Question about Tiny Tim

Miniature Horse Talk Forums

Help Support Miniature Horse Talk Forums:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Marty

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 30, 2002
Messages
13,596
Reaction score
521
Location
Tennessee
A day doesn't go by where Timmy doesn't do something to amaze me, but so far, what I saw this morning has taken the cake.

I went into feed Holly her breakfast this morning and noticed that Timmy already got a jump start on his: Caught him in the act of having a nibble on one of Holly's turds!!!!
smileypuke.gif
smileypuke.gif
smileypuke.gif
smileypuke.gif
smileypuke.gif


Like any self-respecting mother I simply died.

Mortified and horrified, I got a rag and was trying to wipe his little turd eating muzzle off and tell him "no no no baby, no"!!!
ohmy.gif
ohmy.gif


What's a mother to do????

I was going to get another feeder that is larger than Holly's and lower it so he can reach it because I think he'd like to start eating grain with mommy now. He's a week old now.

I also haven't seen him drink any water yet.

So tell me, besides the obvious turd eating hysterics, what else should I be freaking out over?

Mother-hood is really agreeing with me a whole lot, but gee whiz, I wish some parts wouldn't gross me out.
wink.gif
 
[SIZE=14pt]Marty dont panic, lots of babies eat poop especially their mothers.... he wont die. How are his legs? have they straighted up for you? I always feed my moms and babies in the big rubber round pans on the ground. Thats how my foals learn to eat real food. Try that.[/SIZE]

Lyn
 
Marty,

It's perfectly normal for a foal to eat it's mom's poop. In fact, it's a necessity! That's how a foal innoculates it's gut with bacteria so it can digest fiber and other solids.

I know there is nothing more gross than seeing a foal doing this and having a big green face when he's through! YUCK!!! But it's part of being a horse. You'll both survive! Just make sure mom is dewormed regularly and start worming your foal at a month of age.
 
Just dont let him come give you a big kiss after he eats. Sorry I culdnt resist. But my two mini eat it too. And it is disgusting
 
One of the weanlings I bought a few years ago had aspirated his momma's poo and spent 5 days in the hospital. Good thing his human was there at the time. He's now a big strapping boy!
 
It never fails to have me rolling on the floor in laughter at how grossed out people get when their horses, babies or adults, eat their own or other horse's manure
biggrin.gif


Come on people it's just digested hay, that's really all there is to it. I know it's kind of gross, but really it's just digested hay, it's not like it's dog poop
wacko.gif
 
Cody used to "fingerpaint" when he was a baby...he would pick up some of Misty's poop in his mouth, and rub it up and down on the stall walls....

It was just precious...
smileypuke.gif
 
Gross, but definitely normal. Can I put in a request for new pictures of him???

Kareng
 
just be carfull though cause one freinds had a cuople foals choke on it!

-Gage-
 
I went to a feed seminar over the winter, and they were talking about foals easting their mom's poop. This seminar was offered by Purina, and they had some interesting views. They did research and found that a foal's "foal heat scours" were not cuased my a mare's foal heat, but by them eating their momma's poop. It just happens that foal's start eating poop around the same time a mare comes into heat. Apparently, it is bad it they don't eat poop. As mentioned by Becky, the foal's eat poop to establish a proper bacterial flora in their hindgut. One of the ladies at the seminar had an orphan foal who had never gotten to eat any other horses poop, and she is now 3 and does not have normal poops (they are all loose cowpies). Interesting, eh? I just let the babies eat poop, I just make sure the mares are wormed 24 hours after foaling. Even thought it is slightly embarassing when non-horsey people come over to see the babies and they are eating poop!! LOL
 
I disagree with this.

This seminar was offered by Purina, and they had some interesting views. They did research and found that a foal's "foal heat scours" were not cuased my a mare's foal heat, but by them eating their momma's poop.
While it might play a part in it, however even if you have a foal who is not nurseing mom, they will still go through the foal heat scours at 5-8 days old.
 
My babies eat the dams poop cakes also!! No harm in it!!
wink.gif


Just don't let him kiss ya after!!!
laugh.gif


Joyce
 
I would rather that Marty then my grandaughter last night coming to the barn with me and one of my barn cats had killed a "mole" and Makayla picked it up in her hands and ran out of the barn petting the thing and said to Mike "Grandpa, can I keep it?" It won't be a problem grandpa, it won't run around the house if I bring it in"
new_shocked.gif
Kids, honestly.
 
You already got the answer. It is normal and neccessary, and also gross! I didn't know foals did this until 2001 when Morningstar was born. She's cremello... she'd decide to enjoy a snack and it would be all over her muzzle and I'd pretty much take that as my cue to go leave her and Firefly alone for awhile. It looked especially nasty on her creamy-white face.
vomit.gif
 
HI Marty, Lyn is right. Don't worry about the poop eating thing. Also, I use those flat round rubber pans. The foal sees mama eating and will try also. I put half of the feed in one, and half in the other. Tim will imitate his mama. He will start playing in the water soon and start drinking, he will imitate Holly.
 
I don't know nuttin 'bout eating poop, but had to laugh at a couple of the posts.

The "finger painting" one was a riot.
laugh.gif


And the adopted dead mole made me sad for Makayla, but had to chuckle about it not "running around the house". I'd like to know how you handled that one.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Latest posts

Back
Top