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Post by antismurffette on Jan 5, 2017 23:37:45 GMT -5
Sorry, let me fully explain my situation now that I have enough time. Until I and my fiancé get paid next friday, and the food gets ordered/delivered I only have what's left in my freezer, what I can buy at the grocery store(walmart, aldis), and kibble.
In the freezer I have 1lb beef kidney and 1/2lb Chicken hearts, I also have a whole duck which may or may not have organs I'll have to defrost it to find out.
I have taurine supplement and the previously mentioned vitamin supplement and egg shells. (Which I am currently adding to their water intermittently because I know their diet hasn't been balanced this past few weeks)(I'm a shift worker at a factory and the last 3 weeks I've only been getting half a paycheck because of all the days off due to holidays, I'd rather not take from their vet fund atm)
The kibble is wysong epigen digestive support which just arrived today. I was considering switching them back to kibble at the end of the week for a week to a month but then I got you and I'm not sure what to do anymore lol.
Does that make sense?
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Post by Klarissa on Jan 6, 2017 11:22:21 GMT -5
Please do not put them on kibble of any sort, for any length of time. Any kibble increases their risk towards developing insulinoma. Kibble is like chips & candy, and going back to raw could end up being a battle. They are also kits, and this is an extremely important part of their development, and should be fuelled by a species appropriate diet. A raw diet can be completely made up from the grocery stores (+ what you have)... Especially if it's only short term. Ex: Monday AM: Duck wings & legs Monday PM: Chicken Heart (OR muscle meat with taurine supplement) Tuesday AM: Chicken Wings Tuesday PM: Beef muscle Wednesday AM: Pork ribs Wednesday PM: 1/2 liver ; 1/2 heart (or muscle with taurine). Thursday AM: Duck Back Thursday PM: Chicken thighs Friday AM: Turkey wings Friday PM: Liver Saturday AM: Chicken wings Saturday PM: Pork muscle Sunday AM: Duck carcass Sunday PM: Chicken thighs My Walmart carries goat, lamb, and fish as well - hopefully you can find a few odds & ends to tie you over until payday. I can usually find some liver in the frozen section as well.
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Post by antismurffette on Jan 6, 2017 13:22:24 GMT -5
They have liver but no hearts, or rather gizzards that say there may be hearts, but like I've said I have the supplement.
I've seen lamb, but not goat they wherent the biggest fans of the lamb. I have been able to find liver they have beef liver and chicken liver, no luck with any other organs though.
That menu seems easy enough to go with if I can convince them pork (and duck) isn't poison lol.
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Post by Klarissa on Jan 6, 2017 13:40:57 GMT -5
That menu seems easy enough to go with if I can convince them pork (and duck) isn't poison lol. Well, that is the point of transitioning after all While 3 proteins is suggested as the absolute minimum, it is important ferrets are open to a wide array of proteins for when these situations pop up. I'd also like you to consider that the menu I have drawn up includes muscle + taurine supplement in place of hearts as necessary.
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Post by antismurffette on Jan 6, 2017 14:32:31 GMT -5
They aren't currently the biggest fans of pork but we have some already defrosted tenderloin so I cut it up into 1 inch cubes and after having them all try some I left it as their meal. Bear is eating some as I type but the boys are staring at me lol.
Friday Before work 6.05 oz of pork
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Post by Klarissa on Jan 6, 2017 20:26:49 GMT -5
That's great! Hopefully the boys will follow Bears lead It's important to not let ferrets get too picky - they truly are like toddlers. If you give them an inch, they will take a mile, lol. Mine weren't a fan of pork initially, I think this is because it smells quite a bit (vs chicken). But they got used to eat, and eat it without batting an eye now
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Post by antismurffette on Jan 6, 2017 23:10:07 GMT -5
There was 4.15oz left when I got home so I'm thinking only Baby Bear ate. I threw some new stuff in and now Satan my little piggie is eating it so now it's down to Nero. I guess I get to scruff and stuff him again.
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Post by antismurffette on Jan 6, 2017 23:12:27 GMT -5
He ate the tiniest sliver but then went back to bed lol.
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Post by Klarissa on Jan 6, 2017 23:16:42 GMT -5
There was 4.15oz left when I got home so I'm thinking only Baby Bear ate. I threw some new stuff in and now Satan my little piggie is eating it so now it's down to Nero. I guess I get to scruff and stuff him again. You don't necessarily have to stuff & scruff. It's more the taste/smell he is fighting. You could blend some up into a soup or slice it into teenie tiny slivers & mix it with a meat he does like More importantly - patience & repetition
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Post by antismurffette on Jan 7, 2017 0:04:18 GMT -5
After I walked away I heard one of them chewing and it was Nero so it seems they are all on board with the pork now or atleast hungry enough to eat it anyway. I put back the same amount I had thrown away and now they have 2.15 oz left of pork. I'm letting them roam for their night time playtime they'll probably finish the rest.
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Post by Klarissa on Jan 7, 2017 19:23:25 GMT -5
Hi @antismurfette! Hope you're having a good weekend Just wanted to pop in & see how Satan, Nero & Bear are doing? Have you had a chance to pick up any grocery store meats for their frankenprey menu this week? Wholeprey is fantastic in a lot of ways, however it is quite expensive. Frankenprey boasts the same benefits, but significantly easier on the wallet. The great thing is, it's really easy to do both. It also provides more variety & enrichment (and you can never have too much!). Especially since ferrets are prone to protein related sensitivities & IBD it's always good to have them used to a wide variety of proteins. I'd like for you to post what they ate today, as well as your plans for their meals Sunday, Monday & Tuesday
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Post by antismurffette on Jan 8, 2017 2:59:16 GMT -5
Today they had Am pork with Taurine added
Pm my fiancé gave them the duck wings.
Sunday half kidney half liver Chicken wings and hearts
Monday Am and Pm: Duck (not sure about organs yet it's still pretty frozen)
Tuesday Pork ribs Ground beef with whole egg and taurine added
And no we haven't gotten to the store yet. Probably won't go until atleast Monday.
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Post by Klarissa on Jan 8, 2017 14:23:26 GMT -5
Sounds great!! Quick topic to cover - You cannot feed mixed meals (eg wings/hearts) as you don't know if all the fuzzies are eating all parts equally- one could eat all the bone, while the others eat heart, etc. Ideally the kidney & liver should be blended/well mixed to avoid picky eating as well **The egg & ground beef is okay **
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Post by antismurffette on Jan 9, 2017 6:27:51 GMT -5
So when I give them whole prey I'm supposed to remove the organs first?
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Post by Klarissa on Jan 9, 2017 9:15:49 GMT -5
You do not need to remove to organs from whole prey first. Whole prey is like a furry nutrition bar, lol - it's 100% complete as is. Beginning this week I'd like you to post *daily*, as I'd like to get a better sense of their eating habits as a whole: AM Meal What was fed - How much was served - How much was left - PM Meal What was fed - How much always served - How much was left - This can help: - track what they prefer/don't - ensure that bone/muscle/organs are getting consumed balanced - plan future meals/menus - guideline to understanding your ferrets seasonal changes - kits especially there can be dramatic fluctuations as their growth slows. - also as a guideline in case of illness, you will notice a change in eating.
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