Shawna
Junior Member
Posts: 111
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Post by Shawna on Mar 29, 2015 1:19:01 GMT -5
HAHA WHERE did you get that shirt?!?!
CafePress.com a few years back. I don't know if they still have the same one there though. My 2 ferret shirts are in serious need of replacement too. I sure hope they still have it 'cause I need new ones.
(I figured out how you were doing the replies w/ previous comments (idea))
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Shawna
Junior Member
Posts: 111
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Post by Shawna on Mar 29, 2015 1:26:00 GMT -5
a pix of some of my Furry Festival of Frolicking Fun
Uzume (the world laziest & biggest cuddlefuzzy EVER) & Fizzgig (named after Dark Crystal)
With the exception of my cat these furry snakes all passed away by 2012.
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Shawna
Junior Member
Posts: 111
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Post by Shawna on Mar 29, 2015 2:13:05 GMT -5
QUESTION?
1) What do you do to hydrate a woozle?
2) Are Probiotics ok to give? If so how often? I have a bottle of Marshalls ProBiotic Digestive Tract Conditioner with Lactobacillus Acidophilus
3) I have 8 in 1's Banana Raisin & Peanut Butter Yogies which they adore & come-a-runnin' when's I shakes de container.
I'm assuming give these sparingly? (hopefully?) or toss them all together?.. I was thinking of some freeze dried treats that someone was telling me about at a place called Bothell Feed Center.. This is where I previously bought the Mazuris & Duck & Turkey Cat food from.
4)Is Marshalls Bi-odor Ferret Waste Deodorizer OK to give them?
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Post by katt on Mar 29, 2015 5:18:21 GMT -5
1) What do you do to hydrate a woozle? Raw soup will help, raw diet period helps. Otherwise if still on kibble make kibble soup. You can also stringe water and do IV fluids. 2) Are Probiotics ok to give? If so how often? I have a bottle of Marshalls ProBiotic Digestive Tract Conditioner with Lactobacillus Acidophilus Yes but not much point in giving them IMO unless you have a sick fuzz or after a course of antibiotics. Is your boy having GI upset? 3) I have 8 in 1's Banana Raisin & Peanut Butter Yogies which they adore & come-a-runnin' when's I shakes de container. I'm assuming give these sparingly? (hopefully?) or toss them all together?.. I was thinking of some freeze dried treats that someone was telling me about at a place called Bothell Feed Center.. This is where I previously bought the Mazuris & Duck & Turkey Cat food from.[/p] Nope - I'd stash those next to the ferretvite...in the garbage. Banana = sugar. All fruits = sugar. And those yogi things are extra packed with sugar to boot. Sugar destroys their pancreases. Peanut butter should also not be fed to ferrets. An easy way to rule out most things is to look at the ingredients - if it's part of a dead animal (meat, bones, organs...), it's typically fine to feed; if it comes from a plant....why would you give it to an obligate carnivore?
4)Is Marshalls Bi-odor Ferret Waste Deodorizer OK to give them? [/quote] No. It doesn't work to begin with, and it's just dumping a bunch of unnecessary chemicals into their sensitive little systems. #1 BEST thing you can do for odor is switch to raw. Hydration is also extremely important, as is NOT bathing them - bathing them will actually make them overproduce oils (where the odor comes from) and smell worse. And of course regular cage and litter cleanings and using a litter with good odor control go without saying.
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Post by raynebc on Mar 29, 2015 5:21:58 GMT -5
1. Before I ditched kibble I worried about my ferrets getting dehydrated so I got them hooked on salmon oil. After that I could give them a little oil from the dropper, and then follow that with water from the same dropper and there would be enough oil residue for them to think it's still a treat. I'd give them as much water as they would willingly accept. If they are dehydrated enough to be ill and won't take water from a dropper/syringe you want to get medical help ASAP to get fluids administered subcutaneously.
2. I wouldn't think it's necessary unless they just had a round of antibiotics to treat illness. This probably wouldn't be so bad if the ingredients didn't include milk (lactose is a sugar) and dextrose (sugar).
3. Ferret junk food. I threw away a fair amount of this stuff after I got my current pair of ferrets and they have an all meat diet (with trace amounts of produce from the small amount of FDR I use).
Freeze dried meat is a good treat, but it's dry food so make sure to feed it sufficiently far enough apart from wet raw meals.
4. I used to use it and I believe it does work, but some folks here are wary of it and would generally prefer people avoid supporting Marshalls by buying their products since they run a ferret mill and sell them for medical testing. Ferret smell can be reduced by raw diet and frequent litter box cleaning. Avoid bathing with soap/shampoo unless they get truly filthy (ie. covered in urine/feces) because this dries their skin and they produce extra oil to compensate and that generates more smell. Changing their bedding weekly (or more often if you want) helps as well. Mine have their own room so I keep an air purifier running in there to help and sometimes I open the window for a bit when it's cool outside so the room can get some fresh air.
Edit: Katt-ninja'd.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 29, 2015 12:05:37 GMT -5
That's the same vet Cherie and I use, I'm surprised a bit she recommended using Nutrical/Ferrevite, she's usually more holistic with her dietary advice.
As for meat suppliers, there are loads of Asian markets around. I live in Lynnwood right now, but i'm moving to southern Everett next week. I don't know precisely where to get CGR or well priced raw meat in Everett yet, but a quick google search I did a few days ago for myself turned up plenty of results for asian markets in Everett. I currently use Ranch 99 on highway 99, and H Mart on occasion in Lynwood.
If you'd like sometime, you can visit my fuzzes after we've settled them into the new place. It will give you a good idea of what raw feeding a bunch of ferrets is like.
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Shawna
Junior Member
Posts: 111
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Post by Shawna on Mar 29, 2015 13:31:42 GMT -5
To Yurei Avalon I'm actually in South Everett near the South Everett Freeway station. The places I've checked are Zam Zam on Evergreen Way near & the Asian Market on the corner of 128th & 4th Ave. Not worth going back to. Thank you for the 2 locations you gave me. I will check them out. Lynnwood isn't too far away. (what does CGR stand for?)
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Shawna
Junior Member
Posts: 111
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Post by Shawna on Mar 29, 2015 13:36:36 GMT -5
To both hurricanekatt & raynbc regarding baths
I usually gave baths to them every 2 weeks & no earlier than that mainly because of the possibility of them producing too much oils..
I've never had a problem with skin irritations or other dermalogical issues.
I do need to make an effort of cleaning the towels they sleep in more regularly though.
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Post by katt on Mar 29, 2015 15:03:16 GMT -5
To both hurricanekatt & raynbc regarding baths I usually gave baths to them every 2 weeks & no earlier than that mainly because of the possibility of them producing too much oils.. I've never had a problem with skin irritations or other dermalogical issues. I do need to make an effort of cleaning the towels they sleep in more regularly though. Even every 2 weeks is far too often. Every time you bathe them, it strips the natural oils from their skin and dries it out, stimulating the sebaceous (oil) glands in their skin to go into hyperdrive and produce excess oils. This is not going to present as skin irritation or issues, but it is happening and does contribute to drier skin and fur, more itching, and more body odor. Ferrets are self-groomers like cats and shouldn't be bathed unless they get dirty.
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Post by katt on Mar 29, 2015 15:07:24 GMT -5
To Yurei Avalon I'm actually in South Everett near the South Everett Freeway station. The places I've checked are Zam Zam on Evergreen Way near & the Asian Market on the corner of 128th & 4th Ave. Not worth going back to. Thank you for the 2 locations you gave me. I will check them out. Lynnwood isn't too far away. (what does CGR stand for?) Beth is much more familiar with the stores in your area, but I can say that if you ever head into Seattle HT Oaktree Market has good selection. CGR is Commercial Ground Raw - prebalanced grinds. They can be useful for switching ferrets and for adding a little extra variety, and are also good for ferrets with digestive issues BUT in general it is best to use commercial grinds as a switching tool only and not keep them on it permanently. They need the work of chewing chunks and bones to build healthy jaw and neck muscles and they really need the tooth cleaning action of whole bones. I know that MudBay sells commercial grinds as well as freeze dried raw, as does All for the Best Pet Care. I like MudBay better. Both are located here in Seattle, not sure if you have one closer to Everett. mudbay.com/
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Post by Deleted on Mar 29, 2015 15:44:59 GMT -5
Mudbay is a large chain, they are all over. Their raw selection is meh. I go to about pets when I need CGR.
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Shawna
Junior Member
Posts: 111
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Post by Shawna on Mar 30, 2015 14:06:20 GMT -5
Well the woozles were kibble free for all of yesterday & had a soupie once in the morning & once in the evening.
Yesterday evening, I also made some ice cube tray soupies totaling 19 of them at about .85oz ea. Now, how many times should I feed them? 2x? 3x? I was thinking 3x.
I work from home & only need to go the office 2x a month so I can feed them 3x.
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Post by Desiree on Mar 30, 2015 14:24:50 GMT -5
I would definitely start introducing small slivers of meat with the soup. Most ferrets don't go from soup to chunks but need an in between phase to get them used to chewing and textures.
I partially thaw a chicken thigh and use a vegetable peeler to make really thin pieces and then cut those into strips. Once they are eating those you can increase slivers every couple of days while decreasing either soup or making the soup less watery. Eventually you will decrease the soup to the point where aren't eating it and then up the size of the chunks. Then it's bone time!!
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Shawna
Junior Member
Posts: 111
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Post by Shawna on Mar 30, 2015 15:22:07 GMT -5
I would definitely start introducing small slivers of meat with the soup. Most ferrets don't go from soup to chunks but need an in between phase to get them used to chewing and textures. I partially thaw a chicken thigh and use a vegetable peeler to make really thin pieces and then cut those into strips. Once they are eating those you can increase slivers every couple of days while decreasing either soup or making the soup less watery. Eventually you will decrease the soup to the point where aren't eating it and then up the size of the chunks. Then it's bone time!! That'll be fun! (sarcasm intended) :pullhair:
I don't buy meat with bones in it so should I just buy wings? Once they can handle that, thighs?
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