[Gpdd] MISC: Picky Pigs

[Luita Dean Spangler]

Pigs can indeed be picky! Ritter, who is very old and arthritic, gets
syringed a supplement once a day to keep his weight up. We started this
last July, when he got an infection in his mouth and couldn't chew, and I
thought we were going to lose him. I started syringing him HerbiCare four
times a day, and as he got better, I gradually reduced the syringing to
once a day. In August I ran out of HerbiCare, and couldn't find it for
sale anywhere, so I bought a couple containers of something called
RodiCare, also made for convalescing piggies.

HE HATED IT. He turned into a total diva, having tantrums every time I
tried to feed him, spitting it out, putting his nose into his neck so I
couldn't reach his mouth, the whole bit. I finally was able to buy some
more HerbiCare at a veterinarian's office, which he joyfully accepted.
After several months of wondering what to do with the *expensive*
Rodicare, I tried making a mash of some of it, rolling it into balls and
putting it into Ritter and Tilly's cage. And they both loved it! So Ritter
only likes RodiCare so long as it's distributed in his cage as
marble-sized balls. And will only accept syringe-feeding with HerbiCare.
Good grief!

Luita
Picky Ritter and Not Picky Tilly