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Post by moletteuk on Aug 26, 2016 16:45:24 GMT
Very pleased to hear that BB has improved a lot
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Post by deguconvert on Aug 26, 2016 19:27:12 GMT
I am SOOO glad to hear this news! Well done, Randomname! Well done! We do have a lovely community here, and we celebrate and worry, grieve and laugh together. Celebrating your excellent work with BB!!
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Post by randomname on Aug 28, 2016 21:06:36 GMT
Another empty bowl of normal food today (bar the nuggets) Is destroying everything edible in his cage too. Is currently eating a water hyacinth ball (which he never would have before) Am thinking he must have come to me with a dodgy stomach, & this is him normal. He never ate much before he got ill, never ate toys or accessories or forage. Now he's trying quite a few new things, & everything is chewed to dust! His tail is looking really hairy too - he's recovered at least half so far. It's all growing a bit mad, all bristly & sticking out in every direction, but it's coming in nicely. Finally, the new 3 level cage for the babies is due Tuesday, at last! It's made of the same stuff as a thickets or john hopewell cages, so the babies & BB can interact through the bars & touch each other if they want. Can't wait to see how that goes, will think about introductions next week after a few days in contact together. Is nice to have good news to report for a change
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Post by bouncy on Aug 28, 2016 21:47:03 GMT
So pleased for you! Wait til he starts dragging anything and everything into the cage!
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Post by Bexi87 on Aug 28, 2016 22:01:53 GMT
Aw I'm so happy that he is doing well - BB has fast become a member of our little global family
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Post by deguconvert on Aug 29, 2016 2:28:19 GMT
This such wonderful news!! I am so thrilled for you, Randomname!! WOO HOO!
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Post by spottydegu on Aug 29, 2016 8:03:09 GMT
Great news! I hope everything stays like this! I hope the introductions go well!
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Post by randomname on Aug 29, 2016 11:16:47 GMT
Funny you say that bouncy, was just talking to my eldest about how our previous degus used to pass willow sticks through their bars to the hairless rats we had. The rats never passed anything back, but the goos would pass all their sticks through during the night. Had forgotten all about that til now. Thanks everyone for your kind words, is lovely to know people care. It's a lovely community here, & I love how everyone really cares about each other's furry friends. Have ordered some Avipro plus (https://www.pet-supermarket.co.uk/Avipro-Plus/p/I0000212) to add to water, seeing as BB is now ignoring the moor liquid. Should help keep his guts healthy. Might even add it to the baby degus' & rabbit's water too. Does anyone see any problems with that?
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Post by moletteuk on Aug 29, 2016 11:28:14 GMT
That's amazing about the sticks, did the rats want the sticks?
The pre and pro biotics aren't generally safe for medium or longer term use in degus because they contain glucose. I believe Vetark have changed the pre & pro biotics fairly recently, Avipro plus is pre biotic only, and the Pro C is now pre and pro biotic for furries. I used the Pro C for Molly when she was ill, my vet said this was the correct product for her and Timmy (hamster) when they had upset tummies due to other health issues and dehydration and eating problems. It does look like the Avipro is more of a long term use product, it depends how much glucose is in there, I would say go steady with it.
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Post by randomname on Aug 29, 2016 12:26:38 GMT
oh you're right moletteuk , I just found Vetarks webpage on it. Seems like it would be good to have it in if he gets ill again, but not to use it if he doesn't need it. It was only £2 in the sale, so haven't lost out. Might be more suitable for the dogs looking into it. Don't think the rats wanted the sticks! It was the degus idea to pass them!! It started off with us noticing that the rats somehow had all the sticks in their cage every morning. On investigation we saw the rats & degus "talking" to each other, then the degus would start passing sticks across, the rats would take them, but drop them in their cages & ignore them. I think they just enjoyed interacting. I always wondered if they'd have got along if they met face to face, but am always wary so never attempted it. I really really miss having rats, especially the hairless ones. I am always looking for a hairless guinea pig, hamster, rat or mice in rescues, but haven't seen any. Would love hairless cats & dogs too, but never seen any in rescue either.
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Post by bouncy on Aug 29, 2016 12:31:14 GMT
One of the seed mixes I use with my goos is packaged for wild birds, and has a natural coating on it to help prevent the bad bacteria from growing in their tummies like e-coli. Seem to be thriving on it
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Post by randomname on Aug 29, 2016 12:35:51 GMT
do you know what brand it is bouncy?
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Post by bouncy on Aug 29, 2016 12:38:01 GMT
Yep, it's called Peter and Paul. There's four or five different mixes, so check which ones have the mealworms in!
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Post by randomname on Aug 29, 2016 12:41:55 GMT
I'll keep my eyes open for it, thank you. Much prefer adjusting diet as a long term solution.
I know oats are the best helper for good gut flora in humans, works better than those yogurt drink things. Saw a tv program where they tested people, & they found those drinks only work when drunk every day & you get better results, which continue working months after you stop eating them, with oats. Am wondering if they're as beneficial in goos?
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Post by bouncy on Aug 29, 2016 12:49:10 GMT
Not sure. Ironically, I was reading through a German site, and they recommended a particular bird seed (or similar), too! Also say a small amount probiotic yoghurt and camomile and fennel tea!
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Post by randomname on Aug 29, 2016 13:21:54 GMT
am I brewing the tea in a tiny cup, or giving them the dry mix?!!
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emergency
Aug 29, 2016 17:08:33 GMT
via mobile
Post by bouncy on Aug 29, 2016 17:08:33 GMT
Hahaha I guess you can either give herbs to munch, or tea to drink!
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Post by moletteuk on Aug 30, 2016 15:09:25 GMT
I hadn't heard of any of this, so I've just done a little reading. I think the anti bacterial coating is to stop the e.coli growing on the outside of the seeds when they get contaminated from dirty feeders and bird tables (rather than doing anything in the stomach?). Have you got the german reference to the beneficial seeds, Bouncy?
With the oats in humans it looks like it is the soluble fibre that is beneficial for helping clear out unfriendly bacteria. Since degus should be eating mainly fibre anyway, what is a good source of fibre for humans translates as a poor source of fibre compared to plant matter for degus.
That's just my thoughts on this. It's an interesting topic and very under-researched in humans, I think gut flora in humans will turn out to be really important, I think there was a small study last year linking gut flora to mental health. I was making and drinking kefir for about a year, finished a year or so ago, and was really disappointed it didn't help me, in fact it made my digestion worse and gave me constipation no matter how strong or weak I made it.
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Post by bouncy on Aug 30, 2016 17:18:57 GMT
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Post by deguconvert on Aug 30, 2016 19:12:26 GMT
Have you tried fermented vegetables, Molette?
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