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Post by mermaidsirena on Dec 21, 2017 22:46:11 GMT -5
Ended up putting the wing in tonight -- it was still pretty frozen when I checked this morning. They ate the heart so much better yesterday -- felt like a great success.
This evening -- fingers crossed -- the wing will be eaten in the morning!
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Post by Sherry on Dec 22, 2017 10:15:22 GMT -5
Fingers crossed! Once it thaws one at least should start it, which will peak the interest and appetite of the other.
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Post by mermaidsirena on Dec 25, 2017 18:20:18 GMT -5
Week of 12/25 Ghost and Branch
Monday Ghost: raw egg/duck grind; duck grind Branch: Thick soup with previous mixed in
Tuesday Ghost: quail with bone; chicken chunks Branch: Thick soup with previous mixed in
Wednesday Ghost: duck grind; heart Branch: Thick soup with previous mixed in
Thursday Ghost: kitten mix/duck grind; kitten mix/duck grind Branch: Thick soup with previous mixed in
Friday Ghost: quail with bone; heart, kidney, liver Branch: Thick soup with previous mixed in
Saturday Ghost: duck grind; chicken chunks Branch: Thick soup with previous mixed in
Sunday Ghost: chicken chunks; kidney and liver Branch: Thick soup with previous mixed in
I am not sure my conversion chart is working quite right. Ghost is still 2 lbs. 15 ounces Branch is still 2 lbs. 5 ounces
I now only have to cover the Ghost food with a topping of thick soup and Branch eats it. I make two bowls of the same food and lightly cover both of them with soup. Branch licks off the soup from both bowls, taking some of what is under the soup and eating it. He still needs the soup to get started but it is fading. Both of them LOVE egg and I might start topping the raw food with egg and see if that gets Branch eating more chunks. The drumette was not a success. I don’t think they were hungry enough. I need to substitute out one of the meals to get them to work at the drumette. I will try again one of the days this week. Kennedy is in his new home. I’ll miss him but am glad I can devote my time to these two little fuzzybutts. Merry Christmas, everyone!
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Post by Sherry on Dec 27, 2017 8:09:58 GMT -5
So glad Kennedy has a forever home <3 With the soup being needed as a topper. Start by using thinner and thinner soup until it is basically water Keeps him thinking he is getting a treat, while at the same time getting him used to chunks alone
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Post by mermaidsirena on Dec 27, 2017 21:17:42 GMT -5
I have found they are eating a bit less now. More is left in the tubs each feeding. They were completing almost 4 ounces each feeding between the two of them. Now it is more like 3 ounces each feeding. They have been keeping their weight the same so I won't worry too much.
I was able to pick up a venison grind this evening -- thought we would try another new protein. I'll add it into the week next week as I already have the days stuffed and ready. I decided to label quart freezer bags with the days of the week. On Sunday I pack them all with frozen meat muffins and snack ziplock bagged meat pieces. I take out each bag the night before and thaw in their feeding bowls (small dollar store containers with lids). This has worked so well!
The soup is going to get thinner starting tomorrow. I didn't think of that trick! It should work well as he loves licking the juices at the bottom of the bowl.
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Post by Sherry on Dec 28, 2017 10:14:14 GMT -5
Their initial appetite surge is over then, that's good So the 3oz is more what they will stay with other than when winter appetites kick up in the autumn. And good plan on the organization. That way if you ever have to go away for anything you are already in the habit of labeling/bagging! Let me know how Branch does with the thinner soup.
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Post by mermaidsirena on Dec 28, 2017 19:07:11 GMT -5
I got home at 5 and my boys had already had the ferrets out about an hour. My son said there was some food left in each bowl when he let them out. By the time I got home they were empty. Glad I knew it wasn't enough food in the morning! I gave them chopped up heart with thin soup on top of it. Ghost was probably the one who ate the left overs as he sniffed and then ran off to play. Branch started licking up the soup and then eating the heart!! So proud of him!! Ghost reminds me of a polar bear with a tail when he lays like this:
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Post by Sherry on Dec 29, 2017 6:12:28 GMT -5
They are both progressing really well! Every mealtime now thin the soup a wee bit.
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Post by mermaidsirena on Dec 29, 2017 19:56:43 GMT -5
Haven't tried fish yet - we don't eat much of it at home so haven't made the effort. I was going to try to find salmon oil but no luck so far. The ethnic store is the one at Capital Circle/Appalachee Parkway, near Kentucky Fried Chicken. There is a fish store right next to it but I don't they they have much other than saltwater stuff.
The heart was found at the Publix by PAWS pet store. They usually carry it - ask the meat guy to see if there is any in the back. Chicken livers I have found at Walmart. Kidney was a puzzle -- so far the only place I have found it was headed toward Monticello - there is a meat market out there that sometimes has it. I have been carefully rationing it as I haven't found it since.
Fresh duck! Wow! Awesome. My two like the duck/bone grind quite a bit. We are on the East side of Tally, down by Swift Creek MS.
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Post by mermaidsirena on Dec 29, 2017 19:59:31 GMT -5
They are both progressing really well! Every mealtime now thin the soup a wee bit. I have been thinning the soup quite a bit. I take an ounce and make it almost two ounces with water. Then I spread it over both bowls. Branch still seems to lick most of it up but it taking the food underneath as well. They have been such cuties lately; curling up to sleep in random places even though it is 'out time' and I wanted them to move about. Guess the winter slow-down has finally set in. Been pretty cold here in Tallahassee so I guess they know it. Their room is one of the coolest and we are keeping it that way. They now burrow under blankets instead of laying belly up on the floor.
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Post by Sherry on Dec 30, 2017 10:22:58 GMT -5
It does sound as though winter has finally set in for them They will spend a good deal of the day sleeping for a while. With the "soup" topping- try using an ounce of water with just a tsp of soup and mix in now. Mainly you will be just making the meat wet. After 2 or 3 days just use a bit of water to toss it with.
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Post by birdyyy on Dec 31, 2017 9:58:41 GMT -5
Haven't tried fish yet - we don't eat much of it at home so haven't made the effort. I was going to try to find salmon oil but no luck so far. The ethnic store is the one at Capital Circle/Appalachee Parkway, near Kentucky Fried Chicken. There is a fish store right next to it but I don't they they have much other than saltwater stuff. The heart was found at the Publix by PAWS pet store. They usually carry it - ask the meat guy to see if there is any in the back. Chicken livers I have found at Walmart. Kidney was a puzzle -- so far the only place I have found it was headed toward Monticello - there is a meat market out there that sometimes has it. I have been carefully rationing it as I haven't found it since. Fresh duck! Wow! Awesome. My two like the duck/bone grind quite a bit. We are on the East side of Tally, down by Swift Creek MS. I live just down the road from that fish market! Glad to hear that Asian grocery next door is a good spot to hit. I called around the meat markets in town to find heart and the Governors Crossing II had beef heart. They also said they can special order it I think if you ever need it. I also got beef kidney from that publix too. Yesterday we didn't have any success on the hunt, but I'm sure we'll get some sooner or later.
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Post by mermaidsirena on Jan 1, 2018 12:25:09 GMT -5
Week of 1/1 Ghost and Branch (both bowls topped with very thin soup)
Monday Game hen with some bone chicken chunks
Tuesday raw egg/duck grind duck grind
Wednesday duck grind heart
Thursday Venison grind/duck grind Venison grind/duck grind
Friday quail with bone heart, kidney, liver
Saturday duck grind chicken chunks
Sunday chicken chunks kidney and liver
Ghost is still 2 lbs. 15 ounces Branch is still 2 lbs. 5 ounces
Definitely eating less now. Only about 3 ounces between the two each feeding.
Stools have been good – a little looser this last go around but I defrosted bags out of order and ended up with heart and organs almost back to back. Live and learn. On a good note – they are both eating organs WAY better, including the beef heart. I will have to go on a kidney hunt again but I am determined.
I did find salmon oil – I put some on my finger and they were not interested. Is there a trick to this? I would like to use it to cut nails. Right now I am stuck with scruffing and I would rather not do it that way.
We rearranged their room and they had a blast. Seriously, it’s like having a preschool. We didn’t even change the toys – just moved them. We wanted the cage out of the window for more light in the room and we moved two pieces of large furniture out of the room so they have more floor area.
I love that Ghost is becoming as loving as Branch. He was such a little spitfire as a baby, but now at six months he has been watching Branch and taking note. He allows us to hold him and even enjoys ear tickles.
Happy New Year!!
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Post by Sherry on Jan 2, 2018 10:31:25 GMT -5
With the salmon oil, just start by dabbing noses again over and over and over so they develop a taste for it One thing that may contribute to looser stools if your grinds are fully balanced is they are getting a bit too much organ You are giving 5 meals of grinds, so should be giving a bit less liver/organ. You can also give a bit less heart if so as well. As they get 5 meals whole grinds, eliminate the meal on Friday of heart/liver/organ and add either muscle meal or bone in. This chart lists whole prey, but whole grinds can be plugged in there as well holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/17989/balancing-frankenprey-diets-prey-grinds
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Post by mermaidsirena on Jan 3, 2018 21:01:47 GMT -5
The store had turkey necks for sale! I got some. How do I add this to the week or should I just freeze until next week?
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