Saturday, November 27, 2010

Sugar Glider Diet - 5 Key Ingredients

Do you know what to feed your pet. Knowing the correct diet for your sugar glider is very important, and can help your pet live a long healthy life. Sugar gliders have unique nutritional needs and should be fed diets which are specifically designed for them. Providing and researching the right diet plan for your glider is a must.
There is a lot of misinformation out on the Internet approving or promoting certain diets which are home made concoctions that are expensive and time consuming to make. Providing your glider with an improper diet will lead to malnutrition and tons of health problems. Make sure, if you are making your own food for your pet, that it is a very popular and well recommended diet plan and full of proper nutritional ingredients.
5 Key Ingredients In The Diet For Your Pet
1. Water. A daily fresh supply of water is very important. Gliders can dehydrate and die quickly is they do not have enough water.
2. Calcium. This is a very important supplement for your pet. Their bones can lose mass, become weak and easily broken if they do not have enough calcium. Make sure to add the right calcium supplement to your diet plan.
3. Multivitamin Supplements. Make sure you get one that is specifically made for Sugar Gliders and is specifically formulated to work with the food you provide.
4. Pellets. Find the right pellet if this is your choice of food, but remember it should not be the main and only food you give your pet. It is recommended that pellet food be around 75% of your Gliders daily dietary intake, again that should be up to you to find out and incorporate this in to the right diet plan.
5. The remaining 25% should be fresh fruit and vegetables. Do not cut them up small as they will dry up quickly and lose their goodness. These should also be sprinkled with your vitamin and calcium supplements.
Your Sugar Glider can also be fed insects or meal worms for protein, and also some sweets like honey or flavored yogurts as treats. Again, It's up to you to provide the right researched diet plan for your Sugar Glider to help it live a long healthy life.
Learn how to create the right, diet plan for your pet, THE Ultimate Sugar Glider Care Guide has been designed specifically to help you learn how to care for your glider.

Can't Feed Your Sugar Glider Fresh Food - What is the Other Alternative?

Are you owning sugar gliders but a bit overwhelmed by the daily feedings, not having the time to feed your exotic pet with fresh cut fruits and vegetables every day?
Sugar gliders in the wild feed from insects, small rodents, pollen, sap from trees and some wild fruits. Nature offers them a perfect balanced diet which helps them maintain perfect weight and good health. The challenge for many glider owners is to reproduce this type of diet at home.
Once you take those little guys in captivity, you MUST try to mimic as well as you can their natural diet in order to ensure good health and normal weight. Not too heavy and not too thin.
However, if you can't commit 100% to a healthy and natural diet the worst mistake you could make is to give them an only half way diet where they would get ONLY some of the nutrients they need to keep healthy and ultimately alive. If you can't give your sugar gliders a FULL diet with every daily fresh food and supplement that they need your better alternative is to give up on the fresh food all together and give them a veterinarian brand of dry food.
This type of food, however, will never completely replace the benefits of a fresh food diet, but it will still be better than missing the point day after day offering your pets only half of the vitamins and supplement found in food that they need.
So, to recapitulate here, if you have invested money in your little exotic pets and want them to be the happiest and healthiest that they can be, by any means give them fresh fruits, vegetables, insects and anything that is recommended for them.
However, if you don't have the time to prepare fresh food every day, which by the way shouldn't take more than 15 minutes, your best bet is to resort to sugar glider dry food, while still watching for their weight and health.
If you need help with your sugar glider care, do not look any further. I have created an easy step by step care guide for sugar gliders with everything your need to know about feeding. You can find this guide here=> http://careforsugargliders.com

4 Important Nutrients Needed by These Lovely Pets

As a sugar glider owner, you want your pet to stay healthy as probable. Giving your pet the proper food for it is an immense part. If you do not give your little pets the right kind of foods, its health will definitely suffer.
It is actually very simple to look for the appropriate sugar glider food, since there is no special foods are needed for it and you may already have the victuals that need. Aside from it, you need to realize that these little pets are quite picky eater. But to combat this thing, you have to look for these following essentials that sugar gliders required to stay strong, active and of course, healthy.
* Protein- it is not only needed by human but also for animals, most especially for sugar gliders diet. Boiled eggs are good sources of this kind of essentials, as the protein that it contains is totally functional for the body. This is not the case with many protein rich foods. However, there is a replacement, it is high in phosphorus that slows down the absorption of calcium. You can feed your pets with ground turkey meat being simmered with water several times a week. Also, you can use a monkey diet that contains 25% of protein as the base for all of its meals. Turkey meat also has a terrible portion of phosphorus and calcium, so extra quantity of these two is needed to balance these things out.
* Calcium- it is the other essentials that you need to include for your sugar gliders food. Phosphorus limits the absorption of calcium nutrients and many of the food items that you feed for your little pet have high in ratio of calcium to phosphorus. But in most animals, overdosing calcium cannot actually cause problems in the urinary tract.
* Fats and sweets- sugar gliders have real sweet teeth and can be tiny pigs when it actually comes to foods that are high in fat contents and sweet. Fatty deposits could actually build up within the eyes and could cause loss of sight as well as sugar gliders that are fed with an indecent diet could actually develop very strong smelling urines.
* Water- ample supply of fluids, most especially water is very important in all living things as well as for the sugar glider foods. Gliders can dehydrate and die fast once they do not take in enough amount of water. You can also serve your little pets with filtered water and add ยบ cup of cup of organic apple cider vinegar in each of the gallon. This kind of vinegar is an antibiotic that comes naturally and beneficial, not only for animals but for animals like sugar gliders too. You can let this to over dose it, though; too much of something is bad.
Besides from this, baby foods are also good as sugar gliders food, if you only have few of these pets, vegetables as well as fruits and mixture of meats and vegetables are good sources to serve for your pets.
Joel Ashton is a sugar gliders expert. Discover The ULTIMATE Guide For Sugar Gliders Care And Learn The Secrets About Proper Sugar Gliders Care!
Discover more information about Sugar Glider Food, visit http://www.adoptsugargliders.com.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Where to Get a Sugar Glider Legally

Sugar glider
Native to Australia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea, they make it to the list of favorite exotic pets. Since there is lack of familiarity on these critters, the support for sugar gliders' ownership varies from place to place. Even if owning them is allowed in country, province, or state level, a local ordinance may prohibit it. Therefore, you need to make sure whether it is legal to own sugar gliders as pets in your county, town or neighborhood. Owning them would be difficult if ownership is not supported since resources such as finding a specialized veterinarian and other support would be unavailable.
The following are countries with prominence over sugar gliders' ownership:
  • Australia: Currently, there are four states (Victoria, South Australia, Queensland, and Northern Territory) where these critters can be kept in captivity. They require owners to obtain license/permit with certain conditions. For example, in order to promote wildlife conservancy, Queensland requires owners who obtain demonstrators' license to hold demonstrations at places other than their home at least once a month.
  • Canada: Six provinces allow these cute ones to be kept in captivity but not all cities and counties within those provinces support owning them. In some places that allow them as pets, there are restrictions apply. For example, owners are limited to 2 sugar gliders per household in Hamilton, Ontario.
  • United States: Four states (Massachusetts, California, Alaska, Hawaii) do not support sugar gliders' ownership, while some states are either undecided or unknown. Some cities in legal states have chosen to make it illegal. For example, it is legal to own them in New York, but not in New York City.
In legal places, these cute ones can be obtained from pet stores, animal shelters, breeders, or private homes. Whichever way you get them, make sure that legal or proper procedures are being followed such as proof of license to breed or sell sugar gliders, legitimate source of these critters, and proper care/handling. Before bringing home any, a list of things you should do involve examining your finances for their care and expenses, applying for an ownership permit/license if required in your area, and making sure your house is safe for the little ones.
Bear in mind that the legality over sugar gliders' ownership in countries mentioned above is subject to change. Other countries may follow suit. Any interested owners/pet parents need to make sure that their local ordinance support it. In legal places, make sure you follow requirements set forth by your local government like obtaining proper license for ownership. Before you bring home any, exercise the principle buyer beware.
A lot of these little ones end up in animal shelters. Some of the reasons for them being abandoned or unwanted involve: buying or getting them on impulse, not doing enough research on these cute ones, and feeling disappointed. If you want to own sugar gliders as pets, your responsibility starts with checking your local ordinances making sure that they are legal in your area. Then, get some advice on buying sugar gliders or taking over ownership of these cute ones. Know how to take care of them properly.

How Much Will My Sugar Glider Cost Me?

The first thing you MUST avoid when you are ready to purchase your sugar glider is getting it through the internet. You absolutely CANNOT know what you are getting over the internet and what is more is that you cannot be sure if the provider is USDA licensed ( many internet providers are not). In most state it is required that you will be able to prove that you've got your joey from a USDA approved supplier.
Once you've got a certified supplier you can also rest better assured that you are paying the right price. However, this doesn't mean that it will be cheap, but hey you want a sugar glider right?
Sugar gliders come at different prices. There isn't a set price for all, but put it simply a joey can cost your anywhere between $200 and $500 for a healthy-certified glider purchased between the best adoption time of 12-15 weeks.
Before you acquire your exotic pet, you will need to purchase a cage which is NOT a bird's cage. The cage needs to be tall, not a squat cage. This type of cages will cost you around $200-300. You can shop around and see if you can find one for less, but you might find out that you will also find some that sell for more.
Your sugar glider should cost you from $400 to $800 for the pet and the cage and you can add another $50 for extra wheels, bounding pouch and other toys. This means that you should shop around. However, don't look for cheap to get a lower quality, look for cheaper for the same quality. Beware of gliders for sale and cages that are not sturdy enough and that you would need to be replaced after 6 months of purchase.
When it comes to sugar glider, there is an investment that you need to make. However, you don't have to empty your pockets to get the best tips you need to know to be the best joey parent.
I have created a guide for new sugar glider owners and you can get the intro for free just by visiting the Ultimate Sugar Glider Care Guide.
Go there => http://careforsugargliders.com

How to Take Care of Your Sugar Glider

Sugar gliders make cute and cuddly pets. This is one of the reasons why many people are attracted to them. Like all pets, these furry critters also have special needs. Here are some tips for taking care of your sugar glider:
1) Spend time with your sugar glider
SG's are very social in nature and therefore need a lot of your time and attention. Not giving it proper attention may cause your pet to become depressed and anxious. Spending time with your pet also helps in taming and bonding them with you. If you will not be able to spend ample time with your pet, consider getting a partner for him.
2) Find a partner for your pet
Sugar gliders easily get depressed when they are left alone. Finding a partner for your pet ensures that he is kept happy and satisfied. It is best to introduce SG's to each other while they are still joeys.
3) Keep your sugar gliders in a tall and large cage
SG's are exotic animals that live in trees. Try your best to recreate this environment for your pet. A tall cage with branches is best as it allows your pet to exercise and glide from branch to branch.
4) Ensure that your pet's diet is adequate
There are three main components to an SG's diet - protein, fruits and vegetables, and BML (or Bourbon's Modified Leadbeaters). You can give your SG mealworms and pinhead crickets for protein, and apples and string beans among others for the fruits and vegetables component. BML is basically a mixture of different ingredients such as apple juice, honey, hard-boiled egg, yogurt, baby food, wheat germ, and vitamin supplements
5) Keep a number of pouches in your pet's cage
Sugar gliders like to rest and sleep in pouches that are soft and dark. Ensure that you have a number of these pouches in your pet's cage. The higher the pouches are hung inside the cage, the better it is for your SG.
6) Love your sugar glider!
Lastly, love your pet and treat him as part of your family. Although they are small, these cute and furry creatures are actually very smart and easily get attached to their owners. Provided that you spend ample time bonding with your SG, your pet will reward you with its love and treat you as its safest branch.
Nina Marquez is the owner of two adult sugar gliders and two newly out-of-pouch joeys. She also maintains a site about Sound Sleep Machine and a blog about Nuclear Medicine Technologist

Buying a Sugar Glider Online - 3 Main Reasons Why You Shouldn't Do It

There are many things that you can purchase online for a lower price and for as good quality as you would anywhere else. However, a sugar glider is not one of those things. Why is that you might ask?
There are 3 main reasons why you shouldn't buy a sugar glider online.
1) In most states it is the law that you purchase exotic animals from a SPCA approved breeder. Online sugar glider suppliers are mostly none SPCA approved breeders, and in many cases are complete scams in this business for the money only. If you bought your sugar glider online it would be impossible to verify if the supplier you purchased it from is really SPCA approved.
2) When you are ready to purchase your exotic pet you really should be able to SEE the animal and the place where it is kept. You want to be able to ask questions and have them answered before you cash out. You want to be able to see how your supplier is taking care of his animals and how the animals are acting in their cage and with people. How they react to their surroundings and to you. You won't be able to do any of these if you purchase your glider online.
3) Once you have purchased your exotic pet, you want to have the ability to return the animal, if something is wrong with it. SPCA breeders have such guarantee for each exotic pet that they sell and will take back the animal if it gets sick within the first week or so of adoption. When you buy your glider online you won't have such guarantee whatsoever.
These are the 3 main reasons why you should not purchase your sugar gliders online, but rather look for reputable breeders who you can meet in person and who would be more than happy to show you their SPCA certification and answer all the questions you might have and more before you purchase your exotic pet.
Do you have a lots of question not answered when it comes to make the right decision about your new or future sugar glider? Do not look any further, if you don't know what to do, we have created an ultimate Sugar Glider Care guide that will teach you everything you need to know.