Australian Captive Diet

The Australian Captive Diet is a recommended method of feeding gliders in captivity by using things pulled from natural surroundings as much as possible and by supplementing or replacing where needed. This concept detailed below is pulled from a Victoria web site: Sugar Glider Fact Sheet. Ingredients for the nectar mix as well as food items are only available in Australia so other countries are forced to make substitutions and make do with what is available locally in order to provide a best-effort balanced diet.

Their diet in the wild consists of exudates, invertebrates, nectar, pollen and fruit. In captivity it is not difficult to provide an appropriate diet for this species. Below is the diet used by Healesville Sanctuary.

Nectar Mix

 900ml Warm water
 900ml Honey
 6 shelled hard-boiled eggs
 150g high Protein Baby cereal
 6tsp Sustagen

Method Stir together water and honey until dissolved. Make eggs mushy. Add all ingredients together blend until smooth. Can be stored for up to two weeks

Daily per (animal)

 6g fruit chopped
 5g corn chopped
 2g sprouted seed
 1g fly pupae
 2 Mealworms
 1tsp Nectar mix
 Dog/Chow Eukanuba Pet food kibble

Supplement

 Pollen granules– once per week
 3 Sultanas 3-4 times per week
 1g pet health food once per week
 (Ecopet one small cube)
 Insects 3-4 times per week

Fresh water should be available at all times. Acacia, eucalypts and other blossoms should be supplied. Fresh cuttings should be given every two or three days. Tip: Use a long plastic container wired to the aviary to hold water and put cuttings in.

Another nectar mix that is quite easy is

 2 level tbs Sustagen
 1/4 cup farex
 1/4 cup level raw sugar
 1 boiled egg (shelled)
 Water to mix

Put all ingredients into a kitchen blender and blend until a smooth consistency. Other vegetables can be added to the diet, ie broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, it will depend what each individual animals likes. There are also some commercial supplements that can be used in a Sugar Gliders diet.

 Wombaroo Insectivore Rearing Mix
 Wombaroo High Protein Supplement
 Vetafarm Blossom Nectar

Sugar gliders do not feed primarily on nectar, it is a supplement. When feeding as mentioned before move food bowls around the cage for increased exercise. Even try spreading the food around in small amounts for the animals to find themselves. A light could be set up inside or next to the enclosure to attract insects for your Glider to catch for themselves. Exercise and a correct diet will prevent Sugar Gliders becoming obese. Obesity can lead to health issues. Cages should be checked daily to remove uneaten food, and refresh water bowls.

Last Edited March 18, 2012

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Australian Captive Diet

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Last Edited March 18, 2012