Can Sugar Gliders Eat Cherries?

It’s hard to beat a bowl full of good cherries.  Especially when they are in season and you are lucky enough to get them fresh from the local farmers market.  Bing and Rainer cherries are probably the most popular sweet cherries and make an excellent snack. 

Surely, our lovable suggies would enjoy them too, right? … Right? Before you indulge your sugar glider with any new treat, it’s a good habit to make sure that new treat really is okay for them to eat. 

So, what about cherries?  Can sugar gliders eat cherries?  The quick and easy answer is: Yes, sugar gliders can eat cherries, but remove the pit and stem first. Like most treats, make sure you feed your sugar glider cherries in moderation.

Is There Anything Unhealthy About Feeding Cherries to Sugar Gliders?

There are two main considerations to take into account when feeding your furry friend any produce.  First, always rinse the produce well.  Pesticides aren’t good for us humans to consume and they are definitely bad for sugar gliders. 

The second rule of thumb is to avoid canned goods when feeding your sugar glider produce.  The additives used in the canning process aren’t healthy for sugar gliders. 

So, stick to frozen and fresh cherries.  This also of course means that you shouldn’t feed your sugar glider maraschino cherries or cherry jams.  

When it comes to sugar gliders eating cherries be sure to remove the pits.  Most fruit pits and seeds aren’t good for sugar gliders, and cherries are no exception. While, your suggies will most likely eat around the pit, it’s better not to take the chance. 

The stems of cherries should also be removed before feeding them to your sugar gliders. 

Some produce rinds and skin can be unhealthy for sugar gliders.  Luckily this isn’t the case with cherries.  Sugar gliders can eat cherries with the skin on.  However, as mentioned above, be sure to wash the cherries well first.  You can always skip the pesticide worries and buy organic instead too. 

As with everything you feed your sugar glider, be sure to always be aware of the calcium to phosphorus ratio in their daily diets.  The folks at My Food Data have a good break down included in their Nutrition Facts.

Cherries alone will not provide a nutritionally balanced diet for sugar gliders.  Make sure you aren’t overfeeding your suggies with cherries because they’ll still need to be hungry enough to eat other food.

What if My Sugar Glider Does Not Want Cherries?

Although most will go crazy for them, not every sugar glider will like cherries.  Many sugar gliders don’t like tart cherries at all, so make sure you are feeding sweet cherries rather than tart. 

Try squishing the cherry a little so your sugar gliders can smell the sweet juice.  This will usually entice a sugar glider to take a bite.  Finally, don’t give up after one try.  Sometimes, sugar gliders will need to be around a new food a few times before they realize how good it is.

If your sugar glider still doesn’t enjoy cherries, don’t worry there is nothing wrong with your furry buddy.  Though you won’t get to watch them chow down a cherry, you’ll also miss out on dealing with fur dyed pink from cherry juice.

Summary: Can Sugar Gliders Have Cherries?

Can sugar gliders eat cherries? In a word: Yes!  Sugar gliders can eat cherries in moderation.  Be sure to rinse the cherry well and then remove the pit and stem before feeding it to your sugar glider. 

Avoid feeding your sugar glider maraschino or other canned cherries.  And keep track of their over all calcium to phosphorus ratio.

Remember, not every human likes cherries (crazy I know!), so don’t worry if your sugar glider doesn’t either.