Feeding question

We get asked for our advice and are always happy to try to answer any questions that we can. Please feel free to add your suggestions in the comments and we will be sure to pass them on.


Here is a recent exchange with DM:

My Mom has 2 beloved fallow girls....Angel and Peanut. We live in Oregon and do not know of any deer vets, so our equine/goat/large animal vet trys to help as much as they can. We just moved the girls to a 2 acre area across from the other property about 3 weeks ago. They have a very nice stall area to walk in and out as they please and a Great Pyrenees that has always lived with them. The last few days Angel has refused all food and seems a little fearful...usually, as tame and loving as a dog. My Mom spends and enormous amount of time with them and I just pray she doesnt lose one as we have already lost my Dad (her husband) and my Grandmother (her Mother) already this year. Our vet doesnt want to tranquilize her since she said they are so very sensitive to this. They are fed quality grass hay which they have available at all times, purina deer chow (antler max) which they dont seem to like very much and for treats my Mom feeds them nutrigrain bars, whole wheat bread, strawberries, peanuts, grapes and romaine lettuce. I have told her NOT to feed them bread anymore but, cannot think of anything else it might be. I would so much appreciate if you have any information or ideas at all for me to give her. We are having the vet come tomorrow and we are just going to hold her while they check her vitals. I would love to bring my Mom to your reserve to visit one day....she would be in Heaven seeing all the Fallows.

 

Our deer are all male so we don’t have a huge expertise with females but we have a few thought/possibilities and more questions:

• The doe could be still adjusting to the move and change in her environment. If she started to limp or had poor muscle coordination, we would worry about delayed capture myopathy in an extreme case. However, since the girls are so well socialized, it might be unlikely. How were they moved? Was there any trauma involved in the move? We have heard that Vitamin E helps with stress levels in a deer, so perhaps that might help. Keep in mind body weight. Perhaps the vet could recommend the dosage.

• Possibly the nutrigrain bars might be causing some fermentation or bloating in the stomach, too much refined sugars that affect stomach acids. You mention she is not eating, but is she drinking? Sometimes feeding the girls less is the kindest way to go, so maybe she is on a self-imposed fast to clean out her system. We worry about too much sugar and tooth decay as well. We don’t used any pre-mixed deer feed either. Why do does need antler max? This is designed for hunters who want to fatten up a deer before killing it, and the manufacturers are not concerned with the long-term effects on the animal’s digestive system.

• Any sign of problems in the mouth? Drooling, swelling around the jaw? We lost one deer this way as the infection caused by a tooth abscess went into his jaw. The vet could prescribe some anti-biotics. Will Angel take a piece of apple from your mum’s hand if offered? This is a good way to get the medication into her system.
• It is “rut” season for males (Sept-Oct) and possibly she is experiencing some form of heat. The hormonal changes may be affecting her eating as it does in males. Our guys don’t eat much for a month or more when it’s mating season. Is Angel losing weight? How is she behaving other than not eating?

• Is the feeding area very different in the new place? Could one girl be bullying the other for food? Remember they are herd animals and as the girls age they may show more dominant/submissive behaviours.

We hope this is helpful and if you ever come east, please visit.