Paw Talk - Pet Forums banner
4K views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  dewdroppony 
#1 ·
I've had two sugar gliders for about 2 years now. Mirrhi, the female, is a little mean. Uluru, the male (neutered, don't worry!), is a lot more outgoing and friendly. I got them really cheap from someone who had them dumped on her from her brother and she didn't have the time to take care of them. Unfortunately, these gliders weren't bonded to anyone or taken very good care of, so they aren't able to be hand-held at all. I take them out in one of their pouches when I can, but they never want to just sit in my hand--they'll just run away. I was wondering how I might be able to bond with them. And that's only the first question...
Second, I noticed Mirrhi has gotten really (really!) fat lately, I must've been feeding them too much fruit or something. So I've put them on a "diet" where I give them 1/2 Exotic Nutrition pellet food, mixed with different fruits, veggies and every other night, a little vienna chicken baby food. Every other night I also mix all of this with low fat yogurt, and I always add the vitamins. Other than this, they get nothing because Uluru is also a bit fat. Also, I'm starting to add exercise to this regimin so Mirrhi gets 1 hour every day (or every day I can let her) in the ball and Uluru a 1/2 hour.
Anything else you guys might want to recommend? Am I feeding them too much or the wrong food? I also have gotten them pellets mixed with dried fruits and sometimes give them that straight up. Tell me what you think!
 
See less See more
#2 ·
Hello and welcome........

I would suggest that you place a Wodent Wheel in their cage for they need daily (well, nightly) exercise.

Wodent Wheel


Here is the basic diet for a SG....


Basic 5 parts of a Sugar Glider Diet:
(based on approved & safe foods)

1 - Staple Food: main food supply
2 - Fresh Protein Source
3 - Fruits & Vegetables
4 - Supplements:Vitamin & Calcium
5 - FRESH WATER - Daily


This is the diet I use........ BML


My PET the Sugar Gliders (3) |

BML Diet Plan
 
#4 ·
Our vet said that the fresh diet is far superior to the packaged sugar glider diet. We still give ours a few pellets of the packaged each day, but Milton usually doesn't touch it. Stella, who was pretty pudgy when she came to us about a month ago, will eat anything; but she's starting to trim down a bit from running on her Wodent Wheel. Apparently, her former owners didn't have a wheel for her. I give my guys a mealworm or two (coated in calcium powder), a grape, a few sunflower seeds (or a small piece of walnut or almond or a few pine nuts), a little plain low-fat yogurt mixed with a little honey or some ground hard-boiled egg (with shell), and some kind of vegetable (baby carrots are a favorite). All in all, it amounts to a fairly small amount of food, but they have lots of choices and a good balance. I sometimes omit the nuts from Stella's plate, since they are high in fat. Some days we save the nuts for treats for Stella, who still doesn't like to eat out of our hands, and then we give very small bites.
 
#5 ·
Have you tried the BML diet?

And for bonding and you tried the pouch method? Put a sleeping pouch inside their cage. They will go in there to sleep in the day night. Get the kind with a shoulder strap. Wear it on you most of the day. Make sure it has a zipper so they can't get lose. Even if you are just siting on the couch, doing laundry, or going to the post office take them, inside their pouch, with you. Put a used sock, or some other garment of clothing with your small on it, in the pouch. This is how they will get used to your smell. Don't try to grab them when they are awake at night. If they run away don't run your hands all around the cage trying to get them. This will scare them and it's the fastest way to untame even the tamest gliders. These are not fully domesticated animals you know. Offer them licky treats---these are just a lick able substance on the tip of your finger (Like non-sweetened apple sauce or plain yogurt). Let them come to you to lick if off your finger.
If they aren't going for it offer them something more interesting to them; like a live meal worm, cricket, or pinky mouse. I don't know how comfortable you are with insects and rodents but these are all very nutritious for them and they will be likely to come up to you to grab it out of your hand.

If you are not comfortable feeding live meal worms, crickets, or pinky mice you can get a product called "Can-O-Crickets" or "Can-O-Meal Worms." They are what the label says and they are in the reptile section of pet stores. You can also request to have frozen pinky mice. Stores that have reptiles should have them on hand.

A huge thing is, even in the beginning, to take them everywhere with you in the zipper pouch in the day time!!! This is what is going to help you tame them. Once they start taking things out of your fingers gradually increase the distance they have to reach your hand, out of the cage. Eventually they will have to climb on to you to get their treat. Just stay still in the beginning. No fast motions. You want to avoid scaring them.

It will take time but you can do it.

Good luck!!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top