Eating String?
We came down after eating dinner and Toby's hammock wasn't hanging from one corner. His cage is too wide for the hammock so I had lengthened the strap with a piece of ribbon. The ribbon is missing and we can't find it anywhere. The only thing I can think of is that he ate it. He's never chewed anything before and he doens't even stand up that high usually. If he ate it it's a narrow pice of ribbon that's a foot and a half long. I'm not sure how he could eat something like that without choking. He's running around acting fine I don't know what to think.
Update:
I called the vet and we got Toby and appointment for tomorrow at 2:30. The vet said that he'd probably pass it, but to bring him in anyway. We decided to try an experiment, so we put the other piece of ribbon in front of him to see what he'd do, and he chomped right down on it like it was a piece of candy. The good thing is he bit right through it, so I guess there's a chance that he actually chewed up the other piece rather than swallowing it whole.
I called the vet and we got Toby and appointment for tomorrow at 2:30. The vet said that he'd probably pass it, but to bring him in anyway. We decided to try an experiment, so we put the other piece of ribbon in front of him to see what he'd do, and he chomped right down on it like it was a piece of candy. The good thing is he bit right through it, so I guess there's a chance that he actually chewed up the other piece rather than swallowing it whole.
I used to use ribbon to tie Henry & Piggie's potty onto the grids. One day the ribbon was missing. I don't know who ate it or what happened to it. Everyone seemed fine. I found it hard to believe that one pig could eat something of that size, but the ribbon never turned up under the cage or anything. So who knows.
Well the vet couldn't do much. She couldn't feel anything in his tummy. The only thing she could suggest was an x-ray for $200 so see if his intestine was looking blocked. He is still eating and pooping so we decided not to get the x-ray because it wouldn't change anything. She said if he gets a block the only thing we can do is a $2000 surgery that he has a 50/50 chance of surviving or putting him to sleep. The only thing she could suggest is that he gets plenty of hydration and fiber and hope for the best, but both of the exotics vets agreed that if there really is that long of a ribbon inside there isn't much chance of it passing. It would be good if he chewed it really good or there is the possibility that it could sit in his stomach long enough to break down. At this point all we can do is pray and hope for the best. This crazy guy has been to the vet 7 times in the six months since we got him.
Did he eat yards of ribbon or a few inches? Most of our pigs have gotten into SOMETHING at some point. Mine ate about 6" of ribbon I didn't know he could get to and the nylon zipper pull off my backpack. While I definitely recommend keeping these things away from piggies, it's amazing the things they pass. Hay and hydration sound as good as anything.
I never saw mine again either, and I looked. I wasn't expecting to see a 6" piece of fully intact ribbon covered in poo, but I didn't even see parts of it in the poo.
I'd imagine that your pig chewed it up before swallowing it. I can't imagine he'd swallow 18 inches whole, y'know? But I suppose weirder things have happened.
I'd imagine that your pig chewed it up before swallowing it. I can't imagine he'd swallow 18 inches whole, y'know? But I suppose weirder things have happened.
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