Sugar Glider University

Home

GU Research

Sugar Glider Dietary Needs Considered: A Preliminary Examination of Current Trends

Sugar Glider Dietary Needs Considered: A Preliminary Examination of Current Trends - Page 1

Article Index
Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6

Page 1 of 6

When attempting to create any diet plan for a sugar glider, it is best kept in mind there are no established criteria for a sugar glider’s dietary needs to date. Therefore, the best captive diet would be one that mimics the natural diet gliders consume in the wild.

The sugar glider diet consists of insect and plant exudates such as nectar, pollen, tree sap, manna, honeydew and in some species fruit and seeds. Protein is supplied through the consumption of insects, moths, beetles, pollen and occasional small vertebrates. (Jackson, S.M. (2003) The Biology and Captive Management of Australian Mammals. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne)

To best mimic this diet for a captive glider, one must also understand the nature of sugar gliders. For example, nocturnal animals metabolize Vitamin D more through the gut rather than exposure to UV light. Another thing to consider is the fact that sugar gliders in the wild do not receive most of their energy from simple sugars (nectar), but rather from starch-like, complex carbohydrates, such as acacia gum and other sources. Therefore, the name "sugar glider" may be a somewhat of a misnomer, as "complex carbohydrate glider" might be more appropriate!

What does this mean for gliders in captivity? An examination and comparison between commonly used captive diets, supplements, and possible problems relating to supplementation will follow.

Dr. Mike Dutton, DVM, DAVBP and president of the Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians, states that because many of the components of the wild diet are simply not available and no regulations have been set as to the basic dietary requirements of sugar gliders, the best exotic diet would be to follow a healthy human diet, with the bulk of the diet coming from complex carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables, and proteins. The question to ask is: Is it healthy for a human? Would it be palatable to a human? If the answer is yes, then the diet is on the right track. Taking into consideration the apparent problem with calcium deficiency in sugar gliders, the diet should be calcium rich as well.

The Question of Supplementation

Many glider owners in the United States and Canada currently supplement their glider diet with reptilian multivitamins, and Vitamin D3, following a modified version of the Leadbeater's possum diet popular in zoos in Australia. One of the more popular plans in past years is called "BML". According to Dr. C. Bradford Boyce, PhD, retired chemist specializing in process chemistry and biologically active compounds, previous associate professor of chemistry and pharmacology and amateur herpetologist, there are several problems inherent to this practice.

To understand the problem, one must understand the basic general differences between the reptile and mammal, the most apparent being the way Vitamin D is metabolized. In leaf eating reptiles, Vitamin D is metabolized through extended exposure to UV light. The Vitamin D, activated by the light, then opens a channel in the intestines to absorb calcium. Because captive reptiles do not receive adequate UV light, pet companies have produced supplements containing large amounts of Vitamin D in an attempt to compensate.

Sugar gliders are presumed to metabolize Vitamin D primarily through the gut (Jackson, 407). Because they are nocturnal, they do not depend as much on metabolizing through UV light. Therefore, it can be concluded that the D³ needed for calcium absorption in a glider is obtained nutritionally. It can be postulated that in the wild, the glider diet is not very high in vitamin D and is obtained from eggs and small animals. Yet, both in the wild and at zoos and sanctuaries, where there is generally no D supplement, there has been no evidence of calcium deficiency in gliders. This seems to be a problem isolated to pet gliders.

Another issue with vitamin D is the risk for toxicity, both from overdose of the vitamin itself, and the effects it would have on calcium absorption. If the vitamin D continues to open a channel in the body for calcium absorption after the maximum level of absorption has been reached, then it could lead to calcium overdose (hypercalcaemia), as well. Ingestion of milligram quantities of vitamin D over periods of weeks of months can be severely toxic to humans and animals. In fact, baits laced with vitamin D are used very effectively as rodenticides. (Colorado State Path physiology Hypertext for Biomedical Sciences)

Prev - Next >>