What Should I Feed My Sugar Glider?

Sugar gliders are unique and fascinating creatures that require a specific and well-balanced diet for optimal health. In this blog post, we will explore the dietary needs of sugar gliders, providing both a simple and a more detailed answer to the question, "What should I feed my sugar glider?" We'll also introduce and recommend various products from Exotic Nutrition to help you meet your sugar glider's nutritional requirements.

The Simple Answer

For those seeking a straightforward solution, Exotic Nutrition offers the Glider Essential Deluxe Food Starter Package. This pack includes Glider Essential, is a highly palatable kibble with chicken-based protein, nutrient-rich whole eggs and the proper vitamin & mineral levels to form a nutritionally balanced diet.
Also included is Instant-HPW, a vitamin-enriched, powdered sugar glider diet that mixes with water to form a soft, pudding-textured food, and Garden Fresh Re-Hydrate, a nutritious blend includes freeze-dried fruits and vegetables specifically blended for sugar gliders. This cost-effective and easy-to-prepare diet plan ensures your pet receives the necessary nutrients. This recommended diet plan is designed to be simple, economical, and well-received by sugar gliders.

The Complicated Answer

Understanding the dietary needs of sugar gliders requires a deeper exploration of their natural habits and nutritional requirements. In the wild, sugar gliders consume a diverse range of food sources, including blossoms, flower nectar, sap from eucalyptus trees, acacia gum, and insects.

Certain companies or veterinarians may advocate for exclusive feeding of their branded products, often employing scare tactics and misinformation to promote their offerings. Contrary to some marketing claims, sugar gliders thrive on a varied diet, and there is no single "miracle" food that exceeds their nutritional needs more than a varied, well-balance diet can provide. Exotic Nutrition emphasizes the importance of variety in a sugar glider's diet, highlighting the nutritional benefits of diverse foods over individual products.

Recommended Diets and Supplements

Exotic Nutrition offers a range of sugar glider foods, supplements, and treats to ensure a balanced and varied diet. Some staple diets include Glider Complete, ZooPro Glider Essential, and Sugar Glider Diet with Papaya and Eucalyptus.

Supplements like Instant-HPW, HPW Jars, and Gummivore-Fare can be incorporated to enhance nutritional balance.

Additional diets like Premium Insectivore Diet or Berries & Bugs Diet provide further options for dietary variety.

Treat options include live, dried or canned insects, Garden Fresh Re-Hydrate, Monkey Biscuits, Nectar Pods, Gliderade, Eucalyptus Sticks, and more.

Understanding Wild Diet

Sugar gliders in the wild feed on a variety of sources, including tree sap, insects, flowers, fruits, and other animals. While replicating their native diet entirely may be challenging, in general we recommended a diet that includes about 75% high-protein kibble or pellet along with 15% fruits, vegetables and supplemental foods. Be sure to limit treats or other 'snacks' to less than 10% of the overall diet.

ZooPro Glider Essential

Glider Essential is Exotic Nutrition's newest but highly rated sugar glider foods. This healthy diet uses only the highest quality nutrient-rich chicken & egg ingredients— no corn, no wheat, no soy, no animal by-products. Glider Essential bite-size kibble is nutritionally packed with a coconut flavor that is sure to be a hit with even the pickiest suggie!

Glider Complete

Glider Complete stands out as one of the most popular sugar glider foods from Exotic Nutrition. This high animal-protein pellet is fortified with vitamins and mixed with eight varieties of human-grade, dried fruit chunks, including papaya, pears, golden raisins, pineapple, apples, peaches, blueberries, and apricots. With animal-based protein and additional ingredients like honey, bee pollen, and essential vitamins, Glider Complete offers a nutritionally dense and convenient option for sugar gliders.

Variety in the Diet

Adding variety to your sugar glider's diet is crucial for providing well-rounded nutrition. Exotic Nutrition's Instant-HPW is a fresh diet made to replicate some of the foods sugar gliders eat in the wild. Other options like insects, nectars, gums, fruits, vegetables, and other natural sources contribute to dietary diversity. 

Insects

Insects play a vital role in sugar gliders' diets, promoting dental health and offering essential nutrients. Exotic Nutrition provides a variety of insects that are chemical-free, farm-raised, and suitable for gliders. Options like Mealworm Munchies, Calcium-Rich Worms (dried black soldier fly), Canned Superworms, and other insect choices ensure a protein-rich and nutritious treat for your sugar gliders.

Nectars & Gums

To replicate the natural diet of sugar gliders, Exotic Nutrition offers options such as Gummivore-Fare, a gum-based diet with acacia gum, available in two flavors. This diet is both irresistible to gliders and provides essential carbohydrates from a natural source.

Fruits & Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are important components of a sugar glider's diet, contributing essential vitamins and minerals. Exotic Nutrition's ZooPro Garden Fresh Re-Hydrate is the most convenient way to offer a mix of fruits and veggies with a perfectly balanced Calcium:Phosphorous ratio that is so important for Sugar Gliders health. This nutritious mix can be served as a crunchy treat or rehydrated for a fresh and juicy snack.

Calcium Supplements and Vitamins

While Exotic Nutrition's foods are designed to be species-specific and nutritionally balanced, serving fresh foods, treats, or other unbalanced foods may require additional supplementation. Supplements like Glider-Cal (Calcium Supplement)
and Glider Booster (Multivitamin) can help fill nutritional gaps and prevent health issues.

Exotic Nutrition Foods

Exotic Nutrition foods are formulated to be species-specific, providing a balanced mix of essential nutrients. Unlike other products on the market, Exotic Nutrition's foods are nutrient-dense, made in the USA in small batches for freshness, and free from artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.

The Myth That Pellet Diets Are Bad

Sugar glider owners often harbor skepticism about manufactured foods, fueled by negative experiences with low-quality options. However, Exotic Nutrition challenges these perceptions, emphasizing the distinction between subpar and premium manufactured foods.

Exotic Nutrition asserts that our premium foods provide a safe and balanced mix of essential nutrients. With hundreds of thousands of pet gliders thriving on our manufactured foods for over two decades, we emphasize positive customer reviews and long-term health as proof of their foods' efficacy.

There are two theories in feeding exotic animals: survive or thrive. Feeding any pellet or kibble food will likely keep your pet alive (survive). Feeding a premium manufactured food from Exotic Nutrition along with supplement foods will be more enriching for your exotic pet and allow them to not only survive, but thrive in captivity. 

Exotic Nutrition encourages glider owners to approach sugar glider foods with an open mind, seeking information from diverse sources. By challenging misconceptions and following expert guidance, glider owners can provide their pets with a balanced, high-quality diet, ensuring health and well-being in captivity.