Fruits And Veggies
When choosing what fruits and vegetables to give to your sugar gliders, there are a few things to keep in mind:
- What's the CA:PH ratio?
- Is this high in oxalates?
- Will my sugar gliders even eat it?
- Is it safe for my sugar gliders to eat?
CA:PH Ratio:
Sugar gliders need a particular Calcium:Phosphorus Ratio or they can develop bone problems including deadly Hind Leg Paralysis (also known as HLP). Phosphorous inhibits the absorption of calcium. The recommended ratio is 1.5:1 to 2:1 and it's best to stay as close to 2:1 (or even higher) as possible. Simply put, there should be double the amount of calcium as phosphorous.
Oxalates:
Oxalates attach themselves to calcium molecules & inhibit their absorbtion, therefore counteracting a high CA:PH ratio. Items typically high in oxalates are dark, leafy greens such as spinach (which has a 2:1 CA:PH ratio). So, if you want to feed your gliders dark, leafy greens, stick with the ones with a super high CA:PH ratio like collard greens (14.5:1) & mustard spinach (7.5:1).
A wonderful link for ratios/oxalates, along with explanations, is below. Starting on page 4, you can see the ratios for fruits and vegetables you would feed your sugar glider:
[http://files.meetup.com/768852/Ratios.pdf ]
Candy's Sugar Glider Nutrition Calculator: [http://www.gliderkids.com/references.html ]
Sugar Glider Taste Preferences:
Every sugar glider has it's own likes & dislikes and many change over time. You will need to be observant and see what they eat and adjust as needed.
Foods to Avoid:
As we learn more about what our sugar gliders can and cannot eat, this list will change. For now we know to avoid...
- onions & everything in the onion family (ex. leaks)
- garlic
- chocolate
- grape skins (has been known to kill small dogs because it messes with their digestive system)
- pork
- products containing catnip
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