Can Sugar Gliders Have Oranges?: Expert Tips

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Can Sugar Gliders Have Oranges?

Your animal companion Sugar Gliders needs a proper diet to live a hazard-free life. This is the sector where you have to research intensely for the well-being of your furry friend. Usually, whatever fruits are consumable for humans are also good for Gliders’ health. But undoubtedly, you can’t give them the same amount of fruit that humans need. For instance, an entire orange is easily edible for humans. On the other hand, the Suggies can eat a small portion of it in one go.  Besides, how often they can eat it is also a major question.  Here are the answers to all these questions together!



Can Sugar Gliders Have Oranges?

Can Sugar Gliders Have Oranges

Oranges do wonders for the human body by providing vitamins, and calcium, and strengthening bones. But is it also harmless for their small stomachs? Can Sugar Gliders have oranges? The answer is yes, Sugar Gliders can have oranges. As they cannot have raw sugar, sweet fruits like oranges can be a safe option for them. Most of the Sugar Gliders find it delicious for their taste bud.

Besides, adding the right amount of oranges to their diet is the most important thing. The nutrients in the oranges will make their bones strong and make their energy level high. But you have to make sure the oranges do not contain any type of chemical substance or preservatives. Here is further information about this! 

The Type of Oranges Sugar Glider Prefers

There are various types of oranges but among them, you should choose the organic, juicy, and sweet ones for your Sugar Glider pet.  The thing you should be aware of is the calcium and phosphorus ratio of oranges. The 2:1 ratio is safe for Sugar Gliders and most of the oranges have the near ratio. Still, you can choose the variety of oranges that you think have a more preferred ratio for your Gliders.

However, The Naval and Valencia are well known for Gliders. Let’s know the characteristics of these two oranges to direct them easily:

Naval Orange

  • Naval orange is a round-shaped orange that has comparatively bright orange skin.
  • It has thick skin that comes out easily at the time of peeling.
  • Contained a sweet juicy flavor. 

Valencia Oranges

  • Valentina Oranges is an oval-shaped orange that contains a goldish orange color.
  • The skin is thin and the flesh has seeds in it.
  • This type of orange is very juicy.

Time to know how the Gliders can have oranges safely! You can make a pet-friendly diet through it or give them raw. Here are the details-

TPG-Stable Diet

The TPG-stable  diet is one of the most well-known diets for Gliders that consists of several fruits and vegetables. Oranges can be mixed with other fruit options like papaya, bananas, and blueberries to make the perfect TPG-stable diet. For mixing, you can use a food processor or chop the orange finely along with the other fruits.

Here are some other directions to follow

Make sure you have taken all the ingredients in the proper amount and mixed them thoroughly.
For making the TPG diet, peel off the orange aril along with the other fruits.
After mixing the orange with the other 2-4 fruits, ensure the amount of mix totals 2 cups. You can also mix less if you have 1 or 2 Gliders. But make sure every ingredient remains in balance.
Don’t divide the mixer into a big container for preservation. Use small containers instead.
The mixer should not be more than 3 days in the refrigerator and feed them in the afternoon.
Take 1.5-2 tablespoons of the mixture and pour them into the ice cube holes. The amount remaining in 1 ice cube is appropriate for each glider.
After the cube gets frozen, put them in a freezer bag. Finally, keep the freezer bag in the plastic freezer container. Now you can feed the cube to your Suggies after warming the frozen cubes to normal temperature.
Though Orange contains vitamin C, the other vitamins are also important for your baby mammals. For this, you can sprinkle multivitamins with calcium on the mixture right before feeding the Gliders.
Feed the mixer as a prime diet to your Gliders in the afternoon.

Frozen Orange Juice Concentrate

Frozen Orange concentrate is a good food option for the Gliders. You can follow the instructions for making the concentrate-

First, squeeze the juicy part of the oranges.
Then keep the liquid substances in a freezer-safe container.
After freezing the whole thing, take out the whole ice block from the container. Then keep it in a still bowl for melting at room temperature.
You can feed 6 tablespoons the highest under the TPG diet.
The first thing that will melt will be the fruit juice and flavor. The rest of the things are ice.
 Feed the juice to your Glider with a teaspoon. 

Regular Orange Juice

Regular orange juice can be used as an alternative to concentrate orange juice. But you have to refrain from adding extra sugar or artificial flavor. Just give the organic juice to your little Gliders. You can give your Gliders a healthy treat with regular orange juice.

Orange Peel

Orange Peel

Sugar Gliders can eat a small amount of orange peel. But a peel containing pesticide is very dangerous for them. The Gliders love the orange peel zest. So you can add a little orange peel zest on mixed fruits. But the most important part is washing the peels perfectly. Of course, you don’t want your furry friends to fall sick in any way. Lastly, buy organic oranges to avoid any side effects.

Ripe Oranges

You can give a small portion of raw ripe oranges to your Gliders. They can directly consume a small portion of orange flesh. Before giving them, remove all the seeds. Besides, make sure the orange is organic. 


How Often Oranges Can Be Given to Sugar Gliders?

If you mix oranges with the TPG diet, give it once or twice a week to your Gliders. Regular orange juice can be given as an occasional treat to the Gliders. But avoid giving them too much of it.

What is the Perfect Amount?

For the liquid substances like concentrate juice or liquid juice, use teaspoons. Give 2-3 tablespoons of the juice as a treat. Small pieces of ripe orange are also okay for treats. Moreover,  the TPG-stable diet should be given a balanced amount.

Usefulness of Orange

Oranges can help your Suggies to lead a healthy life. You just have to keep in mind the size of the Gliders and give them the right proportion of oranges. Let’s have a quick look at the usefulness of the oranges –

  • Oranges will help to strengthen the immune system of your little furry friends.
  • It will try to keep the balance between calcium and potassium which will help them to function properly.
  • Orange is made up of around 90% water.  So undoubtedly it will keep your little pets’ bodies hydrated.
  • Oranges are also good for constipated Gliders as they can help them to improve the situation.

What Type of Orange Sugar Gliders Cannot Eat?

What Type of Orange Sugar Gliders Cannot Eat

Some certain parts of oranges are completely unsafe for the Gliders. Besides, processed oranges are also harmful. Let’s  know in detail-

Orange Seed

Orange Seed

For most of the Sugar Gliders, orange seeds are harmful to them. Always remove them from the raw orange, then feed it. Besides, for any type of Sugar Glider pet-friendly orange recipe, seeds should not be there.

Canned Orange

Canned oranges go through a lot of changes that can negatively affect your Gliders. Its processing also involves preservatives. So, consuming canned oranges can make your pocket pet suffer in the long run.

Orange Biscuits

Orange Biscuits

As orange biscuits also go through a certain procedure, it is also strictly prohibited to feed this to the Gliders. Moreover, the artificial flavor of orange biscuits is also harmful to them.

Things to Keep in Mind

Orange is one of the citrus fruits that contain acid. It can cause health risks like a loose stool to your Gliders if they consume an excess of it.  Moreover, you have to experiment first if they like the taste of the orange. If you feel they don’t like it, stop giving them the fruit.  Moreover, give oranges to the Gliders who are over 6 months old. Otherwise, much younger Gliders can face intestinal damage and diarrhea.


What if My Sugar Glider Doesn’t Like Oranges?

What if My Sugar Glider Doesn't Like Oranges?

If your sugar glider doesn’t enjoy oranges, you can offer alternative fruits like pears or kiwi. These fruits provide similar nutritional benefits and can be a suitable replacement for oranges. However, it is important to note that oranges do have certain benefits for sugar gliders. Oranges contain high levels of vitamin C, which is essential for a sugar glider’s immune system.

On the other hand, oranges also contain high levels of sugar, which can be harmful to sugar gliders if consumed in excess. Therefore, if you do decide to offer oranges to your sugar glider, it is important to do so in moderation. Ensure that your sugar glider receives a balanced diet by offering nectar or other fruits if they do not accept oranges.

If you’re considering feeding oranges to your sugar glider, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons before making a decision. Here are some factors to consider:

Pros

  • Oranges are a good source of vitamin C, which is essential for a sugar glider’s immune system.
  • Oranges provide a variety in your sugar glider’s diet and can be a tasty treat for them.

Cons

  • Oranges contain high levels of sugar, which can be harmful to sugar gliders if consumed in excess.
  • Some sugar gliders may not like the taste of oranges, which can make it difficult to incorporate into their diet.

Sugar gliders thrive on a diet that closely mimics their natural diet in the wild, consisting of a balanced mix of fruits, vegetables, insects, and a specially formulated glider diet. Oranges are not a natural part of their diet.


Frequently Asked Questions

Can I give common oranges to my Sugar Gliders?

Usually, oranges which are edible for humans are also safe for them. So you can give them the common one in small portions but make sure they like to eat that.

Does excess oranges harm them?

As mentioned earlier, excess orange can lead to some major problems for your Gliders’ health. Especially those who are not 6 months old, should avoid eating oranges.

How should I measure the orange for feeding Sugar Gliders?

Use a tablespoon for feeding liquid orange substance to your gliders as a treat. They can eat the raw orange but you should offer a small amount of orange flesh.

Do all Gliders eat oranges?

Each of the Gliders has an individual taste bud. What is liked by one Glider may not be liked by another one.Usually, the pet Sugar Gliders like to eat oranges.

How can I understand if my Sugar Gliders like oranges?

You can give a small piece of organic orange and follow their behavior. If they like the taste, then include oranges in their diet. Otherwise, otherwise to avoid feeding them oranges.


Conclusion

Certainly Orange is a good food option for Sugar Gliders. However, we have to be aware of the negative effects of giving excess oranges. The perfect amount of oranges can add extra value to the Gliders’ diet and make them healthier.  Moreover, experimentation with different types of orange recipes will help your little ones to explore various types of tastes. For this, choosing the organic oranges is the most crucial part. Keeping all of these in mind, give the right amount of oranges by following the appropriate procedure. You certainly don’t want to endanger their health in any way.

About the author

Susana

Susana

Susana Jean, Pocket Pet Expert and Sugar Glider Aficionado Hi everyone! I’m Susana Jean, your go-to wordsmith and pet enthusiast who has a special place in her heart for the fascinating world of sugar gliders.…Continue reading

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