Can Sugar Gliders Eat Pomegranates?
If you enjoy the slightly sweet but slightly tart flavor of a pomegranate, you have probably thought about sharing it with your lovable friends. After all, if pomegranates are healthy for us, shouldn’t they be healthy for our suggies too?
It’s an experience every sugar glider owner has had, eating your favorite food, wondering if it is okay to give a bite to your wide-eyed pals. It is a good idea to look up any new food you want to give your sugar gliders first. You do not want to accidentally give them something unhealthy!
So, what about pomegranates? Can sugar gliders eat pomegranates? The quick and easy answer is: Yes, sugar gliders can eat pomegranates, but be sure to remove the skin first. Keep pomegranates to a weekly treat or less for your sugar gliders.
How to Feed Pomegranate to Sugar Gliders
Just like every other type of produce, when you feed pomegranate to your sugar gliders, fresh and frozen are best. When fruit and vegetables are canned, preservatives are often used that can be harmful to your furry friends. So be sure to stay away from canned pomegranate including jellies.
Just as you would when feeding a sugar glider banana, prepare a treat of pomegranate for your sugar gliders, by completely remove the fruit including the seeds from the skin.
Most pomegranates are treated with insecticides. Even trace amounts of insecticides can spell trouble for your suggies. Though your sugar gliders will likely eat around the skin, you do not want to give them a chance to nibble on it.
The seeds of pomegranate are fine for your sugar gliders to eat. The rule of thumb to follow with seeds is: If we eat them so can our sugar gliders. So, just like strawberry seeds are safe for sugar gliders, so are pomegranate seeds.
Most sugar glider owners try to maintain a ratio of calcium to phosphorus of 2:1 in their suggies’ diet. Unfortunately, pomegranates have an unfavorable calcium to phosphorus ratio of 0.3:1. As a result, when feeding pomegranates to your sugar gliders, portion control is important.
While you do not want to let your little buddies fill up on pomegranate alone, pomegranates do make a great weekly treat.
Sugar gliders can make a huge mess when they eat pomegranate. It is usually best to feed them this treat in a sugar glider kitchen. Also, the red of the pomegranate can dye your friend’s fur. So, don’t be alarmed if their white fur is suddenly red.
What if My Sugar Gliders Do Not Like Pomegranate?
Sugar gliders are notoriously picky eaters. However, when it comes to pomegranate nearly all of them love it!
If your sweetie does not devour pomegranate, do not worry, not every single sugar glider will love it. Disliking or ignoring one new treat does not mean your sugar glider is sick or in distress.
Many sugar gliders also ignore new treats and foods the first few times they are offered. Before you decide your sugar glider does not want to eat pomegranate, be sure you have tried to offer it a few times.
Try squishing the pomegranate up a little so your furry friends can smell the tasty juice more easily. If your sugar glider does end up liking pomegranate, they’ll be thankfully for your extra efforts!
Summary: Can Sugar Gliders Have Pomegranates?
Can sugar gliders eat pomegranates? In a word: Yes! Sugar gliders can eat pomegranates. Do not go overboard with pomegranate though, keep it to a weekly treat.
Even though your sugar gliders will likely eat around the skin, it is best to remove it before giving it to your furry friends. You do not want your sugar gliders to accidentally eat insecticides.