|
Post by Sherry on May 9, 2011 21:20:32 GMT -5
Fantastic! Now, start increasing the bone size for them. The idea is to try getting them to eat the wing without cutting it.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on May 11, 2011 15:02:36 GMT -5
They have been eating even bigger bones and I Risa ate some more mice. She loves them now.
|
|
|
Post by Sherry on May 11, 2011 19:09:31 GMT -5
Oh, that's excellent! Alright- next step is up to you Would you rather give them a mix of meats and organs for muscle meat days, with separate bone in meals, as well as heart meals. Or would you rather feed all the meats separately? By feeding them all together, it might be more convenient? Not sure how you work it. And since they'd have organ in a number of meals, you'd avoid the blackish, tarry stools most get from straight organ meals. By feeding separately, it should be easier to "mix and match" meats according to what you find on sale, etc. Making it simpler to substitute one for the other when you need to. Also you could likely get them eating larger pieces. On this last one, you'd have 4 days of bone in meats(8-9 meals), 2 days of muscle meats(4-5 meals- one of which needs to be heart), one organ meal, the other whichever you want to do. Mice and other whole prey would be considered bone in.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on May 11, 2011 20:37:46 GMT -5
I think I want to do the 4 days of bone in, 2 days of muscle and one organ meal. Is heart absolutely necessary? Its a little more expensive but I can get it if needed. Right now I am supplementing with taurine.
|
|
|
Post by Sherry on May 11, 2011 21:07:11 GMT -5
Actually, even if you could do heart every other week. The problem is we truly don't know just how much taurine is needed by ferrets. Since they are so similar to cats in dietary requirements, and cats don't produce taurine in their bodies, we have to assume ferrets don't either. And it's virtually impossible to overdue it on the taurine, since any excess is simply excreted. I do know the ideal is two meals a week, although most ferrets seem to do well on weekly. I honestly don't know how much you'd have to supplement with no heart in their diet. Jennifer(mustelidmusk) was supplementing with one 500 mg capsule daily split between her four, on top of feeding weekly heart meals. Can you get lamb? It's also pretty taurine rich. Although I think that would be more expensive than heart, even. I guess I personally am not overly comfortable with no heart meat in their diet ;D
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on May 11, 2011 23:36:04 GMT -5
Lamb is more expensive. I can get some heart. Does it matter what kind? Im going to order off hare today and the cheaper ones are pork and beef hearts. Is it also best to give cats heart? They are also getting taurine supplements.
|
|
|
Post by Sherry on May 12, 2011 1:03:20 GMT -5
Any kind of heart you can get them to eat will do. The harder a muscle has to work, the more taurine that builds up in it. Which is why heart is ideal. And yes, cats should have it as well if they are raw fed. Certainly wouldn't hurt them even if they weren't!
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on May 12, 2011 11:08:50 GMT -5
Since they need 4 days of bone in meats is it ok if Rikku just gets chicken? Risa will get mice and chicken but Rikku wont eat mice.
|
|
|
Post by Sherry on May 12, 2011 17:29:38 GMT -5
Certainly You can make up the different proteins on muscle meat days If you can do it, cornish game hen is also a good bone in meal. And for one ferret, it would last a while.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on May 14, 2011 13:52:59 GMT -5
I can get cornish game hen. For boneless meals can I give them turkey or would that be too much poultry?
|
|
|
Post by Sherry on May 14, 2011 18:40:08 GMT -5
Nope! Turkey's an entirely different protein As is cornish hen. In the same way that rats are a different protein from mice. They may be from the same family, but guaranteed- they'd never crossbreed ;D
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on May 16, 2011 15:45:32 GMT -5
I have been cutting the wings in thirds and they have been eating them.
|
|
|
Post by Sherry on May 16, 2011 22:00:44 GMT -5
Excellent news!!! So, you are now giving, chicken, game hen, turkey, pork, and beef? And of course mice for Risa. Are you interested in working with getting Rikku eating mice as well?
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on May 16, 2011 23:28:26 GMT -5
Yep. Those are what they are getting and I would love it if I could get Rikku to eat mice.
|
|
|
Post by Sherry on May 17, 2011 13:45:40 GMT -5
Alright. For Rikku, give her a very small muscle meat meal(3 or4 small pieces) and chop a couple of small pinkies, and mix them in well. Once she eats that reliably, just cut them in half, then whole. When she's taking them whole, try giving them to her plain. When she eats that, go up one size(large pinkies), then to fuzzy mice(you may have to cut these open and squirt in some oil). Then follow that up with hoppers, and so on. Also, could you set up a menu on what they are eating, and when? Sort of Mon. they get this, Tues. they get that? That way, we can make sure they are getting enough of what they need.
|
|