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Syringe Feeding - help!

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Abnoba

Abnoba

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Maybe I am just too clumsy to do it, I dont know.

Over the last couple of months I had to syringefeed a few guinea pigs, and I always had the same problem.

Its not so much the feeding itself, thats pretty easy:
Boyfriend holds the piggy on his lap, I put the syringe into piggies mouth from the side behind the frontteeth, squirt a bit of stuff in, pull out, piggy swallows, syringe in again...

Its the getting the food into the syringe that gives me a headache! :-\

I can put the syringe into CC when its quite diluted and it sucks it up quite well, but as soon as the liquid gets a bit thicker, no way.
It sucks the fluid out of the goo and leaves the rest on the saucer.. Now I am feeding Supreme Recovery right now which is alot thicker than CC, and I just couldnt get it in! Someone suggested chopping a bit off the tip of the syringe, to make the hole bigger, tried that, didnt work. And that was quite a big 3ml Syringe!
So in the end I had to pull the syringe apart, to fill it from the back, with the end of a teaspoon... made a mess, but I got the syringe filled. The feeding after that wasnt a problem, but I dont want to have to do it like this all the time.

Any advice on how to get a syringe filled with thick fluids and goos, not just water or very liquid CC? :(
 
Hiya, syringe feeding can be a bit tricky till you get the hang of it.
Have you cut the end off the syringe - the thin bit? That helps.
Good luck
x
 
Hi

I find using a 1ml syringe the best, chop the end off as Debbie says and make the consistency of the Science or CC slightly watery.

By cutting the top off the sryinge it makes it so much easier to suck the food up into it.

I have tried bigger syringes but just cannot work with them and find the 1ml so very much easier, as you can just pop that in piggies mouth and its not a massive chunk of plastic.

You may find the smaller one easier too, hope this helps.

Deb x
 
I have always used a 2ml syringe with the end cut off very close to the base with a scalpel. I use Science Recovery this way without problem. Sorry you are getting conflicting advice, but what works for some doesn't for others :)

Good luck.

Barbara
 
I find a 1ml syringe is best. It is just about the right amount for a piggie and fits into the corner of their mouthes well. If you cut the tip off they will work but it is a pain:( I find that if you sort of scrape the syringe along the bottom of the container the feed is in it helps the syringe suck up the gloop. And have a bit of extra water available to add if the mixture ends up thickening. I find sitting the piggie on my lap works best, one hand over his/her head with my thumb lifting the corner of his/her mouth to let the syringe in. You can give them a stroke with that hand as you refill the syringe with the other, which calms them. I never wrap up piggies to feed them, way too stressful imo.
 
I agree with most of the other posts. The smaller syringe is way easier. Cutting the tip off is also very helpful. I like to stuff a fork point in the end of the syringe when I am not using it and it stretches out the plastic.

There is no point stressing yourself out trying to suck up the thicker goup. Trust me it is a big headache. You will have to settle with just watering down the goup so you can suck it in. Takes a bit longer to feed because the formula is more water, but the thick stuff just wont go in. I bought a tiny espresso cup to feed from. It is much easier trying to suck with the syringe in a smaller area and when the goup is deeper. I use the swirl around in the bottom while trying to suck it up with the syringe method. If the formula isn't deep enough you just end up sucking air where you have created that hole in the goup.
 
Do you have any friends with small children? if you do ask if they have a 'Nurofen' syringe. The kids nurofen (liquid ibubrofen) now comes with a syringe that is perfect for a piggie as the hole is already big. if you can't get hold of one I'll post you one - or buy a bottle of kids nurofen for £3!
 
I have used a 50ml syringe and its great getting all the cc in. I am sure if you went to your vets you will beable to pick something up

Mary
 
:) I use a 1ml syringe and cut off the end with nail scissors. If the edge left is rough then smooth it by holding over a heated electric ring :) Consistency will come with practise, just make it up so that you can suck it up some of mine eat it from a dish (shallow). :)
 
I use plastic pipettes that I bought from Ebay.

I always used to break syringes and get the black endy bit stuck in the tube, and I saw Peter Gurney use these pipettes that just have a bit at the top that you squeeze and release to suck the food up

The end still needs cutting off as its a bit pointy but I find them so much easier than syringes.

I can post some to you as I have loads (or anyone else) who might be interested
 
I have tried all sizes of syringes, and to be honest its amtter of keep trying until you find the right consisitency and right size hole i also open mine out with a fork first cutting the ends off sanding them down so smooth pushing the fork in and twisting it until the hole opens out, I think even if its a lot runnier they are getting the extra fluid still needed so am not too bothered about it being runny enough for the syringe just give them more of it, good luck
 
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