11/17 Junga AMPS 177: timed feeder on the way -- best times?

[jldnvjld]

The timed feeder is on the way. I am hoping timed snacks change the game.
I had a suggestion for a +9 snack from one of our board experts. What other times would be good?
I'm guessing +3, as that's when I think his nadir is; what else? (this is all assuming he elects to eat on schedule, of course.)

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Too much drama yesterday.

Seems his nadir is now out at about +3, and pre-loading him early with carbs before I leave the house in the a.m. (or doing the same at night, so as to see what morning might be doing) so far is a not-so-hot plan.

I also plan to get some different MC for Junga to try. He'll only eat the Wellness pouches when he's REALLY HUNGRY, which means pre-meal (pre-shot) or at one point last night when his BG was low. I need something he finds reliably delicious that he would eat out of the timed feeder or reliably just before I leave at +2 in the a.m.

To recap: Junga has food allergies, so no gravy foods. He's also a picky eater, so pates only, and so far he has rejected all fish.
I am not home during the day. His nadir is early. As of yesterday, it looks like about +3.

Sigh.

J.

 

[PeterDevonMocha]

Re: 11/17 Junga AMPS 177: the bg roller coaster

Morning guys! I hear ya on the rollercoaster comment .. up down up down up down ... I hope that junga smooths out his numbers for you soon .. have a great day guys!

 

[Ronnie & Luna]

Re: 11/17 Junga AMPS 177: timed feeder on the way -- best ti

hi there
I'll pass along my suggestions that worked for Luna, after a lot of trial and error of course.
Based on one 5.5oz can a day, spread out into small meals and snacks.
Breakfast/dinner shot time, for both cycles, small snacks at +1, +2, +3, +6 (lunch time) and +8 or +9 (depended) worked well for him.
(take a look at our spreadsheet (while on Lantus) at our trials and tribulations. As you can see it looks like I didn't sleep much, cuz I didn't :roll: I never used a timed feeder, DBF and I were the timed feeders :lol: plus during Luna's time on insulin, I was able to be home all day)

Good luck with your new feeder!
Remember, trial and error, noting your feed times on your spreadsheet, as you have, can help a lot!

I believe those who use a timed feeder try to set it at about every 2 hours or so, and keeping in mind, the no food after +10 in both cycles (to avoid a food spike preshot number)

 

[jldnvjld]

Re: 11/17 Junga AMPS 177: timed feeder on the way -- best ti

Thanks, Ronnie.
I sure hope the timed feeder helps. I'm also going to try practicing with an old syringe and water to see if I can figure out how to do a 'some insulin' shot. Junga really goes too low on .10 for me to be comfortable about giving him that if I won't be here and testing for the next 3-4 hours.

The feeder is supposed to arrive tomorrow. Maybe.....

J.

 

[Tena and Curry(GA)]

Re: 11/17 Junga AMPS 177: timed feeder on the way -- best ti

I've got a +3 nadir kitty as well. And I need to front load her before +2 now...even more so now. So I used to feed her at shot, +1 and +2. So 3 meals before I left for work. I took her breakfast and divided it into 3 portions. I still have to "remind" Curry to eat and I'm constantly bringing her food to her, but its necessary now as she really starts dropping at +2. I use to give a snack at +8 only. I'm experimenting w/+7 for her. She's not too bright about the autofeeder. But then I've not been very consistant w/training her. Training consists of putting food and snacks in it when I'm home and when it opens, getting all excited and teach Curry that something yummy is in it. Day after day after day. Junga may be a bit smarter and pick it up more quickly than Curry.

Junga is looking very good. Nice amps.

 

[jldnvjld]

Re: 11/17 Junga AMPS 177: timed feeder on the way -- best ti

When you frontload Curry with carbs, do you get a bigger food spike? That's the problem I had day before yesterday: I made the food spike HUGE, and then he plummeted to his nadir. He looked like he felt crummy on the way up and the way down.

It'll be interesting to see what Junga does with the timed feeder. He's never struck me as a particularly bright cat. As it is now, I sometimes have to show him he has food in his bowl; he'll be meowing at me for food, and I'll say, "Well, let's go check your bowl." We go over there (he follows me) and lo and behold! There was food in his bowl; he forgot to check. So, I dunno. We'll see. If you're using the Petsafe feeder, you should be glad Curry isn't *too* bright; it's very easy for a pet to use his or her paw to rotate the lazy susan and clean out all the compartments.

Thanks for responding, particularly about training w/regards to the timed feeder. I suspect we're going to have to work on that.

I've got a +3 nadir kitty as well. And I need to front load her before +2 now...even more so now. So I used to feed her at shot, +1 and +2. So 3 meals before I left for work. I took her breakfast and divided it into 3 portions. I still have to "remind" Curry to eat and I'm constantly bringing her food to her, but its necessary now as she really starts dropping at +2. I use to give a snack at +8 only. I'm experimenting w/+7 for her. She's not too bright about the autofeeder. But then I've not been very consistant w/training her. Training consists of putting food and snacks in it when I'm home and when it opens, getting all excited and teach Curry that something yummy is in it. Day after day after day. Junga may be a bit smarter and pick it up more quickly than Curry.

Junga is looking very good. Nice amps.

 

[Tena and Curry(GA)]

Re: 11/17 Junga AMPS 177: timed feeder on the way -- best ti

When front loading.....I refer more to the food amount. She eats Fancy Fiest 2%....so pretty low carb. Initially, Curry didn't have a food spike and that was one of the reason I wanted as much food in her before +3. Now she has a bit of a food spike, but I still need to get as much food in her before +2 now.

Sienne also has a kitty, Gabby, who nadirs early. You ought to check out her SS. She feeds at +1, +2 and +3 as well as shot. She will add gravy (HC) to the meal depending on how quickly Gabby is dropping. I also use the FF w/ gravy and suck out the gravy w/a syringe if needed. You might have to experiment w/that on a weekend. Right now I'm putting all of her food in the feeder and the feeder in the living room. I'm trying to help her associate food and feeder....I will also put snacks in the feeder and set it while I'm at home to "practice" going to the feeder for a snack or food. Tonight, I literally had to pick her up and bring her to the feeder when it rotated. Also trying to help her associate the noise the feeder makes w/food. I'm really going to hit it hard this weekend and also over Thanksgiving while I'm off of work.

I'll be interested to hear how it works out for Junga. Keep us posted.

 

[jldnvjld]

Re: 11/17 Junga AMPS 177: timed feeder on the way -- best ti

Well, I might have to end up using the 'amount' method as well. Junga can't have gravy foods, which contain grain, because of a food allergy. I don't want him throwing up when his BG is low. We tried the Wellness pouches; he didn't like them. Tonight I tried Merrick Thanksgiving Day Feast (MC, not HC.) Another nope. Junga's really lukewarm on the whole canned food thing. He loves canned duck (both Wild Blue and EVO 95%), and is okay with Wellness Turkey Formula (which also contains chicken.) He won't even try anything with fish. Hated Merrick Cowboy Cookout.

I've reduced his dosage to whiff/drop; I am not at home to handle the lows on 0.10, and we were having them.

The timed feeder came this evening. I can see this may take some getting used to on both my and Junga's part. I just set it up to rotate; loud! Luckily Junga is not much afraid of noises.

I will indeed keep you posted.

When front loading.....I refer more to the food amount. [....] I also use the FF w/ gravy and suck out the gravy w/a syringe if needed. You might have to experiment w/that on a weekend. [....] Tonight, I literally had to pick her up and bring her to the feeder when it rotated. Also trying to help her associate the noise the feeder makes w/food. I'm really going to hit it hard this weekend and also over Thanksgiving while I'm off of work.

I'll be interested to hear how it works out for Junga. Keep us posted.

 

[Tena and Curry(GA)]

Re: 11/17 Junga AMPS 177: timed feeder on the way -- best ti

I'm sorry.....You had previously said that Junga couldn't eat the gravy....duh......I forgot...silly me....I need to pay more attention.

Good luck with the feeder. Are there any types of treats he likes that you can put in it for "training"? I use both the bonita flakes (tuna flakes...called belly rubs) and freeze dried chicken. And lots of repetition....almost make a game out of it. It reminds me of when I use to teach small children and trying to change their behavior. :mrgreen:

 

[jldnvjld]

Re: 11/17 Junga AMPS 177: timed feeder on the way -- best ti

Good luck with the feeder. Are there any types of treats he likes that you can put in it for "training"?

So far I've put little spoonfuls of duck canned food in it. He LOVES that; all the other treats I've tried him on he's not so great with (hates fish, for sure.) We'll work on it this weekend.

In any case, he's definitely not afraid of it, even when it makes noise, and he's not uncomfortable about eating out of it (at least not when the food is his favorite DUCK.)

J.