As some of you know I got my first sugar glider today. The lady we got her from said to feed her pellets, a slice of apple, and 1/4slice of bread every night.

I know I could be feeding her better, but this what she's been eating for 2 years. Any tips on what to feed her and to go about changing her diet?

I am about to change my gliders diet. What I was told to do is put a bowl of the new diet in the cage as well. Every night put a little more of the new diet and a little less of the old diet. That way she can slowly being weaned to the new food without making her sick. I was told that on this board.. here's the link to all the answers:

http://www.sugarglider.com/glidergossip/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=24307


*edited to add link

What diet are you planning on feeding her? I've actually never, ever had a problem in the three years that I've had gliders with just changing out their diets to a good one right away. I remember listening to Hercules chirping up a storm the first night I had him! I gave him boiled chicken breast, cut into little chunks, a frozen berry mix, and a veggie mix...can't remember what exactly, and about 1/2 TBSP. of organic yogurt. He had NEVER eaten like that! Boy, was he happy!!!

I'm not sure what I plan to feed her. Trying to figure that out tonight. My boyfriend thinks she'll be OK with her pellets, apple and bread since that's all she's had for 2 years. He said she's been fine this long, so she'll continue to be OK. Myself on the other hand thinks things should be changed ASAP. What are your opinions?

Oh. And as for what you should feed them, there are many different diets. Here's a link to a page that has quite a few diets listed with additional links to a shopping list and how to make it. Some of them have the fruits and veggies already balanced, but some don't. If you are picking your own fruits and veggies you need to make sure the calcium to phosphorous ratio is correct. If someone could find a link to that, that would be great. The "Nutrition" link is not working.

Yes, changed ASAP without a doubt. If you can't get to the store tonight, she will be fine but it needs to be changed. You are 100% correct.

They should be changed right away. That is not a healthy diet at all. I suggest looking at the link I showed you. I've never used BML, but I know that the Pricilla's diet can all be purchased in your local grocery store. HPW includes things that have to be ordered online...

When I first became a suggie owner my vet suggested slowly switching the diet, but as Mollysmom stated there are several members here that agree faster off the bad diet the better. I did it slowly with no problems, others did it right away with no problems. I will say mine were quite young and not on a bad diet for nearly as long as yours.

I generally feed BML, and about every 4-6 weeks, I give them a break from the BML and do 50/25/25 for a couple of weeks. My vets are very happy with their overall health, and I have a very happy, active group of sixteen suggies. I use human grade calcium, however, and Vionate vitamins instead of the reptile vitamins when I make the BML mix. I have figured out the appropriate dosages by comparing the original recipe and tweeking the human grade calcium that I am using.

Here is the link to the Nutrition section http://www.sugarglider.com/nutrition/ . It gives different fruit and veggie mixes with the correct ratios.

BTW, Molly was not on a good diet at all when I got her, and she was three years old then. Hercules had a poor diet for 1 1/2 years. Dot's diet wasn't terrible, but not great, and she was three years old then, too. They're all healthy babies now!

Thanks everyone. I'll probably do Pricella's diet, hope a spelled that right, considering I can get all of it from the grocery store. My sugar glider, named Sassy, came with some vitamins that the previous owner got from PPP. It's called glide-a-Mins . What is every ones opinion on those?

Here's the link to the Priscilla's Diet http://sweet-sugar-gliders.com/priscilla-price-diet-recipe.html

Thanks for the link.

You're welcome. =]

Tomorrow night I am planning to go to the grocery store and tomorrow tonight Sassy will get her first taste of the Priscilla Diet.