Comparison of Commonly Used Diets on Intake, Digestion, Growth, and Health in Captive Sugar Gliders (Petaurus breviceps)

摘要

Sugar gliders (Petaurus breviceps) have recently been gaining popularity in the United States as exotic companion animals. Being native to Australia, they have a more extensive history as a captive species in that country. Although not kept as pets in Australia, they are maintained in a number of zoological facilities and wildlife rehabilitation facilities. Suear sliders have also been used in research as laboratory animals. They are aptly named; they subsist on a diet of nonfoliage plant materials and some invertebrates, using simple sugars in saps, manna, and nectars for energy. Sugar gliders also eat resins, honeydew, lerp (insect exudates), and plant gums— the latter comprising polysaccharides that form gels. Their minimal protein requirement is primarily derived from pollen grains and seasonal consumption of insects and arthropods.