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Post by Jug on Feb 26, 2015 13:50:25 GMT -5
Hello all,
Yesterday I got a baby male ferret (perhaps a month old~accurate age is not known) from MonsterPets. He is a Path Valley farm ferret and I was told that it is strongly recommended that he stays on the Path Valley farm kibble diet for at least 1 year. I would like to keep him on this diet until he is at least 2-3 months old since he likes it so much (I mix it with 8 in 1 wet ferret food for now but would love to switch him to raw later on), but do I absolutely HAVE to keep him on this diet for 1 year? I was also told I can switch him to another food very slowly but if something goes wrong he can "get very sick". What do you guys think of this? Is this true?
If Path Valley farm kibble is so nutritious and fortified with everything a ferret needs, how come the third ingredient is cooked corn? They cannot digest vegetables.
Also, I really would like to give him a little bath, he still has that smelly pet store smell. Is it wise to do that at his age? I wouldn't dunk him in the tub or anything, but just a little spot bath?
Please enlighten me on some things, I am a little confused. I have two other, older female ferrets (Marshall Farm ferrets) that I did not encounter these issues with.
Thanks!
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Post by bitbyter on Feb 26, 2015 14:04:40 GMT -5
Absolutely not, they can have any food at that age and if you are even slightly interested in doing a raw diet, do it NOW. Kits are almost always very easy to switch. I just got a kit last week. My switch was this...put the meat in the bowl, put the bowl in front of Athena, Athena eats. She hasn't refused anything I've given her yet.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 26, 2015 14:05:57 GMT -5
Congratulations on your new little fellow. What is his name?
No, you don't have to keep them on that food. Path Valley will never know and the warranty is really only in place, to allow you to send an ill ferret back, where they will be put to sleep.
Ferrets imprint on their food. You have a Tummy with Teeth and he will happily eat whatever you feed him. If you want to get him off to a good healthy start, I would move him to a natural diet now.
Look at the Frankenprey diet and see what you think. Ferrets who eat raw, simply don't smell like kibble ferrets. Their fur is softer and their poops are smellier and smaller.
Kibble is full of filler and they don't digest that, so that means nastier poops.
The filler is suppose to help the meat keep it's shape. You're right though, corn/starches/grains/fruits and veggies are simply not digestible for a ferret who is an obligate carnivore.
Ferrets don't normally need a bath. The new little guy may enjoy a bath and it might help remove the strange smell from him and allow your two females to accept him easier.
Put a plastic tub or bin in the sink and use some warm/almost hot water. Take a washcloth to him and talk to him. Have a towel ready and then when you dry him off, get ready for a wild wet crazy ferret.
How are the girls with him? If they haven't met him yet, you might consider keeping him separate for two weeks. Petstore kits often transmit ECE. Green slime disease and that would mean a vet visit and a course of antibiotics for your females.
We love pictures, especially of babies. Any chance that you would post some?
Have fun and you should know that all of us will now get baby fever. A kit is just so much fun.
(dance)
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Post by Deleted on Feb 26, 2015 14:13:52 GMT -5
Yup, I agree with Poncesmom and bitbyter. I think it would be easier to switch the him now rather than later. Do you have any chicken wing tips? Give him one and see what he does. If he doesn't eat it try splitting one of the bones in half with a knife exposing the marrow and give it back to him. He should eat it with out much effort. Tummies with teeth just like @poncesmom said. The eat everything.
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Post by bitbyter on Feb 26, 2015 14:47:27 GMT -5
and also be prepared for the intros to not necessarily go well. Mine hasn't and now I'm looking for a second hand cage so that I can try again with Athena is older (bigger).
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Post by crazylady on Feb 26, 2015 15:22:35 GMT -5
? did you say four weeks ? he should still be with his mother and still nursing at nights ! wow I would give him a meat mush four times per day ( a blend of meat / warm water scoop krm bonemeal and a hard boiled egg blended to a mush/soup ) then week five move him to ground meats week six chunks and things to chew on like chicken wings as others have said imprint him on meat now its better for him and good luck take care bye for now
Bev
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Post by Deleted on Feb 26, 2015 15:43:42 GMT -5
? did you say four weeks ? he should still be with his mother and still nursing at nights ! wow I would give him a meat mush four times per day ( a blend of meat / warm water scoop krm bonemeal and a hard boiled egg blended to a mush/soup ) then week five move him to ground meats week six chunks and things to chew on like chicken wings as others have said imprint him on meat now its better for him and good luck take care bye for now Bev Good catch Bev. Four weeks would be soooo young. |
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Post by Jug on Feb 26, 2015 16:54:25 GMT -5
Thanks for the advice, everyone. I am excited to know I can change his food!! His name is Ozzy. I'm not sure if this name will stick though...he just looks like an Ozzy for now. lol And yes, I believe he is just a month. The people at the pet store told me he was two months but I know for sure this is incorrect because I got both my females at two months and they were not teeny tiny and crying every ten minutes. I can't even scruff Ozzy because he is so small.
I currently have chopped rabbit, turkey wings, chicken wings and...some other things. I have so much meat I forget what else I have...I have heard that Gerber Chicken or Turkey baby food is acceptable to give as a supplement. Can I give that to him or perhaps dip the soft fleshy parts (none with bone) in the baby food to give?
Also, I currently have Ozzy in his own cage but for 10 minutes last night, I placed him in Shug and Juju's cage and they were very inquisitive and sniffed all over him. During this inspection, Ozzy was crying and pawing to get out of the cage. Were Juju's and Shug's reaction good for the first time of them meeting, even if it was for a short time?
Lastly, I gave Oz a quick bath because he made a mess of his cage, (the litter is right there next to him and he chooses to poop everywhere but inside). He was shivering terribly but I placed him in front of a heater and he is asleep now.
Please continue to give advice, I appreciate it! I hope to put up pictures soon!
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Post by Jug on Feb 26, 2015 17:01:17 GMT -5
? did you say four weeks ? he should still be with his mother and still nursing at nights ! wow I would give him a meat mush four times per day ( a blend of meat / warm water scoop krm bonemeal and a hard boiled egg blended to a mush/soup ) then week five move him to ground meats week six chunks and things to chew on like chicken wings as others have said imprint him on meat now its better for him and good luck take care bye for now Bev What is KRM Bonemeal? Never heard of that before. And by ground meat, do you mean like, hamburger meat? Like ground turkey, ground beef etc. What should I mix with the ground meat, if anything? -gets out notepad- |
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Post by bitbyter on Feb 26, 2015 17:08:37 GMT -5
Can you take pictures of his teeth? That wold give us an idea of how old he is but if he is crying all the time then yes, he is probably way to young.
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Post by ferretbrah on Feb 26, 2015 17:17:54 GMT -5
I would do the introduction meet and greets in a more neutral area like a living room and watch them to make sure they don't get too rough.
They may chase and stalk him for a week before accepting him
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Post by Deleted on Feb 26, 2015 22:02:06 GMT -5
FAR too young, shame on the person selling at this age and worse still the so called ferret farms breeding for profit before ferret welfare. At least this one will have a good home and be looked after.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 26, 2015 22:08:43 GMT -5
The only reason for someone to tell you not to switch off of a particular type of food is for completely greedy. Any company will market that they are the best food for your animal. Just like any other animal (if you are switching from kibble to kibble) you mix them together to prevent indigestion and upset bellies. With Raw, it is just recommended to go for it. The younger you start the better. Ferrets get picky with age, so if you want to do raw, just start at it!  Lovely little one, and congrats on the baby (would love to know where to get a non Marshal Ferret) |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 27, 2015 7:22:18 GMT -5
Got Gizmo at 5 weeks of age - they were giving him away for nothing as he was "defective" (no tail, or at least, just a piece  ). He was crying all the time - I had to hold him to sleep every night until he got used to sleeping with his toys. He'd always suck on his thumb while sleeping - poor little guy. He's 9 mo old almost and he still does that, and he has his favourite teddy bear that he grew up with, that we can't ever travel without or it turns into a tragedy  But yeah, as everyone else advised you - start him on raw right away. I did that to mine, and needless to say, by 6 weeks he was chomping on whole chicken hearts and hissing at everyone that was getting close. I don't know if it was really necessary, but in soupies in the first week I mixed a little carnivore care, since I knew he was too young and wasn't getting his mommy's milk. May not have been, but I was always adding a spoon of powder to it - since I am paranoid. On the other side - he'll need a ton of attention and he'll bond with you (even seem dependent, at least for a while). I had to walk with Gizmo in my pocket everywhere  |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 27, 2015 8:20:03 GMT -5
On a lighter note------------- Bitbyter, that is not fair !  |
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