BML Diet Recipe and Prep

BML stands for Bourbon's Modified Leadbeaters. This is one of the older sugar glider diet plans and is designed to be fed as a complete plan with the BML mixture, approved fruits, approved vegetables, and insects.

Do not mix this diet with other diet plans or randomly substitute ingredients. The BML diet is meant to be followed as written. Changing ingredients, adding supplements, or combining parts of different diets can affect the balance of vitamins, minerals, calcium, and phosphorus.

Daily Presentation

Start by feeding the following amount per glider each night:

• 1 tablespoon of BML mix
• 1 tablespoon of approved fruits
• 1 tablespoon of approved vegetables

Mealworms or other approved insects are usually offered in the morning. A common amount is 10 to 12 small mealworms, 7 to 10 medium mealworms, or 3 to 5 large mealworms per glider.

If your glider eats everything the first night, add a little more the next night until only a small amount is left. Remove uneaten fresh food daily and adjust amounts as needed.

Approved Fruits

The original Back to Basics BML plan uses a specific fruit list. Do not replace this with random fruits unless you are following a different approved version of the diet.

• Apples
• Grapes
• Watermelon
• Cantaloupe
• Melon
• Frozen pitted cherries
• Blueberries

Approved Vegetables

The original Back to Basics BML plan also uses a specific vegetable list.

• Corn
• Peas
• Carrots
• Green beans

BML Ingredients

• 1/2 cup honey. Do not use honeycomb, raw honey, or unfiltered honey.
• 1 hard-boiled or scrambled egg, with no shell for the Back to Basics version.
• 1/4 cup apple juice.
• 1 4 oz bottle of premixed Gerber juice with yogurt, mixed fruit or banana.
• 1/4 cup wheat germ.
• 1 teaspoon Rep-Cal Herptivite vitamin supplement.
• 2 teaspoons Rep-Cal calcium supplement, non-phosphorus with Vitamin D3.
• 2 jars, 2.5 oz each, of chicken baby food.
• 1/2 cup dry baby cereal.

Preparation

1. Place the honey, egg, and Gerber juice with yogurt into a blender.
2. Blend until the ingredients are mixed well.
3. Add the remaining ingredients.
4. Blend well for about 5 minutes or until smooth.
5. Pour the mixture into ice cube trays.
6. Freeze immediately.

The mixture usually freezes to a consistency similar to ice cream. One cube is often about 2 tablespoons, depending on the ice cube tray used. This recipe should feed one glider for about one month.

Important Notes

• Do not add extra vitamins or calcium unless directed by an exotic veterinarian.
• Do not mix BML with another sugar glider diet plan.
• Do not use raw, unfiltered, or honeycomb honey.
• Do not use chocolate or flavored substitutions that are not part of the diet.
• Fresh water should always be available.
• Remove uneaten fresh food daily.

BML is a structured diet, so the fruit, vegetable, supplement, and protein portions matter. If your glider is pregnant, nursing, underweight, overweight, ill, or recovering from illness, speak with an exotic veterinarian before changing diet amounts or adding supplements.

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