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Post by gfountain on Mar 31, 2016 12:41:31 GMT -5
If they don't take to it immediately, we'll work it in gradually but they're still young enough that it shouldn't be too much trouble. One of my boys has gotten picky about his meals. If he thinks they're having something too often, he just refuses to eat it. And definitely don't give him the same meal twice in a row! Spoiled brat, lol. I love to watch them eat though. They're all so different, with different likes and dislikes. For example, my picky little brat has suddenly decided he doesn't like heart unless I make it into a smoothie and my little diva princess refuses to touch smoothies; she only wants chunks that she can really sink her teeth into but she doesn't want to eat from a separate dish. She wants to eat with the big boys which means that to keep everyone happy, I have to make heart smoothie and then add chunks to it. Add then there's the constant ongoing power-play between two of the boys; one wants all meatz stacked upstairs (in the cage) in the farthest back corner and the other wants all meatz IN.THE.DISH. So meat is constantly being transported upstairs and down. And then there's the little piggy who doesn't care what or where the meatz are as long as he gets to eat them!
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Post by Deleted on Mar 31, 2016 13:17:30 GMT -5
Hahaha omg I have that with mine at the moment, the switching thing. Ciri is the little stasher. She'll take it upstairs and it has to be put in the blankets but then when she's not looking, Triss will take it and bring it out the cage and put it behind my curtain (which i then have to put back in their bowl) Ciri will find it and then run and put it behind her play box. I'm forever watching them go back and forth. It's hilarious! I've finally been able to show you the photos of my fuzzies! See below the dangling photos. Ciri: Triss:
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Post by gfountain on Mar 31, 2016 13:50:43 GMT -5
What cute wee things they are! I love Ciri's coloring and the sweet expression on her face. Triss is looking at me like 'Hey! Are you the reason I'm dangling out here in mid-air? I'm not sure I like you.' LOL See the lines their bodies make from arms to hips? That's what we look at to determine if they're over or underweight. They should be straight tubes. They both look good. Triss seems to be a tiny bit more rounded than Ciri, but that could be the angle of the picture. They're gorgeous babies and look very healthy. Good job, momma!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 1, 2016 7:39:30 GMT -5
Ciri is a little trouble maker! She may look sweet but she doesn't act it! Haha. Having a nipping issue with her at the moment but only on faces. She will never bite my hands or fingers or anywhere else but for some reason, if she finds your face, she'll nip it. She doesn't draw blood but it still hurts. We correct her and it's not sinking in atm! Ahh glad i know that now! I've been worried about their weight for a while if they were under or over but that makes sense now so thank you Triss is the chunk out of the two but she is also a little longer in length. She's also the most lazy ha. I could hold her and snuggle her for ages, she gives lovely kisses. Likes to make sure im clean! Update on the food. They had their chicken necks, went down a treat. Could hear them crunching the bone for ages. Having pork delivered this evening so going to chuck some of them in with their food to see if they take to it. I spent about 15 minutes of my morning watching them both argue over where to stash one piece of food. As soon as Triss put it in her stashing corner, Ciri would pinch it and then they'd be running across the other side of the room where Ciri would hide it. Then Triss would pinch it and take it back and so on and so forth. Haha.
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Post by gfountain on Apr 1, 2016 8:57:47 GMT -5
Hahaha... and I bet they had more than just that one piece of food too. Ferrets are so weird!! Gotta love 'em!
Tonight is supposed to be chicken wings which is bone in. The pork will be a muscle meal, which is on the menu for tomorrow morning. Give them a few pieces of the pork tonight with their wings and then try a whole meal of pork in the morning in place of the thigh meat.
Is Ciri's nipping during playtime? The best way to discourage that behavior is positive reinforcement and time-outs. When she gets near a face and doesn't nip, give her a treat. When she does nip, put her in a 'sin bin' for 2 minutes. (Sin bin = small empty carrier so she has nothing to do and gets bored, no longer than 2 minutes or she'll forget why she's in there) Ferrets don't like to be ignored and they learn pretty quickly what behaviors are not acceptable.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 1, 2016 11:15:26 GMT -5
Yeah there was loads in the cage! haha. I did have a good giggle at them this morning! Yes, they are still having the bone in meal, i was just trying them with a few pieces of pork like you mentioned and then tomorrow we'll go with a big bowl and see what happens! Should I have a thigh defrosted on reserve just in case? Yeah it's when she is out of the cage so it is playtime. Even if she's sleeping and she comes for a cuddle, she'll reach up out my arms and will just bite your face and hold it (at times). If shes out playing she'll bound around and run along the back of the sofa and then she has this instant fascination with heads. She'll climb onto your head and lean over the front of your face and go for your eyebrows or the back of your neck if shes there (like shes trying to scruff you) Other times she could just bounce on your chest and then just go for your face out of nowhere. Little frustrating as I love her to bits but as I can't trust her around my face or anyone elses, I feel like she isn't being shown it like i do with my other ferret. Triss, I could squeeze, munch, kiss her nose, mouth and nothing. She'll kiss me or try and lick my nose haha. They both have the same amount of attention as I thought jealousy was the issue, I even make more of a deal of Ciri and play with her but it's still the same. I have a zip carry case and the little madam knows how to unzip it to get out haha.
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Post by gfountain on Apr 1, 2016 13:04:36 GMT -5
You should know tonight if they're going to like the pork. Give them a couple of pork pieces tonight BEFORE their chicken wings. If they eat them, then just go with a full serving in the morning. If they refuse them, then maybe defrost some thigh. Just play it by ear.
Persistence and consistency is the key for deterring the nipping. Just keep giving her time-outs and reinforce when she DOESN'T nip and eventually she'll catch on that nipping faces just isn't acceptable.
My first boy learned early on how to manage zippers and now he's taught everyone else. (headwall) The best way I've found to keep zippers zipped is safety pins. If there are dual zippers on a bag, I safety pin them together, or I just pin the zipper handle to the bag itself.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 2, 2016 14:59:11 GMT -5
Well...
THEY LOVE THE PORK. Didn't have to do no encouraging or anything. They just took it straight out the bowl and started to chew it. I feel like such a proud momma! Hahaha.
They've just had their tea too so they are all settled and snoozing at the moment. They had a treat today for being so good. Got them a little sandpit.
They've spent most of their day in there today digging and play fighting haha.
Yeah we are starting with the time outs now and she seems to be taking notice so hopefully, it will work!
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Post by gfountain on Apr 2, 2016 18:57:43 GMT -5
Yayy!! I really don't think they'll object to anything you give them right now while they're still young and impressionable. That's why I'd like you to find as many proteins for them as you can. The more variety they get, the better off they will be.
The next goal is to introduce the kidney so they have 2 organs. Try just mixing a few chunks in with their liver on their next organ meal and see how it goes. Kidney has a strong taste so they might not take to it quite as quickly as other meats.
Ooh, sand pits are FUN! Lucky little woozels!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 3, 2016 3:13:37 GMT -5
I can remember at the start I did try them with a bit of beef but they just looked at me as if I had gone mad. "No momma, this is not what we eat or what we are used too"
So after that is when I started with the Lamb and made a lamb soupie to get them to understand the lamb flavor.
Am I ok to change the original meal plan now them to incorporate pork? I will get some kidney too when I'm out to try them and report back
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Post by gfountain on Apr 3, 2016 8:09:59 GMT -5
Yes, change the menu every time you add something new. I thought you already had kidney on hand, that's why I mentioned it. If you'd rather use a different 'other organ', that's fine. While you're out, look and see what other bone-in meats you can find. And if you have beef in the house, try them with it again.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 4, 2016 8:27:45 GMT -5
Okie dokie so this is what I have at the moment then with what they are eating and like.
Sun AM: (O) Liver Sun PM: (B) Chicken Wing
Mon AM: (B) Chicken Wing Mon PM: (B) Chicken Neck
Tues AM: (H) Lamb Heart Tues PM: (B) Chicken Wing
Wed AM: (M) Lamb leg chunks Wed PM: (B) Chicken Neck
Thur AM: (H/O) Lamb heart and kidney (not tried them yet) Thur PM: (B) Chicken wing
Fri AM: (B) Chicken Neck Fri PM: (B) Chicken wing
Sat AM: (M) Pork Sat PM: (B) Chicken Neck
It's still chicken heavy as I need to find other bone in meats. I did see in my local supermarket pork ribs. Would they be too hard or would they be ok if we broke them?
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Post by gfountain on Apr 4, 2016 9:37:28 GMT -5
Pork ribs are generally too dense for them to eat. They sometimes like to chew on the bones but if they can't consume them, they can't be counted as a bone-in meat.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 4, 2016 9:51:56 GMT -5
Right ok haha. I'll have a good look down the meat aisle later and see what they can offer. If that doesn't work, I do have a site that I order offal from but it takes a few days to come. I'll keep you posted.
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Post by gfountain on Apr 4, 2016 9:57:53 GMT -5
Look in the freezer for quail or duck. Turkey wing bones can be eaten with a little smashing. Frog legs are also an option.
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