Hair lost on head

Question
QUESTION: I am a new owner of my first sugar glider. She is a little over 2yrs old. I have had her for about 3 months she is very sweet but within the past couple of weeks I have noticed she has two bald spots on her head right above her eyes. I didnt know if it was her diet or not.

ANSWER: Bobbie Jo,

Does your glider live alone?  Has she always lived alone?  Is she comfortable with you and any others who handle her?  She could be overly stressed.  What does she eat?  A poor diet can lead to hair loss.  Does she over-groom herself?  

Loss of hair can be from many sources, some physical and some psychological.  I'll be able to give you better advice if I know the answers to these questions.

Take care,

Betty



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Yes she does live alone. When I got her the girl told me that her sister had died about 2 months before I got her. She highly recommended me not to put another sugar glider with her. She seems to be very comfortable with us. I am still testing certain foods. But for the most part I give her baby food, frozen peas, frozen corn, frozen green beans. Along with their diet frozen food. I have tried frozen and fresh fruits but she doesn't seem interested. The baby food is normally chicken noodle or turkey sweet potato. Then apple with blueberry, apple sauce, peaches, bananas, cream corn casserole.

Answer
Bobbie Jo,

Thanks for the answers.  Your glider really does need a friend.  Sugar Gliders are social animals, and do not do well alone.  I think that the hair loss she is experiencing could be from two different sources.

Is your glider's frozen diet food called BML?  If so, that is great.  If not, please go to my website for my BML recipe.

nc.sugar.gliders.googlepages.com  (do NOT use www.)

You will see that BML has lots of good stuff:  chicken, eggs, yogurt, honey, wheat germ, juice, cereal, vitamins, and calcium.  All of these are essential for optimal glider health.  From the other food items you mentioned, only the green beans are really healthy for Sugar Gliders.  I know that baby food is really convenient, but it has lots of ingredients that are not good for gliders, like salt, onion, garlic, processed sugar, preservatives, etc.  Check the jars to see what is in them.  Gliders love corn, but too much is not healthy.  Peas don't really count as a vegetable.  The best foods (in addition to BML) are fresh fruits, vegetables, and crickets or meal worms.  Frozen is okay in a pinch, but they like fresh foods better.  It is very likely that diet is playing a major part in the hair loss.

Lack of a companion could also be contributing to her hair loss.  Happy gliders are healthier than ones who are lonely or stressed, just like people.

I hope this helps.  Please keep me updated on your glider's progress.

Betty