With SO many other good, nutritious veggies out there, there’s just no need to give them lettuce. We're trying to create the best experience for you & your fuzzy family. Yum-E-Treats) to their diet – AS TREATS ONLY. However, again, we cannot point out strongly enough these internet “whackos” are NOT veterinarians – and instead often just love to use this issue as a way of literally “scaring” owners into listening to them. For example, in SMALL quantities (remember, these little guys only weigh 5-8 ounces) almost any kind of fresh fruits or vegetables are fine… most cooked meats except pork are ok, etc… Just like you probably wouldn’t feed a young child foods that contain a high-fat content, lots of sodium, processed sugar, MSG, saturated-fats, etc… for general “health” reasons – you also want to avoid feeding these kinds of foods to Sugar Bears. Some meats and animal products that sugar gliders can eat are: Chicken and Turkey; Eggs; Ground beef; Steak; If you give your sugar glider meat make sure that it’s well-cooked (never raw) and that you do NOT use any seasonings or salt. Before you go we thought we’d leave you with one last video showing that sugar gliders can eat bread and that they do actually enjoy it (have you ever seen a more content looking pet?). Sugar gliders require fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, and protein. Remember, keep the fat and sugar intake low. A sugar glider diet is not that complex however, it’s always best to be cautious when experimenting with food and diet choices and bread is often something that causes many animals discomfort and even illness in some cases. PEANUTS: While peanuts and other foods in the “nut” family may not necessarily be harmful to your Sugar Bear, they DO contain a VERY high fat content – and just like it wouldn’t be good to feed a HUMAN baby peanuts all day – the same is true for Sugar Bears. This is a well-established scientific FACT which is not up for debate – no matter what any “website” or “internet expert” might claim. Daily for lunch as my mum will pack it for my lunch in school. Depending on where you live, bread can either be considered a diet staple or an occasional treat and while bread can be quite bad for some animals (due mainly to issues digesting it) you might wonder whether or not your sugar glider can eat bread. Martin's Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Potato Bread. Not necessarily. As additional treats, you can give your sugar glider: cereal (healthy cereals, not ones loaded with sugar), raisins, bread, tofu, honey, apple sauce, yogurt, whole wheat bread. In the wild, you’ll find they consume nectar, insects, sap, eggs, lizards, and even small birds and therefore this is the reason we advise taking a cautious and minimal approach when it comes to feeding them bread. If you wash an apple, you can pretty much be sure that you got every crack and crevice… However, with “rough” fruits like a raspberry, it is almost impossible to reach every nook & cranny – and since it only takes a small amount of any toxin to hurt our fuzzy little friends – it’s usually best to just avoid them completely. If you don’t want to just take our word for it then below is a quick video showing a sugar glider that seems happy enough to tuck into a rather large slice of bread. While feeling your pet sugar glider is a sign of love and caring, overfeeding can lead to an abundance of health problems. What Do Sugar Gliders Eat In The Wild. It’s usually around this time in “new parenthood” when we start getting asked a lot of questions about the OTHER “fun” kinds of food (besides the standard Glide-r-Chow, Glide-r-Gravy and apples, etc..) people can start feeding their sugar glider baby(ies)… The fact is, since they have little “opposable thumbs” just like we do, it is incredibly entertaining to watch them eat things – and the bigger your baby(ies) get, the more overwhelming this temptation becomes :-). Yet without a proper diet, sugar gliders may suffer from health complications, including metabolic bone disease. They are omnivorous by nature, so they eat both plants and small vertebrates. The Healthiest Breads to Eat for Weight Loss (And the Ones to Avoid) When most people embark on a new diet, the first thing that seems to get the boot is the bread… The ingredients that go into these “cheap, mass foods” nowadays – even the so-called “premium” ones – are in almost every case completely WRONG for Sugar Bears – and the list of the reasons why is simply too long to print here. If possible, all fruits Staples in the habitats at all time, of Sugar Glider Brunch […] Common-sense and MODERATION are the key…, a teaspoon of flavored yogurt a couple times a week. It’s important however to ensure that your sugar glider has a well balanced diet and therefore, bread should make up no more than 10% - 20% of their daily diet and should be used as an occasional treat rather than a diet staple. Just make sure they’ve consumed some nutritious diet staples first as if they fill up on bread then they’ll likely ignore the more nutritious foods that they should be eating. Just because they can eat bread, however, does not mean that it is an optimal food choice and while many will agree that sugar gliders can eat bread, the overriding opinion is that it should be occasional and not a part of their staple diet. Pocket Pets is the nation's leading resource for Sugar Glider products & information. Filling their stomachs is not really a large issue in itself but rather the fact that bread isn’t very nutritious and therefore the more bread that you feed a sugar glider (especially if they eat it first), the less nutrient rich foods they are likely to consume afterward as a result. Wild sugar gliders are omnivorous and eat a wide variety of foods, including saps and gums from acacia and eucalyptus trees, nectar, pollen, fruits, and insects. Again, how applicable this is to Sugar Bears – especially when only fed periodically – is something open to debate… Just remember that a single grape would be roughly the equivalent of a human eating an ENTIRE watermelon in one sitting – so when cut up into small pieces and used as an occasional treat – we have never had, or seen, any problems. The sugar glider is a tiny marsupial, and it’s one of several gliding opossums which can be uncovered in Australia. We’ll discuss foods that are not recommended for sugar gliders later on, but for now, it’s important to note that while carrots, spinach, and lettuce are perfectly fine, safe foods for your sugar glider, it is suggested that you should be a little sparing with these particular veggies as they have very low nutritional value for sugar gliders, so feeding them these in excess will mean they are lacking in their … Of course, one way to make sure you never have to worry about this is to only feed them “certified organic” fruits & veggies, but shopping like this on any kind of a regular basis can get VERY expensive REAL fast. If your glider doesn’t seem to want to eat apples, there are many alternative fruits that you can feed him instead. Wild Sugar Glider’s diet With the major part of their time spent on trees, they have a highly-varied diet. When it comes to carbohydrate sources like bread, you need to be more selective about the types and quantities that you are feeding to your sugar glider. We hope by now that you’ve noticed TWO main underlying “themes” throughout this entire email, and they are: Having said that, when you go out and search the web, you will find literally DOZENS of sites urgently warning you to avoid ALL kinds of other foods, but just like we said in your original purple “Quick-Start” audio CD – when it comes to raising healthy and happy Sugar Bears – there are basically TWO ways you can do it…. Sugar gliders are exotic animals and with any exotic animal, it can often be confusing knowing not only what they can and can’t eat but also what is considered healthy and nutritious for their daily diet. Sugar gliders are omnivores. Or when we were out of sugar, just white bread with butter. There are certain parts of your sugar glider diet which are essential and this includes a healthy balance of protein, fruits, and vegetables. High fat and sugar can cause serious health problems and breeding problems in sugar gliders. Think whole-grain bread is a good choice? No research study would advise you against feeding bananas to your sugar baby. Just because a sugar glider can eat bread it doesn’t necessarily mean that it should. Unsafe Foods for Sugar Gliders << Back to All Sugar Glider Help & Education or Shop Sugar Glider Products. If you look at the graph above (made by the eminent Dr. David Unwin), you can see that the difference in effect on blood sugar levels is fairly small between different kinds of conventional bread.A single serving of any of them is equal to several teaspoons of sugar. Yes, bread with butter and sugar. Your insulin levels will probably reach normal levels. Do Geckos Shed Their Skin ( When and why? I love it till now. Give it a balance of 1 part protein, 1 part … In this article, we’ll let you know why it is ok to feed your sugar gliders bread and how you should look to manipulate their diet so that bread is an occasional treat rather than being a diet staple. As far a corn goes, the main reason why some self-proclaimed internet “experts” – none of which are veterinarians – fanatically object to feeding it to Sugar Bears is simply that it contains a relatively high level of phosphorous. It’s not normal if your insulin spikes. If any part of the recipe is changed or substituted your glider will probably not eat it (gliders can be picky). And while … HOWEVER, while this is perfectly natural behavior for new “moms & dads”, remember what we said in a previous day. Sugar glider food list. Most of the controversy around grapes seems to originate with some older veterinary studies that seem to POSSIBLY show a link between kidney failure in dogs who have consumed large quantities of grapes or raisins. An adult sugar glider can weigh up to 130 grams. The high level of nitrates and sodium in Pork products (ie. They eat almost anything, but pet owners are always curious to know about their pet sugar gliders’ dietary habits. Vegetables sugar gliders eat in zoos include sweet potatoes, lettuce and corn. Dogs can safely eat bread in much the same way as humans—in moderation. Could it help you control your blood sugar? Sugar gliders have very small stomachs and the reason you should limit the amount of bread that they consume is that it can quickly fill up their stomach (for humans, this is more commonly described to be bloating). We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Your sugar glider's diet should contain a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables and about 1/4 of its food should have protein. Bread is a popular food and a key element of the diet in many countries around the world. Gliders should not be fed raw sugar, sugar substitutes, candy and never give your glider chocolate. Just suffice to say, please stay away from these foods under all circumstances. In particular, we are talking about GRAPES and CORN…. The other important thing to remember before we get into a list of foods they CAN’T have – is that when you start introducing new foods – always do it ONE at a time. a teaspoon of flavored yogurt no more than 2x per week for at least the FIRST 6 WEEKS you have them…. That makes bread sound quite bad however that really isn’t the case, carbohydrates are not only good for sugar gliders but essential and bread is a very carbohydrate rich food source. You should keep your sugar gliders diet as close to what they eat in the wild. This may mean getting a larger cage, separating individual sugar gliders, moving the cage to a location that the dogs or cats can't get to or see, or even getting your sugar glider a mate. While sugar gliders don’t have a good relationship with dairy products, in limited quantities, yogurt is generally considered safe. Other fruits that sugar gliders can eat. I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Gliders tend to prefer fruits and vegetables that have a sweet taste. But, there’s one thing that you’ve got to keep in mind. Sometimes, when we were out butter, I will just eat bread and sugar. ), How Big Do Iguanas Get in Captivity? Harmful or Safe: Can Sugar Gliders Eat Yogurt? Bread; a teaspoon of flavored yogurt no more than 2x per week for at least the FIRST 6 WEEKS you have them…. In fact, there are only three basic components to a healthy Sugar Glider’s diet, and as a ball-park estimate, it typically costs a total of around $3/month to feed a single animal. We (as well as others in this forum) feel that bread is best used as an occasional treat to break up your sugar gliders diet and give them something new to eat and enjoy. Furthermore, controlled levels of corn precisely incorporated into Sugar Bear pellets has also proven to be a crucial source of valuable phytonutrients and other important nutrients that are actually critical to maintaining your Sugar Bear’s health. Exotic Pet Place is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. That being said, if you just READ the labels of any new potential food, and make sure that your Sugar Bear’s MAIN diet always consists of: You will be JUST FINE :-) Just approach everything else as an “OCCASIONAL TREAT” – and your baby(ies) will live a long, happy and rewarding life with your family :-), Well, that’s about it for now!… As always, and ESPECIALLY when it comes to feeding – if you have any questions about this topic – or a specific food that we didn’t mention here – just shoot us a quick email and we’ll get right back to you :-). Unfortunately poor care and/or companionship can severely cut the Sugar Gliders life expectancy. We strongly recommend limiting your new baby(ies) food to: Again, this is because their small digestive systems are not yet fully-developed, and a small change in diet can cause diarrhea. An dose of 130 mg theobromine can be compared to eating: 15 g of dark chocolate; 60 g of milk chocolate; So, even a small piece of chocolate can kill 50 percent of sugar gliders. Sugar Glider Diet . We recommend The Pet Glider Fresh Diet of fresh fruits, vegetables and protein every day with vitamins and calcium sprinkled on top. In our opinion, it’s absolutely OBSCENE that ill-informed pet stores out there are still recommending that Sugar Bears can eat any of these foods. For this reason, some vets recommend a three-part diet. BIRD, CAT or DOG FOOD: These are all BIG “no-no’s. I had this daily in my preschool years. Generally, the sugar gliders we find in the wilderness feed on sap, insects, nectar, eucalyptus and honey. A minimum of 2 hours a day is recommended, but more time is always better. This is true, and in general it’s NOT a good thing to consistently feed a Sugar Bear anything that contains high amounts of phosphorous. **********************************************************************, SUMMARY: In closing, like we said earlier, the above list is by no means “conclusive”, but it should give you a good idea of the main things to avoid…. What we instead want to emphasize is that your sugar gliders should only have bread in moderation alongside a well balanced and nutritious diet. Bread isn’t something that a sugar glider would eat in the wild and therefore when kept in captivity as pets, it’s always best to try and recreate their natural diet as closely as possible to keep them healthy and happy. 20% of your glider’s daily food will consist of fresh fruits or vegetables, and almost anything you already have around the house (like a slice of apple per day) will do just fine. Anything high in Salt (ie:nuts with salt, best to serve non-salted ones) Baby food with spices or onion powder (the best is the plain meat or plain vegies) Bread (it is a filler, may cause them not to eat the good stuff. Ok, with all that said, let’s move on to a SPECIFIC list of foods that generally are considered NOT to be good for Sugar Gliders. Diarrhea can quickly lead to dehydration, and in small babies, that can be fatal in a very short period of time… (Growth Chart and Size Details). So, a little bit of yogurt given here and there won’t cause any harm as such. FREE SHIPPING on US Orders Over $149 - No Coupon Required, Sugar Glider Food Advice From A Veterinarian, Transitioning to a Healthy Nutrition Plan. ham, bacon, pork chops, etc…) – while they may not kill your baby – are generally not a good thing for your Sugar Bear’s digestive system. In general, good, safe “FUN” fruits are pretty much anything in the “melon” family (without the seeds of course)… For example, Sugar Bears typically LOVE “melon-type” foods like: watermelon, muskmelon, cantelope, papayas, etc…, Now, if you are like us – and want to routinely give your Sugar Bears SAFE and FUN foods without having to spend hours sorting and preparing an endless menu of expensive fruits & veggies, the best alternative out there is a product called Yum-E-Treats. The conventional habitat for all these creatures is high up in trees. Your Sugar Glider should have a cage large enough to allow plenty of room for exercise. This way, if they do start to develop diarrhea, you won’t have to waste valuable time trying to figure out WHICH food caused it – and you can get your baby(ies) health right back on track…, In VERY general terms, here is a good question to ask yourself EVERY TIME you are thinking about giving a new food treat to your baby(ies)…, “WOULD I FEED THIS TO MY 2 YEAR OLD SON OR DAUGHTER UNSUPERVISED?…”. You can find out more about this product at our Online Store, but in a nutshell, Yum-E-Treats is a special “Super-Mix” of 15 all-time favorite Sugar Bear fruits and sweet treats that is both 100% Certified Organic – and is guaranteed to not cause your Sugar Bears to develop any offensive odors. That being said, ANY food item fed in excess is never a good thing, so as long as corn is only limited to a single kernel as an occasional treat, you should be just fine. FEEDING A BALANCED DIET WITH LIMITED TREATS. Now, KEEPING THIS IN MIND, if – and only IF – your baby(ies) are now eating the above foods regularly with no problems, and their stools are continually firm, then use your own judgment when SLOWLY experimenting with adding new foods (ie. bananas are safe for your sugar glider to munch on. Therefore, if you ever hear any internet nonsense about how corn should not be a key ingredient in Sugar Bear pelleted food, our advice is just to RUN – not walk – in the other direction. They do also eat bird eggs, small birds, small prey and lizards though this sugar glider diet is difficult to collect and feed them when they are in captivity or adopting. Virgil here! You can experiment with coating the bread or using different types (banana, wheat, etc..) and just make sure you don’t give them too much to avoid bloating and discomfort. In captivity, they can be fed Leadbeater’s mixture, cooked meat, green vegetables, sweet potatoes, and certain fruits. PORK: If you want to treat your Sugar Bear occasionally with a bit of meat – avoid Pork whenever possible. Like various other fruits, such as watermelons, apples, etc. This diet is very difficult to replicate in captivity, and this has led to a lot of controversy about what is appropriate to feed sugar gliders. This means that ingesting 130 mg of theobromine can cause serious health issues and even death. Now, while this question is not the blanket “end-all, be-all” hurdle, it should give you a good idea of where to start. They can eat a wide variety of stuff including: fruits, vegetables, protein, and breads and cereals.