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Cat Food??? #206577
01/24/07 03:01 PM
01/24/07 03:01 PM

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What's your opinion on feeding gliders catfood? glider

Re: Cat Food??? [Re: ] #206581
01/24/07 03:06 PM
01/24/07 03:06 PM

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i heard that its best that you dont.

Re: Cat Food??? [Re: ] #206582
01/24/07 03:06 PM
01/24/07 03:06 PM
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,212
Garland, TX
Mel2mdl Offline
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Nope - gliders aren't cats. The diets that use cat food (McPherson comes to mind) use very high quality feline food - like what zoos feed. To pricey for me!


Molly, son & husband:

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Re: Cat Food??? [Re: ] #206584
01/24/07 03:07 PM
01/24/07 03:07 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,983
Denton, TX
ValkyrieMome Offline
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ValkyrieMome  Offline
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Denton, TX
When I first started finding out about gliders, the first site I found told me they eat dry cat food, bird seed and baby food fruits and veggies. I thought - this is easy! I have cats, birds and baby food is nothing to get!

Further research led me to discover that I'd been misinformed!

I really don't think that the proteins in cat food are right for a glider. They are formulated for a carnevor (sp?), not an omnivor. So the dietary needs would be off and it would skew the percentages.

Also, most cat food and dog food are made with 1) Ash, and 2) ALOT of CORN meal. Neither of those is too great for gliders, in those percentages, especially.


Alden
"Animals can communicate quite well. And they do. And generally speaking, they are ignored." Alice Walker


Mom to Valhalla; 6 cats; 1 macaw; 2 hedgehogs;
and very many great gliders!

(plus the 2 skin kids)
valkyriegliders.com

Kyrie, nothing will ever fill the hole you left in my heart.
Re: Cat Food??? [Re: ValkyrieMome] #206588
01/24/07 03:10 PM
01/24/07 03:10 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,874
Eastern NC
melek007 Offline
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Do you eat cat food? I don't. Try the BML or SunCoast diet, they are both good diets for gliders.

To see a list of good sugar glider diets, click on "links" at the top of the page, then click on the first link about diets.

Last edited by melek007; 01/24/07 03:12 PM.

~ I miss my Alev, Nese & Levent ~
Re: Cat Food??? [Re: melek007] #206589
01/24/07 03:12 PM
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It is better to use one of the proven diets that has been designed specifically for suggies.

Re: Cat Food??? [Re: melek007] #206594
01/24/07 03:17 PM
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I've tried several sources of protein for my gliders. Initially, I gave them the sugar glider pellets they sell at the pet store and they hated it, they would hardly touch it. Then I gave them boiled chicken- and they kinda liked it. Then I tried giving them a hard boiled egg and they did not even touch it. Finally, I tried a cat food for kittens and they just loved it. Its odd but they'll eat all of it, so I don't know what to do. I'm scared that if I take it away they won't have a protein source but then again I'm scared it will cause them any harm.Thank you for your responses.

Re: Cat Food??? [Re: ] #206603
01/24/07 03:30 PM
01/24/07 03:30 PM

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What should I do? Any suggestions

Re: Cat Food??? [Re: ] #206606
01/24/07 03:33 PM
01/24/07 03:33 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,874
Eastern NC
melek007 Offline
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Get your gliders on a proven glider diet. Cat food was made for cats, not gliders.

Last edited by gliderdad79; 01/26/07 11:58 AM.

~ I miss my Alev, Nese & Levent ~
Re: Cat Food??? [Re: melek007] #206608
01/24/07 03:37 PM
01/24/07 03:37 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,874
Eastern NC
melek007 Offline
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Eastern NC
- BML(Bourbon's Modified Leadbeaters) diet

http://www.angelfire.com/nb/sugargliders/bml/leadbeat.html

OR

- Suncoast diet (scroll down to about the middle of the page)

http://www.sugar-gliders.com/sugar-glider-diet.htm


~ I miss my Alev, Nese & Levent ~
Re: Cat Food??? [Re: melek007] #206610
01/24/07 03:43 PM
01/24/07 03:43 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,983
Denton, TX
ValkyrieMome Offline
Glideritis Anonymous
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Posts: 10,983
Denton, TX
This is from the vet who developed the Suncoast diet. It is copied from their page, which melek007 referenced.:

"I do not recommend that you substitute cat food as your choice of staple diet for your sugar glider. Cat food is designed for cats and cats are strict carnivores. To put this in perspective, many years ago when ferrets were becoming popular, ferret owners fed cat food, and over time it was discovered that this incorrect nutritional balance was ultimately bad for the ferrets. We have no reason to believe this is not the case with sugar gliders as well."


Alden
"Animals can communicate quite well. And they do. And generally speaking, they are ignored." Alice Walker


Mom to Valhalla; 6 cats; 1 macaw; 2 hedgehogs;
and very many great gliders!

(plus the 2 skin kids)
valkyriegliders.com

Kyrie, nothing will ever fill the hole you left in my heart.
Re: Cat Food??? [Re: ] #206612
01/24/07 03:44 PM
01/24/07 03:44 PM

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Here's some good threads for you.

cat food??

Help me out please!! Catfood??

Dry cat food?

HTH

Last edited by JazzyJ; 01/24/07 03:45 PM.
Re: Cat Food??? [Re: ] #206626
01/24/07 04:08 PM
01/24/07 04:08 PM
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 11,158
Tampa, FL
Xglider Offline
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Posts: 11,158
Tampa, FL
I agree with the other… get your glider on a proven diet and not catfood… there are countries that do not have access to the ingredients of the proven diets, so in some case catfood is the only option. However that is not your case so please switch over to a proven diet.


* ~ * John * ~ * Sorry store is closed at this time.. <br>
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glider family and think of my friends often!!!
Re: Cat Food??? [Re: Xglider] #206635
01/24/07 04:14 PM
01/24/07 04:14 PM

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Thank you all very much.

Re: Cat Food??? [Re: Xglider] #206636
01/24/07 04:14 PM
01/24/07 04:14 PM

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my suggestions is try a new diet but keep the cat food in and slowly wean them off it. We know cat food isn't good but eating nothing isn't good either. Have you tried meal worms. you can get them online and they are easy to keep in the fridge and feed them 10 or so each night. grubco and wormman i have found are the best. smile

Re: Cat Food??? [Re: melek007] #206762
01/24/07 08:44 PM
01/24/07 08:44 PM

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Although some breeders and sugar glider authors like Caroline Mc (something or another) use cat food in their diets (so do some zoos), it's best not to just because it is so hard and hard food can lead to some health problems including lumpy jaw.


Re: Cat Food??? [Re: ] #206769
01/24/07 08:52 PM
01/24/07 08:52 PM

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If your glider likes cat food I would try something like Priscilla's diet. I would make her basic mix (very easy to make and no need for a blender) and feed that but use the cat food instead of glider cereal initially. Once your glider gets accustomed to the basic mix and is eating that reliably, I would then replace the cat food with the proper glider cereal. That way it will be more of a gradual change over. You may find that your boy will dive right in to P's diet.

You can find her diet here:
http://www.thepetglider.com/index/content/view/13/27/

My glider does get a hold of cat food on occasion - hard to keep it away from him 100% when I have cats and he loves it so, but its only about once a month and so a very rare treat. Plus my cats only get the highest quality of cat food out there (Natural Balance or California Natural [by Innova] - both low ash and no corn) so I'm not as worried about this occasional treat. I would not feed anything like friskies, store brands, or even Iams since Iams quality has dropped and is full of corn.

Re: Cat Food??? [Re: ] #207035
01/25/07 09:29 AM
01/25/07 09:29 AM

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All the usual arguements - cat food is for cats blah blah blah!! And baby food is for babies not suggies!!! Hard food just for the record does not cause Lumpy jaw, in fact suggies can't get lumpy jaw! Periodontal problems are caused by bad teeth and possibly genetics, NOT hard food!!!

I've tried the Leadbeaters diets and I've tried using cat biscuits and to be honest, my suggies have NEVER been healthier than when on the cat biscuits! I use cat biscuits as a protein source for my 30 gliders, I've never had any health problems (other than when they were on Leadbeaters). I give them 4 or 5 biscuits per glider which is put in with the fruit to soften it a bit (I don't believe in soley soft diet - bad for teeth and gums!). I know of a number of Americans that are actually turning their backs on the Leadbeater mods in favour of cat food, and they too have reported a huge change for the better in the health of their suggies.

Also, the ingredients in the cat food are important, use only a high grade one, which incedently will have less additives and ash than insectivore fare.




Last edited by moorie999; 01/25/07 09:31 AM.
Re: Cat Food??? [Re: ] #207048
01/25/07 10:06 AM
01/25/07 10:06 AM
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,501
Parsons, Kansas
dranger1108 Offline
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Parsons, Kansas
Originally Posted By: Valentina
I've tried several sources of protein for my gliders. Initially, I gave them the sugar glider pellets they sell at the pet store and they hated it, they would hardly touch it. Then I gave them boiled chicken- and they kinda liked it. Then I tried giving them a hard boiled egg and they did not even touch it. Finally, I tried a cat food for kittens and they just loved it. Its odd but they'll eat all of it, so I don't know what to do. I'm scared that if I take it away they won't have a protein source but then again I'm scared it will cause them any harm.Thank you for your responses.


Have you tried mealie worms? Most gliders love those... mine like chicken breast boiled and cut up in small pieces for them to grab...



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Re: Cat Food??? [Re: dranger1108] #207143
01/25/07 01:18 PM
01/25/07 01:18 PM
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 63
Devon
eccles Offline
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Devon
Um......... I use cat biscuits as part of my gliders diet, but again you have to get a good quality biscuit not just any cheap brand. I do the same as above soak it a little in the juices of the mixed fruit and veg before giving it to the gliders so its slightly softer, but then I do not follow any written "proven diet"


www.southwest-sugargliders.co.uk

For all your UK and EU sugar glider needs!
Re: Cat Food??? [Re: eccles] #207148
01/25/07 01:23 PM
01/25/07 01:23 PM

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OK, not going to touch this one with a ten foot pole. This could easily become a subject too heated for discussion.

Re: Cat Food??? [Re: ] #207724
01/26/07 09:39 AM
01/26/07 09:39 AM

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Originally Posted By: melek007
Do you eat cat food? I don't. Try the BML or SunCoast diet, they are both good diets for gliders.


Sooooo, you eat bml do you??

We feed the cat biscuits because we've had EXCELLENT results, how can you argue with zero illness and vet visits with over (just in my collection) 30 gliders. I've had generation after generation after generation of big healthy joey's.

I should also mention (again - though always ignored) that a friend of mine has been using cat food for over 15 years and his oldest glider died last year at 15 years (he's had him since he started using the diet!).

Last edited by gliderdad79; 01/26/07 12:05 PM.
Re: Cat Food??? [Re: ] #207729
01/26/07 09:57 AM
01/26/07 09:57 AM

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Just curious, why would you give cat food as the diet? What is in cat food that made you decide it was best in the first place?

Re: Cat Food??? [Re: ] #207734
01/26/07 10:09 AM
01/26/07 10:09 AM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,874
Eastern NC
melek007 Offline
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Eastern NC
Could a mod close this post? I think that Valentina got her answer(s) and it is now going off the orginal subject.


~ I miss my Alev, Nese & Levent ~
Re: Cat Food??? [Re: melek007] #207736
01/26/07 10:14 AM
01/26/07 10:14 AM

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It hasn't gone off topic at all, we're still talking cat food aren't we?

Cat food contains protein, vitamins and minerals, it's one of the few protein sources that doesn't have an inverted ca:p ratio. And it contains alot less additives and ash than Insectivore Fare.

It is only used as a small part of the diet, they're not fed just cat food (just wanted to clear that up) smile

Last edited by moorie999; 01/26/07 10:17 AM.
Re: Cat Food??? [Re: ] #207737
01/26/07 10:19 AM
01/26/07 10:19 AM
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 63
Devon
eccles Offline
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Devon
I didnt think it was going off topic it is nice to get 2 sides and 2 views on a food source i think. moorie was just explaining why she fed cat food which i thought was what the origional question was all about.


www.southwest-sugargliders.co.uk

For all your UK and EU sugar glider needs!
Re: Cat Food??? [Re: eccles] #207739
01/26/07 10:23 AM
01/26/07 10:23 AM
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 63
Devon
eccles Offline
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Devon
And just to add I also feed morios, boiled chicken, locusts, meal worms, cat busicuits and insectivore fare all alternated as the protein part of my gliders diet, the diet is always measured so its about 2:1 cal:ph as well, I have had a glider come to me very brown in colour this glider was on a very very poor diet before it came to me, i fed it my diet which included the cat biscuit as part of it and her coat is now a lovely grey as it should be and she is in good health.


www.southwest-sugargliders.co.uk

For all your UK and EU sugar glider needs!
Re: Cat Food??? [Re: eccles] #207740
01/26/07 10:26 AM
01/26/07 10:26 AM

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This happens alot, I get brown rescues, even orangy coloured suggies who all change to stunning grey after a short while on my diet.

Those joey's in your av Eccles, were they bred by you? Well, your suggies?

Re: Cat Food??? [Re: ] #207742
01/26/07 10:30 AM
01/26/07 10:30 AM
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 63
Devon
eccles Offline
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Devon
Yeah they are twins from eccles and nikki my first pair of gliders, shes had 4 sets of twins with us and they have all been lovely little things with exellent health.These two were such little characters they used to jump on the door at feeding time and pounce on the food bowl before i got in their room.

Oops sorry forgot to add boiled egg to the protein list

Last edited by eccles; 01/26/07 10:31 AM.

www.southwest-sugargliders.co.uk

For all your UK and EU sugar glider needs!
Re: Cat Food??? [Re: eccles] #207744
01/26/07 10:34 AM
01/26/07 10:34 AM

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Look at how lovely and grey they are! I've had rescues fed on rubbish diets that came to me with joeys, the joeys were all discoloured ranging from brown to orange (she unfortunately died). Yet all my own suggies that are fed cat food as a part of the diet are all stunning grey!

Last edited by moorie999; 01/26/07 10:35 AM.
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