Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok I am having a problem with the Oxbox critical care food.
It does not disolve when it's mixed with liquid so it's clogging up the syringe. Won't that also clog the feeding tube?
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PHRatz

I have that problem too, I just smoosh it until unclumps and then I haven't noticed it clumping back up after I get it initially unclumped. (if that makes sense, lol).

>>Ok I am having a problem with the Oxbox critical care food.
>>It does not disolve when it's mixed with liquid so it's clogging up the syringe. Won't that also clog the feeding tube?
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>>PHRatz

what liquid are you using? I personally prefer pedialyte (the box of the frozen ice bar types as you don't have to worry about an entire bottle going to waste in 48 hours and the animals seem to like the variety of fruit flavors).

Mix the liquid to the powder until you get a creamy consistancy (sorta like cream soup). Then mush it through a small kitchen strainer (the type with mesh window screen size or smaller) and into another bowl..this will break up any remaining clumps. Then try slurping the results into the syringe.. if it's still too thick..add a little more pedialyte. You want to try and keep the sludge as thick as you can but not so thick it can't get through the feeding tube easily....takes a while to figure out what you need.

And remember.. don't make so much of the food as to fill the turtle's stomach up.. you need to leave room for some water (or pedialyte) that you have to flush through the tube with the syringe to rinse it out otherwise you'll have all kinds of bacteria and gunk build up inside pretty quick. Sometimes you can tell if you used too much food as when you flush the tube water will come out the turtles mouth/nose especially if you flush too fast.

After flushing the tube, fold the end of the opening over and clip it to hold it closed - don't leave it standing open. I prefer those springy clips that you squeeze to open.. normal paper clips don't seem to hold on well.
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PHWyvern

When tube feeding the critical care I have always run it through a coffee/spice grinder first. Then add water to get to the consistancy needed. I also let it sit a little while and let it absorb the water as it tends to thicken some, then add more water till it is right.

Good luck!

jen

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I got to thinking that part of my problem may be that I am not allowing it to soak for a long enough period of time. The liquid I am using is Ensure, the vet said she likes to use that or Pedialyte, I said I can grab a can of Ensure from my parental units so she said go with that.
Since I haven't had good luck with it yet I haven't let Chip starve, I've been using Gerber's mixed with Ensure which works but I'd rather he eat the critical care food.
SO this morning I started it soaking, I'm stirring, it's soaking, I plan to leave it while I'm sitting here typing.
If I can't get it to stop clumping I do have a small tea strainer so I can try that. We don't drink coffee so I don't have any type of coffee equipment around here but that does sound like a good idea.
I'll let you know if I have success or not.
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PHRatz

I soaked it & soaked it...it still clumped.
I mashed it through the tea strainer & I got most of it through there. He's been fed now, he's looking much more perky thank goodness!
Thank you all so much for the suggestions!
Whooo hooo Chip!
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PHRatz