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Recovery Foods - for long(er) term?

Katiedid

Katiedid

Adult Guinea Pig
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Jet is unlikley to be able to eat himself for a while (if ever - and if it transpires that it is never then we will look at what is best for him), for the next few weeks I will be continuing with recovery foods. What is out there?

I am using Critical Care, I have used Emeraid in the past but I know it isn't good long term due ot low fibre.

If I were to mush pellets which pellets are best (or should I get the special ones that can be fed or mushed). Or Burgess ones or should I go for grain free ones like science select (or shoudl i just puree Gerty and be done with it)?

I would like to get some weight back on him so he can cope with whatever we do next, is there a way whilst on syringe feeding to do this (I can get 120ml down him in 4 large feeds - I know it should be more often but I physically can't)?

He has bladder sludge from the CC!
 
My guinea pigs eat Small Pet Select pellets, we've only been using them for about a month and a half now but I've noticed they are pretty crumbly. They should be really easy to crush and also are really healthy for your pig and so much better than the pet store pellets i'd been buying. The only thing I didn't like at first was that they were a lot bigger than the pellets they were used to but it's not a problem anymore as my piggies have grown used to it.
 
I use mushed nuggets rather than recovery foods, as I find most piggies enjoy them more. I use a variety of nuggets, to give some variety to the tastes. I also use the pouches of vegetable and fruit based baby foods too. I have used the Science Selective grain free nuggets and also the Burgess Dual Care.

I also add Wheatgrass powder to the syringe food, from time to time. Porridge oats are easily eaten by piggies with dental issues too.
 
I don't know much about long term but Iggy was on recovery for quite a while. I debated getting emeraid but didn't know how to buy it.

I use a mix of grain free pellets, a touch of wheat grass and some critical care. All my pigs love it and I often give them some as a treat so they're used to it should any illness occur in the future :)
 
When I was syringe feeding Bramble over the months she required it I found the fine grind version of the critical care really helpful. The burgess duel care pellets have been a godsend since I found them too and I wish I had them back then!
I also mixed a blend of grass powder, oatmeal flour and nutri powder from Galens Garden for syringing and she loved that too, you can also mix it thicker and roll them into soft pellets for them to eat themselves. That website also does something called 'hay flakes' which is a flakey type of hay pellet for dental piggies that you can soak and they find it fairly easy to eat out of a bowl by themselves. Mixed with something yummy like a bit of baby food, grated veggies and rolled oats it went down extremely well with Bramble.
 
Thank you, we have the burgess blackcurrant for small fluffball and he won't eat them (indeed we are at the stage where all he will attempt himself is slivers of grass). I will try the other suggestions.
 
@Katiedid My piggy can eat for himself but we're battling a weight issue at the moment. I've got about 10 different types of pellets and I just let him have whatever he wants. The Burgess Dualcare are great, he loves them 2 days out of 7, so I can recommend those too.

I'd just give him what he wants. Nutritional values don't differ massively so it's easier to get weight onto them if they're enjoying their food. Mix and match, offer some baby food in between, swap between nuggets and special syringe food. Add in a bit of 100% fresh juice. Whatever he enjoys eating at the time.

It's really wasteful but I'd rather a pig eat something they want to eat than me trying to shove stuff into them that they don't like
 
I’m off to get baby pouches! We have oats, I am going to send the vets can order dual care instead of critical care. I will try grass and oats too!
 
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