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Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2015 18:10:52 GMT -5
Hmm we have a butcher here and he suggested that the beef is a bit cheaper? Could I mix that with the Raw chick heart and liver instead of chicken thigh? I asked their prices and if I used the packages it would cost me 120$ a month on RDBC but if I go to the butcher it would cost me 73$ a month so its cheaper.. But he may be able to sell me bigger packs of the meats if needed. If this is the case could I just start them on soup now rather then having them on the packets?
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Post by Celene on Aug 19, 2015 18:21:03 GMT -5
Yes of course. Again, the main reason why I suggested RDBC is because there was less risk of bacterial issues, and because lamb is the safest starter meat for ferrets with sensitive digestive systems.
After chicken, beef is the most common allergen/food sensitivity among ferrets (although some people argue beef is more common). Either way, you can make soupies with beef, so long as you keep an eye on their behaviour and poops. Beef is also much stronger flavoured so many ferrets won't eat it.
Regardless of which option you go with, the goal is to have your ferrets eating chunks and bone within a month - 2 at the absolute max.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2015 18:24:33 GMT -5
Also do you have any tips where I can buy bone meal in Vancouver? I tried some of the vitamin shops here and none of them carry it! Im ok with ordering online too I just cant seem to find any!
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Post by Celene on Aug 19, 2015 19:45:38 GMT -5
Ground eggshell powder is fine short-term. I've looked, but never seen any anywhere. Neither should be used long-term, but your fuzzies will be chomping bone well before deficiency becomes an issue. Mainly we need to make sure they're getting calcium while transition them to the frankenprey menu.
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Post by Heather on Aug 19, 2015 22:20:02 GMT -5
You can buy bone meal on Amazon ciao
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Post by Deleted on Aug 20, 2015 19:25:09 GMT -5
Thanks so much guys! We just went to the butchers and got everything we needed! We made a bunch of the soup with our processor and used ground up egg shell for it. Now I just have to see if they will actually eat it without the kibbles! They tried egg yolk today and loved it so much they napped after lol!
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Post by Celene on Aug 20, 2015 19:58:41 GMT -5
Ferrets DO love eggs! You can feed up to one egg per ferret per week, or two during shedding season as the lecithin in the yolk helps break up and prevent hairballs. Another fantastic treat for them is salmon oil (which you can also get at Bosleys or order online - maybe other pet stores too but I don't go into those very often).
Which protein (meat) did you end up going with for the soup?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2015 11:22:55 GMT -5
We ended up with beef and chicken liver and hearts. They love the mix so much they ate it without kibble!I guess now I'm going to have to prepare for the next step in their diet. I'm so happy they love the soup enough to eat it without kibbles! I will have to get some salmon oil. It will be my boyfriends job to give them that treat though haha I am allergic to seafood so I will pass on the rashes haha. Will I need to sign up for a mentor now to continue help with their transition? Or create another thread?
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Post by Celene on Aug 21, 2015 12:51:39 GMT -5
That's awesome to hear! About the salmon oil, I keep some in a small glass jar with eyedropper lid. They lick it directly off of the eyedropper so I don't need to touch it. I'm not allergic, but the smell can be hard to get off your hands! I'm not sure how allergic you are though. Like some people can get reactions from nuts just by breathing it in! My brother is like that - one time as a kid he handled a raw fish and needed an epipen. It's up to you how you want to precede. I highly recommend signing up for the mentorship program. In the meantime, you can continue your switch on here. This is the general process we usually take to get ferrets onto a proper raw diet. Since your fuzzos are pretty young, I also suggest offering some beef slivers on their own, just to see what happens. You can either cut thing spaghetti-shaped pieces (about the size/shape of a bobby pin) or slightly wider but very thin shavings (easier to cut when partially frozen).
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Post by Deleted on Aug 22, 2015 16:50:02 GMT -5
Thanks so much! I will for sure follow that. I will sign up for the mentor soon then!
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Post by Celene on Aug 22, 2015 17:27:47 GMT -5
Sounds great! Let me know if you have any questions in the meantime.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 28, 2015 19:19:08 GMT -5
Hey, im all moved and my boys are on big chunks of beef,chicken thigh, heart and liver. I am wondering how to start them with bone and if I just leave it on the chicken thigh or if i get bone from something specific? Ive been using a lot of egg shell because we dont get bone meal in my area..What should my next step be? I applied for the mentoring program a few days ago as well.
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