We're getting our gliders really soon (2 girls, one grey, one mosaic and are sisters, Hope and Angel) but we wouldn't want to feed them live mealworms as we're not too keen on the idea and I've read that eating them can actually really rouse a hunting instinct in the suggies and make them more aggressive (I'm not entirely sure if this is true though). However, the breeder we are going to get them from sometimes feeds them live mealworms. Should we continue to do so or is it unnecessary?

I do but alot will use a good live freeze dried or dried insectivore fare. Go for live freeze dried as reg freeze dried lose alot of nutrients.
If you decide not to use insects I'd offer some unspiced chicken breast, boiled eggs, turkey breast for a good protein.
You will get used to mealies eventually. There wiggling is not as bad if you put them in the fridge door (they go partially dormant in this state)
I only say give em a try as most gliders LOVE them.

mealies don't make them more aggressive, however I use tweezers to feed live ones because sometimes they will get your finger instead of the mealie.

Mealies really aren't a protein source, and are mainly used as treats, they are most helpful for nail trimming time.

If you get the gliders on a balanced well known diet extra protein like chicken n eggs and yogurt aren't necessary. Bml, Critter love etc already have protein in them so feeding extra protein on the side is giving them to much protein making the diet un balanced.

i like how much the gliders like them, if you have trouble getting a new glider to walk or sit on you, they should have no problem for a live mealworm.
some of ours will take them out of your finger quickly and NEVER bite you, while others can get you good in the excitement of getting a mealworm.

Once I open the mealworm container the gliders hear it and they come a running.

Thanks for the advice! I think we'll try them then... but I'll be using tweezers!

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Originally posted by MSSHA

Thanks for the advice! I think we'll try them then... but I'll be using tweezers!

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i use the lid top or an empty mealworm container lots of the time, gliders can
get very excited to get a live mealie.

Do you buy the live ones online or get from Pet store??

petsmart or pet supplies plus.
I think pet supplies is a little cheaper, but this last batch of 500 from
pet smart were nice and plump. fat and juice mealworms for the gang.

I just left our exotic vet a little while ago and he stressed the importance of live insects. Sugar gliders are insectivores and in the wild bugs are a huge part of their diet. I am certainly not keen on the idea either but it's supposed to be good for them. Dried mealies are better than none, but live are best.

Now I feel that we have to get live mealworms or the sugar gliders will be unhappy somehow...

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Originally posted by MSSHA

Now I feel that we have to get live mealworms or the sugar gliders will be unhappy somehow...

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our gliders love dried papaya and they love yogurt drops and they really love dried mealworms. So i dont see live mealies as a requirement. Our gliders just love them soooo much, they act as a good bonding tool, at 500 for about $10 they last awhile and are only somewhat expensive. mealies are NOT messy or hard to feed to them either.

In the wild......... insects, bugs and many other things are part of their diet yes.

However, our gliders are not in the wild they are in captivity. There for everything is different.

Climate is different, freedom to roam is different, the distance to find food is different, energy being used by the body is different ( 3 foot cage compared to a 100 foot tree ) , food availability to them is different in the wild food is seasonal... etc I could go on but I think you get the gist.

Insects in captivity are used primarily as treats and enrichment ( hunting instinct) They are NOT used a vital part of their diet by most people.

There was one lady that fed a diet as close to a wild gliders diet as she could. The gliders lived in a terrarium kind of enclosure where everything was natural. She fed live baby chicks, bugs and insects, gums etc... along with a "staple"

I get the concept, but it wasn't widely done by the community. Later on that owner learned that her feeding plan wasn't feasible for the average glider owner. By the time she modified the diet to be feasible and balances she pretty much ended up with bml

Her staple diet was public and can even be found in old archive threads on here, but what wasn't public was all the other stuff she was feeding like live chicks and the complete list of insects bugs and gums she was also feeding. So anyone that was feeding her staple was feeding an incomplete diet.

My point is, if your going to use the classification of "wild" to support ONE food source out of many they have available in the wild, then you also have to understand the differences between "wild" and "exotic pets" and everything that entails, not just one part of it.


If you are interested in dietary needs of captive gliders, get more active in the diet study There is a diet study in progress, you can contact Shelly to find out more and get resources for accurate research information.https://www.facebook.com/shelly.sterk.39


Please do not feel mealies are a vital part of their diet in captivity. They are treats, the vital part of their diet is their staple which provides vitamins minerals protein etc... Vets are not dietitians they are vets and usually have limited knowledge on glider diets.

Some gliders don't even like mealies shocking, but true. Younger gliders ( 8 months or younger ) usually don't want anything to do with mealies until they get a lil older.


Personally, I get mealies about once a month from a local pet store. My gliders that eat them get about 4 or 5 each, when I do nail trimmings sometimes more if it's a fast eating glider and I'm not done trimming lol. I trim nails about every other week or when needed. So, my gliders get mealies about every other week NOT daily. Mealies are actually pretty high in fat, and some of my gliders are um well lets say far from being petite lol

That lady who fed her sugar gliders a diet as if they were still in the wild went a bit too far in my opinion. Live chicks! I would never be able to do that. I wouldn't feed the suggies many mealworms anyway... I probably couldn't bring myself too in the first place

the lady I was referring to isn't a current story probably almost 20 years ago when they were still working on diets for captive gliders.

Some folks do still feed pinky mice and other weird stuff now a days though I can't bring myself to do that