![]() Sugar gliders should, at minimum, have a yearly wellness exam and fecal floatation to test for intestinal parasites. A sugar glider does not need vaccinations, but you should spay or neuter your glider, especially if you plan to have multiple gliders. For a list of veterinarians in your area who care for sugar gliders, please visit. Like cats and dogs, sugar gliders also need regular medical care. Foraging provides exercise as well as mental stimulation. Food and/or insects may be hidden throughout the environment to encourage normal foraging behavior. Feed your sugar glider once a day in the late afternoon/early evening. Avoiding fats and refined sugars is equally as important as they are predisposed to metabolic bone disease. Ideally, it is important to have a calcium phosphorus ratio that is in the range of one to-one or two-to-one calcium to phosphorus. If using insects, variety is important (crickets, meal worms, wax worms, moths and spiders, etc.), and the insects should be fed high-quality food such as commercial cricket food. Fruit and vegetables should include but are not limited to apples, pears, sweet potatoes, watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe, carrots, kiwi, mango and blueberries. All of these diets should be fed in conjunction with fruits, vegetables and insects to round out the diet. There are several commercial diets available, including Mazrui insectivore diets and gel, Brisky sugar glider, high protein Womberoo Complete, Glider Kids Reduced Honey, Glider R Chow and Glider R Gravy, all of which are easily found on the internet and available for purchase. They also have low nitrogen (protein) requirements and only need 100 mg of protein per day. ![]() They have very low caloric requirements the average adult glider requires only 20 to 25 calories per day. A variety of food items have been recommended to mimic their natural diet and help them succeed in captivity. This diet is challenging to replicate in captivity. They will also eat bird eggs, lizards, small birds and other small prey items. Sugar gliders eat a variety of things in the wild, including plant material (eucalyptus gum), sap, nectar, pollen grains and insects. A Diet Full of Fruits, Veggies and Insects Children may accidentally injure your pet with rough handling, or the sugar glider could potentially bite the child. You should also supervise sugar gliders when he/she is with a child. Sugar gliders may spend time out of the cage but must be supervised as other pets in the household may attack or play roughly with them. The cage should be cleaned at least one a week. Proper bedding like shredded newspaper, Oxbow Pure Comfort Bedding or CareFresh must be provided. Boxes, hammocks, pouches and tunnels are also recommended as they not only provide security but also give your sugar glider something to do. The cage should be made of wire and have multiple perches as well as places to hide. Sugar gliders should be housed in a cage that is as large as possible. Creating a Comfortable Home for Sugar Gliders It is important to think about all of these factors as well as average costs for food, housing and veterinary care when considering a sugar glider as a pet. Sugar gliders are social animals and often thrive better in groups. They are nocturnal, meaning they are active at night and sleep for much of the day. Sugar gliders live for 10 to 14 years, though some are known to live longer. They are omnivores and insectivores, and therefore require a varied diet. They are small, arboreal and agile with a body weight of barely four ounces. ![]() Like other marsupials, sugar gliders have a pouch. You can spend time with a sugar glider at the pet store, a rescue or at the house of a sugar glider’s owner. ![]() Like any other potential pet, you should make sure you spend time with one prior to making the decision to bring one into your home. Sugar gliders are small marsupials that make great pets in the proper environment. ![]()
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