Message:

Subject: Re: Leadbeaters - Bourbon
Posted by Susan on January 19, 1999 at 13:48:19:

In Reply to: Leadbeaters posted by Bourbon on January 18, 1999 at 15:38:24:

Bourbon - thanks very much for your response. I don't know if you'll get this because you say you won't be visiting us anymore. Perhaps I'll try and get your e mail, I'd sure like to speak with you. Now, here's my opinion in a nutshell - tell me if I'm nuts (well I know I'm nuts) but tell me if I'm endangering my babies. I made the leadbeaters diet, but I did not measure exactly, but pretty darn close. I am concerned about calcium and knowing they love it, I added extra no fat yogourt. I also added some no fat tofu for the protein and calcium. Cereal, fruits, wheat germ, honey, etc. They eat it all up every night, about two tablespoons each. I also vary what they get with it - the worms every other night and occasional crickets, and assorted fruits and veggies. They graze on that as well. So what I'm saying in a long winded way - is that I do not want to get into supplements really, as they are eating a very healthy and balanced diet. As with people, I don't believe too much supplements are a good thing if the person is eating well. Now if I noticed any change in them health wise, personality wise or physically, I would quickly try some supplements - but I feel they get what they need and they are flourishing. I think the smell problem is 2 things you mentioned - they are still young and still defacate and urinate in their cloth bed, and while it's changed frequently, it can still smell and it's being absorbed by their fur. Also, when they are out, they are still very nervous and the odour is much stronger, so I assume that's the stress factor. I don't think it's their diet, I think it's those 2 things. Thanks so much for your help. And Bourbon, if you're reading this - let the rude assholes be damned. You've been coming here for 2 years and you have helped literally dozens of people with your knowledge and common sense. Don't let some rude bitch with pms make you feel like you "have lost". She's the loser. Are you reading this Mrs Glider? Don't ever think that your offhand and rude comments don't matter or don't affect people. So Bourbon - come back to us - we need you and I'll bet 99.9% of the people here totally appreciate you and support you.

: Susan, As cynthia has said, many times the odor is related to the diet.. so lets look at the leadbeaters you are using.. You say you are not adding any extra suppliments.. as in Glideraid, vitamins etc.. so if that is the case, and you have my recipe and measuring exactly as is in the recipe.. then we have a couple of other things we need to look at. I use the leadbeaters.. My cage don't smell and neither do my Gliders.. as a general rule.. however; we have noticed that when they get too many fruits, it casues the urine to smell heavier, But you said that it isn't their cage that smells.. So now we need to look at (1.)their pouch or their nestbox. If it has feces and is urine soaked, when they sleep in it their fur will absorb that smell.. pull it out and smell it by it self.. (2.) Mine when sometimes they are real scared or stressed they will give off that "diarrea smell" and sometimes their stools will be extremely runny, Again if they have felt this way especially in their sleeping area, then the possibility does exist that their fur has absorbed those odors as well.. Based on the info that Cynthia was given, that is the conclusion she came up with, not that she is wrong, as she said many times the heavy smells are due to diets and over supplimentation of vitamins. If you haven't used measuring spoons and measuring cups with the leadbeaters, it is veryt easy to add a pinch or two too much in the leadbeaters,, and BTW in the leadbeaters, RepCal is the suppliments..be sure when you make that the RepCal is measured exactly.

Follow Ups:

• 3 things Bourbon 13:37:53 1/20/99 (0)