Criptic's Page On Herps - Mammals - Sugar Gliders

Please be advised, this page is not intended to take the place of veterinary care. When faced with an emergency, seek a veterinarian's assistance!

is important for maintaining health. If you fail to provide a nutritious food in sensible amounts and combinations will lead to sickness and premature death.

Calcium deficiency is probably the most common nutritional disorder. Signs your sugar glider has calcium deficiency are lameness, difficulty in moving across the wire of the cage, pelvic deformity, paralysis, and eventual death if left untreated. It will be a slow onset of symptoms. It is highly possible that a bone fracture will occur due to poor calcification. This will make obvious signs such as lameness and paralysis observable. Females are more susceptible to calcium deficiency when in the process of raising young. Calcium deficiency is usually caused because of an abundance of phosphorus in the diet. Phosphorus interferes with the absorption of calcium. Lack of vitamin D3 can also cause this deficiency. Vitamin D is an important part of controlling absorption of calcium and its deposit in bones. Fat can interfere with absorption of calcium. It will combine with the calcium to form an insoluble soap. The soaps are excreted, and the fat-bound calcium is lost.

To prevent calcium deficiency, make sure to emphasize calcium rich foods in its diet. Be conscious of the Calcium: Phosphorous content. You will need to provide multivitamins and mineral supplements as suggested in the feeding section of this site.

If you suspect one of your sugar gliders has a calcium deficiency, you should take it immediately to a veterinarian. They will make a quick diagnosis with the aid of x-rays. They will provide a proper treatment as well as recommended dietary changes. Do not give up on sugar gliders that appear to be completely paralyzed. Even severely affected animals will recover with a quick and appropriate treatment.

A sugar glider that is allowed to consume too many fat rich foods will become obese. This can lead to a number of heath problems. These problems will include infertility, fat deposits in the eyes, lethargy, and a general decrease in life span. If you sugar glider begins gaining excessive amounts of weight, you need to reduce the amount of fat in its diet.

If a sugar glider begins looking emaciated, it could be for a number of reasons. These can include insufficient calories in the diet, malabsorption of nutrients, intestinal parasites, stress, and disease. You should take your sugar glider to a veterinarian immediately.

If a sugar glider does not receive enough roughage in its diet, or eats an excessive amount of dry food can develop constipation. This will cause a serious illness and death. A sugar glider that is constipated will develop hard, distended abdomens. They can be observed straining in an exaggerated manner when they defecate. Their stools are often hard and dry. It will be very important to change their diet to correct the problems, and seek veterinarian care immediately.

If a sugar glider develops diarrhea it can be caused by several factors. One of which is a dietary cause. Diarrhea can be caused by excessive amounts of citrus fruits and lactose. If a sugar glider has persistent diarrhea, it will become dangerously dehydrated. If the diarrhea lasts for more than 24 hours you should take them to a veterinarian immediately.

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