What fresh vegetables can sugar gliders eat

What Sugar Gliders Can (and Cant) Eat A Complete Guide

What do sugar gliders eat? This is a question many pet owners struggle with.

When you get a first get a sugar glider as a pet it can be very overwhelming to figure out what they can and can eat. Naturally, you start doing research and you read all kinds of stuff about which foods they can and can not eat. You eventually gather some knowledge but even still, since there are so many fruits, vegetables, and other foods in the world it can be hard to remember which foods are good for them to eat and which are best avoided.

In this post, I hope to remedy this by compiling a complete list of what sugar gliders can and can not eat. I will create an exhaustive list of all the vegetables, fruits, and other foods that are safe and not safe for sugar glider consumption.

For some foods, such as blueberries, I have also written a more detailed overview which you can read by clicking on the link. Now, lets get into it!

Make sure to give them a varied diet

Before I begin listing off the foods that sugar gliders can and cant eat I want to stress that you give them a varied diet. Just because you see that they can eat one of the fruits or vegetables that you plan on giving them does not mean that you should make this a large part of their diet.

Sugar gliders benefit from eating a large range of diverse fruits and vegetables.

In the wild, these creatures have a very complex diet and its quite difficult to replicate this in captivity. However, you have to try as best you can to do this for them to be happy and healthy.

The optimal diet for sugar gliders

Whenever you search for the optimal diet for sugar gliders youll most likely run across a lot of different and conflicting opinions and information. Some websites will tell you that you should feed your glider a diet made only of fruits and syrups, while others want you to feed them only pellets. Because of this, it can be hard to determine what your glider should eat.

To give your glider a nutritionally balanced diet, I would recommend reading the information below.

According to the North Carolina State Veterinary Hospital, the optimal diet for sugar gliders is made up of the following components:

• 60% Leadbeater mixture (read below on how to make this mixture) this mixture, once completed, will be frozen in ice cube trays. Feed them a quarter to half of a cube per day of this.
• 30% pellets Around 1 teaspoon per day
• 10% fresh fruits/vegetables and nuts 2-3 teaspoons per day
• Occasionally some live insects, such as mealworms, as a treat not too often due to the high fat content

Now, when you read Leadbeater mixture you might wonder what the heck that is and thats very understandable. I hadnt heard of it either until recently. Basically, its a mixture that was created as food for possums that have a similar diet to sugar gliders. Some modifications to this mixture have been made to make it better for sugar glider consumption.

The ingredients you need to make this mixture are these:

• a quarter of a cup of apple juice
• half a cup of honey
• a hard-boiled egg without the shell
• 4 ounces of Mixed Fruit Yogurt Gerber Juice
• 1 teaspoon of Rep-Cal Herptivite Multivitamin Supplement (Blue label)
• 2 teaspoons of Rep-Cal Calcium Supplement Non-Phosphorus with Vitamin D3 (pink label)
• 2 0.5 ounce jars of chicken baby food
• a quarter cup of wheat germ
• half a cup of dry baby cereal (oatmeal or mixed)

Instructions on how to make this mixture:

Blend the honey, egg, and apple juice in a blender until smooth. Turn off the blender and add the Gerber juiceand Rep-cal Herpivite Vitamin Supplement. Blend until smooth and then turn off blender. Add the Rep-calCalcium Supplement, the chicken baby food, wheat germ, and dry baby cereal. One last time, blend untilsmooth, and pour into ice cube trays, filling each compartment only halfway and place into the freezer.

Source

The nice thing about this mixture is that it can be frozen. This means that you dont have to make it that often you can simply make a batch of it once in a while and keep it in the freezer. Just thaw it whenever its feeding time and give it to your glider.

Overall its a very convenient and healthy food for your sugar glider.

Fruits that sugar gliders can eat

Now that weve gone over the optimal diet, and know that its good for your glider to have at least 10% fruits and vegetables in it, lets see which fruits they can eat.

The following fruits can be consumed by sugar gliders:

• Acerola
• Apples
• Apricots
• Avocado
• Bananas
• Bell Peppers
• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Breadfruit
• Cantaloupe
• Carambola
• Carissa
• Casaba Melon
• Cherimoya
• Cherries
• Coconut
• Crabapples
• Cranberries
• Currant
• Custard Apples
• Dates
• Elderberries
• Figs
• Gooseberries
• Grapefruit
• Grapes
• Ground Cherries
• Guava
• Honeydew
• Jackfruit
• Java Plum
• Jujube
• Kiwi
• Kumquat
• Lemon
• Lime
• Longans
• Loquats
• Mammy Apple
• Mandarin Oranges
• Mango
• Mulberries
• Nectarine
• Oheloberries
• Oranges
• Papaya
• Passion Fruit
• Pawpaws
• Peaches
• Pears
• Persimmon
• Pineapple
• Pitanga
• Plantain
• Plums
• Pomegranate
• Prickly Pear
• Prunes
• Pummelo
• Quince
• Raisins
• Raspberries
• Rose Apple
• Roselle
• Sapodilla
• Sapote
• Soursop
• Strawberries
• Sugar Apple
• Tamarind
• Tangerine
• Watermelon

As you can see, this list is quite big. Thats because sugar gliders can eat most fruits. However, not all fruits are equal; some are better for gliders than others. The best way to ensure that your glider gets a balanced diet is to give them a large variety of these fruits rather than feeding them only one or two from this list.

Also, always make sure to wash the fruits properly before feeding; especially if theyre non-organic.

Vegetables that sugar gliders can eat

Vegetables are another important part of your gliders diet. Lets take a look at which vegetables they can safely eat:

• Alfalfa Sprouts,
• Artichoke,
• Asparagus
• Baby Carrots
• Bamboo Shoots
• Beet Greens
• Beets
• Black Eyed Peas
• Bok Choy
• Broccoli
• Brussels Sprouts
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Chicory Greens
• Chinese Cabbage
• Collard Greens
• Chick Peas
• Cucumber
• Dandelion Greens
• Eggplant
• Endive
• French Beans
• Ginger Root
• Green Beans
• Green Pepper
• Jicama
• Kale
• Lettuce
• Mushrooms
• Mustard Greens
• Okra
• Parsley
• Peas
• Potato
• Pumpkin
• Radish
• Sweet Red Peppers
• Rutabagas
• Snow Peas
• Okra
• Spinach
• Summer Squash
• Swiss Chard
• Tomatoes
• Turnip
• Turnip Greens
• Watercress
• Winter Squash
• Yams
• Yellow Wax Beans
• Zucchini

Again, a pretty large list. However, the same thing applies here as to the list of fruits: dont just feed them one or two of these vegetables. Make sure to mix it up to give them a well-varied diet. Also, always make sure to wash the vegetables before feeding them to your suggie.

Can sugar gliders eat nuts?

Sugar gliders go nuts for nuts, but they shouldnt eat too much of it. You can occasionally feed your glider a bit of roasted non-salted almond, but not too often. Nuts are very high in fat and you can very easily overfeed your glider when giving them nuts.

Overfeeding can lead to obese sugar gliders which leads to a whole range of health issues.

If you do give them nuts, make sure to give it to them only very sparingly as a special treat.

Can sugar gliders eat meat?

Sugar gliders eat insects in the wild, but of course, since theyre small creatures, theyre incapable of taking down and eating big animals like pigs, cows, or birds in the wild. However, you might be surprised to learn that they can in fact eat some meats in small quantities and it can even be a good source of protein for them.

Some meats and animal products that sugar gliders can eat are:

If you give your sugar glider meat make sure that its well-cooked (never raw) and that you do NOT use any seasonings or salt.

Foods to avoid giving your glider

Now that weve gone over the fruits and vegetables that are safe for your sugar glider to consume lets discuss some foods that you should absolutely NOT give to your glider. After all, knowing what to avoid is just as important as knowing what to include.

Foods to avoid are:

• Chocolate
• Cheese (or other dairies besides yogurt)
• Processed foods such as french fries or potato chips
• Processed meats like ham, salami, etc
• Rhubarb
• Bird food
• Candy
• Lettuce (low in nutrition)
• Garlic
• Onion
• Spices
• Raw Lima Beans
• Bread
• Canned fruits and vegetables (too high in preservatives)

Keep in mind that this list is not exhaustive. There may very well be other foods that you should not feed your glider. Always do research to find out if something you want to feed your glider is safe for them to consume.

Calcium Phosphorus ratio for gliders

While there are many different opinions on the best diet for sugar gliders one thing that owners can agree on is that they need a diet that has a good calcium to phosphorus ratio.

The proper ratio is between 1 and 2 times more calcium than phosphorus, or in other words: a ratio of 1-2:1. This is important because if they do not have the proper ratio they can have problems like hind leg paralysis, definitely something youll want to avoid.

A good resource where you can find the calcium to phosphorus ratio for many common fruits and vegetables can be found here.

However, it should be noted that just because a fruit or vegetable does not have the ideal calcium to phosphorus ratio does not mean that they can not eat it. As long as their complete diet falls within the right ratio its fine for them to eat some fruits and vegetables that fall outside this ratio.

Final words

Sugar gliders are difficult to feed; their natural diet is hard to replicate in captivity but with the right preparation and research you can give them a diet thatll allow them to thrive. Make sure to always do your research before you feed them so that you dont accidentally feed them the wrong foods.

Overall, the best way to feed them is by giving them a diet that consists of the Leadbeater mixture Ive described, pellets, fruits, vegetables, and small amounts of nuts/insects as treats.

Also, make sure to keep the calcium to phosphorus ratio in mind to avoid the problems that can arise from a lack of calcium.

What Vegetables Sugar Gliders Can Eat

What should you feed your sugar glider? Here are a few ideas: Bell peppers are low in calories, but high in vitamins and nutrients. They have numerous health benefits when eaten raw. Despite their high vitamin C and B-vitamin content, they lose some of their nutritional value when cooked. However, they become easier to digest when cooked. For this reason, bell peppers are an excellent choice for sugar glider diets.

Fruit

One of the best foods for sugar gliders is fruit. You can give them a whole fruit, or chop it into pieces, using a food processor. Sugar gliders can eat up to 10% of their body weight in fruit, but they prefer softer fruits that have been pitted. You can also give them vegetables. Fruits should be roughly a third of their diet, with no more than a quarter of the total being vegetables.

Sugar gliders are omnivorous, eating insects in the summer and wild-grown fruit and vegetables in the winter. Insects are another favorite food of sugar gliders, as are plants and flowers. Their diets should contain lots of fresh fruit and vegetables and plenty of protein and vitamins. However, you should be aware of their preferences and try to understand what they eat naturally.

Vegetables

Vegetables are great for your pet sugar glider. Most fruits can be enjoyed by your sugar glider, but be sure to wash and prepare them thoroughly before feeding them. While many fruits are okay for sugar gliders, others are better for your glider. By providing variety, you will give your glider a balanced diet. Vegetables should be washed first, as they contain high amounts of oxalates that inhibit calcium absorption.

Sugar gliders need calcium, which is found in a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Their diets contain a certain amount of calcium, but phosphorous can inhibit the absorption of calcium. Many vegetables contain both of these minerals, and a balance of the two is important for the gliders health. If you feed your glider too much phosphorous, it will not get enough calcium and will eventually cause harm to your gliders body.

Insects

There are many insectivorous diets for sugar gliders available on the market. These foods include fruits, vegetables, and insects. It is important to choose high-quality food when feeding insects. For best results, freeze-dried insects should be avoided. These foods are not nutritious and should only be fed to sugar gliders once a week. To keep your sugar gliders healthy, dont give them chocolate. Artificial sweeteners, colors, or chocolate should not be fed to them.

While it is possible to feed sugar gliders fruit, vegetables, and insects, you should keep in mind that the latter dont like seeds and are more suitable for breeding females. However, insects are a good source of protein for sugar gliders. They can eat live or dried mealworms and superworms. They also love to eat pollen. They also enjoy eating fruit, vegetables, and insects.

Nuts

Although the term nuts may evoke images of crunchy, nutty foods, it isnt entirely true. In fact, sugar gliders can actually benefit from a diet rich in nuts. There are many types of nuts, and each one has its own distinct nutrient profile. Keep in mind, though, that peanuts are not technically nuts, but rather legumes.

Changing the diet for sugar gliders is not as easy as feeding a pet. You want to feed them only as much as they consume in fifteen to twenty minutes. However, because these animals are nocturnal and sleep a lot during the day, feeding them during the day can cause digestive issues. Instead, feed them at night, when theyre asleep, so they can digest their food while sleeping.

Spinach

Spinach is one of the vegetables sugar glides can eat, as long as its prepared properly. Fresh spinach is best, so try to buy it organic and make sure to thoroughly wash it before feeding it to your glider. Otherwise, you should feed your gliders frozen spinach. Just remember to follow the same rules as you would when feeding other fruits and vegetables to your sugar glider.

When giving your pet sugar glider vegetables, remember that its best to chop them small enough to fit into its small mouth. Freshly chopped spinach is great for sugar gliders, as its packed with vitamins and minerals. Its also best to serve the food at a height that minimizes the chance of your glider accidentally peeing on it. For added nutritional value, you can mix calcium-based multivitamin supplements with natural applesauce and organic yogurt.