, then will cause hind leg or total paralysis, and eventually will kill them. If you notice any trembling or shaking (on a consistent basis, not just when scared), or any trouble climbing in the cage or hanging on to the perch, contact your exotic animal vet immediately. Always keep your multi-vitamins with calcium powder in the refrigerator. DO NOT freeze because of the probiotics.

The Pet Glider nutritional supplement contains a multi vitamin and multi mineral with calcium and amino acids, freshly ground bee pollen for the immune system, freshly ground milk thistle for healthy liver function, high grade probiotic powder for absorption of nutrients & healthy intestinal flora, acacia gum powder high in calcium (nutrients eaten by sugar gliders in the wild), 100% whey protein isolate, and coconut nectar (nutrient with a low glycemic index). Our vitamins do include a natural source of vitamin K, as well as organic kelp and spirulina.

TPG Diet Recipe

The Pet Glider Exotic Fresh Diet Recipe

The Pet Glider Exotic Fresh Diet consists of chicken, turkey or eggs, fresh and frozen vegetables and fruits, yogurt, calcium-fortified orange juice, oatmeal and apple sauce. Feed 1 ½ tablespoons per glider per day, served in the mid to late afternoon. The Pet Glider DOES NOT RECOMMEND the following: Red meats, chocolate of any kind, candy, bread, seeds or any food with high sugar content. We do not feed our gliders any type of nuts. An occasional non-seasoned raw almond would be okay, but our rule of thumb is NO NUTS. Any vegetable that is high in phosphorous is not good for gliders. Prevention is your safest bet, so use vitamins daily. We feel that ours are the best available.

This recipe is approximately enough for 2 gliders for 30 days. Note to the beginner chef and the seasoned cook: Nutritional variety is important for healthy, happy sugar gliders. We recommend that you try making several versions of this recipe (changing the fruits, veggies and protein for variety) at one time so you can feed your gliders a variety during the month. However, if time does not allow for this, be sure you change up your recipe monthly and give them a variety of healthy foods & giant mealworms!

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 Cups / 16oz Fresh or Frozen Fruit (not canned). Oranges, papayas, tangerines, pineapples, mangos, cantaloupes, kiwi, peaches, watermelon, bananas, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and cherries. Choose 3-4 different types. If you peel a fruit before you eat it, then cut it in half for your sugar glider. DO NOT FEED RHUBARB.

  • 2 Cups / 16oz Fresh or Frozen Vegetables (not canned). When using frozen vegetables, get plain mixes (no sauces or Asian flavoring). Chose at least 4 different types. Sweet potatoes, kale, collards, green beans, beets, peas, lima beans, carrots, jicama, bok choy, squash, red bell pepper and snow peas. Small amounts of corn, broccoli and cauliflower are okay but feed in moderation. DO NOT FEED GARLIC, LEEKS, OR ONIONS OF ANY KIND.

  • 6 - 8oz Plain Whole Milk Yogurt

  • 6 Tablespoons Calcium-fortified Orange Juice Concentrate

  • 6 - 8 Tablespoons Uncooked Oatmeal

  • 4 Cups / 32oz Unsweetened Applesauce (optional, may substitute extra veggies and fruit)

  • 6 - 8oz Cooked Protein. You can use cooked chicken (boil/broil/roast), ground turkey (pan cook in coconut/MCT oil), or eggs (scrambled in coconut/MCT oil). We do not recommend using pork or beef due to high fat content.

  • 1 - 2 Tablespoons Ground Flax Seed, Wheat Germ, or Ground Chia Seeds (optional but very beneficial form of fiber)

DIRECTIONS

  1. Chop your fruits and vegetables into very small pieces. We recommend using a food processor. Remember the size of the animal you are preparing food for.

  2. Always cook your protein - chicken, ground turkey, or scrambled eggs. (No seasonings).

  3. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together (save oatmeal for last). You want to make sure all ingredients have been incorporated and mixed thoroughly. You do not want a runny or super thick mix, but one that has the consistency of cake batter. Add more or less oatmeal depending on the consistency.

  4. You will want to divide the mixture in smaller containers to freeze. Here are some recommendations: a) Fill ice trays with your mixture. After they have frozen, you can pop them out, put them in a freezer bag, then place the bag into a plastic freezer container and take out to thaw daily to feed your babies. b) Or you can divide your mixture into 10 smaller containers and freeze. Each container will last 2 gliders for 3 days. You do not want to divide your mixture into larger containers because the mixture needs to be fresh when you feed. You do not want the mixture to be in the refrigerator for longer than 2-3 days.

  5. Sprinkle The Pet Glider multi-vitamin with calcium on top of the food you serve each day. Use 1/8th teaspoon of vitamins per sugar glider. Remember that your multi-vitamins with calcium powder should be kept in the refrigerator, never frozen. Stir your mixture after adding the vitamins to ensure even distribution.

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