Porridge & Pouches

AprilPearl · 05-13-2017, 12:19 AM

As per Souffle’s reccommendations, while Mushu is under 6 months old I am giving him a little (i.e. about half a teaspoon) milky food every day (although I use lactol, rather than cows milk).

I vary between weetabix and porridge made with rolled quaker oats. The porridge is Mushu’s favourite, but he always tries to pouch some of it! I am deadly afraid that it could get stuck in his pouches. Has anyone ever had this problem with porridge?

cypher · 05-13-2017, 12:21 AM

He shouldn't really be getting enough to pouch, with any wet/fresh food it's best to just give a small amount they can eat straight away.
If pouched it can cause problems, one of my hams who was elderly & having teeth problems was getting both wet & dry food & pouching both did cause an impaction that I needed the vet to remove.

AmityvilleHams · 05-13-2017, 12:22 AM

You shouldn't have any problems as long as they're not the quick cooking type(as these tend to expand which would cause problems,not only for pouch safety but also to prevent potential blockages in the digestive system).

AprilPearl · 05-13-2017, 12:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cypher

He shouldn't really be getting enough to pouch, with any wet/fresh food it's best to just give a small amount they can eat straight away.
If pouched it can cause problems, one of my hams who was elderly & having teeth problems was getting both wet & dry food & pouching both did cause an impaction that I needed the vet to remove.

He does not get much at all, but the problem is, that he often tries to pouch it instead of eating any immediately

AprilPearl · 05-13-2017, 12:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AmityvilleHams

You shouldn't have any problems as long as they're not the quick cooking type(as these tend to expand which would cause problems,not only for pouch safety but also to prevent potential blockages in the digestive system).

Excuse my ignorance. Are rolled quaker oats the quick cooking type? I heard rolled oats were best.

cypher · 05-13-2017, 12:28 AM

Rolled oats are the normal ones but any porridge oats are fine, the quick cooking ones only expand as they cook but then so do rolled oats but I think just plain rolled oat flakes are best.
Maybe you can try varying the time when you give him the porridge, if he's hungry enough he might just eat rather than pouch!
How much is a little? I'd say try half a teaspoon & see how that goes.

AprilPearl · 05-13-2017, 12:35 AM

Cypher: Half a teaspoon is what I have been offering him. However, in practice, he never gets more than about 1/3 of the half teaspoon because he tries to pouch it and I whip it away. He seems to do this at all times of the day too! He doesn’t with weetabix though but he does not eat much of that so I do not think he likes it as much.

I am worried now because I know for a fact he always manages to pouch a little before I can take away the spoon. Would impaction be obvious?

Pebbles82 · 05-13-2017, 12:39 AM

You could always give him a bit of scrambled egg instead if you are worried about it. I know I used to worry a bit when our last hammy pouched it (wondering where it would end up as well!) but he didn't have a problem. Quaker oats are rolled oats. You could also just mix a few oats in with his hamster mix instead of making porridge. It can get a bit confusing - quick cooking porridge is usually just oats and packets of rolled oats sometimes say quick cooking. If he is pouching it rather than nibbling off the spoon I would maybe avoid it for now. He clearly likes it if he is pouching it! I did buy some from Holland and Barrett once that were labelled organic rolled oats and the oat pieces were bigger and less floury - but once made into porridge it does go sticky and congeal because oats have some gluten in (not as much as other grains).

Maybe put some dried oats in with his hamster mix and give him a bit of scrambled egg.

AprilPearl · 05-13-2017, 12:50 AM

Serendipity thank you. Hopefully he is ok. I suppose he shall have to get his lactol via weetabix and he can have his oats with his mix as you suggest. Hmm perhaps I could sprinkle some lactol powder directly onto the mix. Would that be less risky?

Pebbles82 · 05-13-2017, 01:03 AM

I don't know much about lactol I'm afraid - I don't think I would sprinkle anything directly on food though as he may get too much in one go somehow (or it might put him off his food). Could you use it to mix with a bit of egg and scramble it? I am sure he will be fine