Weight loss after separation ??

mishellyshel · Feb 22, 2010

OK, so I weighed all my boys last night! I posted another question in the food section about weight loss but this one is about behavior.

Last week I had to separate a bonded pair due to fighting (Oreo attacked Snickers)

After setting up snickers cage and getting a better look at him, he has a huge fur slip in addition to the small wound on his ear.

Snickers is depressed.

Oreo could give a hoot. :wacko:

He is not eating all that much, although last night I saw him nibble some pellet and he IS eating hay. I weighed him last night and he is down about 40 grams from last month.

Is this normal? I did give him some lifeline last night. he was not happy about the syringe. Does anyone have any tips for helping him get thru this?

I havent tried joint playtime OR even re-introducing them as both of them seem kinda happy with their "space". BUT they do both sit at the front of the cage and look at eachother......frequently. Just looking for a little advice.

Spoof · Feb 22, 2010

Is this normal?

Very normal, competition for food will always make one eat more, regardless of species.

mishellyshel · Feb 22, 2010

but they are separate and now one isnt eating much at all. are you saying that when they were together maybe snickers ate more and now he is just eating normally which is less? (does what i typed even make sense!)

Spoof · Feb 22, 2010

Yes, if he was the subdominant chin it was important for him to "sneak in and eat as much as possible", it's just nature.

He may also be insecure so not comfortable in coming out and eating? It varies with each chin but I'd not worry about it too much. It is also likely fallout from the fight and his body needing more to heal itself. Give him more time.

)

Sandi · Feb 22, 2010

Michelle, I went through this with CJ and Pepper who had been together for over a year. They were both about the same weight last August. By the end of December, Pepper was 25% heavier than CJ. CJ at that time had lost about 30-40 grams and had slipped fur during a scary chase between the two that I had witnessed. They were immediately separated and CJ slowly began to gain what he had lost. I fed him lifeline stuffed in half of a shreddie about 5 times per week. CJ looked pretty bummed about the separation. Pepper on the other hand just keeps gaining weight and isn't bothered by it.

Obviously there were other issues that CJ was dealing with during all of this but from the separation up until his recent health issues, he did slowly gain and maintain that weight on his own.

xpokey77x · Feb 22, 2010

Sandi said:
I fed him lifeline stuffed in half of a shreddie about 5 times per week.

A bit off topic, but how does the shreddie make them gain weight? I though I was told to give shreddies for soft poo. If they don't have soft poo and you give them a shreddie, will it cause constipation?
My guys would love it if I combined 2 of their favorite treats into one as I only give Lifeline 1-2x per week and shreddies only when I see a bit of soft poo. If it had a side benefit of them gaining a little weight that would be awesome