by Anne Christie

Created on: February 25, 2009

FOODS THAT ARE POISONOUS TO SUGAR GLIDERS

A native along the eastern coast of Australia, sugar gliders normally eat a widely varied diet which consists mostly of insects, fruit, flowers and sap.

Known to be naturally "sap suckers," sugar gliders digestive systems cannot handle a diet of commercially prepared foods available over the counter such as those for rabbits, ferrets, etc. due to a lack in their moisture content which is mandatory for their survival. Sugar gliders chew their food in order to liquids. Therefore they need foods that are moist, naturally sweet and fresh.

Sugar gliders tend to be night or early morning feeders and their diet should consist of 50% protein and 50% fruit and vegetables, with the latter half concentrating on vegetables. Since they are mainly lactose intolerant it is very important to maintain a balanced diet for them to assure they get the calcium they need. Plain, unsweetened yogurt may occasionally be given to them as it contains helpful bacteria which digest the lactose in it, thus making it possible for them to have in their diet, but not on a regular basis.

Other foods that sugar gliders may consume on a rare or occasional basis include seeds or nuts (only if raw or unsalted) and moist cat or dog food. However these should never be used on a regular basis as the seeds and nuts do not contain the necessary moisture required in their food and may only be given as an occasional treat. Commercial cat or dog food, even the moist varieties tend to have higher fat content than what sugar gliders can tolerate on a regular basis.

FOODS THAT SHOULD BE COMPLETELY AVOIDED INCLUDE:

Anything with added preservatives, artifical sugars or sweeteners, onions or onion powder (highly toxic to most pets).

Foods that are high in sodium or salt, fat or refined sugar, chemicals,

Foods that contain phenylalanine - which can cause seizures.

Chocolate, butter, candy, junk food, eggs prepared with butter, , cereals high in sugar or fat,

Citrus fruits (causes diarrhea) or canned fruits (contains too high of sugar levels)

Houseplants

Distilled water

Baby food with spices or onion powder (plain without spices/onion powder should be kept on hand in case of emergency)

Bread (while it fills them up, it also causes them to NOT eat nutritionally, which in turn causes digestive problems)

Ferret food (contains an extremely high fat content which sugar gliders cannot digest)

Wild insects (may have come into contact with harmful chemicals, pesticides, bacteria, or parasites)

FEEDING HABITS

While sugar gliders only need between 1/4 to 1/2 cup of food per animal per day, check to see how much food is not being eaten on a regular basis. If none is left over, then you need to increase the amount of food they are receiving. Be sure to remove all uneaten food after a few hours, as they will tend to nibble on rotting or half-rotten food and use it to make messes everywhere.

If you follow these few basic guidelines, then you should enjoy having your sugar gliders around for quite awhile.

Bon Appetite!

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