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Post by blossombrooks on Jul 1, 2011 19:25:02 GMT
>sigh< Pepper is being such a picky little monster!! They both used to have p@h nuggets and go mad for them but they started leaving more and more (I don't overfeed) so I gradually swapped them to xtra vital degu after seeing good things about it. They both liked it and it's been ok..... The last few days tho they've been leaving bits again, it's pepper mainly, she's refusing to eat anything out of the mixture except the dried peas?!!! Apparently those are good. So good nothing else will do. today I put some p@h nuggets back in with the xtra vital incase she's bored. Daisy is munching away happily, pep's looking at me like 'are you mad woman??'. I need no goo translator for one of pepper's 'looks'. If I try another type will the same happen again? Or is perseverance the key? Help!
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Post by blossombrooks on Jul 3, 2011 11:24:41 GMT
Bump! Please anyone? I don't want them dropping weight, they're small as it is.
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Post by fred on Jul 3, 2011 11:52:21 GMT
Sorry, can't give you advice, just join in the question Mine were perfectly happy with the P@H nuggets in the beginning but are now down to at best 10 nuggets per head per day. At the moment I am using XtraVital exclusively as treats but is clear that there are very different levels of excitement about different bit of the mix. If I used it as regular feed, I am sure they would pick their favourites and leave the rest. Yet to try gertys guinea (only just bought a bag) but expect it may be the same story. It's not just that it could get very expensive but also unbalanced I know they can be very single-minded but I can't see them starve themselves to a agree where it affects their health. What do others think about this? On a related issue, is there any any supplement around for degus which for some reasons don't have a well balanced diet? Mine are clearly not starving at the moment but with over 80% food being hay and fresh greens I am getting a bit worried that they may be missing out on something.
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Post by Ady on Jul 3, 2011 11:57:19 GMT
Maybe u could try Gerty Guinea pig food? I don't think u can make degu to eat something they don't like. Mine would better starve for days then eat p@h nuggets.
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Post by fred on Jul 3, 2011 12:58:24 GMT
Mine have just had their first dish of gerty guinea pig and they have been tucking in! Definitely worth a try. Still the question remains, what should/could one do if they started to be overly selective with that one too?
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Post by Ady on Jul 3, 2011 14:39:32 GMT
I had a look through the Food and Feeding section and lots of people got the same problem, with degus being picky and not liking P@H nuggets. I'm thinking variety of food could help to get them eat all nutrition they should get? I mix gerty, xtravital and nuggets with couple of selective biscuits and some dry veggies. I know this isn't exactly solution to the problem but they do eat it all, if I give them one mix alone, there's always certain pieces left.
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Post by amie on Jul 3, 2011 15:57:21 GMT
Mine had become too selective with the Gerty Guinea Pig, only eating about 3 certain bits from it and then leaving the rest. It was costing me a fortune and more importantly I was concerned about them not getting everything that they needed from the food. I have a soft heart and I love my degus dearly (as I know you do too), but it came to a point where I needed to be strict and not pander to their silly little stubborness. They have a great diet on top of the nuggets now, but I cut out ALL treats for a while. I mixed nuggets in the GGP food. Still they ignored the nuggets, so on about day four I took the GGP food away and left with only the nuggets. They reluctantly ate them (I watched ALL of them eating nuggets so I knew they were getting food) and then I just kept refilling their bowl when it was empty. They soon came to learn they do not get what they want by going on hunger stike. I kept a really good eye on them whilst doing this as I wouldn't have continued persisting if one was REALLY dropping weight. It is my belief that there comes a time when they realise that they either eat it, or starve (not that we'd ever let that happen!). I'd suggest you cut out ALL treats for a good week or so and hopefully you'll watch the food bowl go down (even if you put them on nuggets again). Obviously give them plenty of hay too. If she outright refuses to eat AT ALL for a more than a few days and you notice considerable weight loss, I'd go for the mix of food suggested above. I've had to do this before to get Damon to eat. A mix of GGP, Xvital, Selective Science and nuggets. They'll atleast be something in that mix that she will eat. Just like us, they can survive without eating for a while, so perhaps she knows that if she goes on hunger strike, you will give in and let her win. They are much more intelligent with these things than we give them credit for lol. My way of doing things might seem harsh and it was hard for me to do because I'm so bloody soft hearted, but I also NEED my degus to eat properly and EAT what I know is best for them and not just 'all the nice bits'. This was my way of doing things and it really worked for me and mine, but I undertstand that not everyone might share my opinion on this and only YOU know your degus. Whilst they're all pretty similar, they're al very different too. Only YOU know who is the most persistant and stubborn.... you or her. I hope she starts eating properly soon and I'm sorry if my advice doesn't work for you. I just thought I'd put it out there as an option for you Amie x
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Post by blossombrooks on Jul 3, 2011 16:36:23 GMT
Thanks very much amie :-) that sounds good. I have been a bit soft too I suppose, if I noticed they'd left loads I'd been trying to give them a treat to keep their weight up but I guess I'm now paying the price! It's pepper that is def most stubborn, shes even turned her nose up at oats recently in the hopes of getting something better. I have been very stubborn about that tho, it's oats or nothing! I just worry too much but they are so special. They're both around 200g at the min which I know is just about ok but on the small side for adults. They're sisters so I hope its cos maybe their parents were small. X
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Post by Ady on Jul 3, 2011 16:47:22 GMT
That's good advice Amie. When mine stopped eating nuggets I wanted to do it too, but as I found out one of mine was pregnant I started with mix of everything to get her eat more. Reading your post I'm thinking of changing their diet, once all babies are in new homes.
Good luck with Pepper, blossombrooks.
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Post by blossombrooks on Jul 3, 2011 17:22:24 GMT
Thanks ady and good luck with the babies! X
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Post by amie on Jul 3, 2011 17:46:07 GMT
Only take the approach 'eat it or starve' unless you she that definately hasn't eaten ANYTHING for more than about four days (in my opinion). They can keep themselves going on that, but they can also keep themselves going with the little treats you give them and hold off from food until the next treat (because they know the next treat will come if they don't eat). Damon didn't eat for two days other than hay, but I persisted and he now enjoys his nuggets with lots of woodlands treats on top. You could try something that I did actually. mix the nuggets into a bag of woodlands salad feast (it has a much stronger smell than woodlands herbal delight) and leave them there for a day or so that the smell gets onto the nuggets. Take the nuggets out WITH OUT any of the salad feast mixed in with them and then feed them their nuggets. They should smell a lot nicer to them. Don't mix the salad mix in with their food though as she will most likely just pick out the salad mix rather than eating the nuggets (which is the whole point! lol). Hope I've helped atleast a little Amie x
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Post by philbailey1806 on Jul 5, 2011 13:59:30 GMT
I agree with amie, sometimes you just have to be cruel to be kind, they won't starve if they have food in their cage, they're just testing your resolve. Would you eat a plate of sprouts if you knew you'd get a macdonalds if you didn't eat it?
Also mine go through phases where they will eat more nuggets and leave the hay, and sometimes fill up on hay and not eat as many nuggets, I suppose where their diet is concerned they know which they need to eat, so I always make sure they have an unlimited supply of everything, as mine don't tend to overfeed at all.
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Post by philbailey1806 on Jul 5, 2011 14:01:55 GMT
Sorry by "unlimited amount of everything" I mean unlimited P@H nuggets and timothy hay (mine like the burgess one with dandelion and marigold)
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Post by blossombrooks on Jul 6, 2011 18:06:34 GMT
Thanks all for your help. I've been very careful to not treat them, they've had a good mix of xtra vital and p@h nuggets which they both seem to be seeing in a whole new light! I just needed to be firm. It's surprising tho as I've had them a year and this has never been an issue before. That's degus for you I guess, always adapting to new ways of human manipulation! :-)
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Post by amie on Jul 6, 2011 18:49:36 GMT
Just got to put the little sods in their place sometimes Glad they're bahaving for you.
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