Semi cooked diet?

[Gg]

At the vet now with Jambi who had a prolapsed anus two days ago and the vet is saying although they are strict carnivores and didn’t recommend the fiber powder that the emergency vet suggested (night of emergency visit), it could be from bacteria in some of the store bought meats that she’s eating and to semi cook it before feeding. I mentioned the 4 hour digestive tract and how it wouldn’t have time to incubate in their stomachs but she said if the bacteria is already growing on the meat, then it would be ready to attack, per say, once in her body.

Thoughts?

[abbeytheferret6]

mentioned the 4 hour digestive tract and how it wouldn’t have time to incubate in their stomachs but she said if the bacteria is already growing on the meat, then it would be ready to attack, per say, once in her body

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Read more: holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/25300/semi-cooked-diet#ixzz5tMZQPgcd


I know my vet did not want me to feed raw either because my ferrets got bacteria overload and I had to put them on antibiotics when first switching. She wanted me to clean up stashes too which I do clean up most every morning---unless well hid. I also throw away food left over from breakfast when I feed at supper. Sometimes I have put food in fridge after they put themselves up after breakfast, though.

I do rinse the lower cavity of animals that I gut like rats, mice, guinea pig under running water(mice are fed guts and all, I think, by most people). I have even dipped chicken in vinegar and rinsed but I do not know if it helped any. Sorry, I do not know what to say about semi cooking it. I really need to research listeria and salmonella or other things that may be found on meats. It is something I do not know much about. 


Have you thought about feeding some mice and rats? Good stools on those. If possible, try not to be chicken heavy--incorporate as much variety and adhere to 7-9 bone in meats. I know lamb is expensive --but my store has some of the cheaper cuts as well. For muscle meals mine do ok with lamb. I do have to do special things to make them eat it ---I may cut up in chips. Sometimes I have blended it into soup consistency.

I am experimenting with putting eggshell powder in beaten quail eggs which I give my ferrets---about a pinch---if it is too gritty they will not eat it.

Hope your little one gets to feeling better real soon

[Heather]

Semi cooking is bacteria waiting overload. I've never understood this concept. Feed raw, feed cooked (not unless you have a nutritionist on the payroll) but don't feed seared meats. I don't rinse, unless things are particularly messy. I gut my own rabbits and rats but other than being careful for my own health, the ferrets are not particularly clean eaters. They do dump their food in the litter box and then consume it
ciao

[Gg]

I’m not sure how I would properly cook the meat only semi so I’m afraid to try it. I tried giving rats and mice before but they all were interested. I tried pinkies too, even cutting each growth cycle in prices to introduce via soupie or egg yolk. They just ate around it. I think the older one sets an example of what “not to eat” by his taste. It got expensive and felt bad for the waste of bodies so I stopped after some time.
After a few days, Jambis butt is back to normal and her poops are looking better! But now George, my 2.5 yr old male started throwing up after falling out of his hammock. I stopped leaving out their food while I’m at work since I’ve been getting ants and I noticed this morning before leaving that they were fighting over quicken wings (I cut them up and mash the bones). So maybe that caused him to to not chew his food . On my lunch break I came home and almost right after opening the door, George saw me and hopped out of his hammock but fell about two feet to the floor. It didn’t seem to stop him from running over to greet me and it’s not his first fall either. But about twenty minutes later, he started throwing up. First it was chewed up liver, pancreas and heart from last nights meal (actually chewed). Then it was the chicken wings that he had for breakfast. It didn’t look chewed at all. Almost like he inhaled the entire pieces. Could this be from the fall that provoked him from throwing it up?
I tried taking him to the vet but they’re closed early today and the emergency vet is in the middle of surgery for a pup that was attacked my a coyote.
His poops are yellow and seedy like they aren’t digesting. I have him fish oil and soupie to calm his tummy a while after his vomiting. He’ll see a vet but since they all seem to want to do every test possible and I don’t have the funds for that, I was hoping I could get advice from you guys.

[Gg]

Side note, I do give them chicken wings often and just realized I have them cut up chicken thigh two meals prior. I am wondering if that’s too much chicken for him and he’s getting an allergic reaction as opposed to inhaling his food/eating too fast? Cause that usually makes them throw up almost immediately if they eat too fast without chewing, right? He threw his food up almost 3 hours after meal time.

[abbeytheferret6]

Yea my babies do not do well with much chicken thigh---diarrhea(except Annabelle). I try to keep the chicken meals limited.

Mine did not like mice at first. I thought it was going to be a lost cause. I did skin them at first, cut them up, and put salmon oil on them. Then I cut them up with just salmon oil no skinning. I think part of my luck came from me continually putting them down as their meal, like in morning when they are wanting breakfast. No problems now.  I think other ferrets on here have rejected mice. Just keep offering the mice and be prepared to lose a few. I do make a little t-cut with scissors on abdomen and lift out guts (with scissors). I take out guts because I think maybe they would not taste too good and ferrets  would reject them.

were fighting over quicken wings (I cut them up and mash the bones). So maybe that caused him to to not chew his food 

That could be possible.

I cut my chicken wing into 3 parts drum, mid-section, and wing tip. I do not feed drumstick part--just too hard(goes to the dog). Most of the time I even cut the mid section between the two bones.

[abbeytheferret6]

[Gg]

Thank you for the photos! I mash the entire wing up including the drumstick and they usually do okay but since their time with the food is limited now and he’s always looooved food, I think he might’ve freaked out when the others came to eat and inhaled the chunks. No more drumstick for them! And possibly they’ll all get their own bowls. I did find a big chunk of soft bone in his stool last night. I think I just didn’t cut it up enough. I feel terrible. I’ll get some mice and try again with those too. Do you use a separate knife and cutting board for those or would the cutting board for the raw ferret foods be okay?

[abbeytheferret6]

I have some cheap scissors I found at the grocery store to cut up their mice and other meat. Everything is done in my sink and i lay the finished product in a pot or on a stoneware plate, so I do not use a cutting board. my garbage can is right handy at sink too. My ferrets do eat their meals off my saucers and plates. I do not worry about separate utensils because most of the time everything is washed in dishwasher. I might would have to wash a plastic or wood cutting board in some bleach water if used on the mice and rats. 

I am starting to get maggots on my outside trash can. I am going to make sure my bags are really tied tight before putting them in and see if that takes care of the problem. This is the second time this year that has happened.

[Heather]

If he was particularly hungry and ate too fast it maybe why he threw up.
ciao

[Charlie]

I found my ferret wasn't fond of chicken. He has eaten it but I found he would leave most of it. I replaced the chicken with mice because I figured if he had an issue with chicken, it could be him telling me he doesn't tolerate it well. I started off with a couple of pinkies to see if he would eat it. He took to it. What you may want to try and do it put it on a string and play a game with it and try to get your ferret to catch it like hunting. It worked for others.

[Charlie]

Jul 14, 2019 13:54:26 GMT -5 abbeytheferret6 said:

I am starting to get maggots on my outside trash can. I am going to make sure my bags are really tied tight before putting them in and see if that takes care of the problem. This is the second time this year that has happened.

What you may want to do (if you have room) is bag the stuff 2 or 3 times that you are going to throw out and freeze it.  Make sure you have it marked so you know what to throw out.  Keep it frozen until garbage day then throw it in the trash and put out on the curb for pick up.  Less maggots!! 

[abbeytheferret6]

Keep it frozen until garbage day then throw it in the trash and put out on the curb for pick up. Less maggots!!

Read more: holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/25300/semi-cooked-diet#ixzz5usmQcwDv



Good idea