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Post by Deleted on Feb 21, 2016 2:41:08 GMT -5
Oh wow! Goat meat is said to have higher levels of iron when compared to a similar serving size of chicken (even possibly beef, pork, & lamb). It has a higher potassium content with lower sodium levels, It is packed with Vitamin B12, along with other vitamins. It would be a great beef alternative. It sounds fantastic that you found some spleen! Maybe this time Tauntaun was simply not liking the taste of the organs. That can be quite normal. I found my guys aren't fond of to either and tried to spit it out. Ferrets have a hard time bringing anything back up once it goes down, A main reason as to why hairballs are a risk because they cannot regurgitate it. When ever a ferret actually vomits is either most likely sick, or simply gagged and coughed out something nasty. I would definitely think that this case would have probably been like how we gag and spit out something that doesn't taste nice. The fact that he didn't have diarrhoea is a good sign. I clean daily with water and vinegar. These days I actually have a fleece blanket covering the floor, so that takes a lot of cleaning out of things since I can simply take it, wash it while they're playing and put it back once it dries. I think a feeding den may help you. holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/4544/feeding-den-setupsI usually use a litter called Breeders choice. It's a recycled newspaper pellet type litter. It's basically the same type of litter as the one called Back 2 Nature. (Maybe even equivalent to Yesterday's News) When looking for a litter, here are some things that you want to look for. - Preferably a Natural odour control, - No additives or chemicals or fragrances, - Something that is highly absorbent, - Biodegradable is best, - Economical – long lasting, - Lightweight, - Dust-free as much as possible. I think the good thing about the recycled paper pellets is that is lasts a good amount of time if you spot clean daily. I spot clean daily, and fully clean weekly. You also don't need to use a lot of it because it works well in lesser amounts. Clay litters, or any cedar based bedding is best avoided as they cause respiratory problems in ferrets. I'm going to go over your menu in a second so I'll post this for now so I don't lose it.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 21, 2016 12:05:56 GMT -5
Sorry it took me a while to get this reply. Everything is looking nice~ I know this was for the week, but I'll comment anyway. For next week, I recommend moving one of the organ meals further up in the week. So for example, Sunday's PM, Chicken Livers and Goat Spleen could be moved to a Tuesday or a Thursday. That will give it a good break in between organ meals. It's always a great idea to have a bone in meat following an organ. Most put the organs in between bone in meat meals. So if you notice that poops are little loose around a muscle meat and organ meal day, you can rearrange things by switching a few meals. I asked for senior mentor's second opinion on your menu and we all agree that it may be a little chicken heavy at this stage. That shouldn't be too much of an issue though since you can balance it out like you've been doing for the past couple of weeks. Adding a new protein for bone in meat is a good idea if you can get hold of a new type. Something like Quail (this can be human grade, gutted, de feathered ones found in the freezer section of a supermarket, or asian market), or even rabbit, or duck would be fantastic options for bone in meat. Another option as well would be to replace one of the chicken thigh meats with some pork, or even goat meat. If you find duck gizzard, that could easily replace the chicken gizzard. Apparently Spleen may taste little bitter, which would explain his reaction. He should get used to that eventually. That's all for now~ You've done a great job!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 21, 2016 13:58:24 GMT -5
Yeah I was super surprised too that he threw up, I specifically chose the goat because of him. Later that night, all of the goat spleen and chicken hearts were gone. So someone ate it without getting sick. I really do think it was just him not liking the goat spleen, do you think I should add a little coconut oil to the meal to make it more tasty to him? I have blended the goat spleen and chicken livers into cubes so they are easy to serve for organ meals.
I know my menu is a chicken heavy; I have been reluctant to try the elk and pork because of Tauntaun. He is still losing weight… from 2lb 7oz to 2lb 3oz. Also, you can really feel the back of his hips sticking out. He’s been really stressed after the beef incident. But I am willing to try some pork. Maybe I’ll try it tonight. Quail, Rabbit, and Duck are really expensive here; and I haven’t found a supply where they aren’t seasoned.
Those feeding dens are interesting. I might have to put one together. Right now I just put a mat down to pick up all the juices. I just have a hard time cleaning my mats because I don’t have yard to hose them off and I’m reluctant to put them in the washing machine.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2016 0:06:49 GMT -5
Someone must have eaten up the organ mix. (dance) That's a good sign, especially since no one was sick. Goat is much like Lamb, pretty easy on the digestive tract from what I've heard. Coconut oil in my opinion is not great because its plant based, however it won't hurt, so go for it if you would like. It may help him adjust little to the bitter taste. Try not to use a lot though, moderation is always best with oils. I can understand the reluctance due to the reaction from the beef. (I don't blame you, I probably would be the same) There are the slight chances for reactions for other hoofed animals, however you can never know until you try. You had luck with the Goat, so thats a good sign so far. Keep trying new proteins and you will find the right ones for Tauntaun. As for his weight, he still appears to be a nice weight. He probably lost fat from his former diet, and may have firmed up muscle wise. As long as you cannot visibly see ribs, but you can feel the ribs under his coat then that is a good sign of a nice weight. Another way to see if he's a good wight would be to hold him up and dangle him. If he looks like a tube, then he is a good weight. Feel free to post dangle photos if you like. When I was switching, I had some issues with my little girl, Haru when it came to weight. She lost a lot of weight around her pelvic area at the beginning of a switch, but gradually it filled in with muscle even after I graduated. Here's the post incase you wanted a visual. www.facebook.com/hakibeferret/photos/pb.1602179913378402.-2207520000.1456115526./1654139151515811/?type=3&theaterEvery ferret's body is different so some may lose some weight here or there, but eventually it fills in with muscle in their own time. A good thing to do would be to simply keep a weight diary or records. I actually made a template for keeping weight records. I Looked everywhere but couldn't find one that worked for my three. Feel free to use it if you would like. All you need to do is print and store it somewhere, or simply use it digitally, however you like. holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/18960/ferret-weight-records-templateI think keeping records is especially good since you can get a general idea on how their weight looks. Usually it is in spring and fall/autumn that you will usually see huge spikes where they will loose and gain weight. The other times you are more likely to see minor fluctuations of an oz or so depending on if they have a full/empty bladder or stomach etc. Could be a chance that you may be weighing when Tauntaun has a full or empty stomach or bladder. The best time to weigh is before their next meal, so that way they aren't carrying extra weight due to a full stomach. Some ferrets fluctuate in weight every couple of weeks, but tend to stick to a certain weight frame. You can work it out by keeping a weight journal or record. That way you can see the fluctuation more easily and will notice if anything seems out of the ordinary for each ferret. If they continue to lose weight and aren't putting any on, then that would call for a vet trip. However as long as it stays around the general area then it should be normal. For example, Haru currently weighs around 749grams. She's usually 800grams (Winter weight), so since we're in summer she lost some weight and usually weighs in now between 745-755grams. For her, that is a normal fluctuation range. Quail, Rabbit, and Duck are really expensive where I live as well. Maybe a good option for when they go on sale. I actually have to order in duck from interstate because its all prefaced and seasoned where I live (drives me crazy ) I buy in bulk every 5 months from a place that gets their stock directly from the farms.. (I'm due to place an order for turkey necks and duck wings actually ) If you need help finding sources in your area feel free to PM your location and we can find you some places to check out. @poncesmom Is especially good at finding places~
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2016 12:02:51 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2016 12:49:39 GMT -5
Yes, I am very hesitant with the pork. I bought some minced pork last night and fed it to them. No one ate it. They threw it around the cage but it wasn’t eaten. Then this morning when I fed them turkey necks… they ate like crazy. I was thinking of putting coconut oil or salmon oil on the pork to get them interested, but last time I did that was with the beef. Maybe I will try it again with oil. They are just being picky now. I guess the pictures prove that he is still a healthy weight. I just worry because he also still acts mopey. He sleeps more than he use to and isn’t as playful as Ezio. Ezio use to be our sleeper… now she’s always running and fighting with Wampa. She has really changed since the raw diet, she has a lot more energy and now she is eating bones! I actually saw her munching on chicken bones not the meat around it. I’m so proud haha! Thank you for the chart! I acutally record all of their meals and weights in a little book. I like to be organized, so I got this little book that I keep everything in…like costs, weight, meals, etc. It’s the only way I could remember what I fed them for the menu plan I post every week. Lol! I was thinking about ordering in bulk, but I want to know they will eat it before I spend a bunch. I’m not sure why they love turkey so much. They will each it all until there is nothing left but bones, and them gnaw on those too!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2016 16:33:56 GMT -5
Ezio looks so fluffy compared to the other boys! I really adore her little dark nose. Tauntaun also appears to be a lovely weight in the photo. Wampa looks like he just ate with his little belly poking out. (I want to poke it >3<) Everyone looks nice and healthy, and have lovely pink noses (apart from Ezio hehe) and pink lips~ Sleeping more may be something associated with age and or season. It could also be simply his personality. Some ferrets are more playful, some are playful but tire out faster than others. I find the personalities interesting ;u; It's funny that you mentioned Ezio being the original sleeper My haru was the same! These days she could out play the boys some days. It sounds like Ezio is really making use of all the new nutrients. It's incredible what a good diet can do to improve their overall health and life. Seeing the changes is so much fun. Well done to Ezio, and the boys~! Their reaction to the pork sounds normal to me. It does have a different smell and taste to the meats they're currently used to. Considering that they've done so well up until now, it really doesn't surprise me that they're reluctant little with a new protein like pork. Continue to coax them into trying some and I'm sure that they will give the pork a go. If you want, you can cut some up into small pieces and try hand feeding some to each of them. I hope they take a liking to it ~ It definitely sounds like they fancy turkey. You may notice sometimes they will pick a favourite protein or meat. One or two may not like this or that and would be reluctant to eat it at first but eventually they do get around to eating it. Then when it comes to a favourite protein, they could eat it by the bucket load (or so they appear!) I think buying in bulk is a great idea. Especially if you can't get certain proteins in your area. In the long run you also save a lot of money which is always great. A good idea would be to test some first. When I first bought in bulk I bought small amounts (or so I thought- I'm not good with visual numbers lol!!) I ended up with 20..or... something kg of meat (just barely got it in my freezer...) You could probably test some, maybe order 1-5kg with a mixture of different types of meats and proteins and try them out. That way you can grab any potential allergies early. Once you know they're good with the meats, then you can order more quantities next time.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2016 9:46:27 GMT -5
Hey Machan! Sorry I have been a bit busy. I haven't been able to give them pork lately, I put it in the freezer and now I am waiting for it to thaw. With my fridge it takes a while, I guess that's a good thing. Wampa always seems to have that fat lil' belly. He is so big, I can't believe he only weighs 2lb, 9oz(1315.42 g? LOL). He feels like 5 pounds some days. Ezio has really done a real personality switch! She is so playful now and even better at being held. Yesterday I held her for 30 mins while I had guests. She was so calm and I think she might have been sleeping in my arms. Haha! Tauntaun is finally coming out of his mopey phase. He loves his food now and is starting to be more playful after he and Wampa works out their problems, I guess. He was tolerating Wampa and then he put him in his place over a squirrel toy. After that, he sort of cheered up and was playing with the group instead of sleeping. (dance)
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2016 15:19:44 GMT -5
I tend to let meat thaw over night in the fridge since it does take some time to thaw, but at least it thaws out in the best way. Good luck with the pork, I hope they like it. (dance) It does sound like everyone is doing fantastic, as usual. I'm so happy for them, and for you, you've done a great job with Ezio, Tauntaun & Wampa~ Wampa does sound like such a big boy! He must be wonderful for cuddling. He's still young, apparently they keep growing until 18 months, so I wonder if he'll get any bigger. I'm really loving the impact the diet has had on your lovelies. They must be loving life with all the new nutrients from their meals. During my switch, I actually experienced my first dead sleep with Haru. I was actually excited about it! It only lasted 5 minutes, but it was wonderful to see how relaxed she had become. You must be giving Ezio lots of play time and along with the new food, she's really using up those nutrients. She must be quite content with you to stay so relaxed in your arms. Yay Tauntaun!! The happy playful Tauntaun is what we want to see. It sounds like he got some courage up and finally told Wampa that he's the big brother and Wampa must behave.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 26, 2016 10:45:51 GMT -5
Yes, I always thaw their meat in the fridge… I remember the article about thawing meat. No way I’m leaving it out. So… I had them try minced pork with a little bit of salmon oil, only one to try it was Ezio and then I gave Tauntaun a bite and he ate a little on his own. Wampa refuses to eat it. I put some in his mouth and he ate it, but then was not interested. I’m going to keep trying though. (dance) (UPDATE! Wampa is eating the pork now! (dance) ) What I am most happy about is that Tauntaun is not vomiting because of the pork! I was worried, but this time he was good! Hopefully I can start reducing the chicken meals once they start eating more of the pork. Is having chicken as a protein so bad? They really prefer the chicken and turkey. I want to have chicken, pork, and turkey as their main proteins. Then have the goat/lamb as their organ meals. If Wampa gets any bigger, I’ll start buying him cat accessories! Maybe I’ll buy a cute little collar for his walks. I got to walk him the other day and he was so well behaved! It was his first walk and he loved it. Ezio and Tauntaun are too clever and know how to get out of the harness. Thank you! I’m loving their new found changes too! They are all getting along now and they have sooooo much energy, haha! My babies have all done the dead sleep thing, Ezio actually was so exhausted I thought she was literally dead. I was ready to do CPR on her! Then Tauntaun did it when I moved, he was so exhausted from travel that when we got to the new place he finally relaxed and passed out. I picked him up for snuggles and freaked because he was limp! Yes, Tauntaun is finally telling Wampa who is in charge. Wampa has been pretty bad though. He steals food from the other two. They will have a hissing match over food. I put in plenty of meat, but he just likes to steal the pieces they are eating. Poor Ezio just lets him have it and goes to find another piece.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 26, 2016 10:57:39 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Feb 26, 2016 12:24:32 GMT -5
Pork was a success !! Hurray!! I'm happy about Tauntaun not having a reaction as well. At least you know now that he's only had the reaction to pork. Hopefully that stays the only protein that he has a reaction to. So far its been a great sign that he can handle the pork!! Having the protein chicken in the diet isn't bad at all, as long as the menu is not chicken heavy. You actually don't want to have a menu too heavy in any type of protein. A menu too heavy in one protein isn't very balanced compared to a menu that has a good even number of meals in certain proteins. I would say around 3-4 meals of chicken may be acceptable since there is 14 meals in the week. Base proteins are meats that are not chicken, rabbit, cornish game hen or fish. From what I remember you use lamb hearts, That may make Lamb, Pork and Turkey your base proteins. Then you have Goat, Chicken which totals your protein count to 5. I think thats a good variety. You also have red meats, great job. Are you still using chicken livers? Maybe you could use another protein for that, so you can cut out little chicken. If you are able to get Goat, or even lamb for livers that would be fantastic. Lamb where I live goes under the name Lamb fry. (weird!) How is your menu looking now? If you post your current menu I can check it over and ask the other mentors on their opinion for you. You've done extraordinary, and are probably almost ready to graduate. Speaking of accessories, I came across an easy shop a while ago that has cute little outfits for dogs, and ferrets. There are so many cute dragon costumes. I want to have one made for my boys. It would be super adorable especially for walks! www.etsy.com/au/shop/Octostitches?ref=l2-shopheader-nameHaru and Yuki don't like harnesses or collars either. I've tried many times especially with Haru and she hates it. ;n; I'm now off to sleep since it slate where I am. You're doing an incredible job. I might give you a bit of a test tomorrow and see how you go. See you later, Big hugs to Ezio, Tauntaun and Wampa~~!!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 27, 2016 19:23:21 GMT -5
Here's a test as promised. 1. How can you tell if your ferret is getting too much or too little bone? 2. Name two good protein sources for Taurine. 3. About how long is a ferret's digestion time? 4. Why is cooking meat generally considered inadvisable? 5. Why is it recommended to have at least one red meat protein in the ferret's diet?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2016 12:23:56 GMT -5
Okay, I did my best! I will post my reply later. (idea) 1. How can you tell if your ferret is getting too much or too little bone?If their poop is runny they are getting too little bone and if the poop is seedy they are getting too much bone. 2. Name two good protein sources for Taurine.Heart, Brain, & Tongue! 3. About how long is a ferret's digestion time?3-4 hours 4. Why is cooking meat generally considered inadvisable?Because the protein molecules change shape as a result of the heat energy they absorb when they are cooked. They are denatured. 5. Why is it recommended to have at least one red meat protein in the ferret's diet?Red meat is high in Vitamin B and Iron.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 29, 2016 7:03:18 GMT -5
Fantastic job with the quizzes! You answered everything spot on!. :thumbsup:
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