Feeding and Nutrition :: mild weight gain...

[theartbook35]

All right... This is kind of my fault...

My mother gets up earlier than me. My girls are used to eating later on in the morning. Their tank is right outside her bedroom door. She sees them, thinks they are cute, and feeds them. I don't mind, because, frankly, it's actually one less thing for me to think about.

Then I noticed a VERY VERY MILD weight gain today.

So, I asked her how many pellets she gives them. And she's like, "six a piece." So, I told her what they are supposed to be getting. I know she feeds them once a day. I once, when they were younger, had to take her feeding privileges away... Please don't make me do it again...

So, uh, what do I do to make them burn their little bit of fat? (And I really do mean it is a LITTLE bit. You wouldn't notice it in a picture if I showed you one). Their water is about five inches deep, so I know they can be active. However, should I limit feeding to every other day? Is that okay for turtles their size? They are two inches approximately. (Technically speaking, they may be small but they don't act like hatchlings anymore).

[BullDog]

I would just say just stick your regular amounts. I noticed Ralph was a little bit on the pudgy side recently, so I started paying closer attention to what I'm feeding him. A little bit of weight gain is OK, and will be burnt off with regular activity and the proper diet.

[Caphits]

Maybe one less pellet?

[theartbook35]

Maybe one less pellet?

Yeah... sounds good to me.

I've just never dealt with pudgy turtles before. I think after what they've been through, I'm a little paranoid...

I waited until about an hour ago to feed them today. I only gave them a few pellets each, and these ones are smaller than the old ones.

And OMG, the feeding directions on the rep-cal stuff I got, are actually halfway decent. Not perfect, but still decent:

Method 1: Feed every morning. Offer slightly more food than your turtle can eat in a 5-7 hour period, and allow your pet access to it's food for the entire daylight period. Remove uneaten food at the end of the day.

Method 2: Feed in separate "feeding tank". This method helps maintain water quality. Put turtles in their feeding tank with slightly more food than they can eat in 1-2 hours every day.

Again, not perfect, but the instructions do mention some key points that I really like. I think with the hours thing, they are referring to the fact that turtles sometimes the whole day munching on their food bit by bit.

By the way, it has basically EVERYTHING a turtle is supposed to get. Calcium carbonate, Vitamin D3, vitamin e, vitamin a, fiber, and a ton of fruit, vegetable and protein things here and there. My turtles really, really like it too.

[VanishingReality]

If you want her to feed an exact amount then put the food in a separate container. My fiance and I both feed our turtle so to make sure he doesn't get over fed we use one of those pill containers with his exact amount of food. It works great.

[TheComputerGremlin]

If you are worried about overfeeding, get one of those weekly pill holders and put the correct amount for a day's feeding in there. Tell your mother that they may only receive one day's amount of pellets, and keep the pellets hidden away so there is no overfeeding. That's the best way to regulate the daily feeding.

[theartbook35]

If you are worried about overfeeding, get one of those weekly pill holders and put the correct amount for a day's feeding in there. Tell your mother that they may only receive one day's amount of pellets, and keep the pellets hidden away so there is no overfeeding. That's the best way to regulate the daily feeding.

I put a big sign under their food container saying DO NOT FEED TODAY. I think she got the message.

I explained to her a lot about their metabolism, and that overfeeding causes health problems, for the third time. Third time is a charm. She saw them begging today, and didn't ask me to give them extra food for once. Thank god.

I really don't mind her being involved in caring for them, and I like telling her the right way to do it. The turtles also seem to really like her now, a lot, and the more social experiences they get the better in my opinion.

I can't hide the food though... She'll think I'm mad at her, and then we'll have a heated discussion or fight about it.

When I get my own apartment, (need a better job first, this has been on the menu since fall of last year) they, and one of our two cats, will come live with me.

Gremlin, (sorry, dunno your real name), you wouldn't happen to know anything about bengal cats, would ya? Spike, our Egyptian Mau, can't be alone all day, which is what will happen when I move. Our other cat, Jenny, doesn't get along with him as well as she could, and since she's eight years older than him, it bothers me that he tries to play with her so much. Mau's are extremely strong cats, and so is Jenny, so, they whack the crap out of each other. Do you know if bengals, being a spotted reed too, can get along with Mau's okay/ I want somebody who can keep up with his BS.[/b]

[TheComputerGremlin]

I think when it comes to cats, you just need to find one with a similar personality, and I don't know if that would be a specific breed or just a regular pound puppy. My mom had a standard cat, she's about 13 now, and a few years ago, my brother left a kitten with my mom. Well, the kitten is literally the devil cat, and he was beating up on the older cat. My mom fell in love with a shelter cat about a year later, and the newest cat beats up on devil cat, and now the older cat is left completely alone.

I would tell people when I was doing cat adoptions two things. First, find a shelter that has a return policy, so if something doesn't work out, you can return the cat or exchange it so that everyone is happy. Second, the younger, the better. A lot of times, kittens will be able to get along with a dominating older cat better than one that is set in their ways. Wikipedia says that bengals don't care for aggressive, dominating animals, and they're skittish. I'm thinking that the breed may not be a good match, though if you found a unique personality in one, it might work. Have you considered another Mau?

[theartbook35]

I think when it comes to cats, you just need to find one with a similar personality, and I don't know if that would be a specific breed or just a regular pound puppy. My mom had a standard cat, she's about 13 now, and a few years ago, my brother left a kitten with my mom. Well, the kitten is literally the devil cat, and he was beating up on the older cat. My mom fell in love with a shelter cat about a year later, and the newest cat beats up on devil cat, and now the older cat is left completely alone.

I would tell people when I was doing cat adoptions two things. First, find a shelter that has a return policy, so if something doesn't work out, you can return the cat or exchange it so that everyone is happy. Second, the younger, the better. A lot of times, kittens will be able to get along with a dominating older cat better than one that is set in their ways. Wikipedia says that bengals don't care for aggressive, dominating animals, and they're skittish. I'm thinking that the breed may not be a good match, though if you found a unique personality in one, it might work. Have you considered another Mau?

Spike really adored Jenny when he was little. (We got him at barely eight weeks). Then he grew up.

Yeah... Bengals have seemed to me to have very quiet and sweet personalities. Thanks quite a bunch, hun I've also heard among my travels that Maus, even with their small size, are stronger than a bengal. I wouldn't disagree with that, knowing Spike... Jenny has always had a weight problem (She's gotta be like, 12 pounds, and yes, we've tried every diet we can think of. She is slowly losing weight) and Spike can literally throw her around. I love when she turns around and does the same to him, she may be nine but she doesn't eff around.

You know what another Mau means, doncha? Lol, just kidding. I know my mother wouldn't mind having another version of Spike around. It'll make me nuts, but, since when does my comfort matter when I live with her?

Spike was a shelter cat, too. Him and his whole litter. What's kinda neat about him, is that he isn't a purebred, but he has ALL the characteristics of a typical Mau's personality. He sorta looks like a cross between a Mau and a tabby cat.