Hi, I'm new to sugar gliders and I was looking to get some questions answered. I'm going to be using a couple links to see if the items in the links are good for sugar gliders. The first question is, is this a good diet for a sugar glider? A good quality pellet (I'll link the one I'm looking at down below), fresh fruits and veggies, some kind of protein (cooked chicken, egg, etc.), and insects (crickets, mealworms, etc.). And is this a good cage for 2-3 SGs? I'll also link that down below. I know you're supposed to have at least 1 pouch per SG, lots of climbing toys, tunnels, and other play things. I won't be getting them for at least 3-4 years so the answer to this question might change, but is $300-400 an average price for one? That's the average price the breeders around me sell them for. I might have more questions later but thank you for the assistance.

Here are the links. Pellet: https://www.exoticnutrition.com/Products...41-f7b702fe191f Cage: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002AQ228/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

And then also exotic nutrition hpw.

First, Welcome to GC!

Please register so you can take full advantage of this sight and we can keep track of you and your future questions and your glider story.

I will go ahead and answer your questions:

Exotic Nutrition carries a good selection of cages, but I wouldn't recommend their diet plan.

There has been diet studies done and EN(Exotic Nutrition) didn't make the study due to the ingredients of their diet. They didn't match what the label shows. I have seen for myself what a jar of their powder form looks like before the seal was broken and was only 6 months before expiration date... There was bug like cob webs growing in a sealed jar.

If you click on the blue word diet it will take you to the database of glider diet choices.

I myself have fed:

BML
OHPW
HPW
Critterlove complete
Critterlove plus

These are in the order I tried them. Mine love Critterlove along with the recomended salads.

You should also consider cost of purchase of the glider, a vet fund, cage, bedding, cage sets, toys, bonding pouch, a tent for bonding, toys, diet, oh and a first vet visit. If you choose males, there will be a neuter to consider.

In the first 3 months I owned gliders, it cost me almost $1200 total. Purchase of 2 gliders bought separately, 2 cages, 30 day quarantine, 3 vet visits, toys, 3 different nail clippers, a cage set dishes, water bottles that they refused to use... I am a crafter and sewer, so I saved lots of $$$ that way, but had to learn how to sew safely. I now make my own toys too.

I might have missed a few things, but that's most of it.

Again, don't forget to register. Looking forward to sharing your future adventures!

EDIT:::

I got on a tangent about diet and expense... Sorry!!! The cage isn't safe because the doors are spring loaded. It's a good way to lose a tail, toes or break and arm by it accidentally shutting.Also, glders can be great escape artists. They could be trapped in the door. You will need at least 1 door that is over 12" tall and 10" wide in order to fit a glider safe wheel in.

This cage has the perfect bar width of 1/2" and is powder coated which is a must. For that kind of money there are better alternatives. Keep in mind they can live up to 15 years so you will want to invest in a quality cage.

I made an account and this is it lol. What I meant by $300-400 was just for the sugar glider itself. Is the HPW by EN still good? And what is the best pellet I could buy? I know it's based on preference by the animal itself, but what is the most generally healthy and tasty for them? And I'll look at the cages on EN.

Hello!

I wouldn't recommend the EN diet.

I use Happy glider pellets from Pet-Pro.
https://www.pet-pro.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2&zenid=tesuc0rjdr90uhla217tphaau5

Looking at those options, is the Fruity flavor a complete diet? Along with Cooked proteins, fresh fruits and veggies, and insects. And would this be a better cage? https://www.exoticnutrition.com/Products...GoaAlLcEALw_wcB

This EN cage is a bit small. They prefer width over height as they like to jump around.

Or this seems like a really good deal, although you've recommended against the EN diet. It comes with a wheel, pouch, bowls, and a water bottle. Even though I want to use a bowl for water. https://www.exoticnutrition.com/Products...rs__781871.aspx

I have the equivalent of this cage.

https://www.exoticnutrition.com/Products/Brisbane-Cage__GA13221A.aspx

My three do just fine. I would go with the Congo cage if you plan on having a large colony.

The shelves are nice to have if they can be taken out or moved around. The ladders aren't necessary.

The silent runner wheel is glider safe, but is a solid track that will accumulate potty and poo and need to be cleaned every few days or it will start smelling bad.

I only plan on getting 2-3, so I think the one you linked will be better since it's cheaper. But there's also a kit you can buy with that cage that includes all that stuff. Would they be ok on the HPW and Complete nutrition until it runs out and I can switch them to a better food? It comes with so much stuff that would make the total come out a lot higher just buying them separate.

Since you are in the planning stages of becoming a glider slave, you may want to take the time to look into the various diets. Also contact the breeder in your area and see what they are feeding.

I honestly cannot recommend the EN diet after what I have seen first hand. There are so many other proven and reputable diets out there.

Planning to have a glider is a lot of commitment both in your time and money. A vet fund is very important too. Gliders hide sickness very well and a qualified vet can be expensive.

With a lifespan of up to 15 years, do you know where in life you will be by then? Do you have the time to commit to the care and bonding time every day? These are amazing creatures that deserve a good, patient, loving and caring home. Rehoming can be very stressful on them if it doesn't work out. I'm not trying to discourage you, I hope you think it through.

They are nocturnal, so time spent with them will be at night or early morning.

I'm a slave to a lot of animals right now lol. A dog, a cat, 27 chickens, 4 fish tanks, and a leopard gecko. And next year I plan on adopting a pair of cockatiels from my local bird sanctuary. I already have their whole thing planned out. And most of my animals require care and attention during the day, so that will leave me with time to handle and bond with the gliders. I understand the diet concern, and I will look into other diets as you suggested. I plan on staying in state and going to college and aiming for some career in Zoology/Biology. I want to at least get a masters, so for the next 8 years (after next year it will be 8) I'll be doing that. And I do not plan on ever rehoming any of my animals. The only animals I have rehomed are some fish that didn't fit in with my stocking. They were just to aggressive for the rest of the tank.

And there is also a vet in town that specializes in weird and uncommon animals. The head vet from what I've read is really good with birds, small mammals, and reptiles. And if that's not good enough about an hour and a half away at the sanctuary mentioned above they have specialized clinics for all sorts of animals. Reptiles, Wild caught animals, small mammals, birds, dogs, cats, horses, cattle, sheep, you name an animal and they have a clinic for it. And each clinic is a separate building located on their property, which is almost the size of a small city. The sanctuary is called Best friends in Kanab, Utah. And then the vet in town is called Red rock animal hospital, St. George, Utah.

Littlecityfish

I don't recommend any of the food from exotic nutrition. I would only purchase the yogurt drops from them.

You should also look at Petco for cages, their HQ flight cage is what I use. Sometimes you can find them cheaper on Amazon.

I have a rescue and all the gliders here are on the Critterlove diet plan. The only kibble I recommend is Happy Glider kibble.

Critterlove is one of the most tested diets out there. All of my gliders do very well on them and when a rescue comes in that is in poor shape they bounce back very well on Critterlove.

Check out her diet at Critterlove.com

Looking at them, would a good diet be the Critter love complete along with the chicken kibble, fresh fruit and veggies, and insects/cooked meats? And please, just call me Colt.

And how do you bond with them? I've read and watched videos where people carry a little pouch around with them with the glider(s) inside to get them used to you and your smell. And I've also read when your not home put an article of clothing in the pouch(es) they sleep in. When you have them in the little pouch, do you let them out to crawl on you?

One more thing for tonight. For a standard grey glider is $200 a fair price? And then for a True platinum mosaic glider is $400 a fair price? I really like the TPM gliders. I'm thinking a normal grey and a TPM would be a nice pair. The ones I'm looking at are from the same breeder and in the description it says they were raised together. Don't know the genders though.

Feather/Kim has given you excellent advice in her post above.



Go to the Cirtterlove website and click on Resources where you will find all the information about the Critterlove diets. With this diet plan you will also need to feed specific salad mixes of which she gives you five to choose from depending on what your gliders prefer.

It is very important that you not add any extra protein such as cooked meats as it will throw off the balance of the diet which has been carefully worked out.

Insects are not really necessary for gliders although most gliders do love them. Their exoskeleton is mainly good for teeth cleaning. There really is little to no nutritional value in them.



There are several good references here about bonding. Into The Bolnding Pit and Building A Relationship With Your Glider . You will also find many threads from our members in our Bolnding & Relations Forum. Some dealing with issues they have had and some telling what has worked for them.



As mentioned above, since you are not wanting to get gliders for 3-4 years, you have plenty of time to do lots of research which is what we recommend to anyone getting gliders. You may even find at the of that time, you have changed your mind. If not, you will be well armed to welcome them into your home.

Who knows what new information we may have in the next three to four years

I'm sorry to keep asking about the diet and stuff of that nature, but all the salads are just freeze dried fruits and veggies, right? With my birds I'm going to make 2 chops at the beginning of the week and just freeze the right amount in plastic bags. Will sugar gliders eat thawed veggies and fruits? I know the idea is that the freeze dried salads will last longer, but it will fit better in my routine if I could do fresh/thawed. Most of them also have egg shell calcium, could I just finely crush egg shells into almost a powder and mix it with the food? Or buy some kind of supplement that's safe for Gliders? I was reading that some reptile supplements are also safe for gliders, but I don't really know about that. I'm sorry I'm being so difficult with this but I'm just trying to find an alternative that will fit in with my routine.

Oh, I was reading the wrong thing. They give instructions on making a fresh salad too. I was just looking at the freeze dried ones.

That seems like a good diet. But I think I'm going to stick with critter love. From everyone on here it seems really good. So I don't need to add crushed egg shells if I make my own salad? They said everything is balanced, but with the freeze dried salads they have egg calcium added.

There are 5 different salad mixtures that you rotate through. For two gliders I would cut the recipe in half.

You will need a gram scale to do the measuring. Once the salad is mixed then you just put it in freezer bags and put it in the freezer.

My guys like their food cold, they play hot potato with the frozen corn.

Oh, so you rotate through them weekly? I thought you just choose one and do that one. I should've known you have to vary it, because that's what you have to do with a lot of animals.

You choose on salad mixture, mix it and feed it till it is gone, then choose another mixture and you rotate through them like that.

Makes sense. Aren't mushrooms toxic to gliders? Or am I thinking of another animal? On one of the salad recipes it says mushrooms. Is it just any edible mushroom? Or is there a specific one?

I use baby portabellas for the mushrooms.

Hey, there's another similarity to birds lol. Although I don't think vet bills would sky rocket with a bird. I'm a member on another forum for birds, and they always tell me every bird is different, and they will always behave differently, so most stuff online will barely apply to the bird I come to own but it's still a good idea to do lots of research in case my bird somehow does behave a little like one I've read about. I have another question. With birds you have to cook anything with Oxalic acid (Kale, Spinach, Purslane, etc.) because it prevents them from actually absorbing any of the calcium from the plant. Do I have to do this with gliders too?