So I am trying to read all of your posts and I am getting lost. I get the basics here, no pellets for main food (most of you say none at all), they need fresh fruits and veggies, these can be made in big batches (either a puree or chunky mix). They also need calcium, protein and what not. Snacks like mealworms and stuff are encouraged but only in small moderation.

I get the gist here, but what does HPW mean? Do you combine HPW with a veggie/fruit recipe? Whats the difference between those and one single recipe you feed them? What are the different recipe options and what seems to work best? Do I need to purchase mangos, papaya, pomegranate juice, and other more exotic fruits or can I use some of the more basics? I get they are from tropical areas, but is it a necessity to feed them that? Just preferred or can I get the same results with an easier diet to make? If I freeze a puree into blocks, would I just leave it in the fridge or counter to thaw and then serve? Can you make large batches of chunky food? What's the cost of feeding a glider for a week/month? Lots of questions as you can see, can someone with some knowledge give me a run down? How long will the lesser-known and tougher to find ingredients last me? - I don't want to be ordering online every couple weeks. What's the easiest, healthiest way to feed them?

I'm a busy college student looking to jump into owning a sugar glider, and diet is my biggest concern right now. Seems there's a lot more to it then I previously thought. The diet may actually be a factor in whether I go with a glider or flying squirrel, but I am leaning toward a glider. Squirrels seem to eat more basic fruits and nuts and I would probably just need a calcium topping and that would suffice. It appears gliders eat like tropical royalty.

I feel as long as I can make batches of the food and have it last for a month or a couple weeks, I should be fine, but nightly chopping and preparing meals for my glider may get a bit tedious. Looking at your recipes, my gliders will be eating MUCH BETTER than I am. I won't be purchasing a glider without knowing for sure that I can care for them, but it appears their diet seems to be a rather large investment, money and time-wise. I'd like to know more.

Appreciate any help in advance...

i say use bml its the simpleist. i get confused all the time. if u know wat bml is then thats what i suggest. if u dont look it up for the recipe.no garlic, chocolate, um.. yogurt is wat i use for calcium. i wasnt using a specific diet really. i dont c y u have to. i just gave her fruit, veggies, yogurt, aall that. if u dont have much time to play or bond with it then its probably not the pet for you. remember. they are nocturnal they sleep ALL day except whenthey come out to get a snack or something. i hope i helped

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Originally posted by suggieluver02

i say use bml its the simpleist. i get confused all the time. if u know wat bml is then thats what i suggest. if u dont look it up for the recipe.no garlic, chocolate, um.. yogurt is wat i use for calcium. i wasnt using a specific diet really. i dont c y u have to. i just gave her fruit, veggies, yogurt, aall that. if u dont have much time to play or bond with it then its probably not the pet for you. remember. they are nocturnal they sleep ALL day except whenthey come out to get a snack or something. i hope i helped

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I'm not worried about whether it's the right match or not, I'm up late all the time. It's the diet that's got me concerned.

Again, what's BML? I've browsed through the recipes but all I see are amounts and breakdowns of nutrients? How are all these prepared, served? Again, what's the different between BML, HPW? Those are the kinds of things I am looking for. I literally have no idea what these mean to me, or my glider. I just know it needs food, LOL.

BML and HPW are different kinds of diets/recipes. I suggest looking at this site http://sweet-sugar-gliders.com/sugar-glider-diet-recipes.html . It lists what each diet is and has a link to what you need for the recipe how to prepare it. BML and HPW are some of the most popular diets, though there are also the ratio diets which seem a bit more complicated to me. Hope I helped!

The blends, BML and HPW, are the protein part of the diet. You still have to add fruits and vegetables. BML is pretty specific about the fruits and vegetables you give. HPW is more flexible. The 50/25/25 diet means 50% protein, such as chicken, shrimp, ground turkey, lean ground beef, scrambled egg; 25% fruit, 25% vegetables. The fruits and vegetables for this and for HPW should equal a 2:1 ratio of calcium to phosphorus. You can use local produce, you don't have to buy exotic fruits; however, I recommend you get a papaya as it's very high in calcium and allows you to be more flexible with the other diet items. One papaya, cut into chunks and frozen, will last literally months (and I have three to feed.) Since you've been reading so much I know you've seen the ratio chart of fruits and vegetables. Print it out and keep it in the kitchen, it'll help you make your grocery list. Fresh is best, frozen is a very close second. Don't use canned food except in dire emergency.

If you are a busy college student, the basic BML recipe is probably going to be easiest and most cost effective for you, and healthiest for your glider. My only concern with BML, and the only revision that I use to the original recipe, is to use a better vitamin than the reptile vitamins. I also use human grade calcium supplement in place of the reptile calcium powder. I use Vionate vitamins (you can find at Suncoast Gliders).

Trust me I understand all about being a college student. Just keep in mind that cost can become an issue. The daily running isn't to expensive, but the initial cost and any vet bills can be stealthy, so make sure you have an extra fund for that! I use the 50/25/25 and it seems to be doing really well. I make mixes of fruits and veggies, cut them into suggie sized pieces (and vary shape and size for enrichment), and freeze them. I also have a baggie of frozen cooked chicken which they love, yogurt in the fridge, mealies in the door of the fridge along with some protien (chicken and turkey) baby food. My girls seem to really enjoy the variety I give them with their protien and fruits/veggies. I also add a calcium supplement (every other day) and glider vitamins (once or twice a week) along with a dash of acacia gum once a week. They have a pellet food available at all times, which they might eat a piece or two a day. I offer a piece or two of cat food every other week as a snack and to help with dental health. Just make sure they get protien and calcium, and lots of love (and mealies)!

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Originally posted by snusie

The blends, BML and HPW, are the protein part of the diet. You still have to add fruits and vegetables. BML is pretty specific about the fruits and vegetables you give. HPW is more flexible. The 50/25/25 diet means 50% protein, such as chicken, shrimp, ground turkey, lean ground beef, scrambled egg; 25% fruit, 25% vegetables. The fruits and vegetables for this and for HPW should equal a 2:1 ratio of calcium to phosphorus. You can use local produce, you don't have to buy exotic fruits; however, I recommend you get a papaya as it's very high in calcium and allows you to be more flexible with the other diet items. One papaya, cut into chunks and frozen, will last literally months (and I have three to feed.) Since you've been reading so much I know you've seen the ratio chart of fruits and vegetables. Print it out and keep it in the kitchen, it'll help you make your grocery list. Fresh is best, frozen is a very close second. Don't use canned food except in dire emergency.

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I have not seen that...link?

Which link?

Check the link provided by Fadedrainbows. When you call up the HPW, for example, it will give you the recipe and preparation instructions, then it gives Feeding Instructions: 1.5 teaspoons HPW per glider, one tablespoon of mixed fruits, 1 tablespoon of mixed veggies ... etc. And when you call up Original BML, there's the same format; under Feeding Instructions it specifies to use a frozen bag of mixed vegetables and a frozen bag of mixed fruits. And so on. Each diet tells you what to add to it; all require fresh fruits and veg.

Before you take the plunge and get a pair of sugar gliders please take some time to think through more than just the diet required.

You are a busy college student. You may be up late now, but think about what your plans for the future include. Once you graduate - and are working full time - what will your hours be like? Do you plan to travel? How about your family (or future family)?

Gliders can live up to 15 years so you will be making a long term commitment.

Do you have funds set aside for exotic vet care for your gliders? Male gliders should be neutered unless you want to be up to your ears in gliders. Male gliders have will have less smell if neutered.

Where are you currently living? If in a dorm or apartment - are pets allowed?
If you are not living at home with your parents... who will care for your gliders during school breaks when you do go home to visit.

Glider care is more than just feeding them each night. They require a lot of care and supervised out of cage play time.

Please read all you can about glider care, not just their diet, before you get gliders. Being really prepared for them is better than having to find them new homes when their care turns out to be more than you expected.