Diet
Q: Are pellets good for my glider?
A: At this point, I do not feel there is a pellet made that contains all the nutritional requirements of a sugar glider. Therefore, at this time, I don't recommend a pellet as the stand alone diet. If you have a high quality pellet (not one purchased from a pet store), it is okay to leave a few pieces in the cage for a day-time snack.
Q: Which diet do you recommend?
A: I recommend the BML and Critter Love® Original (formerly called Original HPW™) diet plans. Both of these are not only time-tested diets and have been successfully fed for several years to gliders in captivity, but have also been laboratory tested. For a list of diets, please visit SGH - Diet Database. Review the various diets listed and choose the one that you feel will work for you and your gliders. Make sure to follow the instructions of the diet selected; do not make any modifications to the diet.
Q: What kind of treats can I give my glider?
A: Sugar gliders can have a variety of treats, some of which can be a piece of fruit or veggie from their standard diet. Other treats that are acceptable for a glider are yogurt drops, mealies, and dehydrated fruits. Please remember that treats can be fed but in moderation, gliders are not little garbage disposals, so please don't feed them "just anything".
A: At this point, I do not feel there is a pellet made that contains all the nutritional requirements of a sugar glider. Therefore, at this time, I don't recommend a pellet as the stand alone diet. If you have a high quality pellet (not one purchased from a pet store), it is okay to leave a few pieces in the cage for a day-time snack.
Q: Which diet do you recommend?
A: I recommend the BML and Critter Love® Original (formerly called Original HPW™) diet plans. Both of these are not only time-tested diets and have been successfully fed for several years to gliders in captivity, but have also been laboratory tested. For a list of diets, please visit SGH - Diet Database. Review the various diets listed and choose the one that you feel will work for you and your gliders. Make sure to follow the instructions of the diet selected; do not make any modifications to the diet.
Q: What kind of treats can I give my glider?
A: Sugar gliders can have a variety of treats, some of which can be a piece of fruit or veggie from their standard diet. Other treats that are acceptable for a glider are yogurt drops, mealies, and dehydrated fruits. Please remember that treats can be fed but in moderation, gliders are not little garbage disposals, so please don't feed them "just anything".
Mealworms
Q: How do I keep mealworms?
A: There are two ways to keep "mealies", you can farm them (grow your own) or keep them in the refrigerator. If you want to grow/farm your own, here are instructions for a Mealworm Farm.
If you do not want to farm your own, you will want a well ventilated container with a lid and bedding (wheat bran or old fashioned rolled oats - not the quick oats). Put the mealies in the bedding and place the lid on the container. Place them into the refrigerator. Once a week, remove the container and place carrots on the bedding. Replace the lid and keep out for 24 hours. At the end of the 24 hours, remove any left over carrots, put the lid back on and put back in the fridge. Easy as that! Keeping them refrigerated slows them down and prevents them from pupating. They are also less squirmy when you are feeding them to your gliders.
Q: Where can I purchase live mealworms?
A: I recommend purchasing them from Grubco. I have had great luck feeding their mealworms, and after seeing their operation and speaking with the owner, found out that all aspects of their mealworm farm uses organic products.
Q: Can I buy them from my local pet store?
A: I do not recommend purchasing mealworms (or crickets) from a local pet store. Most times the pet stores do not know what type of bedding the insects were raised on. If they are raised on a corn-based bedding, there is a risk of aflatoxin poisoning to your gliders, which is fatal.
A: There are two ways to keep "mealies", you can farm them (grow your own) or keep them in the refrigerator. If you want to grow/farm your own, here are instructions for a Mealworm Farm.
If you do not want to farm your own, you will want a well ventilated container with a lid and bedding (wheat bran or old fashioned rolled oats - not the quick oats). Put the mealies in the bedding and place the lid on the container. Place them into the refrigerator. Once a week, remove the container and place carrots on the bedding. Replace the lid and keep out for 24 hours. At the end of the 24 hours, remove any left over carrots, put the lid back on and put back in the fridge. Easy as that! Keeping them refrigerated slows them down and prevents them from pupating. They are also less squirmy when you are feeding them to your gliders.
Q: Where can I purchase live mealworms?
A: I recommend purchasing them from Grubco. I have had great luck feeding their mealworms, and after seeing their operation and speaking with the owner, found out that all aspects of their mealworm farm uses organic products.
Q: Can I buy them from my local pet store?
A: I do not recommend purchasing mealworms (or crickets) from a local pet store. Most times the pet stores do not know what type of bedding the insects were raised on. If they are raised on a corn-based bedding, there is a risk of aflatoxin poisoning to your gliders, which is fatal.
