Sharing Supplement

[smhluvsmh]

For those of you with multiple chins, sharing a cage, that feed some sort of supplement, how do you give it to your chins? How do you ensure that one doesn't get too much or not enough? I have sisters that share a cage and I have 2 of everything so they always have access to what they want. I just didn't know how best to handle supplement.:hmm:

 

[Lillybabe]

Most of the time I just put a bowl between my girls and they do a pretty good job sharing. However, since I have a FN I've taken to separating the girls every other time. Usually when I clean I block off a half of the cage so I just let one of them into the clean last to be cleaned half first and then offer them both their portion. I tried offering two bowls as well which works with limited success. I only bother separating them some of the time because Trixie is about 60 grams smaller than Pixie and I worry that she isn't getting her share. I have never really seen either of them bullying each other but I feel offering it to them separated at least part of the time insures she gets some. The last time I did this though she did not eat all of her supplement and seemed stressed without her sister. There was also a loud movie playing in the living room that she could hear though. Pixie is much more easy going than Trixie who is a bit skittish. Pixie is so relaxed around me that many times I can wait until she climbs into my hand/onto my forearm and lift her right out of the cage. I'd try offering two bowls first or putting it on two small shallow plates... and see if they both eat out of their own bowl.

 

[smhluvsmh]

Funny, I just knew it would be you who would answer! LOL. Thanks for the advice. I have had the girls for over a year now and they have always gotten supplement that I purchase from the rescue/breeder that I got them from but it was more of a forage product to put in their hay. They have huge new hay boxes (from Christine) now and they don't make nearly the mess and waste they used to with their hay so I didn't want to put the supplement that I just ordered from FuzziesKingdom in the hay and have it wasted. Like your girls, my Sterling, who is 130g larger than her sister, is very easy going and relaxed but not my "Little Miss Sassy Pants," Micah, she is still very skittish and high strung with tons of attitude! They are so very different!

 

[Lillybabe]

Now how did you know it'd be me?! Hmm.. I can't remember if I posted the picture of them sharing supplement in their picture thread. I ought to if I haven't. I got this picture of both their heads in the bowl at the same time. I love the broad spectrum supplement from Tanya. It is full of great stuff. My girls love it as well. They lick the bowl clean! I'm glad to hear other people have big size differences. I was hoping it was normal. I am a bit paranoid with my baby girls. Always afraid something might go wrong. However, they are both over 400 grams now and still growing. Don't have a current weight as they are getting harder and harder to weigh. Maybe they are embarassed to be getting chubby? Self conscious chins?

 

[SamiJami]

Altair and Ezio share a cage. If not eaten immediately, Ezio will finish his and then go for Altair's. We have 2 food bowl which we put the supplement in. We can't separate them easily, so we just time it when Altair is on the top and Ezio is on the bottom. They each attack the bowl and it's all done

 

[smhluvsmh]

Thanks SamiJami!

LillyBabe...you have bonded baby girls like I do so I am always interested in your posts and opinions about what works and doesn't. I too am very paranoid. I have 3 grown human sons so these precious little girls along with my pampered single girl Gizmo and baby girl dog, Muffin, are such a delight. My husband feels like we are raising kids again and in some ways we are, but I was born to mother and I will until I can't anymore whether it's babies, grand babies (far in the future I hope, the boys are 21, 19 and 18 and all in college) or my fur babies.

 

[ChinnyMom]

my boys just get their pinch of supplement right on whatever shelf they are sitting on. if one boy doesn't finish his, the other pinch isn't so much that i worry they are getting too much. but usually they eat their own respective lil pinch piles without barging in on the other one.

or i'll just sprinkle a smidgen on their pellets. the amount is smaller than most people give their chins, so i never worry about a supplement overdose.

my boys get their herb mix supplement a couple times a week. i view it more as a treat than a supplementation to their diet, because their pellets are good quality (oxbow) and not junk, and they eat hay really well too.

 

[smhluvsmh]

Thanks ChinnyMom! Sterling and Micah are doing great sharing from the same bowl right now and Gizmo gets everything to herself, lucky girl!