In case you haven’t already figured this out, one of the most ADORABLE things about Sugar Gliders is watching them EAT!

Since they have little “opposable thumbs” just like we do, it is incredibly entertaining to watch them eat things. For example, I’ll never forget the first time “Bandit” (my personal pet) reached out of my shirt one day while I was driving along eating a chicken sandwich – and he just tore off a chunk for himself!.. He just sat there looking at me like it was no big deal – holding onto my shirt with one hand and eating his “mini” chicken nugget with the other :-)

ANYWAY, the purpose of this email is to help you know how and when to BALANCE wanting to try out new foods like this – with the overall HEALTH of your new baby(ies). The truth is that is VERY tempting to want to give your new little one(s) what we call “FUN” foods – like cheerios, peanuts, etc… but in the early stages of their development when they are still very young, this can actually hurt their health. Here’s why…

The fact is, our own human stomachs work a lot like that of sugar gliders. For example, in all our stomachs, we have certain GOOD “bacterias” and “enzymes” that help us digest all different kinds of foods. Sugar bears are the same way – however, in BABY sugar bears, these digestive aids aren’t fully developed yet – so even though they may LIKE to eat new foods at first (especially sweet ones) – it’s not always good for them and they can end up developing diarrhea.

Luckily, helping them develop these little digestive aids is very simple – and there are two things you can do to help speed up the process. First off, it’s important to know that their vitamin supplement “Glide-A-Mins” is already specially-formulated with EXACTLY the right balance of GOOD digestive bacterias and enzymes that your baby sugar bears – and ADULT sugar bears as well – need. Therefore, by simply sprinkling Glide-A-Mins liberally on their apple – every OTHER day – you will be making sure that they ALWAYS have a properly-balanced stomach in addition to getting all the other vital nutrients, calcium and minerals they need to live a healthy, happy life.

Now, having said that, the OTHER thing you can do to help speed up their digestive development is simply to give them a LITTLE bit of flavored YOGURT every couple days as a small “treat”. Now remember, while almost all sugar bears are ‘lactose intolerant’ (meaning that they can’t digest dairy products) most can handle a little flavored yogurt every once in awhile as a treat. Yogurt contains many GOOD bacteria and other digestive enzymes, and you will find that they usually like either blueberry or peach flavors the best. A teaspoon size portion every couple days is fine for the first couple weeks – and you can also use this little “tip” to help deepen your “bond” with your new baby(ies) by letting them lick it off your fingers :-)

We ALWAYS STRONGLY suggest limiting your baby(ies) food to apples, Glide-R-Chow, Glide-R-Gravy, bread (and a touch of yogurt every once in awhile) for AT LEAST the first 6 weeks you have them. These should ALWAYS be their MAIN food sources throughout their lives. However, once you’ve had them for about 6 weeks, you can slowly “branch out” with other “FUN” foods as occasional treats – and just keep an eye out for diarrhea. If they should happen to develop diarrhea, just take that food off their list for a few more weeks, and then try it again later if you like after their stomach has had a little more time to develop :-)

Keeping all the above in mind, once the first six weeks have passed, and you are ready to “branch out” – one VERY simple (AND EXTREMELY SAFE) way to expand your Sugar bear’s daily diet is simply to get them a supply of Yum-E-Treats (see our Online Store for more info). Yum-E-Treats is a product which is the result of MANY years of extensive research that incorporates ALL a Sugar bear’s most FAVORITE “treat-style” foods with our proprietary Od-R-Guard Technology. It is actually a one-of-a-kind unique blend of FIFTEEN different fruits and other sweet treats that are all 100% CERTIFIED ORGANIC. As such, they are not only completely SAFE for your Sugar bears – but feeding it to them will NOT cause them to develop any offensive odors :-)

Sugar bears, just like many other pets, respond very well to getting “treats” when they are being trained – and once your little darlings get a “taste” of Yum-E-Treats, they will think they have gone to heaven. It’s VERY fun to watch :-)

*** SPECIAL NOTE: REMEMBER, SUGAR Gliders CANNOT EVER – EVER – HAVE CHOCOLATE! Just like dogs, it will kill them – but the main difference between sugar bears and dogs is that sugar bears only weigh a few OUNCES – so a little bit of chocolate can do a LOT of damage. ***

Well, that’s about it for now! At this stage, you’ve had your new baby(ies) for about 10 days now, and we always try to “jam-pack” all the critically important “time-sensitive” information into those first 10 days. Therefore, from now on you’ll be getting emails like this every OTHER day instead of every day.

Ask the Vet: Everything You Should Know About Sugar Glider Treats