I just got two male sugar glider's in june, and have immensely enjoyed having them! They're both playful, friendly, and energetic. I bought them from someone who no longer had the time and patience to take care of them, and with them she gave me the left over's of the the sunvita pellet's she'd been feeding them.

My glider's meals everynight include 2-3 differn't fruits, an occasional well cooked meat, about a tablespoon of their pellet's, and mealworm's/crickets.

It wasn't until just recently when I joined this website that I heard for the first time pellet's Shouldn't be fed.

But my glider's seem to be healthy and fine, and only eat very small amounts of their pellet's each night. I've tried removing the pellets, and I could tell they were losing weight, so I immediately put the pellet's back in their diet! They also nibble on the pellet's during the day.

I'm not sure what to do. Could someone please give me some suggestion's?


I just recently ordered these pellet's, too. they're a bit' different from the other ones.I got them over the internet, and they haven't come yet.
Link(s)to pellet's I just bought:
Insect eater diet: www.sugar-glider-store.com/insecteater-diet--canned-food.html
Eucalyptis: www.sugar-glider-store.com/eucalyptus-diet-22-.html

Link to pellet's i've been Sunvita: feeding:www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=6067+10381+16629&pcatid=16629

I think the main reason people on this site say no pellets if because some people will try to sell gliders and say they ONLY need pellets and apple sauce. Pellets should NEVER be the main food source for your glider!

Now based on what you are feeding, it sounds like they are getting nutrients from a great diet. Pellets in this case should be something that is always available in the cage so if they get hungry they can snack on them. Hard foods also keep their teeth clean and strong. Mine really liked the eucalyptus diet you linked to (and their papaya one too, yum!) Exotic nutrition uses better ingredients than Sunvita I think.

You may have heard of some people feeding high quality dog kibble as a "pellet" basically to give them something hard to chew that has good ingredients. Lately there has been an extensive study and a new pellet food developed by some vets and tested by Lisa at Suncoast. I really think everyone should read about this since it was based on one of the only (or maybe THE only) glider nutritional study! www.sugar-gliders.com/wholesome-balance.htm

This is the only pellet food that has an animal protein as its main protein ingredient (chicken instead of soy in traditional pellets/animal kibble). My gliders really love this stuff! Since it has so many nutrients, they actually eat more of this and less of their fruits/veggies/egg mix. Some people have said that the diets we've been doing (25/25/50 or whatever the numbers are!) are too high in fruits and that they would not eat that much sugar in the wild. I still would never give pellets alone, but it does seem to help balance out their diet- not too much squishy fruity (sugary) stuff, not just hard and hard to digest stuff, just right!

Ok, thanks for the advice! Based off this and the fact that my glider's love it, i'm going to continue feeding them the pellet's. I'm also glad to see that the eucalyptis is a favorite, and used :)

I am not familiar with this particular pellet so I tried to do a Google search for it. I only came up with Sun Vita for Chinchilla's or for Dove & Pigeons. Is it one of those?

Can you list the ingredients off of the package?

I have a link at the bottom of my first post. Here it is again:
I just recently ordered these pellet's, too. they're a bit' different from the other ones.I got them over the internet, and they haven't come yet.
Link(s)to pellet's I just bought:
Insect eater diet: www.sugar-glider-store.com/insecteater-diet--canne...
Eucalyptis: www.sugar-glider-store.com/eucalyptus-diet-22-.htm...

Link to pellet's i've been Sunvita: feeding:www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=...

Sorry about that.

It does look a lot better than most of the other pellets that I have seen. Most are loaded with corn fillers which is bad for them. It seems pretty high in protein too.

I am by no means an expert though....you should probably wait and see what some of the others have to say.

I am concerned that the diet as a whole would be difficult to calculate the ca:PH ratios. Did someone (like your vet or breeder) suggest this diet or did you create it yourself?

Also you mention well cooked meat? What is that exactly? You also didn't mention any vegetables. Are they getting any of those?

Mealworms are also high in fat so should really only be given as a treat.

I got the pellet's from their previous owner, but as for diet planning it's mostly just been based off research. However, I don't keep track of Protein/calcium, ect. ratio's. I probably should, but i'm not sure how :(
(I'm only 13, so...)

I also give them plenty of vegetables, but they don't eat as much as I would like them to and only take a few small bites. It's mostly jst sweet potatoes, carrots, and broccoli.

About the meat:
They have some small portions of plain chicken,and tuna, (if that's a meat)
I also give them some egg. (Scrambled with a little bit of honey)

I definitely wouldn't mind more clearly learning how to balance their protein, calcium, ect. ratios.

I would recommend cutting the honey out your scrambled eggs, it's not good for their teeth.

I have never heard the long-term members on here recommend pellets, I've taken them out of my suggie's diet among many others on this site.

Luna is on a diet of 50% protein/25% fruit/25% veggies. For each glider it's recommended they have 2 tablespoons protein, 1 tablespoon fruit, 1 tablespoon veggie.

And just because you're 13 doesn't mean you can't learn the calcium and phosphorous ratios. It may take awhile but you can learn them. Also in our recipe sections some members have posted fruit and veggie relishes and blends that already have the correct ratios.

But regardless, we are all here to help each other learn to take better care of our babies.

Ok thanks :) So in your oppinion, do you think I should remove pellet's from my glider's diet?

I would remove them. I always thought Luna needed them in her cage to snack on if she woke up in the afternoon or something. But in all reality they don't get up to snack.

Ok, then i'll try to remove them, if they'll let me. Last I tried to remove them I could definitely see a change in weight.

Gliders are just like little kids, very picky finicky eaters. I was worried about Luna and her pellets before. But since I started blending her food I've seen a drastic change in her appetite. Where she used to nit-pick and pick and choose what she wanted out of her bowl, she now eats all of it.

That could be the trick for you and yours.

I'll try that with tonights dinner. Thanks for the advice!

Also another thing to try with the scrambled eggs instead of honey, use cottage cheese. I got this from Anita the other night. My Luna is very picky about her eggs. With the cottage cheese it's good source of calcium, but can be fatty. So I wouldn't recommend this for every night, every other night would be good.

***I put 1 tablespoon of cottage cheese for two eggs. I have five gliders. For only two gliders do 1/2 tablespoon per egg. Put the cottage cheese in the bowl. I use a glass cereal bowl but whatever you got. Crack the egg and stir and mix it all together. Microwave on high for about 30 seconds. Then microwave again for about 40 seconds. Then I dump the egg like patty on a plate and cut it up. I cut mine up into small squares that are the perfect size for them to hold in their hands.****

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Originally posted by suggie_mom

Ok thanks :) So in your oppinion, do you think I should remove pellet's from my glider's diet?

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Yes, you should remove them totally from their diet.

Remember those of us who give a high quality dog or cat food such as EVO give it as a PART of their diet. And a very small part at that! The Evo dog food I give my gliders is a very tiny kibble and each glider gets about 4-5 pieces each night. Evo is the only dry food I will give my gliders because it is meat based and has no fillers. It is fed to them because I truly believe they need something hard and crunchy for good dental hygiene.

Some people are using pellets as the MAIN part of their diet. And when the pellet is very low quality and chocked full of fillers - your glider is not going to live long due to poor nutrition. If your glider is poorly fed and gets sick or injured, how will it's poor little body fight to get well???

People, People, People. When are you going to understand there is no convenient way to get around feeding these little animals??? Some of you want to just throw a bunch of chow in their cage because its "easy and convenient". YOU chose to have these animals - they didnt choose you. It is your responsibility to take care of them. What you feed them is THE most important part of ownership.

Please be careful about the diet advice some are quickly giving. We have a lot of brand new glider owners here right now.

Ok, Due to what people have said so far, I have decided to slowly wean my glider's off pellet's. I just don't want them to start losing weight again from it... For tonights dinner, which i'll be making in 20-30 min, I'll use a smaller amount of pellet's. I don't want to take them away all together.

Maybe instead of giving it to them with their regular food, try giving them the rest of their meal tonight and then putting the pellets in their cage in the morning and leaving it during the day. That way they are more likely to eat the "real" food without the option of choosing the pellets over it.

Gizmo-n-roos Mommy :
Great idea. That's definitely what i'm going to do. I really didn't think it was a great idea to take the pellet's away completely, but I don't want to risk their health. -but they've been fine, right? I'm espeicially excited to see if they like the new pellet's that should come in the mail by next saturday. They seem a bit' more...Natural.

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Originally posted by suggie_mom

Ok, Due to what people have said so far, I have decided to slowly wean my glider's off pellet's. I just don't want them to start losing weight again from it... For tonights dinner, which i'll be making in 20-30 min, I'll use a smaller amount of pellet's. I don't want to take them away all together.

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Why wait to wean them off of something that isnt good for them?? Dont give them the pellets anymore - they need to start getting something nutritious in their systems, so why not start now?

My suggestion is to throw them in the trash as that is where they belong.

I am not understanding are yall actually talking about pellets or just dry food in general! Cuz ive never gave them pellets...ive gave them dry food that just has a mixture of everything...

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Originally posted by Roxy and Stormys mamma


I am not understanding are yall actually talking about pellets or just dry food in general! Cuz ive never gave them pellets...ive gave them dry food that just has a mixture of everything...

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What dry food do you have?

Do you think that as long as they eat all of their fresh food provided to them, that a few bites of pellet's during the day for a snack is OK? Because that's what they've been doing. They certainly don't eat all of the pellet's... I just don't see how a small amount of pellet's could be that bad. (But this is coming from a not-so expierinced fairly new glider owner)

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Originally posted by suggie_mom

Do you think that as long as they eat all of their fresh food provided to them, that a few bites of pellet's during the day for a snack is OK? Because that's what they've been doing. They certainly don't eat all of the pellet's... I just don't see how a small amount of pellet's could be that bad. (But this is coming from a not-so expierinced fairly new glider owner)

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No - that food is CRAP. I dont know how much plainer to say it. Those pellets are mainly corn and corn fillers. Gliders need protein which they can get from eggs and chicken. There is very little to none on the protein in those pellets. Throw them in the trash.

Gliders are very tiny - and everything that goes into their mouths needs to be nutritious.

I sound like Im being mean and Im not. This is a lesson I had to learn myself when I first got my gliders and was sold a years supply of "Glider Grub". I didnt understand at first why it was bad for them either. I ended up throwing a whole years worth of those pellets in the trash and truly believe it was the best thing for my gliders.

Ok, so I just gave my sugar glider's their dinner. -And I didn't give them pellet's. But Riley looked up at me with the saddest eye's and was like, "Mom, where are they?" I haven't thrown the pellet's away yet, but I'm going to resist the urge to feed them to them.

If you want a more straightforward opinion, IT CAN KILL THEM. I know because those eucalyptus pellets pretty much killed a rescue I had. He also seemed happy and healthy...until the day he died. I was told he was "3+ years old) when I got him and his diet was the eucalyptus pellets and an occasional vegetable. Period. His passing was so alarming and so sudden, I had a necropsy performed and the results were liver disease from previous years of bad diet. IRREVERSIBLE. All I did was prolong his life a few months.

I also never understand WHY people think their gliders need food during the day? I don't even see mine during the day. EVER. (This is not directed at you-I've just been seeing a lot lately)

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Originally posted by suppressedtearz

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Originally posted by Roxy and Stormys mamma


I am not understanding are yall actually talking about pellets or just dry food in general! Cuz ive never gave them pellets...ive gave them dry food that just has a mixture of everything...

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What dry food do you have?

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Its called...Mixed Berry & Nut Treat.
Its not based on a whole meal.
Its actually just little treats..you can probably find the ingredients on www.eightinonepet.com
And it doesnt say use as whole meal or anything.
All though once i fed my babies some Sugar glider food that i bought at a pet store and said to feed it to them wholy as the meal but i was like no and dont use them anymore!
So this berry mix stuff doesnt have pellets in it??

I never see my gliders during the day either. They get up about 9:00 at night unless I wake them early and go back to sleep for good about 8:00 or 9:00 in the morning. During those night hours they eat their fill of food and play until they are exhausted. Once they go to sleep in the am, that's it until night time again.

There is no need to put anything for them to snack on during the day into their cage. It's not going to hurt them to wait until night time to eat, but it may kill them to continue to eat those pellets.

Both of my glider's will wake up two-three times a day to snack on some food, and they usually switch pouches at least once a day. (I'm still trying to figure out why they do this..)

everyone keeps saying that their gliders dont wake up during the day to snack...but mine do...they only eating like prolly 3 pellets each, if that...and it isnt everyday...and i ONLY let them have it during the daytime to ensure they eaat at nite...i just started to take the pellets out b/c my one boy is a picky picky eater and wasnt eating much at nite, so i thought i'd try to take out the pellets and see if that hepls....but i just wanted to comment that my boys do get up during the day to nibble....is that odd? I mean...i get up in the middle of the night to nibble....so why wouldnt gliders do it during the daytime???

Because they're nocturnal and normally sleep through the day. You are diurnal and should have 8-10 hours of uninterrupted sleep at night. No one in my family gets up in the middle of the night which leads me to believe something must wake you at night for you to get up. For those of you that have gliders that wake up during the day, is something interrupting them or waking them up?

i've always woken up in the middle of the nite...i have alot of acid or something in my tummy and if i dont have a cracker or a peice of bread or something to soak it up then it hurts....i dunno...thats my unscientist explainaation of my eating in the nite..lol...but with my boys i live in an efficency...so they have to deal with the t.v. the oven, microwave, the doorbell, me and my boyfriend...my friends, if i have anyone over...it can get loud...but they normally sleep thru it all....actually most the time they are on me during the day..either in a pouch or a pocket...they prefer to do that then to sleep in the cage....spoiled little boys they are....lol...so i guess they are getting inturrepted, but theres no way around it..they dont seem to mind tho. Normally when i put thm back in the cage or something right before they lay back down they snack...but like i said,...i just the otherday started to take out their pellets....