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Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2015 10:22:51 GMT -5
I want to start feeding raw, but I'm really overwhelmed by all the information and I don't even know where to start. I'm certain you aren't feeding raw chicken from Publix. I don't know where to acquire it or even what they need in a raw diet, TIA!
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Post by FireAngel on Jul 15, 2015 12:46:34 GMT -5
Hi there and welcome! Hers a shopping list for you to get started, A scale to weigh your little fuzzy and to weigh the food out. You can use one to do both but I use different ones for each. Chicken thighs or breasts, thighs are fattier and preferred but breast is ok if that's all you can get and yes the stuff you and I eat from the grocery store is exactly what we feed! You will also need chicken hearts and chicken livers and either crushed eggshell or human grade bone meal. Here is the recipe for the soup, 8oz chicken meat 1oz chicken heart 1oz chicken liver 1/2-3/4 tsp egg shell powder or bonemeal. Chop up small and put in a. Blender add enough water to make a soup that is no thinner them a thick cream. These are the basic starters, once you have these you can look further as to what you need, here is a great place to start, Intro to raw and Journey to raw. Please ask as many questions as you need to we love to answer them! edit - the meats we feed have no seasonings or additives, just plain meat and always raw. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2015 13:32:11 GMT -5
Hi there and welcome! Hers a shopping list for you to get started, A scale to weigh your little fuzzy and to weigh the food out. You can use one to do both but I use different ones for each. Chicken thighs or breasts, thighs are fattier and preferred but breast is ok if that's all you can get and yes the stuff you and I eat from the grocery store is exactly what we feed! You will also need chicken hearts and chicken livers and either crushed eggshell or human grade bone meal. Here is the recipe for the soup, 8oz chicken meat 1oz chicken heart 1oz chicken liver 1/2-3/4 tsp egg shell powder or bonemeal. Chop up small and put in a. Blender add enough water to make a soup that is no thinner them a thick cream. These are the basic starters, once you have these you can look further as to what you need, here is a great place to start, Intro to raw and Journey to raw. Please ask as many questions as you need to we love to answer them! edit - the meats we feed have no seasonings or additives, just plain meat and always raw. Thank you so much, can I find chicken heart and liver at the grocery store? |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2015 13:36:19 GMT -5
I started by simply giving them tiny amounts of beef mince (from the local butcher) along side the kibble mine were eating. Eventually they went straight onto the meat and don't even look at the kibble anymore. It can be quite overwhelming with so much information. Just take a big breathe in and let it out. Go slow and take it easy. All the information will sink in and you'll get a good understanding on what you're learning eventually. Sometimes transitioning ferrets from kibble to raw can take some time. ^^ If you're confused about something, Its always a great idea to ask. People on this forum tend to explain things very simple and its easy to digest. I put double thumbs up for what FireAngel had said. I'm currently in the process of doing that soupie stage for mine. My little female needs more coaxing when it comes to certain types of meats, but my male was on meats straight away since I got him at 6 months.  Oh and Chicken thigh is cheaper than breast so its more convenient. Good luck!! |
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Post by FireAngel on Jul 15, 2015 13:36:50 GMT -5
Most will sell the livers for sure, I have to get the hearts from the butcher or order them. If you have an Asian market near you they are great sources for things!
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Post by Desiree on Jul 15, 2015 13:37:22 GMT -5
You might be able too. Ask the butcher at your store. If not, you can source them from a few different places. Look to see if you have a butcher nearby or an Asian market. I find that Asian markets are cheaper.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2015 13:39:34 GMT -5
The butcher can easily order some in for you. Most butchers do that. My supermarket's butcher even offered the option to me just today |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2015 13:40:26 GMT -5
Thanks so much everyone!
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Post by FireAngel on Jul 15, 2015 13:43:01 GMT -5
I should have asked this in my first post but, how old are your beasties? How many do you have? What are names and we want pictures! Lol
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Post by Celene on Jul 15, 2015 15:07:53 GMT -5
@2198lindsey, I would recommend as you get started on soups, you start reading through the articles on our Intro to Raw thread. It's definitely a lot of information to get overwhelmed with at first, but maybe just read one or two a day and come back to us with any questions you may have  I made a chart recently that kind of breaks down the switching process in a graphic format. This is just a very general roadmap, but it will help you understand the process and end goal.  Finally, I highly, highly recommend you sign up for our mentoring program. Basically, you will get paired up one-on-one with an experience raw feeder who can walk you through the entire process at your pace, and answer any questions you may have along the way. You can also start an unofficial switching thread in the meantime, and everyone will pop by with advice.  As for acquiring meat, I know I can find chicken, chicken hearts, chicken liver, as well as a number of other meats at my regular grocery store. Hearts and livers are suuuuper cheap even there. For more specialized meats like quail or duck gizzards I visit the closest Asian market. *Edited to add: I just saw that FireAngel already linked the intro to raw and journey to raw threads in her original reply. I have no idea how I missed that on my first read-through :S |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 16, 2015 1:52:09 GMT -5
Celene FireAngel We had our first experience with raw today! I was able to make a soup out of chicken heart,egg, liver and thigh. My blender didn't tear up like 3 pieces of fat and skin but it worked to our advantage because he grabbed them, ran away and ate them right away. The big boy ate all of his soup. I also managed to find whole quail at my local Asian market! Now that I am feeding soup, how often should he get it? Here's our first raw adventure:    We also had our first little bit of outside time.  
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Post by Deleted on Jul 16, 2015 2:01:47 GMT -5
I should have asked this in my first post but, how old are your beasties? How many do you have? What are names and we want pictures! Lol I have one little boy, he is Slinky. I just rescued him this past weekend and he seems to be estimated at under a year! ![]() ![]()   |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 16, 2015 7:15:59 GMT -5
You're off to a really good start. Slinky did well with his first soupie. The reading can see overwhelming at first. Since you are on the soupie stage, try reading about Taurine first. That's why the hearts are in soupie: holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/15089/information-taurineSoupie can be left out for 6-8 hours. I leave food out for mine, because I have five free roam ferrets who are like to eat at different times. Slinky may eat alot at first. Try putting out 3-4 ounces first. If his plate is empty, he can eat more. If his plate still has some soupie left, he is full. Raw fed ferrets eat once or twice a day. Their appetite increases in the winter and decreases in the summer. The average grown boy will eat 3-4 ounces a day. You both get a nice Pat on the Back for your first efforts. :thumbsup: |
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Post by Celene on Jul 16, 2015 10:52:14 GMT -5
Celene FireAngel We had our first experience with raw today! I was able to make a soup out of chicken heart,egg, liver and thigh. My blender didn't tear up like 3 pieces of fat and skin but it worked to our advantage because he grabbed them, ran away and ate them right away. The big boy ate all of his soup. I also managed to find whole quail at my local Asian market! I just wanted to add that if he is eating chunks on his own (especially on the very first try!) you might want to offer him a couple small slivers by hand and see if he'll eat them. If so, you can more or less just skip the soup stage entirely. Quail are a fantastic source of bone-in meat. Because they are so small, the bones are softer and a great "starter bone" for ferrets just beginning their raw journey |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 16, 2015 12:10:13 GMT -5
You're off to a really good start. Slinky did well with his first soupie. The reading can see overwhelming at first. Since you are on the soupie stage, try reading about Taurine first. That's why the hearts are in soupie: holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/15089/information-taurineSoupie can be left out for 6-8 hours. I leave food out for mine, because I have five free roam ferrets who are like to eat at different times. Slinky may eat alot at first. Try putting out 3-4 ounces first. If his plate is empty, he can eat more. If his plate still has some soupie left, he is full. Raw fed ferrets eat once or twice a day. Their appetite increases in the winter and decreases in the summer. The average grown boy will eat 3-4 ounces a day. You both get a nice Pat on the Back for your first efforts. :thumbsup: Thank you so much that link was very knowledgeable! |
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