|
Post by Deleted on Apr 2, 2015 20:00:33 GMT -5
My new guy is in quarentine and has been eating friskies cat food (YUCKY) I started feeding him baby food with a little bit of coconut oil and egg in it. He doesn't even want his cat food any more. I think I just got REALLY lucky with my ferrets because I was expecting this to be way more difficult .... (dance)
|
|
|
Post by Celene on Apr 2, 2015 20:49:58 GMT -5
Yeah no kidding!!!!!!!! That's seriously SO awesome though. I bet there are so many ferrents out there who'd be super jealous. At this point, I would do two things: 1. Make sure all of them are eating the chunks. If one of them is holding out and don't eat chunks he/she will start getting hungry pretty quickly. 2. Start considering the Frankenprey Menu. Think of it like the chunked "soupie" you made, except instead of each meal being balanced, the meals are balanced throughout the week. I usually prepare all my meals in advance once a week and label each meal in a 4oz mini-tupperware container. At this point I would also suggest introducing other meats such as pork, beef, lamb, rabbit, quail, or basically anything you can find! It's a good idea to introduce them one at a time though in case someone has a food allergy or sensitivity so it's easy to spot. Keep most of your meals the same protein you've been feeding though. Obviously they aren't eating bone yet - you can continue to use eggshell powder / bone meal as a supplement. Whenever there is a "bone in" meal scheduled for frankenprey, simply sprinkle it onto the meat at a ratio of 1/2 tsp per 8 oz meat. I usually like to shake it up to make sure all the meat has an even coating. Keep increasing the size of meat chunks at a rate you and the fuzzies are comfortable with. Once they're eating a 7-8 on the lego scale, you can start introducing bone. It also wouldn't hurt to throw in a chicken wing tip or something just to see if they WILL go for it.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 2, 2015 21:24:48 GMT -5
Hahaha, I think the sizes I chunked them at the other day were about a 7 on the lego scale I will make sure that everyone is eat it (but they seem to have a pack mentality when it comes to food). I have given my original three (Leon my great White Wee, Claire and Jake) have all had cornish game hen wings as a treat, but had some issue with the bones at that point and I had to pretty much rip up the meat for them. The girls (and Argis) haven't yet had this treat since they are newer to my company. If someone isn't eating the chunks, should I just make them smaller, since some of them are eating them (should have weighed the meat, but definitely was over 5 ounces that they ate quicker than normal )
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 2, 2015 21:26:59 GMT -5
Yeah no kidding!!!!!!!! That's seriously SO awesome though. I bet there are so many ferrents out there who'd be super jealous. And yes, I wasn't actually expecting them to eat it in aproxamately 5 hours (i have been giving them 5 ounces of soupie every 12 hours or so). It was a whole bowl of meat. Hahaha. I am happy with my buisness. Glad they aren't picky
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 3, 2015 23:29:42 GMT -5
So, from what I can tell, they are all eating the chicken chunks with little to no problem. Someone chocked on some of the gristle/fat piece this morning, but so far, it seems to be going as quickly and I think everyone has eaten some! No one seems to be losing any weight either (still working on that stupid scale weighing problem {but ordered more salmon oil and it should be here on tuesday}). So, I am feeling rather good about how everything is going
|
|
|
Post by Celene on Apr 4, 2015 10:24:18 GMT -5
I took a better pic that actually demonstrates my weighing technique. If you don't have salmon oil you can also use a little olive or coconut oil on a finger.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 5, 2015 4:18:20 GMT -5
Coconut oil/olive oil on finger sounds easy enough! Hahaha.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2015 22:44:34 GMT -5
Gave them their first organ meal ( in soupie form) with their egg shell powdery fir a supplement. Didn't go over too well with my munchkin (Argis) he loved it at first, but are about half if what gee normally eats. Is that normal? Is organ meat more filling? My big business ate it just fine.
|
|
|
Post by Desiree on Apr 6, 2015 22:53:55 GMT -5
Some of them just don't care for the flavor. I would see if he wants to be spoon fed the rest. Organs are important for balance and they should eat the whole meal of it if possible to avoid deficiencies. Sometimes when my male doesn't have much of an appetite, if hold him on my lap and hold the bowl in my hand he eats better.
|
|
|
Post by Celene on Apr 6, 2015 23:02:12 GMT -5
If anything ferrets will (usually) eat more of an organ meal if it's in soupie form because it's easy to lap up. My girls always lick the bowl clean and beg for more (which they don't get for balance reasons). Chances are, as Desiree mentioned, he just doesn't like the flavour or isn't used to it yet. You can also try drizzling it with some watered down egg yolk to entice him
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 9, 2015 0:40:11 GMT -5
I froze it and he went all for it ... my ferrets are weird ... Also added some egg, haha!
Also was craving lamb, so thought that I'd try that as a protein, haha. We shall she how that turns out!
|
|
|
Post by Celene on Apr 9, 2015 8:56:28 GMT -5
Ferrets are so funny. Some will only eat their food if it's warmed up first. Let us know how the lamb goes. Mine love it, but of course ferrets can be picky when it comes to trying new proteins, especially during a switch. It's always good to have them used to eating as many as possible though
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 10, 2015 7:33:17 GMT -5
So my lamb attempt. I ended up having to remove a couple of pieces of lamb from my big group, but Argis, I think, will eat anything that I give him. I am really impressed by him. It is amazing. Can't believe someone would ditch such a perfect little angel! Also, went shopping yesterday, and got 2 bison roast (weighing at 1 1/2 lbs each) the other day for $9. Score! Hahaha. Never had bison myself [img src="http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h352/JW_2012/Emoticons/ .gif" src="http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h352/JW_2012/Emoticons/ .gif" style="max-width:100%;"] And everyone is doing very well on their diet! I am loving this (minus the gross prep stage, hahaha)
|
|
|
Post by Celene on Apr 10, 2015 9:25:32 GMT -5
Yummy yumm yum! Ferrets are usually wary of new proteins, especially in the beginning. I think when Argis joins the gang it will help - ferrets seem more willing to try something new when they see another ferret do it first! Longer, narrower chunks seem to help too since they're easier for ferrets to chew. (If you watch a ferret eat you'll notice they use the side of their mouth, so narrow strips "fit" better than, say, square pieces.)
Definitely gets easier though. Mocha, my super duper fussy girl who I initially had problems even getting to like egg yolk has come full circle! I was trying to make a video on how to introduce new foods / feed reluctant ferrets and she kept eating everything I gave her no problem! I'm happy she's no longer fussy, but it basically made my educational video attempt a total fail.
Prepping gets easier too. I still usually gag/sometimes puke when prepping organs, but I have a really strong sense of smell. I do huge organ batches though so I only need to deal with them once every 1.5-2 months. If you have any specific prep questions let me know and I'll see if I can help.
Any thoughts on introducing bone?
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 10, 2015 22:21:46 GMT -5
I got some really cheap turkey neck, and they all tried to eat it, but to little avail (prepping that was a b). I also have given then Cornish game gem wings (since I personally HATE ends in my birds), but that wad before I got everyone else. So Claire, Leon, and Jake have had some wings. I also bought 'party wings' and wad going to try that out as well. On a side note, it is slow going getting Argis in with my big business, and it is maybe not going to happen unfortunately ... sooooooo ... he had a friend now holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/17910/belrand-sir-cutes-alot
|
|