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Post by ferretlover on Aug 7, 2015 5:45:53 GMT -5
I got a ferret from a lady who didn't know how to take care of her and was under weight so when I received her she was approximately 7-8 weeks old to young to have been taken from mother, now she is approximately 5 months old but anyway onto the point. I fed her raw chicken and beef along with Marshall chicken flavor ferret food and she did great gained weight and so on, last month she had her shots from the vet and then received fleas bad from animals outside as I take her out with me washed her and gave her 0.2ml of cat flea meds the vet said to use this was about two weeks ago. I got another ferret to keep her company and he was a Marshall ferret so he was health wise ok that was about a month and half ago. Now all of a sudden the past two days she is refusing to eat and lost a lot of weight does not look good, still active and will eat the paste I give her 8in1 but won't eat food I am not giving her raw meat as I'm afraid it won't be good for her as she has upset tummy also (green poop) so its moving to quick when goes through system. I separated the two last night and made a mash with the ferret food over night she ate no food but ate the paste. The other ferret was picking on her didn't know if he wasn't letting her eat that and her not being ok is why I separated them. But she's still not eating I don't know what to do any advice?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 7, 2015 6:06:17 GMT -5
One of my little ferrets did this to me a few months back. Hes a skinny little old man and he does it sometimes. But because he is so thin he needs to eat and he so quickly gets weak and stuff. What I did was make a mash but I mixed the paste in (he would eat the pasta all day and all night) then I cut the end off the paste tube and put the mash in there - don't know what country you're in but in the UK you can get chicken complan which the vet suggested to me it is designed as a meal replacement for people but he said theres nothing nasty in it! I also used ferret food soaked in warm water, complan a bit of electrolyte and some of the paste And squished it into the tube to trick him into thinking it was the paste  It worked and once he realised it wasn't paste he would just eat it out of a bowl. Mine also go off their food sometimes so they're on a mix of 3 at the moment and they've gone off one so I'll just take it out of the mix next time and maybe try another Hope you can sort something out <3 fingers crossed. |
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Post by ferretlover on Aug 7, 2015 6:47:00 GMT -5
I'm in the USA and the closest vet that will even take a ferret is a hour away and they don't like to deal with them and not sure that they are that informed on them, might just research on net when they have one. He did seem to know about giving them shots but when I took her for the shots didn't seem to me like he'd know what to do if one was sick or anything like my case. Thanks for the advice I'll try that.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 7, 2015 6:56:27 GMT -5
I am not sure what you r saying as to paste is this a vitamin paste( with syrup)?
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Post by unclejoe on Aug 7, 2015 7:00:45 GMT -5
Check her teeth. If she prefers mush that she doesn't have to chew as much, she could have a tooth problem.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 7, 2015 7:31:30 GMT -5
And if that is not the case, the mush is going to really put down tartar on ferret's teeth as i fed one of mine mush a lot and she had tartar worse than others. Not only that she got insulinoma. A ferret will eat more mush than than free kibble and and this is going to make a higher carb load per meal. Also i would try to go raw.if your paste has syrup I would definitely stop. Have you tried some warm all meat baby food with some warm yolk--I know egg will cause loose stool but they will absorb some of it.
They like being finger-fed --you may want to try that, too. (hold her in your lap and offer food on your finger)
Maybe others will chime in with suggestions.
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Post by ferretlover on Aug 7, 2015 7:53:22 GMT -5
It is ferretvite 8in1 high calorie vitamin and I can put it on a ferret chew treat and she will eat the whole hard treat to that is not the problem she will eat and chew. She did love raw beef and chicken although its not recommended to feed ferrets a raw diet so once I got her up to health with raw and food I slowly cut out the raw meat and only gave it to her once a week or two weeks. For the past month or so she has only ate raw beef twice I think and also when you try to feed it to her now she over indulges and you can't finger feed her she will latch on and draw blood. I just didn't know if she was already having a poop problem (green soft) if I should try to give her raw foods. And I don't know of anywhere to get a rodent unless I shoot one in my yard (live on 20 acres) so that wouldn't be a problem or should I go to the pet store and but feeder rats and kill them first before I feed them to her
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Post by ferretlover on Aug 7, 2015 8:03:47 GMT -5
She actually preferred the raw meat in the beginning and just now lately hasn't been getting it and when I do offer goes nuts over it could it be that she is refusing to eat because she wants raw meat and not hard food? Its just this week that I've noticed she's going down hill and hasn't been eating just almost two weeks ago she had raw beef. Its the past two days that she has really lost weight and isn't looking well.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 7, 2015 8:08:19 GMT -5
This is totally hogwash(lol). Kibble is why so many ferrets in the United States get pancreatic cancer or what is called insulinoma. It is full of grains and fruit matter (carbohydrates). Meat is free of carbs. My little girl died at 5 with pancreatic cancer--that is why i am feeding my ferrets raw meat. They r carnivores like cats which means they should eat just meat. There is a part that is missing in the gut of a ferret that breaks down fiber in veggies (cecum)
vets will tell u not to feed your ferrets raw meat, but in the wild that is how they live
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Post by Deleted on Aug 7, 2015 8:20:47 GMT -5
We have a program to help you feed raw correctly to your ferret. You will be assigned a mentor if you would like to do that. If there is a waiting list you can post how you r switching , and people will come in and give you advice.
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Post by ferretlover on Aug 7, 2015 8:22:14 GMT -5
She has never had a rodent before but I could offer her some as I live on plenty of lad and would think what I could get from wild would be better than pet store feeders. What all could I get to offer her and would I have to skin and debone it first? My husband is saying to call the vet but I just don't know if he will be that informed on them as they will take them but don't like to deal with them and might not offer much help but to say bring her in and charge me a arm and leg for little advice, seeing as she will eat paste and a a ferret chew treat with paste on it so I know she will eat but is just refusing to eat mash or hard kibble at the moment.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 7, 2015 8:29:03 GMT -5
I see you r a guest but just sign up for membership. I think it takes a few days. you can get a mentor when one becomes available.
Now as far as rodents go, we freeze things for a while to kill parasites. My husband's friend kills squirrels and i put them in freezer for a couple months, but it may be less time than that--i could tag someone and ask.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 7, 2015 8:32:53 GMT -5
no you do not have to skin or debone rodents
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Post by ferretlover1 on Aug 7, 2015 8:46:13 GMT -5
Thanks and I did sign up for an account under hawktruckin@gmail.com and she has had raw beef and raw chicken before was mostly all she ate then slowly worked her onto a hard food so I know she does love raw meat I myself have never fed an animal rodents before so for now I could do raw beef and chicken until I figure out what else to feed her and how to make sure it is safe. Thanks you guys are great
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Post by ferretlover1 on Aug 7, 2015 9:13:10 GMT -5
Ok just gave her some raw chicken and she went straight to it and tore it up lol so apparently she is just refusing to eat hard food. But my other ferret is a Marshall ferret and won't eat raw meat took forever just to get him to try raw beef so I guess I'll stick to raw beef and chicken for her and slowly work him onto meat
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