Protein Pill

[Neohippy]

So I've been having the darndest time figuring out how to get little Woodrow to eat his animal protein. So after various attempts with all sorts of "cure all and end all" solutions from many well experienced and rather bull headed reptile enthusiasts, I decided to use a trick from my youth.
When I was a wee lad, my family always had dogs. And any dog owner knows, gettin' them little bastards to take pills is a pain in the... well, it's tough.
So the skinny is, I toothpicked a mango chunk, smashed a meal worm inside, badda bing badda boom, no more meal worm.
He's coo coo for all sortsa greens and fruits, anything that doesn't smell like moistened kibble, or squirms.
Regardless, protein success today... Finally.

Anyone else have the darndest time getting their young'ns to mow through a good protein shake kinda day?

 

[Candy]

As for Dale (our Cherryhead) we give him elk meat. He loves it. Sometimes I'll give him egg, but he prefers the elk meat. They say that in Brazil they feed off the carcass of deers. And getting dogs to take pills is easy you just put it in some peanut butter or wrap some cheese around it they love it that way and they never know it was in there. Candy

 

[Madkins007]

What kinds of meat have you tried? I would not use mealworms very often- the shell is tough and they are not very nutritious.

My guys love earthworms, thawed pinkies (man they love these!), cooked chicken strips, low-fat cat food (soaked kibble or canned), oily fish (salmon, tuna, mackeral, sardine- fresh or packed in water), etc. I like variety!

They don't need a lot of meat, but if your guy is completely ignoring it I would look for problems- temps, humidity, too much or the wrong kind of food, etc.

 

[blackcat38]

My babies LOVE meat, I give them quite a selection; prawns, salmon, boiled chicken, egg (with the shell), earth worms, butter worms, they go crazy for it! Greens and fruit I just put down for them to eat but I hand feed the protein so I know how much each one gets (one is very greedy and will shove the others out the way) plus I thought it would help them bond with me which worked because they now come over to the door when I’m there, I like to think it’s because they’ve come to see their mum but in reality they’ve come for the food lol

I have now noticed if I try and hand feed a leaf they all try and nibble my fingers, guess the pinkness reminds them of their protein!

 

[Neohippy]

That's what I love about you forum folk, always puttin' the ol' mind at ease. I hadn't tried nearly as many suggestions as listed. Let's just say well experienced tortoise owners can strike the fear in you: "Never feed your tortoise blank and blank! That's not allowed!". Then you go and ask a whole shwack of tort enthusiasts, and windows are opened instead.
I think Woodrow is gonna do just fine with all the decent open minded and proven advice you's guys provide.
I'm thinkin' next protein day I will try a couple of the above listed at random, see which he prefers. I'll narrow his tastes down yet!

 

[Neohippy]

Success! Tried shrimp this week for protein. No needing to cram it into the centre of a chunk of fruit in order to con him into eating it. Both Woodrow and my new little guy got a taste for the delicious water dwelling crustacean.
Just had to find something that still resembled food to them, and worms or kibble mush didn't seem to cut it.

Now I wonder what I should try next week...