How to Feed a Baby Sugar Glider
A sugar glider is a small marsupial with elastic flaps of skin between its front and back legs that allow it to glide through the air. According to Caroline Wightman, author of "Complete Pet Owner's Manual: Sugar Gliders," when raising a sugar glider, you might want to hand-feed it after it is a few days old to help it bond with you. Baby sugar gliders need a diet that is high in fat and calcium. You can make a mixture at home to feed your baby sugar glider.
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Things You'll Need
- Puppy formula
- Chicken and apple baby food
- Vanilla yogurt
- Rice and banana baby food
- Small plastic container
- Eyedropper
Instructions
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1
Mix two tbsp. each of puppy formula, chicken and apple baby food, vanilla yogurt and rice and banana baby food in a small plastic container. According to Peggy Brewer, author of "Sugar Gliders," you should not use kitten milk, as it is higher in lactose. In addition, do not use low-fat yogurt; baby sugar gliders need high amounts of fat to grow.
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2
Allow the mixture to sit out until it is at room temperature.
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3
Hold the baby sugar glider gently in your palm and allow it to become calm.
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4
Fill an eyedropper with the food mixture and place the tip of it near the baby sugar glider's mouth. Do not force the tip into its mouth.
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5
Squeeze a small amount of the food mixture onto the sugar glider's mouth. When you do this, it should begin to lick its lips, tasting the food.
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6
Continue placing small drops of food on the baby sugar glider's mouth until it begins to refuse to eat. When full, the sugar glider wants to take a nap rather than eat more. If it eats the entire eyedropper of food, feed it more until it acts full.
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Feed the sugar glider in this manner six to eight times a day, with no more than four hours between each session, until its eyes are open. Make new mixture as needed. A baby sugar glider opens its eyes between one and two weeks of age. When its eyes open, place the mixture in a low dish, such as a baby food lid, and encourage it to eat on its own.
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Tips & Warnings
According to Dennis Kelsey-Wood, author of "Sugar Gliders as Your New Pet," if your sugar glider does not eat when you try to feed it, you should put it back in its sleeping area and try again in an hour.
References
- Photo Credit eyedropper tube image by jimcox40 from Fotolia.com
