Kevin Robertson, [28 Jul 2023 at 23:02:20]: Hi everyone – a quick question How frequently should a 4-day old female giraffe bottle baby defecate? She is taking bottles well, drinking water and urinating but has not pooped for 48 hrs. 48 hrs ago her stool had to be physically removed - it was very dry and she was given a warm water enema of 150 mls. Habitus is fine - she is bright and alert, but confined in an air-conditioned stall here in Texas because it is really hot outside. 40 C at least every day. Could lack of movement be a contributing factor? Henry Labuschagne, [29 Jul 2023 at 09:23:42]: Hi Kevin. She must at least pass stools 2x a day. After feeding, wipe with lukewarm cloth over back and anus to simulate grooming by mother and stimulate defaecation and urination. Give a 500ml enema ⅓ each of liquid paraffin, glycerine and liquid soap. Mix 50ml liquid paraffin in at least one feeding's milk. You can also add 50ml honey to milk of one feeding a day. Let her come out early morning and late afternoon to move around a bit. Good luck. Ryan Van Deventer, [29 Jul 2023 at 18:27:28]: Hi Kevin. We are bottle raising one at the moment. She is 10 weeks old now and we had the same issues in the beginning. Contact me privately on WhatsApp and I can discuss with you.
