Post by raebees on Dec 21, 2016 2:07:16 GMT -5
This thread is for Moxie and me, primarily. I'm having very little issues getting TinkerBella to eat bone, though she definitely will benefit as well.
Background: We received these girls Oct 29th and were told they were 6 months old and ate raw. From what I could gather, they weren't eating entirely raw and certainly nothing like the diet found on HFF. The vet confirms that they are 2016 babies, though I think Moxie is a little older than Bella. While I didn't get to weigh them right away, I would guess that Moxie was close to 700g and Bella was probably closer to 1000g. At the vets a week and a half ago (six weeks after starting their new diet) Moxie weighed 900g and Bella was a whopping 1600g.
I found the forum shortly after getting them home, and while I didn't start with the recommended duck soup, I did make soups following the menu so they received their hearts and organs since the first week. I've been using bone meal powder as a calcium replacement.
We're kind of stuck. I've included about an ounce of grinds to their meals because it seems to encourage both of them to start licking, and all pieces of meat are cut into slivers but I can't seem to get Moxie to consistently chew. When she first starts out, she's cautious, like, wary of the bowl. She'll try to run away unless I pick her up and put her in my lap. Once there, she'll eat from my fingers and sometimes, will chew a bigger piece in half, but most things get swallowed and if she can't swallow it, she flicks her tongue and out it comes. Every time she eats, whether from my lap, hand, spoon, floor, hammock, blankies, she shivers. Almost violently. It stops as soon as she's done but I can't quite tell why she does it. I've not had to use the scruff and stuff though I have held her and 'forced' food in her face (rub her mouth without allowing her to run away)
I start breakfast with a wing for Moxie and leg for Bella. Bella will almost finish hers if I hold it for her, otherwise she stashes. Moxie will get through half a wing before wanting down. If I have to head to work, I'll mash whatever I can't get them to chew and have them eat a bit of it before I leave. When I have more time available, I'll hold out mashing and grinds for a couple hours.
Nights are about the same. They love heart pudding but I've been leaving half of it in slivers and small chunks. They don't eat near as much on Sunday evening so I've been considering tweaking heart and organ nights to include a little heart in Sunday's soup.
Mon: AM Quail & ground Pork
PM Frog legs & ground Beef
Tues: AM Quail & ground Pork
PM Pork slivers & ground Beef
Wed: AM Frog legs & ground Pork
PM Chicken hearts
Thurs: AM Quail & ground Beef
PM Frog legs & ground Pork
Fri: AM Quail & ground Turkey (this batch has rosemary so only weekly)
PM Chicken heart, Beef liver & Pork spleen
Sat: AM Frog legs & ground Pork
PM Pork tongue & ground Beef
Sun: AM Quail & ground Beef
PM Beef liver & Pork kidney
I suspect Moxie to be intolerant, if not allergic, to chicken, though I have not fully tested this out, hence all the quail. The two times I fed chicken breast with ground pork, Moxie ended up puking hours later. It was undigested and smelled rancid. She has not puked with any other meats and tolerates pork regularly.
I am also still looking for sources. I may have to wait and order online but for now I can regularly get all the proteins above.
Body pictures to follow and teeth pictures in the next day or two.
Background: We received these girls Oct 29th and were told they were 6 months old and ate raw. From what I could gather, they weren't eating entirely raw and certainly nothing like the diet found on HFF. The vet confirms that they are 2016 babies, though I think Moxie is a little older than Bella. While I didn't get to weigh them right away, I would guess that Moxie was close to 700g and Bella was probably closer to 1000g. At the vets a week and a half ago (six weeks after starting their new diet) Moxie weighed 900g and Bella was a whopping 1600g.
I found the forum shortly after getting them home, and while I didn't start with the recommended duck soup, I did make soups following the menu so they received their hearts and organs since the first week. I've been using bone meal powder as a calcium replacement.
We're kind of stuck. I've included about an ounce of grinds to their meals because it seems to encourage both of them to start licking, and all pieces of meat are cut into slivers but I can't seem to get Moxie to consistently chew. When she first starts out, she's cautious, like, wary of the bowl. She'll try to run away unless I pick her up and put her in my lap. Once there, she'll eat from my fingers and sometimes, will chew a bigger piece in half, but most things get swallowed and if she can't swallow it, she flicks her tongue and out it comes. Every time she eats, whether from my lap, hand, spoon, floor, hammock, blankies, she shivers. Almost violently. It stops as soon as she's done but I can't quite tell why she does it. I've not had to use the scruff and stuff though I have held her and 'forced' food in her face (rub her mouth without allowing her to run away)
I start breakfast with a wing for Moxie and leg for Bella. Bella will almost finish hers if I hold it for her, otherwise she stashes. Moxie will get through half a wing before wanting down. If I have to head to work, I'll mash whatever I can't get them to chew and have them eat a bit of it before I leave. When I have more time available, I'll hold out mashing and grinds for a couple hours.
Nights are about the same. They love heart pudding but I've been leaving half of it in slivers and small chunks. They don't eat near as much on Sunday evening so I've been considering tweaking heart and organ nights to include a little heart in Sunday's soup.
Mon: AM Quail & ground Pork
PM Frog legs & ground Beef
Tues: AM Quail & ground Pork
PM Pork slivers & ground Beef
Wed: AM Frog legs & ground Pork
PM Chicken hearts
Thurs: AM Quail & ground Beef
PM Frog legs & ground Pork
Fri: AM Quail & ground Turkey (this batch has rosemary so only weekly)
PM Chicken heart, Beef liver & Pork spleen
Sat: AM Frog legs & ground Pork
PM Pork tongue & ground Beef
Sun: AM Quail & ground Beef
PM Beef liver & Pork kidney
I suspect Moxie to be intolerant, if not allergic, to chicken, though I have not fully tested this out, hence all the quail. The two times I fed chicken breast with ground pork, Moxie ended up puking hours later. It was undigested and smelled rancid. She has not puked with any other meats and tolerates pork regularly.
I am also still looking for sources. I may have to wait and order online but for now I can regularly get all the proteins above.
Body pictures to follow and teeth pictures in the next day or two.