[Gpdd] Fw: [CARE] Yogurt drink to fix piggy gut flora

[warmbreath]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: warmbreath 
To: milton.the_bold at virgin.net 
Sent: Tuesday, September 04, 2007 9:16 PM
Subject: [CARE] Yogurt drink to fix piggy gut flora


I suspect by yogurt drink you mean one with sugar or splenda meant for busy slaves on the go.  I would suggest that you switch to a plain one, like Nancy's or Pavels or even Dannon plain (assuming you are in the States)  If he balks at the lack of sugar try mixing it half and half then down to 1/4, then 1/8 if he still notices until you are giving him one with no sugar at all. The reason is that sugar is really bad for his gut, it allows other unhealthy overgrowths  and will send him heading for diabetes. Once he gets used to the new taste you can switch to a spoon.  There was this thing I used to do the a sick Penny Giggle.  I would make 2 breakfasts, one for me and 1 for sick piggy.  To make it work you have to eat the pretty much the same thing so I started eating allot more salads for breakfast. I would make up oatmeal from old fashioned oats and apple and cinnamon in the microwave, toast from 100% whole wheat bread, no butter for piggy, he just got a tiny crust
Tiny bowls with piggy yogurt, pellet slurry, orange juice  Arrange it all on two flat plates, washable tablecloth or vinyl  and then I would invite sick piggy and whee would have breakfast together.(separate utensils of course)

This daily party (repeated at night and or snack time) had two really great effects on piggy. 1 He learned to eat many foods he wouldn't otherwise because if mommy eats it he knows its safe (I had piggys who would eat lemons, less sugar than oj.  Piggies are taught what is good to eat by their mums in the wild, (cant have Jr eating poison plants)  They would even learn to eat from all the sows in the heard.

The other great affect is that the longer you sit there enjoying your breakfast together the more the sick piggy would eat, if he stopped I would offer a different green from his plat, or a different soon of yogurt or slurry. Remember an ill piggy doesn't feel allot like eating but being a social and refined little guy, he would gladly have another taste of oatmeal or parsley, after all mom is still there talking, eating, reading the paper. Discussing the front page latest sales sports whatever turns into great fun if you can talk yourself into giving the extra time, its very relaxing too, don't think the pig gets all the benefits

This method offer another 2 benefits that extends to all your pigs.  Each thing you teach this piggy to eat he will go back and teach his cagemates.  It's hilarious, if no pigs will eat basil or dill stalks (I would hang long ones across the top of their cages) the trained piggy would run for it, and all the other pigs seeing this, will do just what piggies do!  The other benefit is it helps underweight pigs bulk up, but the best thing is, you really get to know your piggy that way, better than ever, and if you are doing this with a sick piggy then you and he are spending time you might never have.

The bottom line is a sick piggy that needs hand feeding, which is no fun, that activity can be turned into one that will get more food into the pig and therefore give him a better shot at living longer or better.  So invite your pig for breakfast!
Sandy