|
|
Post by lyles on Jun 30, 2015 15:00:59 GMT -5
It's been about seven months since Crystal's passing. I've had plenty of time to grieve and now I feel like I'm ready to join the ferret frey once again.
I found a nice 2 month old sable female, who is a face licker, tail wagger and plays like she is a boy.
I decided to name her Nei, as it is a one syllable that will make easy for commands and has an up pitch which ferrets are more sensitive to. I'm planning on training her as well.
One thing I noticed was that she preferred for me to feed her food by hand rather than out of the dish, she also still exhibits nursing behavior and will go into a comping frenzy if I give her a treat (will try to lick/suckle and bite hard over all exposed areas after giving treat).
I want to go raw diet with this one, my income has increased a good amount to where I'll be able to supply fresh meat, and I want to take as much preventative measures as possible to avoid any diseases. I have gotten her to eat a piece of raw sirloin steak by smearing a bit of ferretvite on it, but she will not touch the meat on her own and will chose the kibble every time.
Right now I'm doing the arduous task of litter box training, which is much harder when you don't use a cage. I've found that you play the waiting game when you believe that they are about to wake up. When they do you stay by them until they start walking (not hopping) and sniff along the floor. This is an indication that they are looking for a place to relieve themselves. At that point I guide them to the litter box (you have to make sure they see how they get to it, if you pick them up and place them in it they will not associate it with their surroundings). If they jump out I just prod them, scruff them back in until they back up in the box. Then I praise and give them a treat. It's a lot of work first few weeks because you have to make sure to catch them every time. Each time you don't do this and they defecate where they are not supposed to it sets your training back by days.
As far as chewing goes she luckly has fixated herself to only chewing on what I want her to, animal geletin-based chew toys and homemade beef jerky (little sugar and spices).
I don't have any pictures yet, but I'll post some in the near future.
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 30, 2015 15:17:07 GMT -5
Welcome Back Lyles  It's nice to have you back. I remember sweet Crystal and her water bowl trick. I'm glad that you are back in the Ferret Frey again. Nei sounds wonderful. Two months is still so young, it makes sense that she would exhibit nursing behavior. It sounds like you two will have quite a bond. (dance) |
|
|
|
Post by Sherry on Jun 30, 2015 18:18:50 GMT -5
Congratulations on the new baby Lyles  I am so glad you found yourself able to open your heart to another little one. To start, ditch the kibble AND the ferretvite(insulinoma in a tube that stuff), and give her slivered up bits of chicken. Pop a couple into her mouth if need be. She'll get the idea |
|
|
|
Post by lyles on Jun 30, 2015 18:52:30 GMT -5
Congratulations on the new baby Lyles I am so glad you found yourself able to open your heart to another little one. To start, ditch the kibble AND the ferretvite(insulinoma in a tube that stuff), and give her slivered up bits of chicken. Pop a couple into her mouth if need be. She'll get the idea How much should I start trying to feed them? I can't leave out meat like kibble so I need to thaw out enough to use each day. |
|
|
|
Post by lyles on Jun 30, 2015 20:04:08 GMT -5
She wouldn't take the meat by itself and would fight, I found though that if I coat the pieces of meat with the ferretone she would take a piece and run off with it, lick it mostly but she did take a few bites out of it. The oil is good to keep the meat moist too, at least until she no longer needs the incentive to eat it and will consume more.
For now I packaged up about 15, 2 Tbsps of chopped sirloin bags. Maybe she'll be more willing with chicken, I'll get some tomorrow. Should I just get a combination of wings and thighs?
Also, should I try food processing the meat into a soup, would that help her better to start then the small chunks?
|
|
|
|
Post by Desiree on Jun 30, 2015 21:44:27 GMT -5
At two months she should take to chunks right away. When I brought my kits, they were immediately put onto raw, no trasition period was needed. By two months they were both on bones and chunks of meat. I didn't have kibble so I just left meat out and they ate it when they were hungry enough. I would avoid the ferretone right now because she will continue to lick it off instead of eating the meat. If you need to do some persuading later then you can add it back on. (Just a little fyi, ferretone isn't so great and since she is so young I would suggest buying salmon oil which is a much healthier alternative) If you are feeding kibble take it away 4 hours before trying to feed the raw meat. I would place the little one down and see if she eats, if not pick her up and grab a piece and give it to her. Do not let her down (if you can mange with a wiggly kit LOL) until she takes it. If she spits it out, pick her up and try it again. She will eventually get the idea. While she is a growing kit and needs her food, she won't starve if she goes a few hours without food.  I don't think the soup will be necessary. I would try chicken since it is a milder flavor but get her used to beef soon that way she will be on a good balanced diet and be willing to try new things as an adult. |
|
|
|
Post by lyles on Jul 1, 2015 1:54:20 GMT -5
At two months she should take to chunks right away. When I brought my kits, they were immediately put onto raw, no trasition period was needed. By two months they were both on bones and chunks of meat. I didn't have kibble so I just left meat out and they ate it when they were hungry enough. I would avoid the ferretone right now because she will continue to lick it off instead of eating the meat. If you need to do some persuading later then you can add it back on. (Just a little fyi, ferretone isn't so great and since she is so young I would suggest buying salmon oil which is a much healthier alternative) If you are feeding kibble take it away 4 hours before trying to feed the raw meat. I would place the little one down and see if she eats, if not pick her up and grab a piece and give it to her. Do not let her down (if you can mange with a wiggly kit LOL) until she takes it. If she spits it out, pick her up and try it again. She will eventually get the idea. While she is a growing kit and needs her food, she won't starve if she goes a few hours without food. I don't think the soup will be necessary. I would try chicken since it is a milder flavor but get her used to beef soon that way she will be on a good balanced diet and be willing to try new things as an adult. Ok, I held her and kept it by her mouth so she'd bite it if she tries to put-me-down bite and she would eventually take it and half the time she will eat the entire piece, other she will take a bite or two out and leave the rest. She did take a few pieces out herself from the bowl and ate a couple but she also just discarded some. I saw her trying to sniff around for kibble fragments too. I added a little water to the meat and left the rest there so it won't dry up. She didn't eat that much, but at least she ate some so I guess that's progress. That sirloin was top grade too, she better be thankful I was going to use that to make jerky with lol. |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 1, 2015 9:55:14 GMT -5
I wouldn't worry about even continuing with kibble. All my kits came home from the store eating that nasty Marshall's mush, I made the soup recipe for them, had them get a taste of raw that way, and the next day they were eating like champs with the others.
I found that whole meat pieces intimidated them until they tried the soup. Only my newest ate the pieces right away with the others without using the soup.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using proboards
|
|
|
|
Post by lyles on Jul 1, 2015 15:36:20 GMT -5
I wouldn't worry about even continuing with kibble. All my kits came home from the store eating that nasty Marshall's mush, I made the soup recipe for them, had them get a taste of raw that way, and the next day they were eating like champs with the others. I found that whole meat pieces intimidated them until they tried the soup. Only my newest ate the pieces right away with the others without using the soup. Sent from my Nexus 6 using proboards Do they eat less meat than kibble? She ate more on her own this morning, when I came back she was awake again and I added chicken pieces. I tried to give her chicken but she fought so much I had to give up. Don't know why she rejected it, either because she wasn't hungry or wasn't used to the chicken. Hasn't eaten since this morning. |
|
|
|
Post by lyles on Jul 1, 2015 16:23:31 GMT -5
I ground up some chicken and beef in a food processor and gave it like a mush but she won't touch that either. I found she was eating those chicken chew toys to avoid eating it. She hissed up a storm when I took them away lol.
Should I just go back to just the sirloin pieces for now? She will not touch the chicken, even if I try scruff feeding her.
|
|
|
|
Post by linsul on Jul 1, 2015 16:34:07 GMT -5
Congrats on your new ferret! Glad you're going raw for sure, but I sympathize with the struggles involved haha. My girl Kat was stubborn and had ingenious ways to fool me into thinking she'd eaten. I read all the posts so forgive me if you have done this already and I missed it but definitely start a transition thread. It makes tracking progress and any issues super easy and it's a one stop place for help that's frequented by people who know a TON. Don't think I could've transitioned mine without it.
Seconding everyone who said skip soupies. As far as her chicken rejection goes she does need variety. If she's good with sirloin but won't do chicken maybe try pork, turkey, or lamb and get back to chicken later?
EDIT: when I hit a wall with my girl I found meat with tons of fat did the trick. She couldn't resist it! Oh and I wouldn't try to compare amounts eaten of kibble vs raw, it's basically impossible especially with how kits eat! Keep food available and be persistent on the hand feeding if she needs help. Mine as kits would eat anywhere between 7 and 8.5 ounces a day of raw it was nuts.
|
|
|
|
Post by lyles on Jul 1, 2015 16:35:39 GMT -5
She'll eat the sirloin pieces no problem, as long as it's fresh.
|
|
|
|
Post by lyles on Jul 1, 2015 16:46:26 GMT -5
I'll just leave her chunks and add a few pieces of chicken and see if she'll take it for now. I got her to eat a good bit and now she's sleeping |
|
|
|
Post by lyles on Jul 1, 2015 16:48:57 GMT -5
I'm also proud to announce that she was quick to potty train. Towel'd up all the sides and corners and placed a high box with saw'ed down entrance where I caught her trying to go the most. So far she has gone straight in it. First day she didn't want to go near the box, as when I bought her she and the other ferrets were sleeping in the litter box and pooping everywhere else. lol.
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 1, 2015 17:12:17 GMT -5
Yes, glad you got yourself a little one.
My baby took to chicken wings right from start. Cut of knuckles. U can save the drumette for yourself and feed mid section and tips. My baby may have been 3 or 4 weeks older than urs, though.
Mine hissed and jumped at me when she thought I was going to take her find.
They r sooo cute when they do that!
|
|
