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Post by Sherry on Sept 12, 2014 8:21:07 GMT -5
Goat, lamb, bison, venison, elk are 5 off the top of my head
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Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2014 22:49:31 GMT -5
Oops thought I posted this... the update for Friday, September 12th:
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Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2014 22:50:42 GMT -5
And the update for Saturday the 13th:
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Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2014 22:54:16 GMT -5
Hi Sherry. Here is the overview for this week, the 14th - 20th: I will continue to increase the ratio of slivers to soup AND increase the sliver size a bit as well. BC and Miss P continue to be challenging while Lily has joined Max as a super duper eater! Annette
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Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2014 22:55:13 GMT -5
And finally the update for today, Sunday the 14th:
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Post by Sherry on Sept 15, 2014 9:57:33 GMT -5
Okay, BC has only lost about 50 grams, and her activity level, pooping, etc is still perfectly normal? What is the concern with her at the moment? What is the sliver to soup ratio? They should be pretty much all on slivers by now, or close to it with the size increasing so they need to start learning how to chew.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 15, 2014 22:06:41 GMT -5
Hi Sherry. Monday 9/15 update: It's late here and I need to get to bed...have to be to work super early tomorrow. I am going to post more in the morning from work to answer your questions and ask a few ;D Thanks! Annette
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Post by Sherry on Sept 17, 2014 9:16:16 GMT -5
Looks like your ferrets are starting to shed by those last two poop pics Just make sure they get some egg in their diet once or twice a week either by itself or mixed into the soup.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 17, 2014 14:20:55 GMT -5
Hi Sherry. So sorry for not posting at all yesterday like I said I would. But I am able to post now from work on my new iPad!!! Happy anniversary to me, LOL. I will post Tuesday's and Wednesday's updates tonight when I get home. In the mean time, to answer your questions.... I am worried about BC because she looks soooo thin, but perhaps she is going through a shed as you mentioned above. Her activity levels vary from day to day. Some days she is her usual playful, getting into trouble self. Other days she is less active, sleeping more, etc. Her poops usually look okay, with the occasional iffy one. She has been looking/feeling much thinner to me for a while which is why I took her in for blood work on August 9th...that came back normal. Also, I also question whether or not she eats enough, but I will write more about that in my next post to keep the topics separate. Finally, all four are on a 50/50 soup to sliver ratio. I took some time to catch Lily up to the others especially since she is now in the same cage as the others and has no access to kibble anymore. I will also write more about This in my next post. Annette
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Post by Deleted on Sept 17, 2014 15:02:32 GMT -5
Hi again! I need to talk about food prep and consumption. First, food prep. I have the soup making process down pat. I can make large quantities easily and quickly. However, with slivers, not so much. The first time I made slivers, I used a cheese grater to make them as small as I could. Spent hours making what I thought was a large batch only to run out at the end of the week and Had to offer only soup. A bit of a setback? This past weekend I spent several hours making what I hope is a large enough batch to get through the week. I varied/increased the size of the slivers by using a cheese grater, a potato peeler, scissors, and a knife. How do you make your slivers? Is there easy way to make large batches? I try to do all my meat prep on the weekends since I get home so late. Second, consumption amounts. I have no worries at all about Max nor Lily (she is quite the piggy!). However, as I have mentioned, BC and Miss P are another story. Both will usually (not always tho) start eating on their own but will walk away after a few bites. Then I spend the rest of the time convincing them to eat more (via spoon or finger). And while they usually eat more, I am afraid they are stressed out. So yesterday, I did an experiment. I let them eat as much (or as little) as they wanted without any convincing from me. For the morning meal, BC ate 1/2 ounce while Miss P ate 1/4 ounce. Not much at all. But they were active, playful, all around in a good mood! For the evening meal, I thought for sure they would eat more....nope. BC ate 1/4 ounce and Miss P 1/2 ounce. But again, they were very active and playful. The only unknown variable is the group plate I put in the cage. BC and P could be eating some of that, but I am concerned that it is Max and Lily doing the most of that eating. So, I guess my questions are what is the minimum amount a ferret should eat? Should I *make* them eat (finger or spoon) until they have reached that amount? Or am I causing too much stress by doing that? That's it for now. Will post more later tonight. A
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Post by Deleted on Sept 17, 2014 21:50:40 GMT -5
Here is Tuesday's (9/16) update: AND today's (9/17) update:
Take a look at that gnarly group poop! Also, Miss P's poop from yesterday and today. Talk to you soon! A
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Post by Sherry on Sept 18, 2014 8:39:53 GMT -5
Will look at the charts later on the computer. For amounts I have two tiny girls who often only eat about an ounce a day in the summer. Winter is about 1.5-2 ounces each. For making soups etc I tend to really push them through the switch so we aren't on any one stage for more than a few days. When I am making the slivers I start by mixing in ground meat slowly increasing to half ground half puree, then start adding slivers cut from partially frozen meat with a knife. From adding slivers, decreasing puree, increasing ground to increased slivers decreased ground meat to half and half. That is pretty much where you are now, but with soup/slivers. Now start trying mainly slivers covered in soup like a gravy with some larger pieces added in. For those larger bits think meat "spaghetti". Longer while still thin to teach them how to chew.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2014 22:42:07 GMT -5
Behind as usual. Thursday's (9/18) update
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2014 22:42:57 GMT -5
Friday, 9/19:
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2014 22:44:03 GMT -5
and Saturday, 9/20:
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