SunCoast Sugar Gliders

Hi folks. Arnold the glider here, the handsome one in the upper left corner of this page. Meet the Nutrition Experts and USDA Vets that provide advice to us on sugar glider care issues. Not only do they help the Lisa tree with me and my glider friends, but sometimes they write about sugar glider care for the GliderVet newsletter!

Animal Nutrition Experts

Ellen Dierenfeld, PhD graduated with degrees in animal science from Iowa State University and animal nutrition (both MS and PhD) from Cornell University. Prior to homebasing in St. Louis, she initiated and spent 17 years with the Department of Wildlife Nutrition for the Wildlife Conservation Society, based at the Bronx Zoo in NY. There, she managed the nutrition programs for 5 zoological collections as well as the New York Aquarium.

She has conducted field research projects and workshops on 6 continents, and oversaw the development of Zootrition analytical software, currently in use by more than 250 zoological, academic, and private facilities globally. She worked as Director of Nutrition for Oxbow Pet Products in 2003, and for 5 years (2003 to 2008), headed the Nutrition Department at the Saint Louis Zoo.

While with the St. Louis Zoo, she assisted in planning construction of its new state-of-the art and certified “green” nutrition facility, as well as oversaw daily feeding of more than 18,000 mouths, and implemented a zoo and field-based comparative nutrition research program. Still connected with Zoo and Wildlife programs, Dr. Dierenfeld serves as Nutrition Advisor to many managed species through the American Zoo and Aquarium Association’s (AZA) Taxon Advisory Groups and Species Survival Plans, and serves as a research advisor to the Lubee Bat Conservancy, the International Rhino Foundation, and Oxbow Animal Health, sits on the editorial board of Zoo Biology and other scientific journals, and has adjunct appointments and graduate students with multiple universities.

We consulted with Dr. Dierenfeld on the development of Wholesome Balance Chicken and Brown Rice Blend.

USDA Veterinarians

Hi folks, Arnold the sugar glider here. Our vets say that the best way to diagnose exotic animals like us is to see us in the habitat that our humans keep us in. Many problems that develop with exotic pets are caused by our humans not keeping us in the right environment or feeding us right. If you are confused by all the differing opinions you read on the web about this topic, please talk to a qualified vet.

If you live in Pinellas County, Florida, and would like our USDA vet to be your veterinarian, please send information about your pets, your pets needs and your phone number to lisa@sugar-gliders.com. And if you want to hear what these pros say about caring for sugar gliders, make sure to sign up for the GliderVet newsletter below!

Current

Dr. Steven Sanders is the Practice Owner at Bayshore Animal Hospital. He received his Associate in Arts Degree of Animal Science with a Veterinary Technology Degree in 1986. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science for University of Maryland in 1990, and his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine degree from Tuskegee University in 1996.

Dr. Sanders belongs to the Honor Society of Veterinary Medicine, Phi Zeta. He started working at Bayshore Animal Hospital in 1996 and has been an owner since 2001. Dr. Sanders is accredited through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. He and his family share their home with their dog Oliver, their cat Trix and a Gecko named Bananna.

Dr. Sanders is a member of:

Pinellas County Veterinary Society (PCVMS)
Florida Veterinary Medical Association (FVMA)
American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)
American Animal Hospital (AAHA)

Dr. Sherrie Demirjian, born and raised in Huntsville, Alabama attended University of Alabama in Huntsville. She then attended Calhoun Community College and Auburn University for undergraduate and graduate work. Sherrie received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Animal and Dairy Science in 2002. She then received her Doctorates of Veterinary Medicine degree from Auburn university in 2007.

Dr. Demirjian started working at Bayshore Animal Hospital as a Senior Veterinary Student in March of 2007 and as a Doctor in June 2007. She also works part-time at the Animal Emergency Clinic in Saint Petersburg and Friends of Strays. Dr. Demirjian is accredited through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Service. In her spare time she enjoys Scuba Diving, wakeboarding, in-line skating, going to the beach, and relaxing. Dr. Demirjian shares her home with her 2 dogs, Corey and Aiden, and her cat Finnigan.

Dr. Demirjian is a member of:

American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)
Pinellas County Veterinary Society (PCVMS)
Florida Veterinary Medical Association (FVMA)
American Animal Hospital (AAHA)

Previous

Janine M. Cianciolo, DVM received her doctorate of veterinary medicine from The Ohio State University - College of Veterinary Medicine in 1996. While there, she was awarded the Kaytee Avian and Special Species Excellence Award, for demonstrated excellence in exotic medicine. Dr. C. dedicates her practice primarily to the care of exotics and wildlife. She certainly sees a number of cats and dogs in her practice, but is best known for her care of unusual animals, and authored many of our newsletter articles.

Dr. C.'s experiences and achievements are far reaching. While an undergraduate, Dr. C was a part-time dolphin trainer at King's Island in Ohio. She completed her preceptorship at the Wildlife Conservation Society's Bronx Zoo and New York Aquarium. Post- graduate work included a year long internship in exotic animal medicine with a well known Florida veterinarian, Dr. Theresa Lightfoot. Dr. C. participated in a Guatemalan project to return animals to their natural habitat after these animals were confiscated from illegal wildlife traders. Some of the animals rehabilitated were spider monkeys, howler monkeys, various types of parrots and macaws, jaguars, ocelots, margays, jaguarundis, kinkajous, Morlets crocodile, boas and iguanas. Several of these animals are on the endangered species list. Thanks to the efforts of Dr. C. and other people like her, these animals will continue to prosper, hopefully for many years to come.

Sign up for the monthly GliderVet newsletter, your resource for safety first, expert advice on our sugar glider friends! Whether you are a veterinarian, a glider veteran, or a sugar glider owner wanna-be, you need to read GliderVet! Click here and send the blank e-mail or use the form below:

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