Can Sugar Gliders Eat Nuts [Walnuts, Pistachios, Peanuts & More]

Sugar gliders are omnivores. Because of that, they can eat a wide range of foods ranging from plants to meat. But what about nuts? Can sugar gliders eat those? While it’s true that sugar gliders can eat a wide variety of foods there are certain foods that are very bad for them. As a responsible sugar glider parent, it’s important to know which foods to feed and which to avoid.

Today, we’re taking a closer look at whether or not sugar gliders can safely eat nuts. We’ll first go over whether these little marsupials can eat nuts at all, before taking a closer look at some individual nuts to see whether sugar gliders derive any benefit from eating them.

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Can sugar gliders eat nuts?

Yes, sugar gliders can eat nuts and they can actually be quite a healthy treat for them. Nuts are the building blocks of new plants and trees. Because of that, they’re filled with important nutrients. Many nuts are high in protein, healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. However, you do have to be a bit cautious. Nuts might be nutritious, but they’re also very calorie-dense. Because of that, sugar gliders can only eat them in small quantities.

It’s important that you feed your glider a balanced diet that consists primarily of Leadbeater’s mixture and pellets. Smaller amounts of their daily food intake should come from fruits, vegetables, seeds, and nuts.

Precautions when feeding nuts to sugar gliders

While nuts can be a healthy treat for your sugar glider it’s important that you’re aware of the things that you should avoid. Here are the most important precautions to keep in mind when feeding nuts to your furry friend:

Now that we’ve established that sugar gliders can indeed eat nuts and discussed the precautions you should take it’s time to take a closer look at some of the most popular nuts. While sugar gliders can definitely benefit from having a nut from time to time, not all nuts are the same. There’s a wide variety of them and they have different nutrient contents. Let’s take a look at which ones you can feed your glider and if there are any to avoid.

Nuts that sugar gliders can eat

Can sugar gliders eat peanuts?

Peanuts aren’t actually nuts. They’re legumes. Nevertheless, people often consider them nuts, which is understandable. They are called peanuts after all.

Sugar gliders can eat peanuts and they can be a decent treat for them. Nuts are high in antioxidants and they’re a good source of several vital vitamins and minerals such as Biotin, Niacin, Manganese, Copper, Vitamin E, and Magnesium. Also, they’re a very good source of protein, 22% to 30% of the calories in peanuts come from protein.

It is important to note that while peanuts are high in nutrients they’re very calorie-dense. Because of that, you should be cautious that you feed them to your glider only occasionally to prevent unwanted weight gain.

Can sugar gliders eat peanut butter?

People often wonder if they can give their sugar glider some peanut butter. After all, they’re almost the same as peanuts, right? I would generally recommend against feeding peanut butter to your sugar glider, especially if it’s store-bought. Store-bought peanut butter is very high in preservatives, salt, and sugar, which is not good for your glider.

Home-made peanut butter might be okay in small quantities but it’s definitely not something they should eat frequently, if at all. There are much better alternatives that they can eat.

Can sugar gliders eat cashews?

Yes, sugar gliders can safely eat cashews. Cashews are a very good source of some very important vitamins and minerals. They’re especially rich in antioxidants, copper, fiber, manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin K, Thiamine, Selenium, Iron, Zinc, and Magnesium. All these nutrients benefit your glider in their own way.

Can sugar gliders eat pistachios?

Sugar gliders can definitely eat pistachios. They’re a good source of healthy fats, fiber, and some very important vitamins and minerals. Do keep in mind that while pistachios are a good source of healthy fats and other essential nutrients, they are high in calories. As such, you have to make sure that you do not overdo it, one nut every once in a while is more than enough!

In addition, make sure that you buy the unsalted variety. Pistachios are often sold salted, make sure that you avoid those as salt is not good for sugar gliders.

A fun way to feed pistachios to your sugar glider is by giving feeding them still shelled. Peeling the nut will be a fun exercise for your glider.

Can sugar gliders eat walnuts?

Walnuts are among the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet and in moderation, they can be a great treat for sugar gliders! Rich in omega-3s, biotin, manganese, vitamin E, vitamin B6, and antioxidants, they might well be the best nut to feed your sugar glider.

However, compared to some other nuts, walnuts are surprisingly big. Make sure that you do not feed your gliders a whole one. A quarter of walnut is more than enough.

Can sugar gliders eat pine nuts?

Yes, pine nuts are okay for your glider to have. They are chock-full of healthy fats and are also a great source of Niacin, folates, riboflavin, thiamin, copper, and potassium. They also contain a good amount of antioxidants.

As with other nuts, the nutrients in them come at a price; they’re beneficial for your glider, but are high in calories. As such, it’s important that you feed them in moderation.

Can sugar gliders eat pecans?

Yes, sugar gliders can eat pecans. Pecans are high in fats, but these are healthy fats. On top of that, they’re an excellent source of copper, magnesium, zinc, and thiamine.

Of course, as with other nuts, you do have to make sure that you give it to your glider only in moderation. It’s very easy to overfeed your glider on pecans due to their high-calorie content.

Other nuts that sugar gliders can eat

Sugar gliders can eat a wide variety of different nuts. We’ve gone over the most popular ones, but here are some other nuts that they can also eat:

• Brazil nuts
• Macadamia nuts
• Almonds

Do sugar gliders like nuts?

Like us, sugar gliders are attracted to high-calorie foods and nuts definitely fit that description. Pound for pound, nuts are among the most energy-dense foods on the planet. As a result, most sugar gliders absolutely love nuts, maybe even a little too much!

If you give your glider the chance, it’s very likely that they gorge themselves on nuts. This can not only lead to weight gain, but also to nutritional imbalances since they won’t have enough space to eat the rest of their diet.

For that reason, it’s so important that you’re careful when feeding nuts. It might be tempting to give them to your glider all the time when you see how much they like them, but you really have to restrict their intake to keep them happy and healthy. Gliders in nature do eat nuts, but they don’t have access to an unlimited supply as we can offer them, therefore, it’s our responsibility to ensure that we give them only what they need.

On the other hand, it’s also quite possible that your glider is simply not interested in a particular type of nut. There is plenty of anecdotal evidence that suggests that some gliders do not like a particular nut even though they do like others. The best way to figure out if your glider is a nut-lover is by simply giving them a piece. If they like it, you’ll know!

If for some reason your glider is not interested in any nuts at all, do not worry. There are plenty of other treats that you can give them.

Alternative treats

Here are some alternative treats that’ll make your glider happy!

• Fish
• Hard boiled egg
• Cranberries
• Grapes
• Coconut
• Bananas
• Pumpkin seeds