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Post by RedSky on Jan 19, 2015 7:12:29 GMT -5
2 Duck wings for breakfast. I chopped them up into 1" chunks (or there abouts) which is much smaller than I have in the past and they seems to have been a hit. All three eat a few pieces, Bolin was the quickest for a change, he chews at a constant pace whereas the other two start really fast and eager and half way through they lose speed until it looks like they have a funny twitch but they kept going until they had eaten a few bits each. I think they need more practice at chewing. By the time Mako and Korra had had enough Bolin had gone back to bed! I left them with the rest, I didn't even think about weighting it! Silly me. I left the scale in front of the cage so I'd remember too and didn't even notice it was there this morning. It was a bit of a rush though as I needed to get to the vets too.
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Post by RedSky on Jan 20, 2015 8:47:21 GMT -5
It was heart and pancreas for tea, they ate all 150g (about 5oz) of the heart. I hand fed each a piece of pancreas, Korra had a chew but then stashed it, Bolin and Mako ate theirs, but once they knew there was heart no one was interested in it any more. This morning the bowl was empty and it was stashed in corners on each level of the cage!
For breakfast they have had tiny lamb chunks. Bolin is at the vet and I was suppose to take them for him after he came round while he was still there but forgot, so fed them to Korra and Mako. They normally love lamb but have hardly touched it. Not sure if they are full still from all that heart or if they are just missing Bolin. They seemed to be looking for him while they were out playing, Korra didn't bite like she normally does and Mako had no interest in playing. Hopefully Bolin is fine and he will be home this evening. I stopped off at a shop on the way to the vets so Bolin now has some pork chunks to eat instead.
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Post by acodlin on Jan 20, 2015 9:40:32 GMT -5
Sorry about the lack of response.
I think the 7 meals of grinds a week would be pretty balanced. I'm glad to hear that they ate the chopped duck wings! Getting them to eat bone is always the big hurdle. You may just have to work slowly on increasing the size of the chunks of bone that they eat.
Some days they might not eat as much as others, they could very easily be stressed because Bolin isn't there. I wouldn't worry. I don't weigh food anymore. I can eye ball what is a normal portion for them and I just do weights once a month on my kids to make sure they are not losing or gaining too much. Their weights will fluctuate from day to day based upon what they eat. Is Bolin okay?
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Post by RedSky on Jan 20, 2015 10:18:01 GMT -5
The vet nurse just called to say he's woken up and is eating. The vet had to rush out to an appointment but the nurse said they have done an ultra sound and x-ray and the vet decided no biopsy is needed. I'll know more when I go pick him up. I'm going to get him after 6 since we have an appointment for our dog too. I'll let you know what she says. He has been a little more active and is getting better at pulling himself up onto stuff but he's still dragging his back end a lot.
They have duck wings for tea, I want to stick to the same bone in for a few days until they are eating it reliably. Then I will try a different bone in protein, not sure what just yet though. Once they are eating a few I will try some mice but because of the price of them I don't want to waste them.
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Post by RedSky on Jan 21, 2015 9:20:21 GMT -5
When I put the chopped up duck wings in it weighed 4.3oz, this morning after I picked up all the bits from around the cage is was just over an 2 oz.
It was supposed to be duck wings again for breakfast. I'm insistent that they accept duck wings as their main bone in. But my dog finish his breakfast so I took his left over lamb chunks up too. Silly me left the plate of lamb and wings within reach and between Mako and Bolin the lamb was all gone when I turned around. I didn't see Korra near the plate, she was more interested in what I was doing. So I didn't get chance to weight it but I think it was probably about 3oz. I'm going to bring the scales back into the kitchen with a note pad and write down how much they are eating.
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Post by acodlin on Jan 21, 2015 20:15:43 GMT -5
They are certainly creatures of opportunity lol. Did you try to mash the bones up a bit in the wing? It might make it more tempting. It sounds like they are doing good, slow but steady improvement. Getting them to eat bone is always the last hurdle.
I hope Bolin is doing well today. Is there any chance he injured his back?
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Post by RedSky on Jan 22, 2015 10:15:12 GMT -5
Hi, When I went in to give them their supper last night the room stank of something weird. I thought it smelt like something that been singed or burnt but my OH didn't agree, after much searching it turned out it was coming from Bolin, but only sort of waist down his head, neck and shoulders smelt ferrety but fine. It was really really strong and even sent my OH running to the sink to wash his hands after holding Bolin, normally these things don't bother him it was just that strong. It even followed us downstairs while I was refilling the water bowl (they have started dragging their blankets into). Bolin still seems happy and bright, eating fine and first to wake up every time I go in with food. He was brought into the rescue as a stay found wondering and I heard back from the rescue with them saying he has been like that all along, they thought it was just his personality and he's been vet checked, neutered and had an eye infection so been treated and seen a few times.
With the duck wings I've been cutting them up into 1 or 2" pieces. They are eating them, but they eat far less of these than they do heart or just lamb meat chunks. I guess they just don't like them as much.
I'm a little confused, I know females are supposed to eat 1-2oz and males 3-4oz but is that per meal or per day? I know they will all be different but just want to check the average. I might just be expecting them to eat more than they actually need to eat. They can clear a plate of 5oz of heart but don't eat 2 wings between the 3 of them.
I gave them egg last night too, but Korra knew there was heart and went of in search of it, so Mako and Bolin had an egg between them. Next time I'll not bring any other food into the room with me and then she might actually eat it. Is one egg between the 3 of them okay once or twice a week? I whisk it up first so it's all mixed then pour into one of their flat bowls for them to share.
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Post by acodlin on Jan 22, 2015 17:27:12 GMT -5
That is weird that Bolin smelled like that, No chance he could have gotten into something?
They won't eat as much bone as they will muscle meat, and that is fine.. remember bone makes up 10% of their diet.
That is a rough guide for the day, most of my females will eat atleast 1oz per meal, sometimes 2oz.. but they should eat atleast 2oz in a day. Every ferret is different, my guy Riley is 6 years old and he can tuck away 7oz a day, but Nemo who is only 3 will eat about 4oz a day. They are like people, they will eat more if its something they enjoy, and usually they eat more grinds than they will if they have to work for it (chunks and wings)
I usually give an egg per ferret a week. Make sure you feel the yolk and the whites together. Egg is great for preventing hairballs.
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Post by RedSky on Jan 22, 2015 17:39:46 GMT -5
Thanks, brilliant information cleared that up for me. It seems so odd feeding them so little compared to our dog but there is a massive size difference. 3 or 4 duck wings, a handful of meat and a cube of liver is a meal for our dog, but 1 duck wing seems to be enough for the 3 ferrets. Is it best to give them the egg all in one go to help push things through or better to let them share an egg a few times a week? There were quite a few loose poos this morning, and not all in the litter tray but with a meal of egg and heart I figured that was normal. Just need to work on their aim.
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Post by acodlin on Jan 23, 2015 19:40:59 GMT -5
The egg can be spread out over the week if you want. It binds to the hair and helps break it down so it can pass. Egg and organs will cause yukky poo if given alone =/ I make an organ soup for my kids and I add some finely ground egg shells and sometimes a little ground meat, like pork or chicken. I've had organ poo dripping down the wall behind my cages before.. yuk! How is Bolin today? Is the smell gone?
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Post by RedSky on Jan 24, 2015 15:49:53 GMT -5
The smell isn't as strong but I can still smell it on him. They had egg for supper last night and I was greeted with a very messy cage this morning. They were supposed to have duck wings but they smelt funny after they had thawed out, so I didn't want to feed them.
We've had a bad day today with the other pets, so I might be off more than usual over the next few days. I will try stop by to update with their diet but I apologise now if I can't.
They've had turkey block for breakfast and will have more for tea and a small supper of lamb meat. Breakfast will be heart and duck necks and probably more duck necks for tea and the following morning as they come in a great big block so will last a few meals.
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Post by RedSky on Jan 26, 2015 11:29:52 GMT -5
We have hit a bit of a brick wall. They aren't wanting to eat anything with bone in, including the block meals they were happily eating from the word go. I think I've done it to myself, our dog Cookie is off his food at the moment and rather than throw it all away (he eats around 28oz a day) I've been putting what he doesn't want in with the ferrets. Of course they have picked out the bits they like opposed to need and now seem to be holding out for meat chunks only. I'm hoping with a bit of time and persistence I can fix this, but since they are eating so little and I'm so stressed and emotional at the moment I can't bear the thought of them being hungry and I don't know how long to wait before giving in... I've ordered some human grade bonemeal powder for them, just in case I can't convince them bone is good soon enough but it's going to take up to a week to get here.
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Post by RedSky on Jan 27, 2015 13:56:23 GMT -5
They ate about 2oz of smashed and finely chopped (although it was pretty much mush anyway) of duck necks between the three of them. Bolin and Mako happily ate an oz between them when I set the bowl down, Korra is too busy trying to climb things, stash toys and get to any skin so she can bite me to eat while I'm there. They have got a block of minced whole pheasant (minus the feathers) for tea and will be having the same for breakfast. They should have been having heart with it for tea but I know if they have the heart they won't touch the pheasant. Again Mako and Bolin ate some straight away, Korra climbed up the bed and flew at me and bit my wrist... I even left them out while I went in the shower so they could have extra time out of the cage, when I went to check on them spas soon as I got out I had three ferrets biting my feet and desperate to escape the room. Unfortunatly they aren't allowed out of the room as they have no fear of heights and I'm worried they will fall through the banisters on the landing and it's a long way down and we currently don't have another ferret proofed room as our shed blew down in the winds last week so our kitchen/dinning room is full do garden tools including lawnmowers and the living room has the rodents in.
I've got some treat toys coming tomorrow for our dog which they can share and take turns with, along with some toys he no longer plays with that they can have.
I also noticed I hadn't posted their weights for a while. Korra and Mako weigh the same as when I started, regaining the .5oz they had each lost while Bolin has lost about 1.5oz and is looking much better for it. I took some photos but having trouble uploading them, I'll try again tomorrow. I'm a little worried about Mako as he goes in around his hips, he's still as active, clumsy and daft as ever though.
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Post by acodlin on Jan 28, 2015 2:59:44 GMT -5
I know it is hard, but when they start refusing to eat bone you can't let them get away with it. You can leave the wings in their cage for a day and it will be okay. If you let them dictate what they will eat then you won't have a balanced diet. I give them bone in meals for a few meals straight till they go back to eating them. As long as they don't have insulinoma they will be fine. I'm sorry your puppy isn't doing so well I hope he/she is okay.
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Post by RedSky on Jan 28, 2015 15:44:43 GMT -5
They are doing better, the blocks that they were refusing are all the same brand that I bought locally. My dog was having a normal day and back to eating loads and he refused it too but ate anything else I put in front of him. They smell fine to me but I guess something is wrong with them. I put them back onto the pheasant blocks and they are eating that fine, polishing off 5oz last night between them so I gave them 2oz heart for breakfast along with some more pheasant (2oz eaten) and some small bones out of a lamb breast (chewed and picked at). And more pheasant for tea (5oz put in but I'll weigh it in the morning what's left).
Thanks, Cookie had a really rough night but is feeling better and the food puzzle toys came. One is wood but with the amount he slobbers when eating I think it might be better suited to ferrets only. The rest they can share. He was thrilled at getting them and played with each one, I love watching him when he's like this.
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