I thought it may be nice for use all to share some time saving ideas, suggestions, techniques, and recipes for suggie dishes. I will start with one Roz told me about.

Try mixing up enough glideraid to fill an ice tray, and freeze it. One cube is enough for 2 to 3 suggies.

This little tip alone has saved me time and trouble as i was measuring and mixing up a small amount every night. Much easier to just pop out and ice cube and let it thaw.

Please note: I would like for this thread to stay focused on helpful suggestions and tips, Not to be critical of anyone just helpful chat among friends.

Thanks
Patrick

I like to cut their food up on the weekend and put it in plastic bags when I know I'm going to have a busy week.

If I have to study and it's play time (although I let them play without supervision in a glider proof room) I will sometimes sit with them, one time Leia chewed on my math book.

Boil the meats or whatever you do when you cook your dinner.

I also put food in snack size baggies and freeze it for when I'm in a hurry or for when we're gone and someone else has to feed them.

Fantastic Ideas!!

I remember another one from Roz. Use a piece of fleece cut out to go in the bottom/tray of the cage. It soaks up liquids and can be shaken off and washed, and above all is suggie safe. Not like bedding materials such as wood shavings, that can be very dangerous to suggies.

Patrick - I am the self-proclaimed freezer queen! I always purchase fruits fresh and then cut them up into suggie sized pieces and freeze.

The way to do this without having one huge chunk of frozen fruit - is to lay the fresh pieces out on a cookie sheet. Cover with Saran Wrap and pop into the freezer. After frozen, I take the pieces and put enough for all suggies for one day into a snack bag and then put the snack bags into a freezer bag. (freezer bags dont come in snack bag size and if you freeze in the snack bag - you will get freezer burn) Just pull out a snack bag and put it into their bowl to thaw. I purchase my snack and freezer bags at Aldi's. They are much cheaper and work just as well.

I do the same with veggies - only I purchase the veggies frozen - separate them into one days worth and put into a snack bag - again, putting the snack bags in one large freezer bag. I like to give them warmed veggies, so I do pop them into the microwave before putting in their bowl.

You can also do this with meat, fruit slushies - their HPW mixture - Anything I make for them, I make enough for at least a week - usually 2 weeks - then you can alternate foods without them being in the freezer to long.

This way, you are only chopping, mixing, cooking once a week or less. Saves LOTS of time! Just go to the freezer - grab a snack bag from each freezer bag - and DINNER!

Also, I try to take any meats we are having for dinner and remove a portion for them and cook it without salt, garlic, etc. Skia has suggested putting Oregano, Rosemary or Sage as seasoning for their meats and putting them in a piece of foil and baking - then freeze.

Like I said - FREEZER QUEEN!!

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Skia has suggested putting Oregano, Rosemary or Sage as seasoning for their meats and putting them in a piece of foil and baking - then freeze.

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I suggest this for two reasons...

1) Baking preserves flavor and nutrients (both of which are significantly diminished by boiling) and the foil part to keep meats moist.

2) The seasoning add flavor and variety, so for example you could make chicken and still make 3 diffrent meals (1 foil pack with each flavor) and the CA/PH ratio of most green leafy herbs is estounding, so it makes a great easy way to balance ratios...

Sage 18.3:1

Rosemary 18:1 (note: that is dried only, fresh is 4.8:1)

Oregano 7.9:1

Skia has converted me from a meat "boiler" to a "baker"!!! Thanks, Skia! It makes perfect senes - I dont like to eat boiled chicken either!

I use newspaper in my drop tray. When soiled,just fold it up and toss it. I keep Clorox wipes by the cage and do a quick wipe down of the drop tray - then put fresh newspaper down. My suggies do not reach down and get things out of their drop tray, so I dont have to worry about them eating newspaper.

I also have double the water bottles I need. That way, I can have clean bottles in their cage and the dirty bottles being washed in the dishwasher. Same with their food bowls.

Gail likes to put frozen mixes in small water bottles in the freezer. Then she transfers them into the fridge a day before needing them so they can thaw out without using the microwave.

skia, thanks for the baking advice - I'm converting like Rita now :-)

This is great guys, I'm already putting together a freezing plan for suggie dinners. Does anyone have recipes or techniqes that they want to share?

Patrick - Skia has some recipes he has shared with me using chicken - baked of course. Since they are his recipes, Ill let him share them with everyone. They are really great!

Ohhhhh - SKIA!

Ok... simple quick and easy it is then (for the protein portion of the meal and cooking part anyway)...

Chicken seems to be by far the most appreciated meat to the suggies, they seem to love it... but we don't want them to have food boredom set in and make them turn down the easiest and most versatile meat to cook so...

Suggie chicken bake packs

1: Take one chicken breast half, remove skin, bone, and that flabby sticky fat you get if like me you can't afford organic so you buy the regular (hormone fed) chicken (ie tyson, sanders farms, ect).

2: Cut in 2 big strips, wash well, rub with "flavor" (flavor = dried green leafy herb, i.e. rosemary), make sure plenty herb sticks on too, as you can count on about 60% of it falling off by the time it gets to the suggies food bowl.

3: Place on a 8x8 sheet of aluminum foil, pack in any veggies you plan to serve with it around and between the chicken strips.

4: Wrap closed like a burrito with one end open, sprinkle in about 1 tsp water and seal the open end.

5: Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes, always open one pack and cut thickest part of chicken to check it is not pink, however slightly rosy is okay IF you plan to microwave leftover to thaw it (since this cooks it more).

6: Once it is at room temp, serve some (about 1.5 square inches worth of chicken per suggie cut in smaller cubes to start, add more if you actully have small furry pigs, take some out if you have small furry super models)

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Suggie chicken nuggets (w/ optional honey glaze)

1: Take some chicken tenders, wash well and cut in smallish (1/2"x1/2") cubes. Or use chicken breast meat but cut this way as well.

2: Get herbs out, I normally get 3-4 of the following... rosemary, oregano, sage, thyme, parsley, and basil as well as a mixing bowl and a bottle of honey.

3: separate chicken nuggents into piles for each "flavor" you intend to make but do not add herbs yet.

4: Get out a frying pan and oil (olive for preference but corn will do) and put in just enough oil to have a very thin coat on the pan to prevent sticking... heat on stove at medium.

5: Take your first pile of chicken, for herb only rinse and while still a little wet thoroughly roll in herbs (I use about 1 TBS herbs for 12 cubes chicken). For honey glazed pat the chicken dry in a lint free cloth (coffee filter are great for this) and coat well in a bowl with honey, then add the herbs.

6: Cook in pan turning once or twice gently (I use ice tongs for this) till tanned/brownish for herb only or golden brown for honey glazed.

7: Repeat steps 5 and 6 for each "flavor", label small baggies to put them in, and once cooled to room tempurature place in baggies and place baggies in a big bag for extra protection from freezer burn.

8: Serve approx 3 cubes of chicken per suggie (add/subtract as needed depending on how much your suggie tends to eat) When serving frozen after initial cooking day try to remember to thaw at room temp a couple hours before feed time but if you cant microwave for 30 seconds on high.
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*Edit: DO NOT use bay leaves to coat meat. Bay leaves as best I call tell are not really poisonous like some people once thought but this rumor may stem from the fact that they are very hard, very stiff leaves that can get sharp edges. they are fine to cook with, you just dont want to swallow them as they do not break down at all well even by means of stomach acids.

Aww man, you're making me hungry!

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Originally posted by LuckyGlider

Aww man, you're making me hungry!

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So cook up some for yourself too All you need to do in the case of the nuggets is up the size a little bit

my gliders are jealous..they want to go to Skia for a mini vacation...They must have the 5 star Suggie resort....months ago seeing the plates made I knew mine would love to hang out at their house....an it's so healthy we could call it the Suggie Shack and Spa.....

I am with Roz...Let's all vacation at Skia' Suggie Shack and Spa.
We bring our gliders and get the same special treatments as our suggies.

I'm new at sugar gliders and was wondering what all do they need in thier diet?

Here's a link with lots of different diets. It's very important they get their fruits, veggies and proteins. Lots of people have different opinions about diets, but there are lots to choose from. Your glider may not like them all either. You might have to try a few...

www.sugargliders.org/gliderinfo/diets/diet_index.htm

So, anyone try my recipies yet? If yes, how many of the nuggets actully made it to the suggies

I haven't tried this one yet but my babies love your meatloaf (thats what I call it)

I have a tiny fridge that I bought to put in my dorm first year of college and the ice cube trays that came in there make very small ice cubes, maybe half the size of normal ones, but are a great suggie size! I took the last of my nectar mix and mixed it up and froze in the tray so when I feed them nectar there is no measuring, just pop out a cube or two.

I also make the Priscilla Price diet and froze it in bags. It was waaaay too much, I'd rather use it up faster than have it in the freezer so long, so next time I will cut it in half. I also had a hard time breaking off chunks of the frozen mix, so I think I will get some bigger silicone ice cube trays for that, makes it easy to pack it all in and pop them out since it doesn't really "stick" to the silicone.

I'm excited to try Skia's chicken recipe once I get through all this frozen PP diet!

Skia - I made the Suggie Chicken Bake Packets last night. They smelled and tasted wonderful (yes - I had a taste!) and my girls LOVED it. I put the raw chicken on foil, covered it on both sides with parsley flakes, put the veggies on top, added a tsp of water, folded the foil, put it on a baking sheet and baked for 25 minutes at 350. VERY easy!!!

Next time, Im only going to do one chicken breast as 2 made quite a lot. Today, I am putting individual servings into freezer bags - so feeding for the next week or so will be a breeze! Just pull out a bag of chick and veggies. Pull out a bag of fruit and pull out the ice cube trays with the HPW in it. Microwave whatever needs warmed and serve!

If that isnt a time saver, I dont know what is!!!!

Wow this is inspirational! Thanks for the news Rita

Awesome tips! Thanks to everyone for their contributions!

moist towelette's have saved my life! Sorry this doesn't have to do with food but it's still somethin all suggie owners shou8ld carry everywhere. I even tuck the ones from BW3's in my bra and we're good to go. Quick pee pee clean ups. Also when your friend is getting peed on they become greatly appreciated lol.

These helpful hints will save me sooooooooooo much money!! Thank you all for your ideas and suggestions..
Fresh fruit is so expensive I didnt know I could freeze this stuff without it going mushy, YEAHHHHH!!! And I love the chicken Ideas.. hmm maybe have to try it myself.
I hope people have more helpful ideas... this is great
sarah

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Originally posted by mrsshoe

These helpful hints will save me sooooooooooo much money!! Thank you all for your ideas and suggestions..
Fresh fruit is so expensive I didnt know I could freeze this stuff without it going mushy, YEAHHHHH!!! And I love the chicken Ideas.. hmm maybe have to try it myself.
I hope people have more helpful ideas... this is great
sarah

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Sorry to dissapoint you Sarah but most fruit will get mushy when frozen, however most fruit is still okay to serve after freezing, just make sure you offer something fresh that has a little crunch to it as well. Also I strongly reccomend you "flash freeze" anything you plan to feed the suggies.

"Flash Freeze" = I know most people do not have the equipment at home to do this properly (I don't either) but what you do is cut a long piece of plastic wrap, space pieces of fruit or veggie, or meat on the edge and roll over 2-3 times, then repeat till you have it all bundled up. Then place the roll(s) in a freezer bag and freeze overnight. The next day take it out, unroll, and place back in bag... then place that bag in another one and stick back in freezer. Try to remember to thaw a few hours before feeding on counter as it is best to not water thaw or worse yet microwave thaw food that has not been preserved and flash frozen in a commercial machine that freezes it in a matter of minutes.

wow what great ideas! Now i wanna try to bake chicken for my baby and i will hear it from hubby cause i dont cook( well i dont like too)i dont cook enough for him but i can cook for "baby"...hahaha

this is to go with the clorox wipes and moist towlettes ideas. I use baby wipes. I have the dispensers (two as dispensers and one as a suggie bed, affectionately called the 'butt bed'). I just run up to the dollar store and get the refill packs. I use it while we are on the road and she is spittin food at me, or a pee pee accident, or anything else in her cage, i just wipe it down in between cleaning. That is kind of a money saving tip.

My daughter wants to make Skia's pan cooked honey glazed chicken nuggets for our suggies. However, I only cook with cast iron which can nearly double the iron. Is the extra iron ok for the suggies?

I really love the chicken recipes and i'm going to try it also with some lean white pork as my girls love pork too.