Who's the boss, feeding time arguments

[shigatsu]

Lately we've been having a problem between Taisuke and Mario during suppertime. It all started when we started to integrate occasional salads into their suppers as their supper as opposed to a treat (as it's hard to find decent healthy food for them!). They liked the first salad, but the next day we gave them their regular food, and Mario came along and threw a major hissy fit and would not let Taisuke near it, like he had starved himself or something (but he did take part in the salad). He was jumping right in the bowl and whenever Taisuke would come near him he'd make unappreciative squeeks at him and jump and kick his back legs and kick the food everywhere. If he got to close to him, he'd lunge at him somewhat violently. After that first time he has continued to do this during supper time almost everytime. If Taisuke gets an oppurtunity he'll copy Mario's actions, but if Taisuke gets to the food first, then he's calm and cool, but Mario often comes along and kicks him out. When Mario does throw his fit, I try to seperate them for fear that someone's gonna get one of their awefully sharp toenails in the eye or something. But after they're done feeding, their best pals for the rest of the day and night until the next supper time, and will eat together at any other point without fighting. Lee (my bf) has started giving Taisuke a healthy treat they both love whenever Mario does this in hopes that Mario will change his ways and to award Taisuke for his good behaviour. We've also started pulling out the bad stuff that comes in their regular food.

Ummm... any tips or ideas on why he may have started doing this? Thanks for any help or ideas! ^_^

[Willow]

Shigatsu how's this going? I've notice mine have started scrapping over the seed bowl with the big one stopping the little one from getting into it. There's 2 seed bowls in the cage to try prevent this so I'm not sure whats going on.

[Aimeelou]

Hi shigatsu
I woulnt worry about it to much, my two used to do it all the time - and still do a little now!
My girl tequila is horrible to taco my boy, and even him trying to get in the same nest is a problem somtimes! She will strike out at him for no reason, then sit and groom him after!
As soon as i put food in the cage, she is usualy first there and now taco has leared to wait for second sitting. I do put two bowls in at seperate ends of the cage to avoid these "arguments" sometimes!
Good luck
Aimee

[worthym]

Feeding time fighting is usually fairly harmless, but any signs of an increase in their territorial nature should be watched carefully, as they might escalate into something more serious.
With my gerbils - I scatter the food around their tanks, to ensure that they cannot fight over a food bowl, and to allow them to forage a bit more naturally for their food.
I started seeing my degus having "arguments" over the food bowl, lots of squeaking and telling the other two to get away. So now I try and scatter some of their food around the cage a bit, which allows them all to get something to eat - while still providing them with a bowl means they have got more for later. This has helped to stop most of the arguing over food.
Also, when I give them treats, I try to do it at a time away from their usual feeding time, and I will give each degu a treat at the same time. This usual has the intended effect that they all end up eating at the same time - and forget that they want to steal their brothers treat!!!

[Sunshinemeg]

Worthym's idea of scattering the food about is good, it means they can be as stroppy as they like but everyone can still get the food. Or I resorted to a dog size food bowl! dont laugh, it fits 3 degus in at once! Everyone can sit, with backs to each other and eat!

SUNSHINEMEG ;D

[shigatsu]

Well, Mario's still the boss of the food bowl. I started taking a small handfull out to give to Taisuke so Mario doesn't beat him up, but Mario picked up on it and if he saw me giving any to Taisuke he'd come and try to interfere (but usually he doesn't notice ). Mario always picks out and either eats or hides the good stuff leaving nothing but pellets for Taisuke. Also, when I don't do that, we'll give them both a treat at the sametime we give them new food, it almost always works! They're busy eating their treat and I guess they see the bowl as they do at any other time of the day and Mario doesn't take it over. Well, speaking of Mario trying to interfere as I mentioned a little earlier in this message; One time Mario watched as I gave Taisuke one of the dried veggie/cereal chunks. Taisuke went and burried it under one of their pieces of Mopani bogwood (well, it was kinda burried ) After Taisuke came back down to await more stuff from me, Mario went up to that same piece of bogwood, retreived what Taisuke hid, and found his own hiding spot and hid it there! My goodness, I say.... ^_^

^_^

[diet otaku]

oh, mine do that all the time! i give them each a raw peanut after i clean their cage, and often one of them will hide it in the house while the other is eating. once frenzy hid his peanut, rumble came in and stole it, and frenzy paused a second, and in a kind of "hey, WAIT A MINUTE," darted up to where rumble was and retrieved his peanut. XD