When you shop for sugar glider food at a big pet store like PetSmart, look for a staple made specifically for sugar gliders, a calcium-based multivitamin, and a protein source such as insects. Skip sugary treat sticks, yogurt drops and generic small-animal mixes. Store stock changes, so check each label instead of relying on a brand name.
Start with a glider-specific staple
Generic hamster, rabbit or parrot food does not meet a glider’s needs. Look for a pellet or kibble labeled for sugar gliders (or for insectivores or omnivorous marsupials). Read the ingredient list: the first items should be proteins and whole foods, not sugar, dyes or fillers. A staple should make up about a third of the overall diet and can stay in the cage all night.
Other things worth buying
- A calcium-based multivitamin made for small mammals or reptiles. Gliders are prone to calcium shortages. Ask your vet for the product and how much to use.
- Live or freeze-dried insects. Crickets, dubia roaches and mealworms are common. Insects are a treat every other day, not a main meal. See Do Sugar Gliders Eat Mealworms?
- A drip bottle or water dish so fresh water is always available.
- Fresh produce from the grocery store, not from the pet aisle: see our fruit and vegetable list.
What to leave on the shelf
- Yogurt drops and honey sticks: they cause dental disease and obesity.
- Seed-heavy mixes made for other pets.
- Foods with artificial dyes or sweeteners.
- Any product with a vague ingredient list.
Buying tips
- Check the expiration date and that the package is sealed.
- Buy small bags of staple food so it stays fresh, and store it in a cool, dry place.
- Keep a note of the brand your glider accepts so you can reorder.
- If the store does not carry glider food, order from a reputable exotic-pet supplier.
Bottom Line
A pet store can cover the basics: a glider-specific kibble, insects and a calcium supplement. The rest of the diet should come from your own kitchen. Learn how the pieces fit together in A Healthy Sugar Glider Diet.
This article is general information, not veterinary advice. Ask an exotic-pet vet to review your glider’s diet.
