Gag?

[lightningturtle]

Tonight I gave Dessy a bit of her treat mix: a piece of crushed rose hip, a few oats, a juniper berry (dried), and a few lavender flowers (about half a teaspoon all told). She chewed the rose hip piece for a minute before making a gagging face twice, squeaking the second time.

I was sure she was choking, but of course she ran to the bottom of her cage when I reached in to help her. Then I worried about malo. I've since caught, burrito'ed, and inspected her, but other than her (yet again) irritated left eye she seems fine. All four incisors are evenly trimmed, though a little pale between them (where the two teeth meet), and when I let her go she finished her treat and went to town on her pellets. Now she's acting like nothing ever happened.

Should I be worried or could she have been poked in the mouth by a sharp piece of rose hip or what?

 

[seachin]

Yeah, when I used to give rosehips they always made that gagging/pawing motion when they ate the inner part with the seeds. I stopped giving the center part and just give the dried skin.

 

[BooBoo*TheKiddo*]

I started giving crushed rosehips rather than whole because of the tiny little fibers or hair or whatever that stuff is in with the seeds.

I also use a strainer to help sift any of the fibers out of the crushed rosehips before putting them in their treat container. Those fibers poke me and hurt so I couldn't imagine getting poked in the mouth by one.

 

[lightningturtle]

This is from a batch that was crushed and sifted, though I guess a stray fiber could have stuck to a piece.

I'm just glad she's okay.