In Reply to: Re: Scott.. posted by Scott Runnels on September 13, 1999 at 09:30:23:

Scott, you should have plenty of questions,.. As far as the RepCal is concerned, That is something that has been proven over time, The diet you are using? you got that from somewhere right? Did it call for that specific, suppliment, the only reason I am asking, is that like the new stuff from the pet store is supposed to have a higher calcium ratio than RepCal. And having too much calcium, is sometimes as bad as not enough, Someone who dusts their foods, may be able to answer that better than I. I use the RepCal in my leadbeaters recipe, so I don't over or under suppliment them. If you are using a different variation than I, then I can't advise you on that. All I was getting at, is that I was unfamiliar with the stuff you were using, in fact, I had never heard of anyone speaking of it. A lot of the reptile suppliments have phosphorus in it, the phosphorus, counteracts the calcium, hence causing serious problems in gliders since without the calcium suppliments, they are actually hyper-phosphoric, In captivity, their lives have been extended, due to many factors, calcium suppliments were one of them. On Sugar Glider Info, there is a diets page, I haven't added the calcium suppliments to that , not the vitamin additives, for fear they would be used in the wrong recipes. or in the wrong ways. The diets of the glider is so controversial, and when you go through wavs of deaths, most of which is diet related, it kinda put the fear into some of us, of changing things around. Many here, that have been here a while feed different things, some leadbeaters, some briskys, some mazori, some special catfood. many will swear by what they do feed, and many more don't variate too much from what they already know. To try new foods, means sometimes having a glider coming up dead, only to find out that didn't work. Thats what we were talking about before, when the diet issue came up. we want you to find a proven diet, and stay with it, till you have had a chance to research them..If yours is proven, my hats off to you..I am proud of you, If not, I would highly suggest, not going by the different food suggestions, without a good staple in the cage at all times. Staple, meaning, briskys, leadbeaters, mazori etc..those are all listed on the diets page of Sugar Glider Info, As well as some wonderful research done by TJ, for what the australians feed their gliders in captivity. A lot of the info out there is outdated, controversial, and really tough to put into prospective. These message bases are great for getting different peoples opinions on different aspects, especially the diets, which are so confusing. What was once an acceptable 25/75 ratio, has moved to a 33/67 ratio. Needing between 33-50% proteins. The books that are out are conflicting as well. What works for one, may not work for another. We are finding more and more, how different gliders for different reasons, are metabolizing calcium/proteins differently. Using Carol as an example with Godae, for some reason, his body is not metabolizing his calcium and or proteins properly. So when he gets well, he will have to go on a VERY strict diet. and not veer from it, so he won't be able to get the treats, that many others do.
Researching gliders has to be a constant. They are just recently popular here in the states, and what was once acceptable, now isn't, or it is considered controversial. There is no recommended daily allowances tables for gliders, as to what their body really needs. All we can do , is go by what others have done through the years and try to go by that. Very few people ONLY feed leadbeaters, or ONLY feed other things, there is usually some variety, but whatever diet, you decide to use, get the whole story from the person you are getting it from, as to what else they feed them as well. There is also a link on the diets page to the USDA nutritional data base, where you can plug in a food, and get the calcium/phosphorus/fat etc.. ratios.. I highly suggest this for anyone that is going to feed their glider other things as well as their "normal" diet. My daughter uses it a lot, she said if it isn't good enough for her Diety, it isn't good enough for her, she has lost a lot of unwanted weight. her glider is very happy and healthy. Your glider is still fairly young.. these are the formable years for her. Godae's youth was spent eating non nutritional foods, could that be why he can't metabolize it properly? maybe.. we may never know. Ask questions, LOTS of them, take surveys, and polls. Utilize the message bases, to learn and absorb as much as you can. It will come in handy..

• Diet page at Sugar Glider Info.

Follow Ups:

• Re: Scott.. Scott Runnels 12:11:56 9/13/99 (5)
  • Re: Scott.. Bourbon 20:18:40 9/13/99 (3)
    • Re: Scott.. Scott Runnels 20:48:09 9/13/99 (2)
      • okay... Bourbon 21:56:56 9/13/99 (1)
        • Re: okay... Scott Runnels 22:11:25 9/13/99 (0)
  • Re: Glider Booster Maria 18:11:16 9/13/99 (0)