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GliderGossip GliderGossip
Sugar Gliders
how to tell if there unhealthy
how to tell if there unhealthy
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May 23 2013
05:16:24 PM
at the risk of sounding stupid I just got 4 sugar gliders and they are active sweet eat well I fallow the bml diet to the T I thought I just found I haven't been giving them the proper fruit every night I was shur they where healthy happy animals then I read the pour diet post and now I'm scared I might be over reacting because I love them but I cant afford to take them in for a well visit for a couple weeks after getting the cages stuff for toys food and them I'm tapped I seen the pictures in that post and didn't know what I was looking at in most of them so is there anything I should look for should I be worried or now that I know and am giving them the proper fruit for the diet am I ok I did lots of research before getting them but apparently not enough thank goodness there are sites like this to help I'd hate for anything to happen to them do to my ignorance
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May 23 2013
07:59:44 PM
Lola03 Super Glider Visit Lola03's Photo Album FL, USA 296 Posts
She was all stained and raggedy looking when I first got her. Most of the brown has disappeared since I changed her diet and fattened her up!!!

This is a perfectly healthy grey
This is one of my males before he was neutered
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May 24 2013
02:45:45 AM
KasiGirl Glider Visit KasiGirl's Photo Album USA 96 Posts
I follow to bml to the T except for fruits and vegetables. I feed a correct ratio but I like to mix it up. They've been eating it for 5 years and they're fine and healthy :)
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May 24 2013
10:12:31 AM
Candy Cuddle Bear Visit Candy's Photo Album FL, USA 8110 Posts
Kasigirl wrote:

quote:
I follow to bml to the T except for fruits and vegetables.


The reason BML requires the higher phosphorus frozen mixed vegetables and specific fruits (apples, grapes, watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, frozen pitted cherries and blueberries) is because the mix alone is OVERLOADED with calcium. There have been reports of gliders developing kidney and bladder stones over time when fed higher calcium fruits and vegetables frequently along with it. Without the phosphorus in the allowed fruits and vegetables, the overall diet - BML with the fruits and vegetables has a ratio much higher than necessary. The BML staple alone has a ratio of 3.15:1.

If the recipe called for only 1 teaspoon of RepCal Calcium (instead of 2) the ratio of the mixture would be 1.89:1 and a wider variety of fruits and vegetables could safely be fed with it. Bourbon would not approve of this adjustment however.

My GliderKids Feeding plan has several recipes for staples that contain enough calcium to meet gliders needs and still allow a wide variety of fruits and vegetables to be fed with it. One recipe is similar to BML. The other recipes use Wombaroo High Protein Supplement to provide the necessary vitamins and a human grade calcium supplement instead of the reptile supplements used in BML. Here is information on my feeding plan for those that might like to take a look.

http://www.gliderkids.com/GKSFeedingPlan2013.pdf





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May 24 2013
05:23:51 PM
sugargliderlover4 Glider sugargliderlover4's Journal 125 Posts
Can you please post the link to the bad diets? The person I got my gliders from had been feeding them a diet of multigrain cereal and fruits and veggies, (mostly canned) and all of them look very healthy so I don't know if I should just stay on that diet or switch to a approved one??
Thanks so much!!
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May 24 2013
06:08:05 PM
alohaglider Super Glider GliderMap Visit alohaglider's Photo Album alohaglider's Journal NV, USA 248 Posts
Just about everyone here is feeding one of the more widely accepted diets with great success. If you go to the Gliderpedia you can find them all.

I wouldn't recommend a diet that doesn't have a clear source of protein--multigrain cereal and fruits and vegetables doesn't sound like it has it.

Good Luck
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May 24 2013
06:10:37 PM
Tigerlily88 Face Hugger Visit Tigerlily88's Photo Album KY, USA 842 Posts
Gliderlover, you should definitely switch them to an "approved" diet. They may look ok now, but not getting all of the proper nutrition every day will catch up to them. The feeding plan you described does not sound like it would even provide them with an appropriate amount of protein, which is very important. Also, feeding canned foods is very dangerous, they often have a lot of added sodium, and trace amounts of bacteria that can be found in the canned food (too small to effect us, but still there) can cause them to get sick. If you look under the gliderpedia tab, there is a link to some good diets. You will appreciate making the switch for their health in the long run.
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May 24 2013
08:59:35 PM
KasiGirl Glider Visit KasiGirl's Photo Album USA 96 Posts
quote:
Originally posted by Candy

Kasigirl wrote:

quote:
I follow to bml to the T except for fruits and vegetables.


The reason BML requires the higher phosphorus frozen mixed vegetables and specific fruits (apples, grapes, watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, frozen pitted cherries and blueberries) is because the mix alone is OVERLOADED with calcium. There have been reports of gliders developing kidney and bladder stones over time when fed higher calcium fruits and vegetables frequently along with it. Without the phosphorus in the allowed fruits and vegetables, the overall diet - BML with the fruits and vegetables has a ratio much higher than necessary. The BML staple alone has a ratio of 3.15:1.

If the recipe called for only 1 teaspoon of RepCal Calcium (instead of 2) the ratio of the mixture would be 1.89:1 and a wider variety of fruits and vegetables could safely be fed with it. Bourbon would not approve of this adjustment however.

My GliderKids Feeding plan has several recipes for staples that contain enough calcium to meet gliders needs and still allow a wide variety of fruits and vegetables to be fed with it. One recipe is similar to BML. The other recipes use Wombaroo High Protein Supplement to provide the necessary vitamins and a human grade calcium supplement instead of the reptile supplements used in BML. Here is information on my feeding plan for those that might like to take a look.

http://www.gliderkids.com/GKSFeedingPlan2013.pdf


I am aware that changing it CAN mess up the ratios. I put that I use a correct ratio for them. They get routine check ups and have been fed this was since they were little. Before you jump to conclusions and tell me what I should be feeding my animals you should probably ask what I feed them. They DO get some of those fruits on some nights. 1-2 nights a week I give them some thing different. I'm aware of the other diets out there but don't like buying their food off the Internet. I love the fact that I can buy it all down the street from me. Thank you for you opinion/advice. I appreciate it. Mine are happy and healthy and I talked to my vet about my diet and she said its fine to do on an occational thing. It's like the grape situation. It's so controversial. Yes, diets are VERY important. But don't NEED to be 100% strict. I offer variety and seems to be doing great these past 5 years :)







how to tell if there unhealthy

GliderGossip GliderGossip
Sugar Gliders
how to tell if there unhealthy