Please keep in mind that Ralston Purina is a St. Louis based company.

Jett, thank you for finding my post. I have not had a chance to look for it.

The St Louis Zoo currently has one lone female sugar glider who was born at the zoo, lived her whole life at the zoo and is now 10 years old. When she passes, they will not be getting anymore. I was told that most of their gliders lived to be around that age. So, I guess what they were being fed wasn't all that bad.

Mel, the St Louis Zoo is located in St Louis, Missouri.

Sorry - I deleted my other post because I stupidly sent it twice.

oh, lol, sorry, Hi Mel!

Rita, that is pretty awesome to hear the longevity their gliders have lived. It seems just from my own common sense, that the diets that are supplemented with other vitamins and minerals (that the gliders should normally get out of their foods they're eating), are actually working against them. That's just something I noticed a few years ago, which is why I stopped supplementing.(though I sometimes feed ensure-not sure if this would be considered supplementing)

also, something I changed along the way is the way I feed fruits. When I first got my gliders, I would cut up fruit EVERY night, or sometimes do a batch for a whole weeks worth, which would end up going bad anyway, by the 3rd or 4th day. when I fed fruits like this the gliders would pick and choose what they did and didn't want. So I felt that they weren't getting all the nutrition out of the fruits that they should.
So, I decided to buy a bag of mixed frozen fruits (you can find this in your grocery store in the ice cream aisle)this particular bag comes with pineapples, melons, strawberries, grapes, and then sometimes I add mixed berries. I put it into a blender, add 100% juice and some water and blend. I then pour into ice cube trays and feed 1 cube per glider per night. Of course theres always some left over, but nothing like it used to be, when they would only eat one or two of the fruits I offered. I also, rotate the fruit cubes with ensure cubes (tonight they got ensure) because, I notice sometimes they get bored with the fruit. I also feed mixed veggies, and a protein source such as mealworms, (dog food more recently),and chicken or turkey baby food. I also sometimes put some sweet potatoe baby food, or the mango or hawaiin delight (which is high in calcium) just for a treat. I have been feeding this for probably 4 out of the 5 years that I've owned gliders.

Thanks, Rita. I asked about the location because I wondered if Purina from other countries might be different than the ingredients use here. So in this case obviously not. It still concerns me to promote a diet that doesn't use better quality cat food. Any idea what happened to the other gliders? The claims of captivity seem to rank up to 15 yrs. with only one left at 10 yrs. Why are they giving up on gliders?

The St Louis Zoo (children's zoo) is under reconstruction and they are eliminating the nocturnal animals. The animals will live out the remainder of their lives at the zoo being well cared for - but when they die, they will not be replaced.

As far as the cat food, how many gliders they have had over the years, how long they lived, what they died from - I dont know. I guess if you truly want to know these things - call them. They have a web site with their contact information.

Rita, I cannot take credit for finding your post as Chris passed it onto me.

The Healesville Sanctuary diet uses dog food in its diet and my gliders get a small amount every meal and love it.

JenJen, we do a lot of blending and use ice trays too. That is just so practical. The mixed frozen fruit is a good idea we may try. Still cutting up, blending and freezing fruit....

quote:

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Originally posted by LuckyGlider

JenJen, we do a lot of blending and use ice trays too. That is just so practical. The mixed frozen fruit is a good idea we may try. Still cutting up, blending and freezing fruit....

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And it tastes REALLY good, too!!! I have to refrain from eating it all when I blend frozen fruits for them.

quote:

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Originally posted by Rita

The St Louis Zoo (children's zoo) is under reconstruction and they are eliminating the nocturnal animals. The animals will live out the remainder of their lives at the zoo being well cared for - but when they die, they will not be replaced.

As far as the cat food, how many gliders they have had over the years, how long they lived, what they died from - I dont know. I guess if you truly want to know these things - call them. They have a web site with their contact information.

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Only catching the back end of this conversation, but I have a friend who's had suggies on dried cat food as a part of his diet for over 15 years. His oldest glider died 2 years ago aged 15.

Hi Moorie. I know you have done research in catfood and advocate it so you could probably offer some insight on some concern broght up here. Is there concern to the quality catfood used? Is there concern for how much is fed? Is there concern to "balance" the diet with other nutitional needs and does this zoo cover those needs with this diet? Thanks, Mel

Hi Moorie! I remember you talking about cat food before. I have tried cat food, and they barely touched it, but they LOOOOVE the dog food. So I'm just adding that to their meal instead of mealies since I'm out, for the time being.

Mel, to answer the quality of food question you asked, I believe that quality always outweighs crappy cat food, or even dog food. There are so many crappy dog/cat foods out there, that I wouldn't even feed to the rats outside. (im jk I don't have rats outside, just an example, lol) which is why I talked to Jett about his purina, because here in America, purina..is crap food. He listed off the guaranteed analysis, and the ingrediets (after I had to teach him what ingredients meant, lol) and it seemed, alright. Not the best, but not the worst I've seen either. But then again, this is for a sugar glider, and not a canine or feline...I just don't think corn should be first, or even second on the ingredient list, since most gliders eat corn nightly with their mixed veggies (at least mine do) that they don't need MORE corn in their diets.

Wow, I'm rambling now, lol.

I think high quality cat food differs from country to country, I checked with one of the top 8 vets in the UK about the cat food I'm using because while I'm 100% confident in it I just need reassurance, and as he's so far up in his profession he seemed like a good person to ask. He said the Iams is a popular choice amongst glider owners and that it was absolutely fine, it's what he'd use :), now this may differ in the US.

The food used needs to have meat listed in the top 2 ingredients, and should have no artificial preservatives, the ca:p ratio should be neutral or better. I supplement my suggs with calcium 2-3 times a week because I can balance my diet to the optimum ratio (yes, I know other vits are essential!!). I only tend to give calcium when I give them egg instead of cat biccies and my suggs are superbly healthy, again passed by my 'in the top 8' vet!

(Caroline MacPherson uses Hills Science Plan biscuits.)

The diet without going back over the whole thread is I'm assuming Healesville? Personally I don't touch Leadbeater diets with anyone elses stick so I'm not really a one to comment! All I know is I have absolutely NO problems with my suggies health, I've never had to take one I've bred or kept for a while (I've only had to take in new rescues). But neither have Healesville for that matter!!

Iams here is not a good food. you can find it in the grocery stores. I'm not sure of the difference in the UK, but I'm sure its not much. though I wouldn't feed it to my dogs, or cats, feeding it to gliders, like I said before, is a little different,as their needs are different.

A lot of vets recommend science diet for dogs and cats, and I would NEVER feed this diet. Ever. I mean why are there peanut shells in the ingredients? and so much corn. canines and felines are meat eaters. they shouldn't be getting peanut shells. Anyhow, vets recommend some not so great foods, and I'm not really sure why. They also want you to get your pets vaccinated yearly (to make more $$) but, then again I don't practice this either. I have read too many things on over vaccinating, and I'm not up for it. ok this is getting off topic, but I'm just saying not all vets are looking out for the well being of your animals. (not saying your vet isn't)

calcium from food sources is better absorbed by the body than calcium taken as supplements.

Good point Rach! Need to keep that in mind.

Now not to change the subject or anything but...........you guys made it to a hundred posts!! Thats the largest yet Congrats!!! Plus this is a good topic too!! Ok you can go back onto subject just saying!! lol!!

Ooh, ooh, I'm the 100th poster! Do I get anything?!

Not that I know of!!! But you do get the honor of being the 100th poster!!

so i did some more research on johnson_delaney before attempting to get in contact with her. and honestly im not sure she would be the best resource.have u guys taken a look at her #2 diet? also she wrote something on gliders and i got the impression that she was under the impression that they were sap suckers. which infact yes they do suck sap, but thats only when the seasons change and they cant find any bugs to eat :) I found an email which we can contact her at, it has to deal with another site, but i can at least email her for another way to contact her.
If anyone has any questions they would like me to ask, let me know.

Anjuli, while I don't doubt your vet is very knowledgeable I'd like to point out he is the ONLY vet I've heard of that says gliders aren't sap suckers, and even if they do it only in certain seasons they still do it. There are too many also knowledgeable vets who say otherwise, so until I get better proof I'll believe they are and what you just said shouldn't rule out anything. I'd also like to know how many times your vet has observed gliders in the wild.

Anjul
The reason Sugar Gliders will consume more insects at particular times of the year has to do with the fact that they need extra protien for reproduction. They will still consume large amounts of Sap at these times.
They dont eat sap just because they cant find bugs. Nectar, sap, etc are an essential part of thier diet.

Where as the Squirrel Glider consumes more insects than sap

rach where did you get the info about them consuming insects for reproduction?
I know something is mentioned on suncoast about this, but i havent seen many other places. besides my vet suncoast also seems to say that "Sugar gliders will rely on other food sources as the abundance of insects decrease in the colder winter months"
as far as my vet observing them in the wild i am not sure as i have not asked.

http://www.sugar-gliders.com/sugar-glider-diet.htm

www.currumbin-sanctuary.org.au/content/standard.asp?name=SugarGlider

Sugar Gliders are omnivores. During the spring and summer months their diet consists almost entirely of insects, providing them the increased protein needed for reproduction. The diet of wild Sugar Gliders consists mainly of sap, nectar, bugs, and small animals such as baby birds.

www.parks.tas.gov.au/wildlife/mammals/sugglid.html


There are many more studies done like this

Sugar gliders have a sweet tooth - their diet consists of flower nectar, acacia gum, eucalypt sap and insects. One study of a Victorian population showed that individuals spent about 43% of their foraging time feeding on gum, 12% on eucalypt sap and 28% on searching for invertebrates.




www.wildlife.org.au/secretlifeofgliders.pdf

JenJen, the reason I use the Iams is because of the LACK of ingredients, the 'posher, more expensive' ones have far more additives vitamin and mineral wise with added this, that and the other! I've spent soooooooooooooo much time trying to find something better, I've looked at the Hills Science Plan, and Burns Organic stuff and many many more so far I STILL can't find one that I prefer over Iams. And, to be honest, whether it is the best quality or not it's been used for well over 15 years in the UK with a very high success rate, so I'm not going to change it just because. :) And besides that the vet whom I trust (one of the top 8 in the uk) says it's fine to use.

Also, the corn (or other cereal) has to be added in the UK, something to do with, if no cereal was added then the food could be classed as human grade for human consumption, so for VAT purposes they all put corn or similar in them!!

That makes perfect sense Moorie. And like I said,dogs, cats and gliders are all different species, so I can understand why IAMS might be ok for gliders. But I still wouldn't feed it to my dogs or cats.

Thanks for your input

I have great luck with Iams for my cats and dogs. I never have health problems and they love it - have been feeding it for years and they never tire of it. I think I'll see if Sugar would like some of the cat food for a treat.