So I am feeding my glider the BML diet and have been reading soooo much on diets. Is the BML the best or is it outdated? I know the mixed vegetables is reguired per night, so does that mean I can't offer any other vegetables? Ever? or just as treats? Same thing with the fruits, can i only offer him these few fruits? I thought their diet is needed to have a variety of all fruits and vegetables??? Is there a 1 diet that allows to feed any fruits/vegetables? And is a protein needed every night with the BML like eggs or cottage cheese?
I've been giving him the mixed veggies every night, but i have been changing up the fruit...strawberries, peaches, mango and the fruits that are allowed in the BML diet. Is this ok?
Sorry for so many questions, but any advise will greatly be appreciated!

Thanks for updating us on his diet. After the meal worm question I thought you might be looking for some more help on this topic.

Diet is first and foremost the most frequent question and cause of confusion and frustration for new glider owners. There is a LOT of information out there. The Gliderpedia tab above has a great overview of the 'approved' diets. These are ones that have been researched and found to be successful over many years. Take a look through these to get an overview of them. Candy, a member here, also has a website that details her own feeding plan and has links to the other diets out there. gliderkids-diet.com/Staple-Recipes.html

She will be of great help in explaining the details of diet issues in gliders.

To answer your more specific question. Of the diets on the approved list (including Candy's) none is really "better" than another. It is a matter of what is best for your convenience in cost, ability to get the supplies and prepare. And also, how well your gliders prefer the diet and thrive on it.

The BML is the MOST restrictive diet in that it must be offered exactly as written with NO substitutions. The staple is very high in calcium which is the reason why the fruits and veggies are limited to those in the recipe, which balance out the ratio. The BML staple has the protein that your glider needs already mixed in, notice the chicken, etc. No other protein is needed to be offered. The diet is complete and if followed exactly as written it takes any worry and guesswork out of the equation for you. It is essential that you only use the exact brand of supplements that the diet calls for. You can offer small treats along with BML, yogies, mealworms, etc. but do not alter the actual nightly feeding.

It is often the "go to" diet for those just starting out on their glider adventure because of the ease of being able to (usually) find everything needed to prepare the diet in one trip to the grocery store and a trip to the pet food store.

Take a look through the diets listed to get an overview of them. Maybe one might stand out to you more than another. Several of them have much less restriction on the fruits and veggies and a large variety can be offered.

Whatever you decide, it will be your and your gliders personal preference. Your glider will need to get on ONE of these diets though, as you have been sort of 'winging it', but keep offering the baby a tablespoon (he's probably too young to eat all of it) of fruits and veggies, a protein such as plain (no oil, salt, etc.) chicken chopped finely, plain full fat yogurt until you decide exactly which plan you want to use. While deciding...do NOT add any sort of supplement (vitamin, calcium, etc.) to what you are feeding.

To add to what Blue already mentioned. Never feed chocolate, onions, leeks, garlic, or rhubarb.

Diets, other than BML, are not as high in calcium. Some diets have suggested fruits and vegetable that should be fed along with the staple (like Critter Love's Diets); but otherwise they just suggest feeding a wide variety of fruits and veggies. For these diets, you need to have into consideration the 2:1 Ca:P ratio that is recommended for gliders. You will never be able to offer the exact 2:1 ratio, but as long as you don't feed too many fruits or veggies high in phosphorus or oxalates, and offer a good diversity of fruits and veggies, it can all balance out. Below are some list of safe fruits and vegetables, along with nutrient content (i.e Ca, P, oxalates, etc):

www.sweet-sugar-gliders.com/calcium_phosphorous_ratios_sorted.pdf
www.gliderkids-diet.com/FruitVegLIST2011.pdf

Do follow the instructions of whatever diet you choose. If it calls for a specific supplement, do not try to replace it with something similar, because they are all different; if you do, you will end up throwing off the balance of the diet, which can affect your gliders.

Thank you so much! I have made a batch/3 ice cube trays full of the BML diet as instructed with the exact name brand of what it calls for and I have been feeding him 1 cube a night, which i measured out to 1 TBP when i put in the trays and 1 TBP of the veggies/fruits. He pretty much eats 1/2 to 3/4 of his cube a night and eats his veggies, but yes, not all his veggies and fruit is gone in the morning. I will stick to the fruits the diet calls for and will go ahead and stay with the BML as of now since i have a good month and half made for him already. I will not give him protein at night anymore; i gave him little peices of hard boiled eggs a few nights and he loved it, ate it all. One more question, the breeder i got him from did say to sprinkle the Rep-Cal Calcuim non-phosphorus (the same ingredient that is in his staple cube) on his veggies/fruits at night, is that correct?
At any time, if I decide, can I switch to antoher diet or slowly introduce it?

Do not add any additional calcium supplement to the fruits and vegetables. There is already a large dosage in the BML staple recipe.

Thank you Candy! I will stop sprinkling it on.

Sounds like you're on the right path with him. Yes, sprinkling is never advised (by anyone who has really looked into this...a breeder should know better!) because there is no way of knowing just how much is being given. Too little...or too much (can cause overdose).

I don't think you need to cut out giving him treats. I know that at first you were concerned about his protein which you understand better now. But, if he likes egg...a little pea sized amount a couple times a week is ok. You can change his treat nightly. I offer dried cranberries, yogis, mealies, etc. Just be careful with your portions. He's still tiny and you don't want him to fill up on treats and not eat his staple. They're like toddlers in that regard! You might want to wait until he has been up and has eaten his first meal of the night before offering a treat. Or offer them just before he goes to bed in the morning.

Thank you Blue!

I also like to add that while serving the mixed vegetables all at once as directed, you can offer a different fruit from the list of fruits you can give with this diet nightly to offer a little variety, as you had been. As long as the veggie mix as listed and from the fruit as listed is what you stick with.