So... I feed LGRS. But if I add something else, they don't eat it. Is that normal? I've taken to once a week having them eat some plate of other foods..

Are you feeding fruits, vegetables and additional proteins with the LGRS? It is only part of the feeding plan, not the only food you should be offering.

Full directions for the LGRS feeding plan are found here:

http://files.meetup.com/768852/LGRSSuggieSoup.pdf

*Rudeness alert*

Did you even read what I said?

Actually, no, you didn't.
Take a minute.
Read what I said.
Try again.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Hydirion

*Rudeness alert*

Did you even read what I said?

Actually, no, you didn't.
Take a minute.
Read what I said.
Try again.

---

Your OP isn't really clear, I was a little confused by your wording also, that's why I'm sure questions were asked. I don't think the intention was to be rude. I'm unsure if you meant that you fed the LGRS diet and added anything extra or if you were just offering the LGRS itself and when you added anything extra. It may be just like when I say I feed the HPW Original, when the diet actually includes f/v as well, we always expect everyone to know that, but it may not be taken that way by some people. I guess it's better for all of us to include the word "diet" when we talk about them to avoid confusion, a lot of us don't think to. No harm done though, just saying to be sure.

I'm confused too. What did you mean by "if I add something else"?

Sounds like other foods are offered only once a week. And I edit technical documents for a living so if that's not what he/she meant he/she needs to rephrase.

quote:

---

I've taken to once a week having them eat some plate of other foods..

---

quote:

---

Read what I said.
Try again.

---

I understood this to mean you only offer other foods (besides the LGRS (LuckyGlider Rescue Soup) once a week. That is why I asked if you were offering fruits, vegetables and protein DAILY as described in the full instructions of the LGRS feeding plan.

I was asking you to CLARIFY your original post.

I did read it again and that sentence still makes no sense. Perhaps you might state it a little more clearly.


What exactly do you mean by "some plate of other foods"?

When I put other things with the LGRS. Then they don't eat the other things.

IE. If I put blueberries and strawberries in the cage. AND there is LGRS soup in there. They eat the soup. Not the berries.

So far, the only thing they'll eat WITH the soup is chicken.

If I put the other things they eat, including broccoli, alone. They eat what they are given.

I felt that was clear.

Well as others have pointed out, you should be offering an additional source of protein, fruits, & veggies EVERY night alongside the LGRS. You can try different ways of presenting them - Ed has lots of suggestions so reach out to him.

Some make veggie meatballs, you can "ice" the LGRS with applesauce(as a form of fruit), you can mix the thawed LGRS with the fruit and/or veggies, you can pour the LGRS on top of the fruit/veggies/protien(one, two, or all), etc.

Are you preparing the LGRS with the full amount of honey? How much LGRS are you feeding? Both the amount of honey and the serving portion can be cut back - the full amount Ed feeds to his rescues who need to gain weight, but if your gliders are filling up on it and not hungry enough for the rest of the meal, you may try that.

But the diet is NOT complete without them eating the LGRS, extra protein source, fruits, & veggies.

What fruits have you tried? Veggies? Have you tried pureeing versus chopping versus offering large pieces? What other proteins have you tried?

You may want to feed them in courses - give them the fruits and veggies first. After an hour or two or whatever, then put the LGRS in there.

Yeah... see.. I tried all of that. And I tried putting their FAVORITE F/V in there. Only chicken will they eat.

I put a half or little less than half, dose of honey. two cups seemed a bit much.

Cutting what of the LGRS I give them in half = no help. Depending on what I give, they nibble or don't even touch it.

Pouring liquid LG over their food? Nope. They just lick it off. Smart boogers.

SO. MY option was reduced to plating them up some extras every few days and they eat the extras like normal. I was hoping for someone to say, AHHH, that'll do, Pig, That'll do. Or maybe think of something I haven't tried.

I thought about giving it in courses, but the problem there is I don't trust myself to be awake long enough after feeding and play time.

Other option I have, and it's basically what I've always had to do for some of the boring veggies, is I throw the veggies in while they're sleeping, then when it gets close to play time, I add the sweet foods they love, and usually "morning" hunger drives them to eat what's there first. I don't like doing that with the fruits, 'cause they then won't touch veggies.

The problem is less that I can't get them to consider the FV combos, but once the LG goes in- nothing else is good enough. I tasted the LGRS. S***'s AMAZING. I don't blame them, I just want to keep them healthy.

quote:

---

Cutting what of the LGRS I give them in half

---

Reducing the AMOUNT (=what) of the LGRS in half is probably a good first step.

quote:

---

MY option was reduced to plating them up some extras every few days and they eat the extras like normal.

---

I am still not clear on what you mean by "extras".

Are you serving (=plating them up) protein (chicken, eggs etc), fruits and vegetables DAILY with the 1/2 serving of LGRS or are you only offering (=plating them up) protein, fruits and vegetables every few days.

It might help if you would share with us a list of foods you offered for the last 3 nights so we can understand exactly what you are offering and when.

Gliders have very small stomachs - about the size of the tip of your thumb. They eat small amounts at a time, but frequently, all night long. It may see like they are not eating right a way when you feed them but gliders do not eat like dogs that gobble down the whole meal in minutes as soon as they are fed once or twice a day.

It may also be that you are offering too much of everything so it appears they have not eaten enough in the morning.

If you have 2 gliders and feed 2 TBS fruit, 2 TBS vegetables, 2 TBS chicken or egg plus 2 TBS LGRS - that is a TOTAL of 1/2 cup of food for the two gliders. Try measuring for a night or two to see if you are close to that amount. It is very easy to put food on the plate and over estimate the amount you are serving.

Gliders often nibble out the insides of some vegetables - especially blueberries, green peas and green beans and leave the skins behind - that can look like they were untouched until you pick up a piece and find it is hollow.

Get a kitchen scale that weighs in grams and weigh your gliders once a week. If they are maintaining (adults) or gaining (young growing gliders) weight they ARE getting enough to eat. If they are loosing weight, and really not eating well, you need to have a vet check them for other health issues like parasites that can cause reduced appetite and weight loss.

Hi! It's funny, I think you're having the opposite problem I was, i.e. they ate all their f/v and not enough supplement/main diet. What about changing up your ratios a little bit? Give them a little less LGRS and a little more f/v. Mine really like cantalope,watermelon, pineapple, cucmber, red pepper and honeydew. Also! If you want them to eat more of ANYTHING drizzling a little honey over it always helps. Hope that works! Good Luck!

I have picky eaters too and every once in awhile I will put their LGRS in the blender with their F/V for the night and blend it all together. No issues with the meat so I usally offer that seperate. It gives them no choice but to eat it all. You can also try pouring a little bit of vanilla ensure over them. Also blend the F/V together with some ensure. Mine have eaten them that way too.

Here are some tricks that might work for you that work for us. We have close to 100 gliders here and we've learned a few ways to outsmart them.

Most gliders love chicken and also turkey or lean hamburger meat. Of course all of these are high in phosphorus so you have to adjust for that by sprinkling on some powdered calcium - about 1/8th of a teaspoon spread out over eight to ten servings.

1. Meatball or Meatloaf trick

Anyway, you can bake chicken or hamburger meatballs (or meatloaf) with fruits and veggies blended-in. Bake them long enough to ensure they are cooked with the slightest crust on the outside. We have not met a glider that will not eat these so long as there is a predominance of meat.

2. Omelette Trick

Dice the fruits and veggies they are being picky about and spread them on a cooking omelette and then cover lightly with cheese. (yes it is ok every once and a while, but not every day). Flip the omelette over to cover the insides. Allow the cheese to melt and turn off the heat. As it sets-up, use the spatula to cut the omelette into tiny squares so each square has F/V and cheese.

3. Cut way back on the soup at night. Give only one tablespoon of soup per glider at night and feed that next to the F/V/M mixtures. In the morning, serve the other half of the soup. That way you don't have to worry about falling asleep. If you have to wake them up for their "midnight snack" of soup in the morning, just get them out of the pouch and show them to the soup. Do this for maybe four or five nights in a row and then go back to feeding all the soup and once and see if that helps. If it does not, feed half at night and half in the morning - that will force them to eat the other food

The soup recipe was formulated to give them pretty much all they need. We always advise feeding a rotation of other foods but that is really for variety and to give them the "fun" of holding and eating solid foods. Don't freak out if they don't eat a lot of the solid food. Withdrawing some of the soup so they eat all of it - forcing them to eat the other stuff is a good method that will work on most gliders. The mixing of stuff with meat is good for picky gliders so they get a good mix of things.

The soup attempts to approximate the kinds of things they eat in the wild. That is sap, nectar, pollen and bugs. The honey is the placeholder for the sap and nectar. The pollen is just that so it is part of what they eat in the wild anyway. The fly pupae is bugs. Everything else is for mineral content and protein. The pollen, yogurt, egg, bugs, protein powder, etc. gets them the essential protein they need, but it does not hurt to give them animal proteins on the side or bugs on the side.