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Exotic Nutrition Archive Page
Monday, November 30, 2009

Housing pet Sugar gliders can be a challenging endeavor. If you are a new sugar glider owner, and are in the market for a Sugar glider cage ... then your choices are vast. There are many websites that offer products that they refer to as 'Sugar glider cages'. Unfortunately many of these cages are improper for housing pet Sugar gliders over extended periods of time (their lifetime).

Many cages currently offered by 'fly-by-night' websites, are too small, not sturdy enough, or have doors that are too small to fit an exercise wheel. Yes they may be large enough to squeeze a Sugar glider into ... but not what is suggested for long term housing for these active animals. Because of the reduced pricing on these cages, you may be tempted to impulsively buy one, if you do, and save yourself a few bucks ... you are making a poor choice for your pet, and you pet will pay the price for years to come.

For about $150.00 (delivered), you can purchase a high quality, well made Sugar glider cage. One that provides plenty of room, is sturdy enough to last, and has the properly sized doors (See Brisbane Cage on our website). This cage will last for years, is easy to clean, and will give you peace of mind after your have made your selection, and placed your pet 'suggie' in the cage.

A good cage size for a pair of sugar gliders is 24 inches deep by 24 inches wide by 36 inches tall. Larger is always better, keeping in mind that height is important for the gliders. The spacing of the wire on your Sugar glider cage should be no more than 1/2 inch by 1 inch. A sugar glider cage also needs to have things inside to stimulate exercise and play, add climbing branches, climbing ropes, nest pouches, forage toys etc.


by: Exotic Nutrition


In the wild, a hedgehog is opportunistic and will eat many things, but the majority of the diet comprises insects.

Our suggestion is to feed Exotic Nutrition Hedgehog Complete. Keep this diet available at all times. You may also offer Exotic Nutrition canned Insect-Eater diet in order to offer variety, this food contains 3 types of whole cooked insects.

As insectivores, hedgehogs need a diet that is high in protein and low in fat. They also require chitin, which comes from the exoskeleton of insects; fiber in the diet may substitute for the chitin component. There are prepared foods specifically for pet hedgehogs and insectivores, including foods made from insect components. Exotic Nutrition's Hedgehog Complete is one such diet. It was formulated specifically for Hedgehogs, and contains dried mealworms which contain chitin. Also available are alimentary powders to sprinkle on other food which provide chitin and other nutrients, Hedgehog booster is one such product. Hedgehog caretakers should read labels on packaged food to ensure a basis of protein, rather than a basis of carbohydrate.

Pet hedgehogs may eat such table foods as cooked, lean chicken, turkey, beef or pork (in moderation due to fat content). Hedgehogs will often eat small amounts of vegetable and can be given small amounts of fruit as treats . Baby food is a common way to feed treats. Hedgehogs are lactose-intolerant and will have stomach problems after consuming most dairy products, though occasional plain lowfat yogurt (yogurt contains bacteria that naturally process lactose) or cottage cheese seem to be well tolerated. Sugar intake should be restricted to fruits, avoid any treat with added sugar.

Fresh, canned, or freeze-dried mealworms, waxworms, and crickets are appropriate as limited treats though in moderation as many feed insects are high in fat. Hedgehog caretakers should avoid bait-shop or wild caught insects, which may be contaminated with insecticides.

Hedgehogs can easily become obese. If a pet hedgehog appears to be gaining too much weight, it is important that the hedgehog’s caretaker cut back on high fat foods and increase exercise. Hedgehogs vary in size so there is no "goal weight" for a hedgehog, but if they can no longer roll completely into a ball it is a pretty clear sign of obesity. Many people believe that there is a relation between a high-fat diet and fatty-liver disease in hedgehogs.

Due to their mouth shape hedgehogs should not be fed any nuts. Nut butters are acceptable, but are very high in fat so they should probably be avoided. Hedgehogs should never be fed avocados, onions, grapes or raisins, chocolate, any raw meat or egg yolks, or any canned or processed food.


by: Exotic Nutrition

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

In a recent study, our customers commented that the new streamlined website look is better organized and easier on the eye. But most importantly, they felt it provides a quicker path to critical content. And, it enabled the discovery of other types of information to help their pet care decisions. We hope you'll feel the same. Visit our updated website today! Click here NEW EXOTIC NUTRITION WEBSITE

The Exotic Nutrition Pet Company specializes in the manufacture and distribution of exotic mammal feeds, supplements, and accessories. Our facility is located in Southeastern Virginia, and we are a family owned and operated company. We have always prided ourselves in meeting the needs of our exotic mammal friends when they are kept in captivity, and have always strived to bring the finest quality animal diets and accessories to consciences pet owners worldwide. Ensuring the health and well being of your captive exotic, is our main concern. We are, and will continue to be a company whose objective is to deliver the best possible products and services at an affordable price. Our company stands behind the products that we manufacture, and continuously monitors quality and freshness, to offer you, and your pets, the highest quality foods, supplements, and accessories for exotics available.


by: Exotic Nutrition

Monday, November 23, 2009

PROS
Prairie dogs are affectionate, loving creatures largley, if not entirely due to their social structure in nature. Wild Prairie dogs live in larg communal groups, called towns or coteries, where they depend on each other for protection, affection, grooming, play, and more. When baby prairie dogs are weaned and then brought up in a human environment, they quickly and easily subsitute people for their colony family. Properly handled prairie dogs will seek you out as their 'best' buddy and desire to be at your side or in your lap a large portion of the time they are out of the cage.

CONS
Pet prairie dogs do not do well if they are in an environment where there is little interaction with them. They are social, not solitary animals. Their need for companionship is intense. Solitary prairie dogs or those that are seldom played with can become excessively protective of thier cage and it's contents, destructive and a general pain in the neck! Do not get a prairie dog if you cannot fulfill it's need for attention.


by: Exotic Nutrition

Tuesday, November 17, 2009




What a controversial subject! Everyone seems to have the required knowledge to recommend a specific food for their (or others) exotic pets. Comments such as 'I read about the diet on a website' or 'so and so recommended this food' seems to be enough to get a pet owner to switch to a new 'fad' diet in the blink of an eye.

Exotic pet diets ... are like every other diet for humans that you hear of in advertisements or on the news, or talk shows ... there is a 'new' or 'better' one that comes along every month ... each one claiming it is better than the next ... and will do things that none of the other diets that you have tried before do. Exotic pet diets are no different. There is no 'one specific' food that is the best, and not one food that provides something special that other food combinations won't. May diets available for Sugar gliders, or Hedgehogs or Prairie dogs or other exotic pets will provide the necessary nutrition for a healthy long life.

The focus needs to be on providing healthy foods, in the proper portions. Offer good quality, and a good variety. Follow some basic guidelines for required elements in the diet ... and there is an excellent chance that your pet will live a long and healthy life.

Pets (or humans for that matter) do not always eat the foods that are best for them. Some foods that are very tasty ... may not be nutritionally balanced, they may provide too much fat, protein, or sugars .... It is up to us as the providers of our pets diet ... to hold back on offering the foods that are not as healthy. No, ... your pet may not like to eat certain foods as much as others, just like young children do not like to eat their vegetables ... it's up to the parent to make sure they are consumed. The same with our pets ... it's up to the owners to provide high quality nutrition ... and not replace those foods with low quality (more appealing) foods when our pets turn their nose up at the healthy stuff.

The majority of the time when a pet turns his nose up at a new food ... it is because that pet has been spoiled by being fed a diet either high in fat, or sugars. Once they establish a taste for these foods, it take a little patience to break them of the bad habit. Leave new foods in the cage with you pets for 24-48 hours ... offering nothing else to eat. If you replace a new food with the food they have been used to eating, after 8 or 12 hours ... then you pet will know that if he/she hold off on eating the new food ... you will come running in with the other food soon enough !

Be patient ... give the new foods a change, you will find that the majority of the time, your pet will adapt to the new food only after a day or two.


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