[Gpdd] HEALTH: Hershey needs to gain weight!

[warmbreath]

Little flakes of uncooked oatmeal are ok in small amounts for sick piggies who need to gain weight. However, oatmeal needs loads of water as it absorbs so much otherwise due to its high amount of soluble fiber (which is what makes it so good) it will swell in the gut. Make sure he gets at least 4 times as much water as oatmeal, that's why I cook it to a thin gruel, unsweetened, that way I know there's enough water. As for sugary fruit, feed it in small amounts in comparison with the other foods in your pignic, and discontinue at the slightest hint of diarrhea. try to choose Vit C fruits like strawberries, kiwis, and oranges, I even trained one to eat lemons. Any other fruit should be the ones you know to be highly healthful like unsweetened cranberries, grapes, blueberries, etc.  The way you train your piggy is to eat the same thing then offer him some, piggies learn what to eat from their mothers and herd mates. Dont forget herbs like parsley, flat or Italian parsley, cilantro, various basils, sage, thyme etc. Growing this stuff in your yard, even the flower beds will yield benefits to piggies and people palates and health alike. 

By grain I think the oatmeal is enough, you have to be very careful not to eat to much, and the prospect of an unwatered dough ball in the digestive system is not good or fun.   As you pignik see if he will take the oatmeal and liquids by spoon, also try friendly applications by syringe Not where you hold him, but what ever his favorite is try offering it by syringe in a friendly casual way. My philosophy has always been to teach your piggies how to eat by spoon syringe in a way that becomes second nature. I have refined it to the point that with some pigs I could stick a syringe through the bars in the cage and they would run up to get their syringe full. Pigniks are fun and build closeness, to the point many of my piggies will wheek to their cage if they get sick, and they want to be held and ministered to, feed and kept warm. This takes an unbelievable amount of stress out of piggie illness, for you and the sick one, and that leads to a better chance of a good outcome. 

Sandy and Shipwreck Sam