These tiny little soft-bunched mammals have been known to be exclusive sugar gliders: nocturnal marsupials small, cute in shape, playful. It would naturally be of prime necessity, thus, for the owner of those tiny little soft-bunched creatures to ensure that such adorably tiny little mammals as they are, be provided some sort of a balanced nutritious diet so that their health could well match that concerning their well-being also. There are so many more questions about sugar gliders that most owners would want to know, for instance, how to treat bananas. We shall find out what the diet of a sugar glider is and whether or not bananas are part of their diet.
Sugar Glider Diet Understanding
The diet of sugar gliders is nearly omnivorous since it incorporates food items of a plant nature along with certain kinds of animal-based products. The wild diet contains fruits, nectar, insects, and sap. If these get them all the required nutrients, then a full and diversified diet will certainly keep them as healthy animals. So maintaining these sugar gliders as pets necessitates the maintenance of a diet which shall be full of fresh fruits, vegetables, and sources of proteins that can match what they might have enjoyed in their life outside captivity.
The diet for the sugar glider should have fresh fruits and vegetables, rich in vitamins and minerals, proteins such as insects or eggs, which help to fix the muscles and tissues, and a good source of calcium for bones. It is also rich in many carbohydrates that give it energy.
While fruits are one of the most attractive healthy treats that sugar gliders can eat, such sugar gliders must never forget that fruits are given in moderation. Overconsumption of fruits and more with high sugar content will make them obese and usher other problems within their body.
Can Sugar Gliders Eat Bananas?
Well now that this out of the way, let's head downwards toward getting nitty-gritty questions ourselves, if your sugar glider may eat bananas. Well yes but before giving a 'thumbs up' to whether or not your pet sugar glider will turn bananas, there are, quite nicely, a few things a great way important to lookout for.
Nutritional values of bananas for sugar gliders
Bananas are very rich in essential vitamins and minerals. If taken in moderate amounts, it could be a blessing for sugar gliders. Nutritional contents like such values present in bananas include:
Potassium: This holds a good source of potassium that helps in fluid balance maintenance, contraction of muscles, and transmission of nerve impulses.
Vitamin C: The fruit would activate the immunological system thus enabling acceleration repair in the tissues possible. Sugar gliders however can produce vitamin C naturally hence part of it will still have to utilize it from exogenous application.
Vitamin B6: Bananas contain a very crucial vitamin known as vitamin B6. That is a very important vitamin to the brain and many other activities. They are thus indispensable in the manufacture of red blood cells.
Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are the natural source of energy, that is how much energy the sugar gliders would expend; thus, they would enjoy this energetic life much.
The greatest risk probably associated with sugar glider feeding is bananas
Undeniably a wonderful snack but feeding bananas to sugar gliders must, of course come with numerous precautions on the other hand. Risks associated with feeding bananas to sugar gliders are as follows:
High sugar content: Bananas contain a lot of natural sugars. Giving that to the sugar gliders means that there is obesity and so many more health issues. The level of metabolism of the sugar glider is pretty low, so they cannot digest so much sugar at one go. Overfeeding bananas, as any sweet fruit, will lead to such issues as diabetes, obesity, and tooth decay.
High phosphorus: Bananas contain far more phosphorus than they do calcium. If the levels of phosphorus and calcium in your sugar glider's diet become out of balance, then all these issues with the bones will likely be blamed on this singular imbalance. Your sugar glider will therefore have brittle bones and very, very low bone density. Ensure that your sugar glider's diet, in general, is not imbalanced and hence, definitely not unbalanced regarding their calcium and phosphorus intake.
Diarrhea: Sugar gliders will have irritated stomach from too many bananas leading them to diarrhea. That again may not be the most healthy thing when feeding especially the younger or smaller of the sugar glider.
Feeding Bananas to Sugar Gliders- The Safest Way
To feed bananas to sugar gliders in a safe and healthy way, the following guides are as follows;
Feed the serving banana portions very seldom or not part of your diet. Feed very minimal servings or minute, of little serving size, about one or two portions of small sizes-from one to two slices every several days.
Remove the peel: The banana has peels, and these peels are edible; however, it is tough, so that is not easy to digest for your sugar gliders. So, make sure to remove the skin from the banana before distributing slices of it.
You mix other fruits available, that come and change your choice. For example, bananas just complement as one fruit in between others like apples or berries or even grapes by changing that it's a different variety which means feeding diversity in nutritional sources of sugar glider.
Healthy Check-Up: When diarrhea and loss of appetite shows up in the digestive system area of your sugar glider, you chop bananas to its stomach or find another vet.
Safe Sugar Glider Fruits
Bananas are not only the fruits sugar gliders could be fed on. Below are other fruits safe and healthy for your sugar glider:
- Apples (seedless)
- Grapes (moderately)
- Blueberries
- Strawberries
- Kiwi
- Peaches (pitless)
- Mango
- Papaya
These fruits are rich in many nutrients and vitamins and minerals that will help provide general health for your sugar glider. Just remember not to give them poisonous fruits: citrus fruits and avocados.
Conclusion
Bananas sugar gliders can eat. Nevertheless, they should only be given to a sugar glider as a treat since bananas have sugar. Bananas contain potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin B6. Never should they be your regular fruit serving for your sugar glider. Serve bananas as a treat but do ensure you're giving other well-balanced meals to compensate for the nutritional need you're trying to fulfill in that banana. Observe yourself and rush to the vet when you doubt his diet.
FAQs
1. Is it safe to feed a sugar glider banana peels?
Yes, but banana peels does not harm the sugar glider. They would advice against feeding peels because it's hard to digest hence becoming a possible reason for digestive disorders.
2. How frequent would you feed the banana to your sugar glider?
Bananas need to be fed only on rare occasions that would perhaps be once or twice every week. Too much bananas would make them fat thus leading to more health-related issues.
3. Which fruits must not be fed to sugar gliders?
There are fruits which should never be fed sugar gliders; among them are citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, limes, and avocados. So, in order to make it safe for your sugar glider, it is always best not to feed them with those ones.