Feeding Your Sugar Glider Part 8

What should you do about a sugar glider who is a picky eater and who refuses to eat the healthy food you serve him or her? First of all, you need to understand normal sugar glider behavior with regard to eating. You should expect to see some “leftovers” most nights. Sugar gliders typically eat part of what is offered, throw a part of what is offered around (hence the need for a “Critter Hut” or something similar to minimize your cleanup time) and ignore part of what is offered. This is normal sugar glider behavior. If you are expecting your sugar glider to lick his bowl clean like your dog does, forget it! That’s not how sugar gliders eat. Additionally, sugar gliders will sometimes eat very lightly for 2 or 3 days.

Another type of normal sugar glider eating behavior is to ignore something the first few times you put it in front of them. That doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t like it. Multiple offers of the food over a period of days may be necessary before a glider will try it.

When dealing with a picky eater, remember that if permitted, a sugar glider will pick out its favorite foods every night and ignore the rest. In that sense, they really are like children. It is up to you to provide variety so that your glider doesn’t eat the same thing every night.

If your sugar glider won’t eat its fruits or vegetables, try feeding a fruit or vegetable first, after you remove all other food from the cage. Feed the rest of his food an hour or two later. If this does not work, then feed only a fruit or veggie for one or two nights. A glider usually will not starve itself to death. After one or two nights, he will probably eat the item in question.

If your sugar glider won’t eat its protein, mix the food you want him to eat with something else you know he loves and can’t resist. You can try mixing protein with low-sugar apple juice, applesauce, yogurt, etc. Use only enough of the treat foods to get your sugar glider to eat the food you want it to eat. Don’t overdo the sugar especially. If you have a sugar glider who is refusing to eat his protein, you may have to try putting out only protein foods for a day or two, until your sugar glider is hungry enough to it it.

(To be continued…)

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