Billy

[Marsha Cassada]

I'm taking Billy to be weighed this evening. My sister works at a local vet and I am going after hours to use the animal scale indoors. They used to let me weigh him there, but then moved the scale into an examination room, so I haven't like to ask. But we won't be in anyone's way.

 

[MaryFlora]

How did it go Marsha? Were you all able to slip in and out with no problem?

 

[Marsha Cassada]

He has only lost 5#. Very disappointing as I have been trying so hard. He has only been on the timothy cubes for a week; hopefully after a month I will see more loss.
Our son was here and he set me up on the Strava app to track our walking. Today we did 2.11 miles and averaged 2.9 mph and a 22% incline. It will be fun to keep track of his walking and driving.

 

[Abby P]

It's still a loss and not a gain! How are you feeding the cubes? Weighing them and dividing it into several meals, or?

I got a bag yesterday to check out, I gave him a few inside his muck bucket setup and it really didn't slow him down at all, he figured out right away that he could grab a giant mouthful (net and all), pull the net away from the bucket, and then shake it and all the cubes would fall on the floor! Seems like it would be really hard to slow-feed them which is too bad because I'm guessing they do have fewer calories than the forage.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

It's still a loss and not a gain! How are you feeding the cubes? Weighing them and dividing it into several meals, or?

I got a bag yesterday to check out, I gave him a few inside his muck bucket setup and it really didn't slow him down at all, he figured out right away that he could grab a giant mouthful (net and all), pull the net away from the bucket, and then shake it and all the cubes would fall on the floor! Seems like it would be really hard to slow-feed them which is too bad because I'm guessing they do have fewer calories than the forage.

We measured them by weight into a coffee can. I put some in 3 different tubs around his pen. Still giving him a pound of hay in a hay bag. He gets this twice a day. When the hay bale is gone--I am trying to transition him--I will up the measurement of cubes. He really seems to enjoy the cubes--the tubs are practically licked clean. I also let him out for up to half an hour twice a day to graze. Usually he spends the time rubbing on the junipers and wandering around.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I cannot help but compare Billy to Dapper Dan. When I work in the barn/shop with the door open, Dapper Dan would have come inside, rummaged in the trash, turned over boxes and been a general nuisance. Billy stands outside the door and just looks in. If he does come in, he just walked around quietly then leaves. Dapper Dan enjoyed knocking things over and bolting away with a buck or two when scolded. Billy never knocks anything over and wouldn't dream of bolting or bucking.
Is this because Billy has less imagination? Dapper Dan was always free to roam and interact; maybe Billy never lived like that? It's interesting that some traits that made Dapper Dan so irresistible were also traits that got him scolded.
What is the difference in character? Breeding? Life experience? Born that way?

 

[MaryFlora]

I think it is mostly his personality. When we think of friends and family, we can probably point to a few extroverts and a few more introverted and one isn’t necessarily more creative or intelligent than another.

Good questions and it will be interesting to read how others answer!