Can Sugar Gliders Eat Nectarines?

Juicy and tasty, a perfectly ripe nectarine is certainly a hard fruit to beat.  As a sugar glider owner who loves to spoil their pets, no doubt you’ve wondered if your sweet friends can share this delicious treat. 

Unfortunately, not everything we eat is healthy for our sugar gliders.  Before feeding your suggies any new food, it is important to make sure it is okay for them to eat it.  After all, you want them to be as healthy as possible.

So, what about nectarines?  Can sugar gliders eat nectarines?  The quick and easy answer is: Yes, sugar gliders can eat nectarines, remove the pit and stem before serving nectarine to your furry friends. Be sure to thoroughly wash the nectarine before feeding it to your suggies.  And, like most treats, make sure you feed your sugar glider nectarines in moderation.

Can Sugar Gliders Eat Nectarine Pits and Nectarine Skin?

The rule to follow with most fruits and vegetables is, if you can and do eat it, so can sugar gliders.  So, be sure to remove the stem from the piece of nectarine you give your sweeties.

When it comes to the skin, just like you would for yourself, make sure to completely rinse the skin.  You don’t want to unintentionally feed your sugar gliders even a trace of pesticides.  Sugar gliders are much more likely to suffer from the negative effects of pesticides than we are. 

If you want to be even more careful cut the skin off of any piece you treat your sugar gliders too.  Or even better, buy organic nectarines for your sugar gliders.

If you leave the pit attached to a piece of nectarine, your sugar gliders will likely eat around it.  However, the pit can be toxic for sugar gliders, so it is best to remove the pit completely from any piece of nectarine you offer them.

As with all produce, when it comes to feeding sugar gliders nectarines, fresh and frozen are best.  Stay away from canned nectarines including jellies.  The additives and preservatives used in the canning process aren’t healthy for your furry friends.

How Much Nectarine Can My Sugar Glider Eat?

Nectarines are surprisingly acidic.  With a pH value of between 3.9 and 4.2, they can even be more acidic than some oranges!  Unfortunately, too much acidic foods can cause loose stools in sugar gliders.  You do not want to deal with that situation!

To control how much nectarine your sugar gliders eat, you can cut thin slices or little cubes of nectarine to give them.  Be sure not to make nectarines an everyday treat.  Though most sugar gliders love nectarines, it is best to keep them rotated with other treats throughout the week.

What Variety of Nectarine Should I Feed My Sugar Glider?

There are a surprisingly large variety of nectarines.  They are all slightly different in colors and flavors.  As you might suspect, sugar gliders prefer the sweeter variety of nectarines.  However, all varieties of nectarines are fine for you furry friends to eat.

While it is true that most sugar gliders will go crazy at the chance to eat a piece of nectarine, not all of them will.  So, if your sugar glider turns his or her nose up to the sweet piece of nectarine you just offered, don’t fret. 

Sugar gliders are notorious for being picky about what they eat.  Not eating any one food isn’t a sign that your suggies are sick or otherwise in distress. 

Just like peaches and plums, nectarine varieties also are freestone, semi-freestone and clingstone.  For your own sake freestone nectarines are recommended. 

Being able to easily pull the pit away from the flesh of the nectarine will save you from needing to clean up a juicy mess after you prepare the nectarine.

Summary: Can Sugar Gliders Have Nectarines?

Can sugar gliders eat nectarines? In a word: Yes!  Sugar gliders can eat nectarines in moderation.  Be sure to wash the nectarine well and remove the pit and stem before giving it to your sugar glider.  Better than washing the pesticides off the nectarine, buy organic nectarines instead.

As with all produce, avoid feeding your sugar glider canned nectarines.  And keep track of their overall calcium to phosphorus ratio.

Don’t worry if your sugar glider isn’t a huge fan of nectarines.  They all have different tastes.