cockneyferret
Adolescent Member
Raw and Whole Prey Feeder
Posts: 253
|
Post by cockneyferret on Jan 12, 2020 3:41:10 GMT -5
Hello and welcome to the forum,
Transitioning to raw is a very individual thing and it can take a few days or even weeks to undertake.
Ferrets imprint on their food at around 6-9 months old and it can be tough, but perseverance is the key.
Certainly, don't leave any kibble in there as that can lead to other issues which you don't need when transitioning.
Cheers
|
|
|
|
Post by abbeytheferret6 on Jan 12, 2020 8:25:32 GMT -5
Here is a little something to read. It has a little info on ferrets with insulinoma in the "note" part. Also some info using kibble while transitioning to soupie. holisticferretforum.com/natural-diet/the-switch/One thing that I have done is heat up an empty saucer in the microwave. I found putting a little water on it heats it up in about 20 seconds depending on saucer. Anyway it pretty hot so be careful if yu do this. Next I put soupy on the saucer and stir it around until with my finger until no hotspots on plate and soupy is all warm. Putting food to warm in microwave, I have found cooks--- so that is why I do it this way. You may come up with another way to warm the food. Still, you will have to sit down with them with warm food. Hold a spoon up to their mouth. Then as they eat off the spoon lay spoon in saucer. Maybe you can walk away once they discover the food is warm. Hopefully they will like it this way. Personally, I would leave some kibble out for the day if I am gone for ten hours. I would work with them for breakfast with the raw. You can work with them again in the evening. Take heart they will switch. It takes a while for them to get use to the new texture and the new taste. You may have to go back and forth with techniques until they get it. |
|
|
|
Post by Sherry on Jan 12, 2020 10:51:15 GMT -5
I'd also start feeding them where you want to eat. For now, keep guiding them to the soup with your finger until they are licking the soup directly from a flat dish. When they stop, do it again as long as needed.
Is it possible to cage the little one with insulinoma separately? Because 10 hours is way too long for her to go without food. She will need access to her kibble. I'd also put some extra soup in for her in case she prefers that.
|
|
luci
New member
Posts: 6
|
Post by luci on Jan 12, 2020 14:03:09 GMT -5
Thank you all for replying!
So since posting this, I took a chance and did not leave any kibble out and noticed that all of them (exception) are eating the soup from the saucers. I place 2 saucers, 1 on top floor and 1 on bottom, with 4 ounces of soup in each plate and they are all eating from the plate willingly EXCEPT my male 9 month old (Lucifer). He still won’t go by himself to the plate unless I finger feed him and stand there the whole time until he’s done eating. Which I don’t mind doing except for days I’m at work for so long.
I don’t have a way of separating him to keep him with kibble throughout the day. Since he’s young with no health issues, can I take the risk that he’s going to learn to eat from the plate when he’s hungry through the day?
Also next question, since I’m doing this HF raw soup until I can start getting them to fully accept. Can I add Pork kidney with the chicken heart and chicken liver in the soup? And add chunks of ground turkey? (Just want to vary up the proteins)
|
|
|
|
Post by abbeytheferret6 on Jan 12, 2020 18:59:55 GMT -5
U might want to let them get use to the soupie as is first---and then vary once they are won over. I do not know if pork kidney would change the taste of the soupie drastically or not. If so, then you would have to struggle with them over that. What people usually do next---after they r use to the soupie--- is start adding chicken pieces into soupie. Slivers like your little finger nail. My Phoebe would lick all the soupie and leave the slivers. So that's when you have to put more slivers than soupie on the plate. After getting use to slivers, you make the pieces bigger----chunks.Then you go for bone- in meats. But hey they may totally surprise you and gnaw on a meaty bone if offered.
Anyway that's how I did it with my mentor.
|
|
luci
New member
Posts: 6
|
Post by luci on Jan 12, 2020 19:48:57 GMT -5
U might want to let them get use to the soupie as is first---and then vary once they are won over. I do not know if pork kidney would change the taste of the soupie drastically or not. If so, then you would have to struggle with them over that. What people usually do next---after they r use to the soupie--- is start adding chicken pieces into soupie. Slivers like your little finger nail. My Phoebe would lick all the soupie and leave the slivers. So that's when you have to put more slivers than soupie on the plate. After getting use to slivers, you make the pieces bigger----chunks.Then you go for bone- in meats. But hey they may totally surprise you and gnaw on a meaty bone if offered. Anyway that's how I did it with my mentor. Thank you! So it is ok that they will be having just chicken for weeks until I can get them eating chunks? I just read that they have to have a variety of 3-4 proteins so it made me worry that just chicken soup will be fine. I started to add some slivers and only 1 so far is willingly eating them, the others are just licking around it, but today marks day 3 and I think I have much better progress so far than others so I’m content with that  |
|
|
|
Post by abbeytheferret6 on Jan 14, 2020 8:07:04 GMT -5
|
|
luci
New member
Posts: 6
|
Post by luci on Jan 14, 2020 12:59:22 GMT -5
Thank you! So my 9 month old Lucifer still won’t take the raw soup on his own and will only eat a little. I have resorted to having to leave kibble in the cage while I am gone at work and then working with all of the eating the raw soup as much as they can in the morning before I leave and when I get home. |
|
|
|
Post by Sherry on Jan 15, 2020 6:42:10 GMT -5
Not a bad idea. Something you can do as well is give him the kibble for 30 minutes, twice a day for now.
|
|
mel01
New member
Posts: 14
|
Post by mel01 on May 7, 2020 17:21:21 GMT -5
Hello,
Im also transitioning and starting with the soupy. Im having a hard time having them eat it without mixed kibble. (i did read that this is not ideal because it can upset their stomachs). But I've tried the soup recipe with all of the recommended techniques and they'll just run and hide. So if I mix a little bit of kibble and start with the finger they will eat it by themselves. I'm just worried about 3 things, :
1. They are only eating 2 times a day. Once in the AM and once in PM. I leave kibble for them while I sleep during the night but I can tell they're not eating.
2. They are pooping way less and small poops,
3. They seem slimmer since I started with the soup. Its been 6-7 days now.
Also when they wake up they go and see the kibble and won't eat it I guess they are liking and preferring the soup more now than the kibble itself, but I remove the kibble give them soup and won't eat it unless I mix it again with kibble. How can I stop mixing kibble? Any tips? also are getting slimmer and pooping less and small normal?
Thanks! =)
|
|
|
|
Post by abbeytheferret6 on May 9, 2020 11:46:57 GMT -5
Me101 Poops will be smaller
can you break up the kibble like in powderish form and sprinkle on top so they will get the smell of kibble? If they go for that, then lessen the amount.
|
|
