Thursday, 31 October 2013

Sugar Glider Food Portion Sizes


Sugar Glider Food Portion Sizes


Pay attention to the portion sizes you offer to sugar gliders.


By Audrey Pavia


Give your glider the following portions of food each day:

Food Portion 1: One tablespoon of fresh fruit, such as apple, kiwi, pear, banana, honeydew, papaya, grape, cantaloupe, watermelon, mango or blueberry. Wash fruit thoroughly to remove dirt and pesticides before offering them to sugar gliders.

 Food Portion 2: One tablespoon of fresh or frozen vegetables, such as tomatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, shredded carrot, squash, or pumpkin, mixed sprouts, lettuce (not iceberg), broccoli or parsley. Wash vegetables thoroughly to remove dirt and pesticides before offering them to sugar gliders.

Food Portion 3: One tablespoon of nectar mix (i.e. Leadbeater's mix or other commercially prepared nectar mix for sugar gliders)

 Food Portion 4: An unlimited amount of commercial pelleted sugar glider diet or insectavore/carnivore diet, available at all times.

 Food Portion 5:  Insects such as mealworms or other feeder worms, like earthworms or Phoenix worms, available at pet stores. Feed 10 to 12 small, 7 to 10 medium, or 3 to 5 large worms, 3 to 5 gut-loaded crickets per sugar glider per night. Sugar gliders also enjoy other insects such as beetles and grasshoppers. (Only gather insects from outdoors if you are completely certain no insecticides have been used in the area.) Uneaten insects that are still alive in the morning should be returned to their containers.




Audrey Pavia



http://www.smallanimalchannel.com/sugar-gliders/sugar-glider-diet/sugar-glider-food-portion-sizes.aspx


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Basic Sugar Glider Diet And Treats


Basic Sugar Glider Diet And Treats


Use this guide to offer a well-balanced diet and healthy treats to sugar gliders.

By Audrey Pavia


Two sugar gliders eating
Sugar Gliders Danny and Sandy/Courtesy Kaytlin Barfield
Sugar gliders are omnivores that eat both animal and plant items.
Sugar gliders are naturally omnivorous, meaning they eat both animal and plant products. In the wild, they feast mostly on sap and gums (from trees), nectar, pollens, honeydews and a huge variety of insects and arachnids.
In captivity, the most critical part of keeping healthy sugar gliders is to provide a balanced, varied, fresh diet. This means ensuring the correct ratio of carbohydrates to proteins and supplying adequate vitamins and minerals.

Your sugar glider’s daily basic diet should include:
  • A nectar mix such as Leadbeater’s mixture
  • Vegetables
  • Fruits
  • Insects
  • Commercial pelleted food for gliders, or an insectavore/carnivore pelleted food
Note: Sugar gliders can have lean unseasoned meats as a treat.
All foods should be fresh or frozen. Fresh vegetables and fruits should be washed thoroughly to remove pesticides, and frozen foods should be thoroughly thawed. Insects can be live or canned. Pelleted food should be fresh — do not feed food that has been stored for more than two months. Nectar mixes should be refrigerated and thrown out after three weeks.
If you are giving your sugar glider enough food at night, you should find a little left over in the morning. All uneaten foods should be removed to prevent spoilage, and all dishes should be washed with biodegradable soap and hot water.

Treats can be used to help tame and bond with your sugar glider, but should not make up more than 5 percent of your sugar glider's total daily intake of food. Healthy treats include very small pieces of cooked (not fried) lean unseasoned poultry or beef. Some sugar gliders also like tofu.

Make a Leadbeater’s mixture for your sugar glider by following this recipe:

Modified Leadbeater's Mix Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons raw honey
  • 1 shelled hard-boiled egg
  • 1 teaspoon vitamin/mineral supplement (designed for sugar gliders, reptiles or small pets)
  • 1/2 cup high-protein baby cereal
Directions:
Mix the first four ingredients in a blender, and then gradually add the baby cereal, blending until smooth. Refrigerate or freeze unused portions. Discard any unused refrigerated portion after three days.

Note: This recipe appears in the book, "Sugar Gliders - A Complete Pet Owner's Manual" by Caroline MacPherson.
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Sugar Glider


Sugar Glider

Sugar Glider Stats
Scientific Name:  Petaurus breviceps
Size:  Adult males weigh from 100 to 160 grams, adult females 80 to 130 grams but may vary among subspecies. Body length ranges from 160 to 210 mm, with tail length 165 to 210 mm
Origin:  Papua-New Guinea, Tasmania, Indonesia and the east coast of Australia
Life Expectancy:  On average, sugar gliders live approximately 10 to 15 years in captivity but only five to seven years in the wild
Temperament:  Sugar gliders are intelligent, playful and very social animals among their own kind. Because they are nocturnal, sugar gliders tend to sleep in their nests during the day and become active at dusk and throughout the evening. This is when they forage and interact with other sugar gliders.
Varieties:  There are 11 species of possums in the Petauridae family. They are split into three genera: six species of Petaurus, which include the sugar glider; one species of Gymnobelideus, which is called the Leadbeater's possum; and four species of Dactylopsila, or striped possums. There are seven subspecies of Petaurus breviceps. P.b. longicaudatus, which occurs in Queensland, Australia and P.b. ariel in the Northern Territory. P.b. flavidus, P.b. tafa, P..b. papuanus and P. b. biacensis reside in the various regions of New Guinea and Indonesian Providences. P. breviceps breviceps extends from Tasmania to just south of the Tropic of Capricorn. 




Sugar Glider Species Profile
Sugar Gliders are a type of small arboreal, nocturnal marsupial possum native to Papua-New Guinea, Tasmania, Indonesia and the east coast of Australia. They inhabit the treetops and open areas in tropical or coastal forests and drier, inland tropical forests. Sugar Gliders may live in colonies of up to 10 individuals per hectare (10,000 square meters). They posses a gliding membrane called the patagium, which stretches between the front and hind legs. Reported gliding distances are as long as 100 meters.


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Breeds of Guinea Pigs


Abyssinian Guinea Pig

Abyssinian Stats
Scientific Name:  Caviidae porcellus

Size:  8 to 9 inches
Origin:  South America, specifically the Peruvian Andes
Life Expectancy:  7 years
Temperament:  friendly, active
Varieties:  none

Abyssinian Species Profile
The Abyssinian guinea pig, a popular breed, has a coat made up of rosettes. Rosettes appear on each shoulder, over the back, on each hip and across the guinea pig’s rear. The 1.5 inch thick coat is coarse and dense.



American Satin Guinea Pig

American Satin Stats


Scientific Name:  Caviidae porcellus

Size:  8 to 9 inches
Origin:  South America, specifically the Peruvian Andes
Life Expectancy:  7 years
Temperament:  friendly, active
American Satin Species Profile
The American Satin is closely related to the American guinea pig. The coat is shiny and sleek.





Peruvian Satin Guinea Pig

Peruvian Satin Stats

Scientific Name:  Caviidae porcellus
Size:  8 to 9 inches
Origin:  South America, specifically the Peruvian Andes
Life Expectancy:  7 years
Temperament:  friendly, active
Varieties:  none
Peruvian Satin Species Profile
A close relative of the Peruvian, the Peruvian Sating guinea pig breed has a long coat that is softer and silkier.



Teddy Guinea Pig

Teddy Stats

Scientific Name:  Caviidae porcellus
Size:  8 to 9 inches
Origin:  South America, specifically the Peruvian Andes
Life Expectancy:  7 years
Temperament:  friendly, active
Varieties:  Plush, Rough

Teddy Species Profile
The Teddy guinea pig breed is the result of a mutation, this popular breed has a coat that is thick and kinky.




White Crested Guinea Pig

White Crested Stats

Scientific Name:  Caviidae porcellus
Origin:  South America, specifically the Peruvian Andes
Life Expectancy:  7 years
Temperament:  friendly, active
Varieties:  none
White Crested Species Profile
The White Crested guinea pig breed has a single white rosette on top of the head. A somewhat rare breed, no other white can be found in the coat of show quality White Cresteds.



Abyssinian Satin Guinea Pig

Abyssinian Satin Stats

Scientific Name:  Caviidae porcellus
Size:  8 to 9 inches
Origin:  South America, specifically the Peruvian Andes
Life Expectancy:  7 years
Temperament:  friendly, active
Varieties:  none
Abyssinian Satin Species Profile
Closely related to the Abyssinian, the Abyssinian Satin guinea pig breed has a shiny coat covered with rosettes.




Coronet Guinea Pig

Coronet Stats
Scientific Name:  Caviidae porcellus
Size:  8 to 9 inches
Origin:  South America, specifically the Peruvian Andes
Life Expectancy:  7 years
Temperament:  friendly, active 

Coronet Species Profile
A newer guinea pig breed, the Coronet has a long coat with a large rosette on the head. The ears have a slight droop.





Silkie Guinea Pig

Silkie Stats

Scientific Name:  Caviidae porcellus
Size:  8 to 9 inches
Origin:  South America, specifically the Peruvian Andes
Life Expectancy:  7 years
Temperament:  friendly, active
Varieties:  none

Silkie Species Profile
Known as the Sheltie in England, the Silkie guinea pig breed has soft, long hair. The hair grows from the nose and over the back. The breed requires a lot of grooming.




Teddy Satin Guinea Pig

Teddy Satin Stats

Scientific Name:  Caviidae porcellus
Size:  8 to 9 inches
Origin:  South America, specifically the Peruvian Andes
Life Expectancy:  7 years
Temperament:  friendly, active
Varieties:  none
Teddy Satin Species Profile
Similar to the Teddy, the Teddy Satin guinea pig breed has a short, dense and kinky coat that has a sheen.



American Guinea Pig

American Stats

Scientific Name:  Caviidae porcellus
Size:  8 to 9 inches
Origin:  South America, specifically the Peruvian Andes
Life Expectancy:  7 years
Temperament:  friendly, active
American Species Profile
The most popular breed of guinea pig, the American has a round, nose with prominent ears. The coat is smooth and lies close to the body.



Peruvian Guinea Pig

Peruvian Stats


 Scientific Name:  Caviidae porcellus

Size:  8 to 9 inches
Origin:  South America, specifically the Peruvian Andes
Life Expectancy:  7 years
Temperament:  friendly, active
Varieties:  none
Peruvian Species Profile
Once called the Angora, the Peruvian guinea pig breed has a coat several inches long that drags on the ground. The soft, dense hair grows from a center part down the guinea pig’s back. The hair requires daily grooming.



Silkie Satin Guinea Pig

Silkie Satin Stats

Scientific Name:  Caviidae porcellus
Size:  8 to 9 inches
Origin:  South America, specifically the Peruvian Andes
Life Expectancy:  7 years
Temperament:  friendly, active
Varieties:  none
Silkie Satin Species Profile
The Silkie Satin guinea pig breed is closely related to the Silkie, but has a longer, denser coat with a satin sheen.





Texel Guinea Pig

Texel Stats

Scientific Name:  Caviidae porcellus
Size:  8 inches
Origin:  South America, specifically the Peruvian Andes
Life Expectancy:  7 years
Temperament:  friendly, active


Texel Species Profile
The Texel, a newer guinea pig breed has a coat made up of curls throughout the body. The coat is long and soft, and the body short and compact.









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