Bolting food

[awi720]

Hello all! I have a mini that bolts his pelleted food and recently got chocked so bad, the vet had to come out and tube him to relieve the chock. She suggested adding a about 3 large rocks in his bucket to help slow him down. That didn't work because the rocks moving around freaked him out and he wouldn't eat. I've looked for special feeders and the one I found was a huge rectangle with around a dozen deeper cups that the feed goes down into. Does anyone here have a suggestion of one smaller and more suited for minis? Or another home made solution? Thank you!

 

[mrichmond]

Could you try spreading his food out in a larger tub so he has to be more deliberate picking it up and can’t grab huge mouthfuls? We had a dog who inhaled her kibble, so to stop her we scattered it on the floor. You wouldn’t want to feed him pellets on the ground because he might eat dirt or sand, but if you had a surface like a piece of stall mat or a large container, that might slow him down. Good luck!

 

[Taz]

I'd add water to it, enough so it's mushy/soupy, even if it doesn't slow him down and he does choke it will be mild since he can't get a blockage from it.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Were the rocks you used flat? I use flat rocks for mine. He has to move them around with his nose. They are about 4 inches across. Maybe the stones you used were too large?

 

[awi720]

The vet did suggest adding some water to it which I have been, but maybe I could add a little more to get it "soupy". He still scarfs it down! I've been putting a little scoop at a time in the bowl to slow him down but I would rather not spoon feed him permanently! I'll try making it more mushy and spreading it out over a larger tub. Is it best for them to eat from a bowl at ground level, or is it ok to hang it a little way off the ground?

 

[awi720]

Were the rocks you used flat? I use flat rocks for mine. He has to move them around with his nose. They are about 4 inches across. Maybe the stones you used were too large?

Mine were about that size across, but not flat. When he scooted them and they made noise in the bowl it spooked him, then he was afraid to put his head back in the bowl. Maybe I could get a rubber tub and they wouldn't make noise as they are pushed around.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Mine were about that size across, but not flat. When he scooted them and they made noise in the bowl it spooked him, then he was afraid to put his head back in the bowl. Maybe I could get a rubber tub and they wouldn't make noise as they are pushed around.

My tub is rubber. The flat ones scoot; if the stones are round they might roll. Mine doesn't seem to mind the stones. They do slow him down. Kind of hard to find flat stones. We had some river rock delivered for a landscaping project and I found the smooth, flat stones in that.

 

[Taz]

maybe rubber balls? Big enough so he doesn't want to eat them too, lol.

 

[chandab]

Sounds like he's a candidate for well soaked feed, even into "soup" consistency.
There are commercial feeders to slow them down, I'll see if I can find a link. The Pre-Vent feeder is one style: Pre-Vent Prevent horse feeder Model # pf-2 Pink Horse Feeder Slow Feeder 850467004055 | eBay
And, another style: Grad-Dual Feeder | Schneiders Saddlery (sstack.com)
Using a small water tub to feed from might slow him down, as it'll be spread thinner, making it harder for him to take big mouthfuls.

 

[Cayuse]

I agree with the "mushy soup." I had a horse choke on semi soaked pellets so if I have to soak now, I make it very sloppy and wet. Plus the added water never hurts.

 

[Dragon Hill]

Unfortunately pellets are the easiest feed to choke on, so mushy soup is better. A low feeder (where the top of their head is lower than their back) or on the ground is good. There is a goat feeder that might help your little guy, it's long and shallow and has a metal grate over the top. If you spread his food out across it, he couldn't shovel it into a big bite. Tractor Supply sells one, if the holes are big enough for his nose, it might be worth trying.