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Post by Deleted on Jun 21, 2013 3:02:27 GMT -5
Bad news I made the soup the way I always do but add just a bit more chicken and less kibble and now they are pooping outside of the litter box I don't know if it's both or just one. They pee in the litter box and there is poop in there to but then theres about 10 piles of poop all over the bottom of the cage. They poop a lot in just one day I cleaned there whole cage and gave them back the food but just add a bit more kibble. I just want to see if that is why they are pooping outside the box. I let them play at least 4-6 hours a day and there poop is fine nothing wrong with it. Do you know why they might be doing this? Well, only once a week I will give them a whole egg to share they love to share with each other. But how many yolks a week should I feed them? Does 5 yolks and one whole egg between two ferrets a week is good? They smelled it and didn't really want it it's crazy how Oswin likes to nibble on Gizzards but nothing else. He always takes all the meat to a real butcher first so if it is bad he will know. I would never want to give them bad meat. But thank you for telling me that.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 21, 2013 22:15:51 GMT -5
Sounds like they are protest pooping the meal change, sadly it happens. Little brats. You can give in and teach them that protesting will get their way or you can forge on through it and ignore the rotten behavior. Or force them into litter box boot camp for a refresher.
5 yolks a week and an egg between two ferrets should be ok. I would probably not feed them too much more than that, they need a lot of other things in their diet, you don't want to be feeding them just eggs.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 21, 2013 22:37:18 GMT -5
Poop doesn't bother me at all so they can do all they want I just saw Oswin doing it so I put her in the litter box to finsh. They will just have to get used to it they are eating a bit less now of it... Is there anything I can add for now to at least get them to eat it? I'm only pushing the eggs because they like it in the soup and they aren't eating much meat yet.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 22, 2013 6:41:24 GMT -5
You could try mixing in a little oilve oil or fish oil if you have it and they like it. To get a ferret to like an oil sometimes you have to train them to try it, again with either dabbing it on their nose, mouth or putting some on your hand for them to lick off. Mine will try almost anything out of my hands now, they've learned that mom brings them good things in her hands.
Instead of using whole pieces of kibble I'd try smashing it up with a hammer in a bag or something similar and using the powder mixed in with the soup. You want them to get used to the consistency as well as the taste, making the kibble sort of like the meat right now will help.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2013 5:35:10 GMT -5
I knew I was forgetting something I always keep for getting about the oil. (headwall) I will try and get some tomorrow for them and let you know if they like it. Well, I keep wetting it down still they seemed to like it better... they are still pooping at the bottom of cage... They were so good with the litter box and not so much now. Sorry, for the late reply.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2013 20:17:49 GMT -5
They like it better wetter or drier you mean?
Sorry to hear about the litterbox woes. What kind of cage do you have? A little bootcamp may be in order to remind them how to properly use the bathroom. Basically, you close down as much of the cage as you can, if possible and fill every square inch of the space with stuff they don't want to poop on, like food or bedding or toys and leave just the litter box for them to use. In a perfect world, they are forced to use the box consistently. As they behave better you start allowing them into more cage space and are able to eventually remove the extra stuff and they should stay using the box.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 25, 2013 16:48:16 GMT -5
They like it better as a mush... I want to get them off the mush. I want them to eat the chciken. I have the ferret nation all two litter boxes are down at the very bottom they didn't like having one at the top they never used it. I have seen who id doing it and it's Oswin... Binxi went in the litter box. I was going to try putting blankets at the bottom because they never poop on blankets but Binxi had a problem a few weeks ago were she would eat the blankets I only have two blankets that she doesn't chew on. I took one of the blankets away that they like to lay on to put it down there and so far no pooping on the blanket. Other then the pooping they are both just fine... there is a bit more chicken then kibble in the food they eat now but should I change the meat maybe? Should I try buying a rabbit for them?
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Post by Deleted on Jun 25, 2013 18:31:58 GMT -5
Start weaning out more kibble if you can and offer more meat. Rabbit is ok, hopefully it's not too expensive. If they won't eat it at first try mixing it in with the chicken. You can also try turkey or pork as good starter proteins. What kind of blankets is she eating, fleece?
You could try a different type of fabric she may not want to eat, such as denim (old jeans comes to mind). Or maybe an old sweatshirt you don't care about.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 25, 2013 21:59:23 GMT -5
Well, I found two places out here that sells frozen whole rabbit for around 30$ is that an okay price? I'm willing to pay anything for them. Yeah, I was thinking of putting less kibble but do you think it's the right time? I was holding off on doing that because of them pooping... but like I said I don't care of cleaning a little more poop. Turkey sounds like a good idea it's kinda like chciken but still kinda different. Thanks for the ideas. Yes, they were fleece I got them 10 blankets she had eaten/chewed up one blanket so I just put it in the garbage. I have always had one over the cage so they can have it dark to sleep but now just yesterday I have had to take it down because she was pulling into the cage and was trying to chew again on it. I'm going shopping tomorrow so please add anything you think I might need. I gave them a thick baby blanket and she has never chewed on it and loves laying on it so I might buy more of them for her. I could try a sweatshirt and see how she is with that.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 26, 2013 17:05:17 GMT -5
$30 for a rabiit? Ouch. Well, it depends on the weight. I know the stuff is expensive, but $7-8/lb for rabbit meat is the normal range, I wouldn't pay more than that. If they will eat the food with less kibble, by all means do it. Don't cave to their furry terrorism (aka pooping everywhere), if they know their tantrums work they'll keep doing them when they don't get their way and then you'll really be in trouble. How long do your furkids get out of their cage for play time? Chewing things like that can often be a sign of boredom, though I have one ferret who is a wardy and OCD and chewed anything plush or stuffed for a while due to stress I think, he mostly stopped once he got used to us and settled in. Some more out of cage time or a toy change up might help her stop chewing. Also if we can convince them to eat bones that might help too, I have some boys that love to chew bones to pass the time.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 27, 2013 20:40:39 GMT -5
Well, I do live in Canada things tend to cost more here. Well, I just got them new wood stairs, a pool, can of pumpkin, and got some turkey. The only three places I know of to get rabbit from had non and one of them you always have to place an order first. The pooping has gotten better with the blanket down there and now they have three pooping boxes. I also, put the octo-play thing in the cage for them to lay in and they love it, it's nice and dark for them to sleep in. Two hours a day two times a day before they used to be out half the day but Binxi got in the wall one time and I couldn't let that happen again I was so stressed and scared for her but she is fine. Today I got the wall fixed!!! Finally!!! So happy... so I'm going to be letting them out more. They have lots of toys and out of the cage have lots of things to climb on, sleep on, rice box, hay box, and lots of toys. When they arn't running after each other then I try playing with them they really like the one tube I have for them I really wanted to get them another one but I forgot. I wish they would eat bone it seems like a good chew toy.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 28, 2013 6:11:06 GMT -5
Sounds like she was bored then, and her chewing may lessen with some more out time to play.
We'll get them there eventually. For right now you've got to get them willing to reliably eat chicken on their own without any kibble.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 30, 2013 2:40:02 GMT -5
I have been letting them out for about 10 hours a day now. They are being such good girls they don't even poop on the floor. They haven't pooped on the blankets at all. I add a new hammock in there for them one that is better for summer and they like it too. I was shocked to see how fast both of them learned to use the stairs they are great at going up and down the stairs. They had a small box with rice in it now I got them a pool and filled it with rice and they are always playing in it for at least 2-3 hours... it's big enough for me to put a small tube in there for them. I have tryed three times to take away the kibble for five hours and they just would not eat the raw chicken. Darn I forgot the oil again tomorrow I will get some maybe they will like it then or with some pumpkin I just got some more I will try again tomorrow to take away the kibble.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 30, 2013 9:26:45 GMT -5
Try mixing in the oil and see if that helps. Stubborn little ladies you have there.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 2, 2013 14:45:05 GMT -5
Okay, I got oil last night and tryed them with and they did like it better... They are now eaing more of it. They still won't eat a chicken wing. I know they are just being little brats... It is taking forever just to get them to eat raw. Is there anything else I should be doing? Also, the only time they get just kibble is when they are out playing I have a bowl for water and food. But I did buy them stairs now... they are both so great with them. Anyways they can get in the cage and still eat there food that is in there.
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