How many 0z. does an adult ferret eat?

[:)]

I got my boys eating bones!
 I'm actually really proud of myself, never thought I'd get my picky ferrets to this point but here we are!

Now that my two ferrets are eating Bone In Meat, I'm trying to organize and prepare my frankenprey schedule. 

But I'm having math problems. 
Before, I've measured everything in meat cubes, (using an ice cube tray) and the boys ate on average a cube and a half each per meal. Sometimes leaving a little bit of leftovers.

Now they want to eat everything I throw at them. They can't get enough. They go through 3 to 4 chicken necks and quartered quails a day

So how many oz. of BIM should each ferret eat per meal (if they eat 2 meals a day)?

I plan to prepare 4 weeks worth of meals ahead of time, so I'd like to figure out how much meat to buy. Especially considering they should have at least 3 different types of protein. I got my hearts and livers (need to find another type of organ) and I can do chicken and quail for BIM, and I thought I could do beef and turkey for the Muscle Meat. 

So we've come up with this equation:

(X oz. of BIM * 2 ferrets) * 9 meals/week * 4 weeks
+
(Y oz. of muscle-meat * 2 ferrets) * 2 meals/week * 4 weeks
+
(Z oz. of organs * 2 ferrets) * (1/4 meal + 1/2 meal)/week * 4 weeks
+
(A oz. of heart * 2 ferrets) * (1 meal + 1/2 meal)/week * 4 weeks
+
(B oz. of liver * 2 ferrets) * (1/4 meal + 1/2 meal)/week * 4 weeks

Of course how much they eat might vary, and I'll come to understand more as we go along, but I'd like a rough estimation to start with so I can at least go shopping before I run out of food.

ALSO: Do you have any suggestions for how to organize the meals in your freezer? I thought I might label sammich baggies Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday ect.... and put the day's portion in the baggies
But if you have a better idea lay it on me. 

ALSO ALSO: I've thought about getting them onto whole prey. Mice and Rats if they'll eat them.
 
Considering cost and Convenience is it easier to combine whole prey and frankenprey diets, or is it better to go 100% whole prey if possible? 

What would a weekly schedule of whole prey meals look like? 

Is it important to gut mice/rats? I know how to gut critters (I volunteer at a Birds of Prey Hospital), but I'd rather not if I can avoid it. 

Thanks for taking the time to read and helping me out. I'm so proud when I hear them crunching on dem bones.  (shy)

[FireAngel]

Aug 23, 2015 17:20:02 GMT -5 :) said:

I got my boys eating bones!
 I'm actually really proud of myself, never thought I'd get my picky ferrets to this point but here we are!

Now that my two ferrets are eating Bone In Meat, I'm trying to organize and prepare my frankenprey schedule. 

But I'm having math problems. 
Before, I've measured everything in meat cubes, (using an ice cube tray) and the boys ate on average a cube and a half each per meal. Sometimes leaving a little bit of leftovers.

Now they want to eat everything I throw at them. They can't get enough. They go through 3 to 4 chicken necks and quartered quails a day

So how many oz. of BIM should each ferret eat per meal (if they eat 2 meals a day)?
On average an adult female will eat 1-3oz a day and an adult male 2-5. each ferret is different and it really is trial and error until you get to know what yours will eat. If they are eating everything you are giving them then give them more until there is a bit left over each time.
I plan to prepare 4 weeks worth of meals ahead of time, so I'd like to figure out how much meat to buy. Especially considering they should have at least 3 different types of protein. I got my hearts and livers (need to find another type of organ) and I can do chicken and quail for BIM, and I thought I could do beef and turkey for the Muscle Meat. 

So we've come up with this equation:

(X oz. of BIM * 2 ferrets) * 9 meals/week * 4 weeks
+
(Y oz. of muscle-meat * 2 ferrets) * 2 meals/week * 4 weeks
+
(Z oz. of organs * 2 ferrets) * (1/4 meal + 1/2 meal)/week * 4 weeks
+
(A oz. of heart * 2 ferrets) * (1 meal + 1/2 meal)/week * 4 weeks
+
(B oz. of liver * 2 ferrets) * (1/4 meal + 1/2 meal)/week * 4 weeks

Of course how much they eat might vary, and I'll come to understand more as we go along, but I'd like a rough estimation to start with so I can at least go shopping before I run out of food.

ALSO: Do you have any suggestions for how to organize the meals in your freezer? I thought I might label sammich baggies Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday ect.... and put the day's portion in the baggies
But if you have a better idea lay it on me. 
A lot of people do exactly that, label baggies. I have sections of my freezer protioned off and all the hearts are in baggies with the type of heart and they weight on it and the same with everything else.
ALSO ALSO: I've thought about getting them onto whole prey. Mice and Rats if they'll eat them.
 
Considering cost and Convenience is it easier to combine whole prey and frankenprey diets, or is it better to go 100% whole prey if possible? 
Whole prey would be their natural diet so whole prey would be best if you could get a decent variety of it.
What would a weekly schedule of whole prey meals look like? 
That depends on how you would like to feed them. For me when i feed whole prey that particular thing is all they get that day. I try to alternate a bit of the variety so they do not get mice 3 days in a row or rats 2 days in a row but you can do it however you would like as long as they are getting at least 3 types of proteins.
Is it important to gut mice/rats? I know how to gut critters (I volunteer at a Birds of Prey Hospital), but I'd rather not if I can avoid it. 
Important, no but I find it less messy to gut them before I give them to them as they will usually gut them, themselves and that can be very messy.
Thanks for taking the time to read and helping me out. I'm so proud when I hear them crunching on dem bones.  (shy)
Only another raw feeder understands that! :goodjob:

[Heather]

During the switch, it's not uncommon for a ferret to consume much more food than they would normally. It's their bodies making up for lost time and deficiencies that have occurred during their kibble times.
Cost and convenience dictates that I feed a combination of prey and frankenprey. I couldn't afford to feed 12 ferrets a strictly prey diet.
Prey diet is the easiest to balance....it's whatever they will eat with a minimum of 3 different types of proteins. REad through some of the menus created by our graduates in the archives, that's the best way to get a good handle on how to set up a menu
ciao