My parents always wonder why I have this sudden urge to buy more fruits and veggies…. Well, obvious reasons rite? Keeping sugar gliders is not cheap and easy as I have to hunt for sweet and tasty fruits for my darlings. The funny part is that I don’t eat any of the fruits I buy at all. Crazy crazy, everything goes to my 7 lil suggies.
According to Sugar Glider University, sugar gliders need 75% protein and 25% fruits and veggies, while an article written by Caroline MacPherson mentions that sugar gliders should have a diet of 75% of fruits and veggies, 25% protein. For me, to make me less worried about their nutrition, I feed 60% fruits and 40% protein. This works well for me. Protein comes from cooked chicken meat without any seasonings, my GliderSLURP which contains chicken and eggs, holistic dog kibble and mealworms. My gliders do put on weight and have not shown any signs of malnutrition.
Anyway, back to my list. Yes, I do have a list of fruits that I usually buy from the fruit seller. Sometimes it depends on what is in season. Veggies are abundant at home since my mom purchases fresh kangkong (water morning glory), sawi (choy sum/mustard green), carrots, sweet potato leaves and sweet peas in the pod. Some Malaysian sugar glider keepers find it hard to follow what oversea keepers feed. Well, Malaysia is blessed with many local fruits that are suitable for sugar gliders.
Fruits that are readily available in most fruit stalls and supermarkets in KL:
Apple, Orange, Pear, Papaya, local and Thai Mango, Honeydew, Sun Melon (local rock melon), Cherry Tomatoes, Guava, Water Chestnuts, Plum, local Strawberries, Kiwi, Dragon Fruit, Watermelon
Fruits that is uncommon or seasonal:
Cherries, Sugar/Custard Apple, Peach, Nectarine, Blueberries, Rambutan, Mangosteen, Honey Jambu Air (rose/water apple), Durian, Ciku
I may have missed out on certain fruits but the fruits that I have listed are fruits that I would buy for them when they are available. I know all my gliders LOVE rambutan and cherries, sweet sweet sweetness.
I normally get about 3 to 4 types of fruits for my gliders each day. Like today, I just bought mango, honeydew, sun melon and watermelon. Tomorrow they will have a fruit salad of apple, orange, papaya and carrots.
Veggies should be fed as it contains minerals and vitamins that cannot be found in fruits. My suggies do not take veggies just like that. I have to blend into a puree and mix with a bit of yogurt and fresh fruits, making it slightly sweet and palatable. My suggies do enjoy carrots and French bean that are chopped up into 1cm cubes, which is wonderful for them. I get so happy seeing them eat their fill.
I will do a page on “sugar glider diet and nutrition” later when I have gathered enough research from different websites. Keep your eyes open for it!
Question – I have 2 sugargliders and I rarely see them devour anything but mealworms and crickets. Like you, my grocery shopping ended up with bakuls of apples, blueberries, grapes, etc and different types of yogurts on weekends. Recently I included Heinz baby food. Yet, the most they would do is linger over the fruits and lunge for their mealworms. Question is – how on earth do you make them eat fruits?
In desperate need of advice.