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Post by Sherry on Jul 11, 2013 19:42:28 GMT -5
That looks better The reason I mentioned mixing it up is so they wouldn't suffer from severe diarrhea from having too many boneless meals together, combined with heart and organ meals as well. They'll also be fine without the heart for that period of time. When looking at dietary deficiencies, look longer term, as in 3-4 months. That's when problems crop up.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 14, 2013 20:53:07 GMT -5
1. Ferret's name: Aang 2. Ferret's weight: 1.09 kg 3. Eating around 1 oz per meal, but also seems to be stashing and snacking on his own. 4. He's had some softer stool with liquid, a few that were just kinda mucousy little blobs, but then later he'll have a normal stool. I found one poo with a chunk of bone in it! Not sure who that belonged to. 5. Activity levels: Normal, probably plays at least 1-2 hours per day that I know of. He's been pretty rambunctious. They have a room to roam free all together so could be more.
1. Ferret's name: Sokka 2. Ferret's weight: 1.1kg 3. Eating around 1 oz per meal, not stashing as much as Aang and doesn't seem to be eating as much while I'm watching 4. Seem a bit soft but haven't noticed anything weird. 5. Activity levels: rascally. Bopping around 1-2 hours per day that I see.
1. Ferret's name: Zuko 2. Ferret's weight: 1.08kg 3. Still just eating kibble 4. Had some softer stools and some with a liquidy look 5. Activity levels: Seem normal for him, he goes at it harder than the other two so ends up sleeping sooner I think. Is dooking around for at least 1-2 hours per day that I know of.
Week in review... Tuesday - ate roughly 4 oz of mixed chicken leg/thigh Wednesday- ate roughly 2.5 oz mixed chicken wing/leg bones cut up and skin slashed Thursday - ate roughly 3 oz chicken, offered ground beef 1.5 oz but they had no interest Friday-I left the ground beef out to see if they'd like it more dried out but still no interest. Saturday - was out for a long time so put out about 2 oz of chicken at night Sunday- running low on chicken fed them some while I was cooking supper roughly 1 oz
Everyday there has been kibble out for Zuko since he's not eating the meat and I didn't make soup yet. I have been putting water in it so he gets used to eating mushy food. Aang and Sokka have been snacking on the kibble too.
I took out chicken leg/thigh/gizzard out of the freezer for tomorrow so I'll be better prepared.
Do you think I should blend up some chicken and eggshell and liver without the hearts to start getting Zuko onto soup? Maybe pour some over the kibble?
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Post by Sherry on Jul 15, 2013 8:54:43 GMT -5
Something else that may work with Zuko is to powder some kibble and coat a few chicken slivers with it. To get the others eating other proteins, start mixing cut up chicken with about 1/4 new protein and let those "marinate" together for a few hours prior to feeding.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 17, 2013 9:25:56 GMT -5
Sorry lost track of the days! Aang threw up on Sunday and then yesterday he was gagging. Maybe it's due to the kibble still being out? I'm not sure how to keep him from eating it and still let Zuko have some. They aren't used to eating in set meals, they like to graze on their own time throughout the day. I had Aang and Sokka eating gizzard with some ground beef mixed in that was soaking in the chicken blood. They didn't seem too keen on either of those things until today when I offered fresh stuff and I had cut up the gizzard into smaller pieces. Kibble had been gone overnight I think too. I used the magic bullet to make some kibble powder which worked much better than a spoon, coated some tiny pieces of chicken gizzard with it. Zuko ate a couple pieces but he really chewed and chewed. Hopefully he'll eat more later. Should I take it away to not let Aang and Sokka eat his and then just re-offer periodically? I don't want him to starve!
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Post by Sherry on Jul 17, 2013 13:39:36 GMT -5
From reading your app, the occasional vomiting/gagging thing is fairly common for him? So it's likely nothing to do with that However- remove the kibble for a couple hours prior to offering the raw. With the ground beef/gizzard it's possible it was just starting to go off, or else they simply needed another go at it to discover they liked it And that's great news for Zuko!!! Just keep offering it to him like that(for now anyway). The thing is, until they are all eating at least soup on their own, they will need to rely on kibble at least at night.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 21, 2013 19:43:14 GMT -5
1. Ferret's name: Aang 2. Ferret's weight: 1.13kg 3. Eating around 1 oz per meal then snacking throughout the day 4. Mostly soft stool 5. Activity levels: Normal, still playing at least 2 hours a day
1. Ferret's name: Sokka 2. Ferret's weight: 1.09kg 3. Eating around 1 oz per meal 4. Somewhat soft stool 5. Activity levels: Energetic. Plays at least 2 hours per day.
1. Ferret's name: Zuko 2. Ferret's weight: 1.09kg 3. Has nibbled on slivers but still eating kibble at night 4. Soft stools 5. Activity levels: Playing at least 2 hours but does still nap before the rest.
Week in review... Monday (15th) about 1.5 oz in the morning chicken bone in, 1.5 oz gizzard in the evening Tuesday - 2oz gizzard with ground beef soaked in it. Kibble was also offered. Wednesday- Offered gizzard slivers breadedin kibble to Zuko and he ate a couple, mostly kinda chewed on them/licked and then spat them out. Left it out for any to eat though. Left out more gizzard and ground beef. about 1.5 oz Thursday - put out some beef liver chucks and some more of the breaded gizzard. Also offered an egg yolk. Have been leaving out some kibble only at night or if there will be a large gap between feedings as you suggested. Friday-Roughly 4oz chicken necks eaten, offered more slivers to Zuko, tried hand feeding and he licked and chewed a bit. Looks like they haven't been eating much of the neck bone though I found some of it stashed away in a pile. Saturday - 1.5oz neck in the morning and kibble for the rest of the day Sunday- fed about 4 oz chicken neck over the day, no kibble offered until this evening and will be offering some slivers to Zuko again.
Any ideas on getting them to eat the gizzard and beef? They really don't seem to like it. I'm not sure they are eating it but it does disappear eventually... I did a full clean out and was finding bits and pieces in their sleeping spots. It's almost like it's too chewy.
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Post by Sherry on Jul 22, 2013 7:10:09 GMT -5
It is harder for them to chew, which is why it's such good practice for bones. So let me see if I have this straight. Aang and Sorka are now eating the bone in chicken well? And Zuko still needs some coaxing- he's going to be your little diva . I was hoping we'd not have to go the soup route with him, but that's most likely what's going to work. Puree the soup linked in the mentoring app thread and start finger feeding him with that. Move from finger to spoon. Once he's reliably eating this on his own then you can start leaving the kibble out. For Aang and Sorka it's possible it's the texture of the ground beef they are objecting to. Try them with some stewing beef instead, or another very cheap cut. I've had ferrets who've flatly refused anything ground. Also, you'll need to pick up some heart meat and get them going with that. With the gizzards, just keep offering them once or twice a week as part of a rotation.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 24, 2013 15:43:58 GMT -5
I'll try Zuko on the soup. I have to wait for heart meat another week unless I can find another source. I guess my order didn't come in yet
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Post by Sherry on Jul 24, 2013 21:01:05 GMT -5
Go ahead and make a batch of soup without it Short term he'll be fine.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2013 14:04:33 GMT -5
Oh gosh I'm sorry I'm really bad at updating this... not much has changed though at least. So I made up a batch of gizzard/liver/chicken breast/egg shell powder. I've been 'scruffing and stuffing' for Zuko. He's really struggling so I've been giving maybe 1/2 teaspoon a day.
Aang and Sokka are getting excited to see me when I come feed them. It's pretty cute. They are getting better at using the feeding dens too. I set one up in their cage and one out. I've been giving them the portioned out chicken necks that I froze in ~4oz packages which is working really great for me and convenient. They don't eat the vertebrae though I just have to get around to getting other types/cuts of meat portioned out and mixed in. The gizzard they seem to eat a little bit of so I will make sure as you suggested to only offer a couple throughout meals.
I am giving them some of Zuko's soup too because even though I froze it in 3oz portions I don't want it to go bad. They also eat a bit of the kibble that's out for Zuko.
Energy levels have been somewhat low but I'm going to blame the heat first, it's been really hot and humid. Don't worry, I've been keeping them cool with ice water and icepaks and water to play in!
Poop for Aang and Sokka lately they've had some really tiny poops some kind of mucousy blobs, others more orange but a normal size. They seem a little constipated at times too, going in and out of the litter box not able to decide if they're going to poop.
Zukos poop is still a little dark and seedy.
Will post weights and everything tomorrow.
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Post by Sherry on Jul 27, 2013 22:23:28 GMT -5
Okay, for Aang and Sokka let's work on getting their diet balanced with meat, bone, organ, heart. They are eating bone and and chuck well so if you haven't yet give them a meal of hearts and see how they do with it
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2013 6:45:22 GMT -5
1. Ferret's name: Aang 2. Ferret's weight: 1.16kg 3. Eating around 2-3 oz per day plus some kibble 4. Mostly soft stool, some mucousy 5. Activity levels: Normal, still playing at least 2 hours a day
1. Ferret's name: Sokka 2. Ferret's weight: 1.11kg 3. Eating around 2 oz per day 4. Somewhat soft stool, some mucousy 5. Activity levels: Normal. Plays at least 2 hours per day.
1. Ferret's name: Zuko 2. Ferret's weight: 1.15kg 3. Eating around a teaspoon of soup and then kibble 4. Soft stools but haven't changed from what he usually has 5. Activity levels: Playing at least 2 hours but does still nap before the rest.
Week in review... Monday (22nd) about 1.5 oz of necks and gizzard, kibble also offered in small amounts twice a day Tuesday - about 2.5 oz of necks, kibble offered a couple times Wednesday- about 4 oz of neck, kibble offered and soup started with zuko. Thursday - about 3 oz of neck, kibble offered, and soup again for Zuko. Friday-about 3 oz of neck and kibble and soup again Saturday-same Sunday- about 4 oz of necks, 3 oz of wing, 1 oz of beef chunks put out, kibble, didn't do soup for Zuko Monday (29th)- about 3 oz of neck, 2 oz of wing, 1 oz of beef chunks, kibble, no soup
Will be trying heart as soon as I get it. Still waiting on my order. Have been busier than expected the past couple days so I haven't had a lot of time to force soup on Zuko.
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Post by Sherry on Jul 30, 2013 8:52:07 GMT -5
For now try letting him play for a while before giving him the soup. That way he'll work up an appetite. Are you removing the kibble a couple of hours before offering the raw?
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Post by Deleted on Jul 31, 2013 20:25:34 GMT -5
Yep I am. I was wondering, is it normal that Aang has been having little tiny poops? Maybe about nickel sized and kind of orange coloured? Should I be worried about blockage or any kind of splintering? I did find a thrown up hair ball the other day, not sure who from.
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Post by Sherry on Aug 1, 2013 8:45:57 GMT -5
If all she is eating is raw, then yes. Tiny stools are normal And the colour is going to vary depending on what they've eaten. But it shouldn't be orange unless you've given something like pumpkin. And just an FYI- ferrets are physically incapable of throwing up a hairball in the manner of a cat. They have to poop it through. So if you found what was basically a fur filled poop, start giving an egg yolk twice a week for now.
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