[Gpdd] Health Care

[Jean Weaver]

Hi to all!
As a critter owner and foster family to many GP's and other rodents I just want to share our favorite feeding tip. I was using a long soft pointed ketchup and or mustard bottles  (like you see at restaurants or picnics) and mixing Critical care food, water, baby veggies or some fruits, even chopped up hays in small amounts and slowly squeezing out 1/2 inch at a time into the back of the critters mouth. 
When I went to a restaurant supply store I found even bigger and longer tipped soft squeezable ketchup bottles that worked even better. The plastic was almost non stick inside the bottle and all the food comes out. I pushed a pencil threw the tip to widen it and it work great. No wasted nutrition and no clogged tips. A gentle squeeze is all it takes to measure out an amount that won't choke the pet. It worked better than 60 cc drilled out long tipped syringes and was easier to use and wash out. The cost was a dollar.
Craft stores also have an assortment of some bake, candy decorating squeezable bottles that work well for smaller animals. I found it taking less time to feed and less stressful on the pets. Its worth a try for those of you who have to force feed your critters.
A tip I also would like to share with all of you is ask your friends and relatives for their old pointed ketchup /mustard  bottles. Almost everyone has them cluttering up their kitchen and don't use them and will be happy to donate them to you to use on your pets or rescues. Call your vet to find out what a safe single "serving" of food is for your particular size pet and how much water they need per day so your pets are neither over fed or underfed and how often you should feed them.
For us mixing the food fresh in small amounts was the most successful.
God Bless to all you have the love, time and energy to help our planets lender little fur balls!