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Originally posted by CJB

Hello everybody,

First of all, I already posted this but realized I only mentioned in the title that it was about feeding. couldn't delete it so apologies if you've already seen this.

I'm a brand new sugar baby owner. I got my sugar gliders from a single mom who found she couldn't take care of hers. I believe they are 9 weeks old. I obviously did loads of research before I got them, unfortunately, pocket pets are the most common page that pops up for almost all research. Now, a week later as I continue to research, I'm a little horrified by what I'm hearing from them (I also believe she got the babies from pocket pets just because she had the Glide-R-Chow, gravy, and supplements.)

That being said, I have a few questions in order to set the record straight. I know there are a lot of forums here but it's A LOT of information.

1. feeding is my largest issue. I've heard that the chow, gravy, and supplements are a VERY bad idea. I want to give them the very best nutrition that I am capable of. But I am also a college student and don't have a ton of time to set aside preparing elaborate meals (one reason I'm very irked by all the misleading information). I do not have a blender, SO could I get suggestions on diets that don't require blending and won't be largely time-consuming? I've heard that some pellet foods are okay with supplements, fruits and veggies. But am confused as to what supplements and what pellet foods.

glider chow is happy glider cereal (pet-pro.com) it is good for gliders as a side dish, teeth cleaner and healthy. /glider gravy is critterlove complete, very good, only concern I have heard is the use of chemicals to keep honey in powder form. if this is a problem you can use critterlove plus and just add the honey. supplement powders are sprinkled on, problems.. how much to sprinkle, did the glider eat it, eat around it, get to much, not get enough? when they eat glider gravy/critterlove complete they get all the vitamns they need.

2. Pocket pets says that being this young, their digestive systems are still developing and I SHOULDNT be veering far from apples, pellets, and gravy. Now obviously I'm realizing that the pellets are no bueno, but am wondering if the fact that I shouldn't feed them a wide variety yet is true, or can I?

happy glider pellets good, apples good, glider gravy good. I have never heard that at a young age you should avoid healthy fruits and veggies, but it could be true I guess. my problem with pocket pets is the few lies we found them telling us, then later the salesman admitted these lies. We switched all our gliders to OHPW with fruits and veggies as soon as we get them.

3. Are the bonding practices okay? Starting with rolling them into the pouches from the shirts, once they're calmer with this I can start peeking in, once that stop chattering when I peek in start to try and pet, and then once I can pet them move on to "the shirt trick". The pouch has been going very well for me, I've done it three times now and they seem to be much calmer.

we put glider in bonding pouch, but didn't press on them as suggested by PP to stop them crabbing. I don't know of the other ones.

4. Heat rocks vs heat lamps. There's so much debate on what I should get and how I should use it? opinions on heat rocks, good or bad? opinions on heat lamps? I've heard ceramic heat lamp and a ceramic bulb is the best.

we used heat rock for 2 days, found out they are bad. we have never used a heat rock (after 2 days of our first glider) or head lamp. keep room at comfortable temp, room temp about 72 degrees and they will be fine. we range house temp 73 to 75. We read a heat rock will throw off the gliders internal temperature control, they will not notice the rock is to hot and can get burnt very bad. They produce body heat with the food they eat, they have good healthy food, have a nice warm sleeping pouch, they will produce the heat they need.

SORRY! this is SO many questions. Like I said I just didn't expect so much backlash from one of the most popular pages used. I just want my babies to be the healthiest and best-taken care of as I can manage. I appreciate any help in advance.

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