new pig does not like veggies!

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tiggyswift

Post   » Thu Dec 13, 2007 9:21 pm


The critical care he gave me is in a med bottle, and I don't believe it says the flavor. I mixed in baby sweet potato,hoping it would help. No such luck. I look like I got in a fight with a cat, and the cat won! He sctatches and bites like crazy after we are done and I put him back in his cage. My arms and hands are all scratched. Oh well.
I don't mind as long as it helps him. He is being really stubborn. I know it has only been 24 hours since he has been home, and I need to relax and give him time. I am stressing alot! I hope things end up ok for him. I don't want to lose him. It will break my heart!
I fell in love with him the minute I saw him! I guess he was just out of his house, but ran back in. This is good! We have one more feeding session before I go to work tonight. I am thouroughly exhausted, and have barely slept in days!

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Bugs Mom

Post   » Thu Dec 13, 2007 10:35 pm


Went back and re-read what has been written and am a little confused at this point. Is he not eating pellets at all or is he eating some?

He's probably never had veggies before so does not recognize them as food. It will take time and patience on your part to get him to accept them.

GPs are real drama queens for the most part. Their skin is quite tough so his yelling at getting a shot and sub-q makes sense. Don't let it bother you as he's really not being killed! When my little one got sub-q's she screamed so loud the entire office heard it. She was just scared and madder than the dickens, not hurt.

Take a whiff of the stuff the doctor gave you and see what it smells like. Have you contacted Oxbow about shipping you some Critical Care? From what I understand they just ask for the name of your vet but don't actually contact him.

Don't forget to take care of yourself. Your little one does not need you to be sick!

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mmercedesmom
Supporter in '09

Post   » Fri Dec 14, 2007 12:19 am


Try to relax a bit, he will pick up on your stress in feeding him. Take a deep breath.

Have you tried mixing the critical care with some Pedialyte? The fruit flavor is a hit around here, and you can even put it in the water bottle to encourage more fluid intake. I find I do better if I make it very runny and use a 1cc syringe.

I also hold the pig with his back feet touching the table, with my hand wrapped around his middle and supporting their front feet and head. Kind of like they are standing. I have had better luck that way with some that really don't want to eat.

tiggyswift

Post   » Fri Dec 14, 2007 10:02 am


I am both weighing and trying to measure his food. By weighing his dish with the pellets and diced up apples or carrots. It is a bit harder to measure it with the stuff mixed in as it sticks to the sides and I can't manage to get every little piece. It seems by weighing that bowl, it is about 1/8 oz. less by the next feeding about 12 hrs later. Whether it is the water content evaporating, or he is eating, it is hard to tell. He is eating some grass, it appears. I have seem him do this. He did 14 poops overnight, most small still, but some a bit bigger, which is encouraging. He is getting his benebac one time daily, and his CC feedings. I put his pellet dish in his house so he does not have to come out of hiding for it. It may take another day or two before he is noticably eating. I talk to him very softly as I feed him, and am calm, but it is after I put him back that I worry so much and start stressing. I know I have to be patient, I just want him to eat normally. He will nibble on a baby carrot sometimes, not all the time though. Well, off to feed the little cutie. Will keep you posted. I can't tell by smelling what flavor the CC is.

HDSIEBERT1320

Post   » Fri Dec 14, 2007 11:05 am


I bought my pig from the petstore( i am sorry it was before i knew your could adop.) she didn't know what fresh veggie were, it took her almost a month. She would smell them and take a very small bit and run away . I am not sure she ever had them before, but not she squeek any time the fridge door is open. just try to put just a little bit, several times a day and before long she will relieze that it is good. She was also very timid and stillis a little, but me and my daughter would lay on the floor and make a wall and put her in the middle and we would not move or talk and she would check us out and smell us. Now if we lay down, she chews on our hair and give piggy kisses. It just take time

tiggyswift

Post   » Fri Dec 14, 2007 11:47 am


I have had scared piggies before, but he definitely wins the scardy cat prize! Feeding went better yet this morning, I was able to do it alone this time. I put him on the table on his towel, and put his hay cube and a few oxbow (cavy cuisine) in front of him. He ate 2-3 pellets on his own, and nibbled on the hay cube, too. We are making progress! His weight was slightly down(1/8 oz), so he probably did not eat much, if any on his own. I weighed his dry pellets w/o the bowl this time. We will see how he does throughout the day. It is slow, but we are on our way! He also climbed on my arm and put his head down as I was talking to him. He licked my arm a few times, too. I will update progerss later today.

HDSIEBERT1320

Post   » Fri Dec 14, 2007 12:13 pm


I am not a expert at all , but i think i would put white paper towels and not put any fruit in his pellets, since he doesn't like veg and fruit yet , but put some in his cage. I would but hay and pellets in his pigloo and try to leave him alone and let him understand that you are helping and not trying to hurt him. being licked by a gp is like the best thing ever and i have only got it once, when my gp had lice they would not eat or drink, i keep on treating her and offering red apples, ( which she loves) and i left her alone, i would talk to her, but would not handle her and after the third or fourth treatment she licked me and it has made us grow closer, now if you open her cage she trys to jump out to get to me. after reading up on lice, i understand it hurts and they do not understand you are helping, because you are causing them pain by touching them.

tiggyswift

Post   » Fri Dec 14, 2007 4:25 pm


I will try that, alto he eats the paper towels. Weight of food still the same. His weight is slightly down again from after am feeding. It is the same as it was before his feeding. I could not find any more poops since this morning. He had done two more after I put him back in, bringing the toal from last night to 16. I hope he goes soon. Come on Junior! Fight, baby, fight! Will update later.

tiggyswift

Post   » Fri Dec 14, 2007 5:41 pm


Just finished a feeding. It went well, he fought some, but is getting better with it. I also got 30ml water in him because it seems he hasn't done well with that today, either.Hopefully, he will poop soon. God, I hope so! Poop, Junior, Poop! Comeon, baby!

tiggyswift

Post   » Fri Dec 14, 2007 7:03 pm


Well, just checked his cage and found 3 very small poops. I hope he starts eating soon! He also had a cagemate at the store, so maybe that is another cause of stress. He still does not feel bloated, thank god! When will he eat?????? I think he is eating some hay, I put it in his house for him.

Tracis
Let Sleeping Pigs Lie

Post   » Fri Dec 14, 2007 7:42 pm


So glad that the handfeeding is going better for you and Junior!

Is Junior is taking antibiotics? One of my girls really hates to eat on her own when she has to take antibiotics. She will start to eat again after the course is over.

tiggyswift

Post   » Fri Dec 14, 2007 7:57 pm


No he isn't, which is why I am really worried about his not eating. My vet could not find any infection. He thinks it is severe stress right now. He has absolutely no interest in food at all, and only nibbles occaisionally on a piece of grass. I almost feel like we are fighting a losing battle sometimes. I would feel better if he showed a little interest in his food. I give him benebac every day, and fluids and his feedings. If he could live on benebac and paper towels, he would be all set! He loves them both! Do most pigs recover from severe stress like this? I sure hope so. I really don't want to lose him!

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