Baby sugar not drinking

Question
Hi i was wondering if you can help me. I recently got a female baby sugar glider 4 days ago. She is apparently 2 months out of the pouch and had began to not be with mum and dad much. I've now taken her home to join my family where she seems to be happy. She loves to sleep, not in a pouch, but always with me under my clothes. The problem is, i never see her drink and when i place water on my fingers, she won't even lick it off. To boot, she only wants to eat apples. Nothing else. I'm worried she's not getting enough water so i do dunk the apple slices in water before feeding. She seems to lick the apples first then proceeds to eating. At night i hear eating alot of apples. Is she getting enough water? And how do i get her to eat other foods too? Another thing, she seems to urinate enough and does little droppings. Does this mean she is ok? Pls i'm really worried. Is this normal?

Answer
Robyn,

To answer your question, yes, and no.  If she is eating apples and eliminating normally, your glider is okay for now. However, she will not survive for very long on just apples.  She needs a varied diet including protein, calcium, fruits and veggies, and other essentials.  What was she eating before you brought her home?  Did she use a water bottle?   

I raise gliders, and I always make sure the joeys are eating, drinking, and eliminating properly before adopting them out.  I suggest you contact the breeder and ask questions.  Your joey is also dealing with separation anxiety.  This is her first time without her family, and gliders often take a while to adjust.

Please mix up a batch of BML and see if she will eat it.  Make it a bit thin, so she can just lap it up with her tongue.  She might be too young to eat solid foods.  BML, yogurt, applesauce, and soft boiled eggs would be good for her.  These will provide the nutrients she needs, along with enough liquid to keep her going.  Try getting her to drink from a water bottle.  Do NOT hold her upside down to try forcing water.

Good luck.  Please let me know how things are going.  I can make some other suggestions if these don't work.  Here is my BML recipe:

 The Basic BML Mixture

1/2 cup Honey, do not use honeycomb, raw or unfiltered honey, Most store bought Honey is the one to use unless it uses one of the three words above

1 Egg, boiled or scrambled (I Microwave Mine)
The shell is OPTIONAL, if your blender does NOT break the shell down into miniscule pieces do not use it. I break the egg down before putting it into the blender

1/4 cup of Apple Juice, just the good ole apple juice that you and I would drink, Not frozen, not baby juice, just regular bottle apple juice. (I vary the kind of juice)

1 4oz bottle PREMIXED Gerber juice with yogurt (Mixed Fruit or Banana)
both have yogurt mixed in, the fluid is creamy colored. For those that can not find this, you may substitute 2 oz of plain yogurt and 2 oz of mixed fruit juice (I use Nouriche smoothie)

Blend well, Turn off blender, add the next group of ingredients.
1 Teaspoon of Rep-Cal HERPTIVITE vitamin supplement.
Blue label on a white plastic container, DO NOT SUBSTITUTE this supplement.
(from pet store, or online)

2 teaspoons Rep-Cal Calcium Supplement non-phosphorus with Vit. D3. Pink label on a white plastic container (from pet store, or online)

2  2 1/2 oz jar of baby food chicken  
The chicken will say either Chicken with Chicken Gravy or Chicken with Chicken Broth.

Blend well again, Turn off Blender, add next group of ingredients.
Note:  If you are doubling the recipe, pour blended mixture into large bowl and stir in the next group of ingredients.   

1/4 cup Wheat Germ

1/2 cup dry baby cereal. (Mixed or Oatmeal)


Blend well , turn off blender, pour into freezer container, or ice cube trays and FREEZE, 1 cube in ice cube tray is approx. 2 tablespoons (I pour into small paper or plastic disposable cups). It will freeze to the consistency of ice cream.

Betty