4 month old weight gain

minnow · Dec 22, 2009

My eensy double rex girl Rosy is 116 grams right now, and as my vet put it, 'model thin'. As I put it, 'way too skinny'. There were bullying/fear issues, now resolved. I know she needs to gain weight (working on it but she doesn't like the calorrific supplements I've tried so far), but how much should I be expecting her to gain on a daily/weekly basis? What is a healthy weight gain rate for a 4 month old double rex? How much extra should I be looking for her to gain to become a healthy weight again?

Joanne · Dec 22, 2009

Looking back at the weights of my ratties, the weight gain was quite variable. Average is probably just over 1 gram per day, but sometimes certain ones gained almost twice that much! For example, at one weigh in, one of my boys gained 28 grams, and in the same time frame his sister gained 58 grams!!
I purchased a mail scale from Staples/Business Depot which makes it easy to get an accurate weight.
I would concentrate on giving her delicious, nutritious food which is also high in calories. Always keep her blocks available, and supplement with goodies like an almond, a spoonful of yogurt, a piece of cheese, etc. Stay away from too many 'zero' calorie treats like celery (no calories and lots of fiber to fill her up.)

minnow · Dec 22, 2009

For grams, my scale seems to round to the nearest even number, which isn't bad for a postal scale.

She's in a much less competitive/intimidating cage now, and has perked up from being alone in the hospital cage (had to make sure she was getting food and staying warm enough to survive for a few days). I'll have to see if she'll take treats again - she stopped taking even the gerber puffs (everyone's favorite) from me a while ago, but I'm not sure if that was from feeling ill or from being intimidated into learned helplessness. I may have to give everyone else the calorrific treats (that they don't need) to get Rosy to take one herself. She's too busy bouncing when she's out of the cage to take a treat then, so...

jorats · Dec 23, 2009

I'm sure the buddies won't mind the extra treats for a while.

minnow · Dec 24, 2009

Well, I thought she was doing better, but she's crashing now, and hard... I don't think she's gonna make it.

jorats · Dec 24, 2009

:sad3:

minnow · Dec 25, 2009

She left us last night. Looking at everything that happened, there was something going on with her far beyond bullying that I couldn't stop. She was wasting away with plenty of food available (and she *was* eating), and she couldn't keep herself warm in a pile of furfriends. I guess she was needed at the Bridge early. I'll post a tribute when my heart is ready.