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Post by Desiree on Jul 10, 2015 14:27:14 GMT -5
Also, if you have to be gone for a while, that is okay, I just need a post or something that says, I'm going to be gone for this many days, or I won't be able to check in as often for the next week etc. I'm flexible as long as I know what is going on.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 14, 2015 2:54:42 GMT -5
First of all... your jammies are super presh
Secondly, I have been trying the spoon method... eh, it's not working... YET! I do have a 5 ml/ 1 tsp dropper that I have been using along with scruffing, to varying success. As such, I don't really know how much each one is getting, only that I BARELY go through 2 ice cubes for Ink, Mage, and Kisses (collectively - not good, I know) Ink practically eats an entire cube by himself (almost) and Kisses barely allows me to feed her ANY! Mage follows up by only leaving behind a few teaspoons.
Annie however is eating everything I give her; and although I am not sure how fast, I keep having to give her more each time, so the total ounces is unknown. (How long should I leave the food out for her / them?) What I do know is that she will eat the entire two cubes I give her, plus the leftovers from my BIG BABIES! Go her! (Now, if only I could get her to use the toilet as well as they do)
Sorry about being later than I said on the weight and pics... the weekend was insanely busy for me!!! Well, here I am at 2:30 in the morning, exhausted but so worried about my recent slacking with this thread, posting it all! Ink is at 2 lb 2 oz (2 lb : 3.7 oz)
Kisses is at 1lb 4oz (1 lb : 5.8 oz)
Mage is at 2lb (1 lb : 11.1 oz)
Annie is at 1lb 12 oz (1 lb : 10.6 oz)
These are the weights I JUST took (at 2:48 a.m.), so they are accurate, I am just late in posting this is all. Let me know if there is anything I need to add to this post (dance)
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Post by Desiree on Jul 14, 2015 15:28:06 GMT -5
Haha, thanks!
Yes, one more thing. Can you post their last week weights behind their this weeks weight? Like this 1lb 12ozs (1lb 10 zs). This will help us both keep track of any major losses or gains.
Hmm okay, let's trying pushing the time limit just a little bit, take away kibble for 6 hours before feeding, if possible and let's let them get really hungry and put them in front of the soup. However, they will take it is fine. If they are still being stubborn, we can go to the kibble/raw solution and see if that will work. Some ferrets are more stuborn than others.
Oh and I've been meaning to ask. How are you serving the soup? If you are serving in a bowl, try a plate. If you are serving cold, add a little bit of warm water to warm it up. If it's thicker like keeps it shape in any way, add more water and try it again.
I know this phase is frustrating but we can get through it! (dance)
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Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2015 23:42:54 GMT -5
It's only frustrating because I love them and I want them to be healthy and well fed
I can totally post both weights! And I'll edit this last one as well
I have tried the bowl. I have tried a plate. I have tried the "holding and spoon" you demonstrated in the video. Good news! I have gotten Annie up to 3 oz per meal (she eats half right away, and then the rest some time later); Ink is at 1.5 oz and Mage and Kisses are at 1 oz! Yay! (Using the scruffing and dropper method)Bad news! They are getting to where they don't want to eat it off a plate or out of a bowl... Just out of the dropper! Ink is the worst at this... he wants me to baby him! Although this is a pain, I am ok with it for now, because I am trying to get him up to a 3 oz minimum. THEN I could just leave it in a bowl later to ween him/them from the coddling.
I put the frozen cubes in with Annie frozen and she eats it as it melts
Since I have to use the dropper with the other three, it's defrosted and room temp, although I have tried cool. *
Hope this was helpful!!! :boing:
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Post by Desiree on Jul 15, 2015 23:52:30 GMT -5
Kisses at 1 oz a meal is an good amount to be on. A little more wouldn't hurt either. Since it's a lot of water, there isn't as much nutrition but they are getting more than on kibble so that's okay! Remember average for a female is 1-3 ozs a day. Mage at 1 oz a meal is still good. Ink too is at 3 ozs a day so that is okay too. Males are 2-4 ozs a day. Now for Annie, our little tubbie! Don't limit her food and let her eat as much as she wants but let's keep an eye on her. 6 ozs a day is a lot of food for a little girlie.
Your girls and even Ink is probably filling up, even though it's a good amount of water it doesn't affect how "full" they feel. Mage may start eating more or he may stay where he is at. My smaller male barely eats 2 ozs a day.
Haha, yes, they do love being babied. Try to have the dropper near the plate, lower the dropper closer to the plate each time they take a lick and hopefully they will get the idea that the delicious food is also available on the plate as well.
Have you taken away kibble yet?
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2015 1:15:21 GMT -5
Uh... yes, I had taken kibble away for a while now. I thought I was supposed to? Well - I had to run errands early yesterday and didn't have time to baby them with the dropper, so I just left the soup out... They now just eat it out of the bowl! Oh, and they are all at 4 ounces per meal now (dance) This is too much for the girls? I want Kisses to gain weight, as she is all bones! What do you think? Is it ok to do 8 oz a day per fuzzy esp since they aren't getting anything else?
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Post by Desiree on Jul 19, 2015 9:24:54 GMT -5
For the start, yes they can eat as much as they want. Putting weight on and eating extra is normal during the first part of the switch. We just don't want any one getting too tubby.
Yes I'm glad you took away the kibble. I just wasn't sure.
Yes! That is great! Sometimes tough love or a busy mom (lol) is all that is needed to push them.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2015 14:47:24 GMT -5
Kewl! So when do we put them on solids??? (giggle)
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Post by Desiree on Jul 19, 2015 18:19:42 GMT -5
What we can start doing is adding small tiny bits of chicken. They should be small only put 5 or 6 in at a time. Start with a size of your pinkie nail. We want to trick them into chewing up these pieces. We will add in a little more every other meal and the ever other meal we will up the size of the slivers just a tiny bit. So on monday, (for example) add in six slivers to the morning meal and the same size and the same amount to the evening meal. If they eat them well, you can up the size but just a little bit for Tuesday but add the same amount. If at any point they don't want it or straight up refuse, take it back to the next step and let them have a few extra meals at that point.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 23, 2015 1:15:15 GMT -5
Ok, I am house sitting for my friend so, at this point I am just giving them the soup, but I will be back home on Monday and should be able to start then. Oh, and I am updating their pics and weight on Friday Thank you!
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Post by Desiree on Jul 23, 2015 9:53:12 GMT -5
Raw soup is better than no raw! Lol. That's sounds fine. I'll look for your post on Friday and then Monday we can start with the slivers.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 29, 2015 4:12:22 GMT -5
Ok, so a little late, here it is: their measurements, photos, and I started them on the little chicken bits today, instead of yesterday.
Firstly, a photo of all the lil bits! This is 4 and some feedings for all four ferrets. As I give each one of them 3 cubes, I put 2 pieces in each cube I fed each one separately and they ate all the lil bits!
Here is Ink at 2 lb 5 oz (2 lb 2 oz)
Kisses is at 1 lb 6 oz (1 lb 4 oz)
Mage is at 2 lb 1 oz (2 lb)
Annie is at 1 lb 8 oz (1 lb 12 oz)
Thaaaaaaank yoooou for being so patient!!!
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Post by Desiree on Jul 29, 2015 9:43:43 GMT -5
Good morning Es!! I'm glad most are gaining weight. Annie's weight loss isn't too bad either. How much do you think those cubes of meat weigh? Just curious as to how much they are eating a day. I'm so glad they are off of soup already!! Way to go!! Great job.
At this point all you need to do is make the pieces longer and wider about every other day. Just a little change at a time.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2015 0:54:15 GMT -5
Wait... I thought I was putting the pieces IN the soup??? Haha, am I doing it wrong?
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Post by Desiree on Jul 30, 2015 9:57:27 GMT -5
Oh! I was confused. I thought those were what you were feeding just plain. You are doing it right. No worries. Im glad they are taking on the slivers well. Ferrets are lazy eaters and given the choice they really don't like to chew. What you can do at this point is make the slivers longer. End goal is spaghetti shaped chicken and then we can increase width. But before we increase width lets lower the amount of soup they are getting. So every other day we are going to make the slivers longer or decrease the amount of soup.
I.e. Monday morning increase sliver size, Monday pm and all day Tuesday, let them get used to new size. Wednesday am we are a little more slivers and a little less soup, give them the rest of Wednesday and Thursday to get used to it.
You can do this as fast or as slow as your ferrets will let you. One change may not bother them but another will. So go as fast as they willing to take changes.
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