From soupies to chuckies to chicken wings

[kibumi24]

We are chugging right along Sören and I. Started the day after I brought him home and seems to love every minute of it. Sören had his first taste of raw whole chicken wing this evening. He chewed and chewed on the wing tip till he ate most of it before noming on the more meaty piece for a while. He didn't finish it but instead ate his Thursday heart and then took a nap.

It's great that my little Sören loves his raw noms so much but he seems to only be interested in eating when I get home from classes at around 7 or 9pm. This would be fine by me since I could feed him and type up a paper or something while he eats and plays.

But it's when morning comes I let him out to play in his pen while i get ready for class, play with him for a bit right before putting him back in his FN and leaving his food for the morning.

If I stand there for a while and watch him he'll eat his fill then stash most of the rest for later. But if I leave right after I feed him he seems to only stash it and not touch it till I get home and feed him in the evening and by then its dried out and sticking to his stash box.

I'm a little worried because of this behavior but at the same time not since I know he will eat it if I'm watching him or holding him in my lap and dangling the meat for him to eat. I'd like to know if any of you have had this problem and if there is a way to encourage him to eat when I am not there to stand near him or hold him.

Should I just tough it out and wait or something?

~Kibumi

[Deleted]

How old is he?

[kibumi24]

Sören is 2-2 1/2 years old.

[Sherry]

He should start eating it on his own with time. Right now, it seems like he wants you there for the reassurance that this is good food.

[kibumi24]

I never thought of it like that Sherry, makes since now. Do you think that the times when he is not eating during the day, when i am in classes, will hurt him? I have noticed that Sören's not eating as much as what I have read other fluff nuggets have when switching off of kibble. Shouldn't he be gulping down meat, organ and bone like there's no tomorrow?

[Sherry]

Depends on how long they've been getting raw. Mine took about a month and a half before appetites went through the roof. And are you certain he's not nibbling during the day?
As for only eating once a day- it depends on whether or not he's healthy. If he's got any signs of insulinoma, then no.
A few raw feeders I know of feed daily. It's just the majority of us who feed twice a day.

[kibumi24]

Sören's been on raw for about a month now give or take. I dont think he is nibbling during the day, when i get home and check his food stash box every piece is perfectly intact if a little dry. I havent seen any signs of insulinoma, he's very energetic when out to play and doesn't seem lethargic or anything when i get home and take him out. More or less he'll just pace the doors of the FN till i open them and let him play.

[Sherry]

He should be fine, then