Leadbeater's Formula

This Original Leadbeaters Diet Recipe was developed by the Taronga Zoo. The Leadbeaters Mixture is intended to be used as a small part of an overall feeding plan and is NOT intended to be the complete diet. This is one of the more difficult diets to provide for pet sugar gliders. HPW is very similar to this Leadbeater's mix, but is much easier to implement.

Leadbeaters Mixture

Please note that the ingredient amounts have been scaled down for pet owners.

Mix in a bowl:

150 ml honey
150 ml warm water
Mix in a separate bowl:

1 egg (boiled, no shell)
Combine above ingredients, mix, and add the following:

1 Teaspoon Vionate vitamin powder
25 grams high protein baby cereal
Put the warm water in a bowl. Slowly add the honey and mix into the water. Blend eggs in a blender (no shells), until mushy. Add 1/2 of the honey/water mix to the blended eggs and blend. Add the remainder of the honey/water mix and blend. Add Vionate powder and half of the baby cereal and blend. Add the remaining baby cereal and blend for 1.5 minutes until the mixture is lump free.

The original diet plan says to keep the unused portion refrigerated. However for the average pet owner, the mix should be poured into plastic Tupperware or ice cube trays, covered, and frozen, as this mixture lasts a long time.

Feeding Instructions

For two gliders, feed the following daily:

3 grams apple
3 grams banana/corn
1.5 grams dog kibble
1 teaspoon Fly pupae
3 grams grapes / kiwi fruit
10 grams hard boiled egg
2 teaspoon Leadbeaters mixture (recipe above)
4 grams orange with skin
2 grams pear
2 grams papaya
3 grams sweet potato
On Wednesdays: feed day old chick when available and large mealworms.

Extra Advice

  • The Vionate powder can be substituted with Sustagen or Ensure.
  • The high protein baby cereal may not be available in the U.S. and can be substituted with half of the amount of High Protein Wombaroo Supplement.
  • For people who believe grapes are not healthy for sugar gliders, the grapes can be substituted with blueberries.
  • DO NOT feed the pits or seeds of apples, cherries, peaches, etc.
  • Use fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables - NOT canned.
  • Young joeys may eat more Leadbeaters mixture and less of the other ingredients. This is ok. You should continue to offer them every night.

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