Roxy has never been one to embrace a new protein. When something new is introduced, she usually leaves her plate and goes and sits at the end of the wall... until I am able to talk her into eating. She did the same with the mouse, EXCEPT not only did she leave her plate and sulk... she had plenty to "say" to me as well! Wow, was she ever vocal! It cracks me up how such a little girl can be so LOUD. I ended up putting her plate (and her) in the bathroom. That gave her time ...alone... to think about her food... and eat it.
The first 3 plates I put down are for Roxy, Arrows, and Jenkins. (My normal routine.) So while Roxy was throwing her fit, I continued to feed Jenkins and Arrows. Jenkins inhaled his food. Arrows wasn't so sure about it. He normally eats ANYTHING without any hesitation.
Next 3 to be fed are Goose, Lola, and Lilly. Lilly who also normally eats anything wasn't so sure either.
I ended up adding a crushed Vets Best wafer (?) and dusting the meals for Lilly, Lola, and Goose...while "fighting" off Jenkins.
I gave some mouse to Lacy dog as well. She did a LOT of sniffing, before she ate her portion.
If they all were fed separately, they probably all would have eaten it eventually... without the Vets Best.
Why I feed the way I do...
Roxy "demands" to be one of the first fed. If not, she will "yell" at the top of her lungs and get everyone else all worked up. Then meal time ends up stressful, instead of peaceful.
Jenkins has to be one of the first served so he is occupied... or he will run from dish to dish stealing what he can. I spread his food from edge to edge on his plate, so it takes him a while to finish.
Arrows is in the first feeding round because he has to run around the dining room table before eating. The timing of the run and the setting down of his plate... just works. lol
Lilly, Goose, and Lola take their places in line and wait very nicely. Lola and Goose run the house. They make the rules. They have very strong personalities. I would have expected them to be the difficult ones. Nope.
Lacy dog is fed last, because she often eats something different...and has the most patience. She is also more comfortable at the end of the food line.
I used to have Jenkins follow me into a bedroom and feed him separately from the others. To do that, I had to feed him first AND be able to keep the others from also entering the room. That didn't always work very well. I also thought if he ate with the others... maybe his food stealing behavior would improve. I thought wrong.
Feeding time isn't as wild as it sounds... most of the time. A new protein being introduced or feeding rabbit... is when things can get a bit wild.
PS The second serving of mouse went like any other meal. Everyone ate normally. Rabbit remains the fan favorite.