Squirel is now back with her friend's cage since my last post on the health topic. She wasn't eating. I put 2 food stations so that her friend will not eat all the food. I've tried all method like mixing the BML with the fruit & vegie, blend fruit smoothie & bml, separate BML with fruit & vegies, but she still don't like it. Every morning I have to handfeed her but she licks a few times of the BML from my finger and she turned away, and when I gave her a small piece of avocado she will eat it. When giving her a small piece of chicken she will eat it but spit it out. I'm really worry that every morning having avocado the phosphorous is too high messing with her absortion of calcium. She loves almond but i could not give it to her all the time for the same reason.Give her egg yolk she refused too. Please note that she has been cleared of health issue by the Vet recommended in this website.

Anyone out there has any good advice or expereince in feeding a PICKY EATER? Thanks.
Here is her latest pics taken today:
Squirel


Her friend Babie

How long have you been feeding the BML diet? Avocados and almonds are both very high in fat also. Are you giving them treats before they eat? Do they have a dry food they could be filling up on before it's time for BML? It might be time to try a different diet if they've been on this one a long time. Also, as far as spitting food out, that's completely normal. They suck the juices out of foods and spit out the rest. Maybe she's eating more than you think? I'm not sure how else to make them eat BML. It doesn't matter what diet you use if they won't eat it.

They had the BML since 11/14/2010. I don't feed them with dry food. The BML, fruits, & Vegies, i put out at night around 9pm. Only in the morning when I knew that she's not eating, i gave her small piece of avocados, chicken, yolk. The problem with her is that she is always inside her pouch and not coming out to exercise. Her frined has no problem in eating and excercising all night long.

It's kind of hard to tell from pictures but Squirel does not look well to me. Have you taken her to a vet? Not eating can be a symtom of illness.

Yes, they mentioned she's been to the vet.

I too feed the BML diet, I adopted some additional gliders that were not accustomed to my way of feeding. :) I struggled, cried, begged and pleaded for them to eat, and then... I got smart.. :) I decided I would not let them choose what they could pick out, but blend it all together. (Mix all the BML veggies together, I added a TBS of filtered water) and then I mixed the fruits ( Blend a mixture like blueberries and peaches) This gives a little variety, but I can happily say I do not have picky eaters anymore :)

If you are going to feed the BML only offer the fruits and veggies required for the diet. It is a bit confining, but they deserve the balance.

Thanks momofsugie for the blending info. It works.. Squirel is better looking now. You can see from the pic that some parts on her body, the fur is turning GREY.

i had picky eaters too and did the same as momofsuggies. blending their food really helped and now they eat it all consistently. she is looking better. i hope the cracking in her fur gets better as well with the new feeding routine.

She looks kinda brassy but looking at her fur, more grey is coming through. Maybe she just isn't that hungry now that it is cold? About the chicken...ours do the same thing. I think they suck the juices out and then spit the rest out but sometimes eat it after a bit. Same with mealies.

A humidifier might also helped with the cracked fur.

**I don't know much about the BML diet, and I know it is strict so please someone correct me if I give bad advice.**

1: if she's underweight, maybe a few fatty foods (unsalted peanuts, avocados, etc) would help put some meat on her bones & give her energy. You could also try olive oil as that's a healthy fat that's high in energy.

2: you could also give her the fresh fruits & veggies in the pouch during the day. That's how I make sure Fritz gets them because he has a tendancy to leave them during the night & focus on the HPW mix I give him.

3: you could also try hand feeding her some, treat it like a treat :)

4: maybe also provide a yogurt/juice/honey/egg mixture as a 'treat' to give her a little extra something tasty that's also full of nutrients & energy.

Squirel's fur is really starting to look better. Looks like the blending of the food has helped a great deal.
Please keep us posted with new pictures.

It is great to see success stories. Too often there are sad and depressing tales.

Thanks for sharing the photos and best of luck for continued improvement!

Kat, putting treats such as fruits and veggies in their pouch during the day will make the pouch stink and get all over them. I know. Omi used to get cucumbers all over his fur in his pouch. They don't get anything in the pouch anymore. Now, it's like you want it? Come out and get it.

I really wish that they eat a lots. It is even more difficult to take care than a human baby. The temperature dropped so much these few days, yesterday night they didn't touch the food. Even the BIG one is not active at all. Is this normal when it is cold?

Yes, Sugar gliders have bene obsurved to eat less when it's colder out. Their activity also drops.

You're going to want to keep their space warm (65-75 is optimum though they can go down to 45 if absolutly need be). Maybe a space heater?