What veggies 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 Fruits Can Sugar Gliders Eat? (The Best and Worst Options)

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The purpose of this blog is to share general information and is written to the author's best knowledge. It is not intended to be used in place of veterinary advice. For health concerns, please seek proper veterinary care. In addition, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Have you recently purchased a pet sugar glider? Youre likely having fun with your new pet since these animals can be very interesting.

You want to do your best to care for your new pet so it can thrive. This means feeding the pet properly and ensuring that it gets good nutrition.

Its common for people to give sugar gliders pieces of fruit as snacks. What fruits can sugar gliders safely eat?

Keep reading to learn about sugar gliders and what types of fruit they can consume. Itll help you to give your sugar glider only fruits that are known to be safe.

Can Sugar Gliders Eat Oranges?

Oranges are considered to be good snacks for sugar gliders. These pets seem to love it when their owners feed them oranges.

You should cut oranges into slices and give them to sugar gliders that way. Its also fine to give them orange peels to eat, but this should be done in moderation.

Too many orange peels can be bad for sugar gliders. Its also imperative to avoid giving sugar gliders orange seeds.

Simply be careful to prepare things properly. Youll have a good experience feeding oranges to your pet sugar glider.

Can Sugar Gliders Eat Grapes?

Grapes are another very common type of fruit that youll see sugar gliders eating. Its good to give grapes to your sugar gliders so long as you dont give them too much.

Like other types of fruit, grapes will be good snacks for sugar gliders. Simply ensure that youre giving the animals these fruits in moderation.

Its convenient to give grapes to your sugar gliders because theyre easy to eat. Sugar gliders will love these and theyll likely become a regular snack.

Can Sugar Gliders Eat Blueberries?

Blueberries should be fine for sugar gliders to eat. Before giving blueberries to your pet, its important to wash them thoroughly.

Sugar gliders seem to love blueberries quite a bit. They will happily eat these fruits when you offer them to them.

Just try not to give the sugar glider blueberries too often. You dont want your pet to become overweight.

Can Sugar Gliders Eat Pumpkins?

Its okay to give sugar gliders pumpkins, but you need to be careful. When sugar gliders eat too much pumpkin, its easy for them to have issues with loose stools.

So long as you exercise moderation everything will be okay. These pets can eat both pumpkin and pumpkin seeds.

Sugar gliders love eating pumpkins and getting through the shell seems to be satisfying for them. Just dont give your sugar gliders pumpkins too often.

Can Sugar Gliders Eat Kiwi?

Kiwis are another type of fruit that these pets love to eat. Before giving them kiwis, its important to remove the skin.

Take the time to remove the skin from the kiwi and your sugar glider will be able to enjoy it. Your sugar glider will likely be very happy with the treat.

Dont give them kiwis all the time. Whenever your sugar glider eats kiwis, it should be in small amounts.

Can Sugar Gliders Eat Peaches?

Peaches will be fine to give to sugar gliders, However, you have to cut the peach into slices.

You cant give the whole peach to a sugar glider because it might try to eat the pit. The pit is bad for the sugar glider.

As always, be sure not to give an abundance of peach slices to the sugar glider. Giving them peach slices as an occasional snack is acceptable.

Can Sugar Gliders Eat Cherries?

Cherries are okay for sugar gliders so long as you remove the pit and the stem. Youll need to give them just the cherry itself.

Sugar gliders do love eating cherries. Itll be a snack that your pet will look forward to.

Dont give the sugar gliders too many cherries at once. So long as youre giving your pet small amounts of cherries this should work out okay.

Can Sugar Gliders Eat Cucumbers?

Cucumbers are a good occasional treat for sugar gliders. Its pretty normal for owners to give cucumbers to their pets.

Its easy because sugar gliders can eat the cucumber, the skin, and the seeds without it being a problem. You simply need to wash the cucumber thoroughly before giving it to your pet.

This can be a semi-regular treat for your sugar glider. It might be one of the more convenient options that you have.

Can Sugar Gliders Eat Bananas?

Sugar gliders absolutely adore bananas and will happily eat them as snacks. You need to remove the peel and give them just the banana, though.

Its also common for people to give these pets banana chips. Sugar gliders love banana chips, but it has such a high sugar concentration that you cant give it to your pet more than once per month.

You can feed a standard banana to your sugar glider once per week if you want to. Your pet will really love it.

Can Sugar Gliders Eat Pineapples?

Pineapple is another acceptable type of fruit to give to sugar gliders. Of course, you need to prepare the pineapple so the sugar glider can eat it safely.

You must remove the rind and the stem first. Once this has been done, your sugar glider can enjoy eating the pineapple.

Do your best to only give small amounts of pineapple to your pet. You dont want to give them pineapples as treats too often either.

Can Sugar Gliders Eat Tomatoes?

Its said that all types of tomatoes are safe for sugar gliders to eat. Cherry tomatoes are among the most popular options to give to sugar gliders.

Be sure to choose tomatoes that havent been exposed to pesticides. Give them to your sugar gliders in moderation.

Overall, tomatoes are a good type of fruit to give to sugar gliders. Theyre not expensive and its easy to wash them before feeding them to your pets.

Can Sugar Gliders Eat Apples?

Apples are supposed to be good treats for sugar gliders. You should always wash the apple and remove the skin first, though.

Its also important to remove the stem and get rid of any seeds. As long as you do this, your sugar glider will love the apples.

Can Sugar Gliders Eat Strawberries?

No, strawberries are not good for sugar gliders. These fruits are delectable to humans, but they shouldnt be given to sugar gliders.

Under no circumstances should you feed strawberries to your sugar glider. Doing so could be potentially harmful.

Always be careful to check new types of fruit to see if theyre safe for sugar gliders. Failure to do so could lead to health issues.

How Often Can Sugar Gliders Eat Fruit?

Its fine to feed your sugar gliders fruit on a daily basis. However, fruit isnt the only thing you should give to them.

Typically, youre going to feed these pets both fruits and vegetables on a daily basis. Change the fruits that you give the sugar glider each day to ensure that it gets a mixture of different nutrients.

Some people choose to feed sugar gliders protein cubes as well. The diet should consist of healthy fruits, veggies, and protein.

How Much Fruit Can Sugar Gliders Eat?

Make sure not to give your sugar gliders too much fruit on a daily basis. You want to give them about one tablespoon of fruit per day.

Giving your pet more than this could be detrimental. Sugar gliders will struggle if they eat too much and become overweight.

One tablespoon of fruits and one tablespoon of veggies should be good for your pet. Serve this to your sugar glider on a nightly basis.

What Fruits Should Sugar Gliders Avoid?

There are many types of fruits that sugar gliders should avoid. As mentioned earlier, strawberries arent good for sugar gliders.

There are other types of berries that should be avoided as well. You should never give sugar gliders blackberries or raspberries.

Other fruits that need to be avoided include figs and pears. You should also know that any type of fruit can be bad for sugar gliders if it has been treated with pesticides.

Therefore, its likely safer to buy organic fruits that havent been treated with any pesticides. When you care about the safety of your pet, its best to take precautions.

Final Thoughts

Youve learned a lot about sugar gliders and what types of fruit they like. There are so many different types of fruit that you can give to these animals.

Fruit will be a standard part of your sugar gliders diet. Itll eat fruits such as bananas, grapes, and cucumbers fairly often.

Simply remember to give fruit to sugar gliders in moderation. Its said that you should give a sugar glider one tablespoon of fruit each night.

Change things up and give the sugar glider different types of fruit. Ensure that you keep it as happy and healthy as possible.

Avoid giving sugar gliders figs and pears. They also cant eat blackberries, raspberries, or strawberries.

Keep all of this in mind and you shouldnt have trouble caring for sugar gliders. Youll have a good experience and your sugar gliders will be happy to be under your care.

I have a bachelors degree in construction engineering. When Im not constructing or remodeling X-Ray Rooms, Cardiovascular Labs, and Pharmacies, Im at home with my wife, two daughters and a dog. Outside of family, I love grilling and barbequing on my Big Green Egg and working on projects around the house. Growing up, I had pet dogs, cats, deer, sugar gliders, chinchillas, a bird, chickens, fish, and a goat.

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