Exotic Nutrition is a website that caters to a wide variety of small animals, ostensibly including sugar gliders. However, EN isn’t particularly great about identifying a sugar glider safe product. Here are the do’s and don’ts of shopping on Exotic Nutrition’s website.
The Good Stuff
Cages
Cages from Exotic Nutrition are quite awesome, very sturdy and ideal for gliders. A touch on the pricey side, but well worth it in the long run for durability. Do not buy a starter kit with the cage, it comes with mostly stuff you shouldn’t use for gliders
Treats
From yogurt drops to dried cricket crunch to an assortment of dehydrated fruits, Exotic Nutrition is an excellent source for treats.
The Bad Stuff
Diet
The Exotic Nutrition brand of instant hpw has had reports of problems in the community. I’ve personally seen two instances of weirdness that was fixed by switching off this diet (a breeding pair that didn’t breed, and food aggression, both cleared up on a diet switch). None of their diet supplies are ideal for gliders IMO.
Wheels
Exotic Nutrition sells a couple of styles of wheels marketed to gliders that are not ideal for them. Wodent Wheels in particular are very dangerous for gliders, and have caused fatalities. Wheels with solid tracks are not ideal because they don’t let wastes flow through so need constant cleaning. Wheels with covers aren’t ideal, though Im not personally aware of any actual injuries occurring from the cover, one can imagine a glider noggin getting clonked pretty good trying to enter a moving wheel with a cover.
I would strongly recommend throwing down the extra $10 for a glider safe bucket style, freedom style, or custom cruiser style wheel instead of any of the ones sold on Exotic Nutrition.
Pouches and Toys
I’ve never been happy with any pouch or toy I’ve gotten from Exotic Nutrition. Seams are never glider safe inside, toys often have wood or metal parts which aren’t really glider friendly. I think I still have maybe 2 toys Ive gotten from them out of the dozens I bought my first year before getting my eyes for glider safe items.
The Iffy Stuff
Anthium dioxcide spray
Probably ok? Its used to disinfect water supplies for livestock. Exotic Nutrition claims it oxidizes the stink molecules in animal waste to destinkify it. I know people who have used it and thier gliders didn’t die. Idk if it really works well or not though.
The Cleaning Sprays
Meh. Don’t waste the money, just use white vinegar wipe down or a little Dawn soap for a full wash down. The spray was ineffective and ran out fast and wore out my fingers to cover a cage properly and soaked a wall. It wasn’t better than a wipe down with dirt cheap cleaning agents.
