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Post by Sherry on Jun 30, 2011 8:54:50 GMT -5
You can def. give them whole prey in the interim. It's a good idea to have it as part of their diet. One possible problem- some ferrets will forgo raw in favour of whole prey because it's easier to eat ;D And never feed something larger than a mouse live. Too dangerous for the ferret. As for amount, it really again depends on the individual animal. Generally, my males will eat 2 adult mice, my females one. But that's in one sitting. If you were to feed something like a rat, it can stay in there for up to 48 hours. I regularly leave mice for 24.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 30, 2011 20:36:39 GMT -5
Ahh little brats :/ hmm.. I wont feed too much whole prey in the meantime. Any-who I left Koda with her chick over night and she finished it all as well as 1/4 a chicken neck. It's a start a guess. They are helping me clean out the freezer at the moment. mice in the morning and chicken necks again tonight. Chico was only interested in the chicken neck if I was hand feeding them I might take away his kibble and leave him with another crushed up neck tonight. I also have some lamb hearts I need to portion, I'll put some in there meal tonight and see how they take it. 2 mice will fill a male in one meal? .. That's a lot less then I expected.
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Post by Sherry on Jun 30, 2011 21:02:06 GMT -5
If he's willing to eat meat, I'd take away the kibble for 3-4 days, see how he does. Just keep an eye on how much he's eating. If they fill up on carbs, they quite literally have no room for the healthier meat.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 1, 2011 3:31:15 GMT -5
Another visit to the pet store today.. and I was offered a rat weanling at half price if i was happy to catch it myself. I've had pet rats before so I was kinda' hoping she wouldn't eat and I would have a pet. I even looked at cage prices Anyway before I could get attached I put the rat into a large tub and let both the ferrets sniff around it to see if any of them would react. Nothing! The picked up Dakoda because she's faster and I didn't want the rat to suffer. It was over in seconds, she went straight for the neck. They both had a go at trying to eat it and gave up after crunching the head a little. I've given it to Dakoda (That was Chico cannot hide it in my shoes ) and removed her kibble. I think it's important to harness her instincts while she's young. I'm on the look out for some young mice to give to Chico.
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Post by Sherry on Jul 1, 2011 9:19:31 GMT -5
Be VERY careful with what they are allowed to hunt. Rats(even weanlings) can inflict some pretty serious damage on a large adult male ferret. Personally, I'd only allow them to hunt mice, or pinkies of other species. While I'm glad she was able to dispatch the rat so quickly, I'd not count on that happening every time.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 2, 2011 21:18:12 GMT -5
-nods- I only allowed it because of the sear size of this one and was ready to remove Dakoda if there was any risk and put the deal with the rat if it was in any pain/too stressed.
Last nights dinner was half a crushed up chicken neck each, some diced lamb heart and some mice. Dakoda didn't eat much at all, nor need Chico he also threw up some. I'm going to do two separate meals or heart and bone-in today and see how they take it and whats making Chico gag. -signs- well get there.
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Post by Sherry on Jul 2, 2011 21:30:08 GMT -5
Only way I got mine to eat bone, although it's not something you want to do lightly. You really need to keep a good eye on them. All they got for 4-5 meals running was chicken wings smashed up. They actually skipped two meals in a row, but started eating on the third one. I did have to pop some bits in their mouths, but that was enough to get them going on it.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2011 3:12:08 GMT -5
So keep at it and they will soon get hungry and give in? Its winter here and they both have some fat on them so I'm not too worried if they skip a meal.
I'll give the chicken necks another go tonight. May also mix it up with the wings I have in the freezer.
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Post by Sherry on Jul 3, 2011 11:42:34 GMT -5
Just make sure they don't go TOO long. If they miss more than a couple of meals, they start getting nauseated, and don't WANT to eat. And don't forget- you will have to keep changing the necks out for fresh ones. If they get dried, they won't touch them.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2011 22:46:38 GMT -5
So I gave an entire heart meal last night night, and they both polished all of that off. So they are still eating . I'm yet to give Koda any organs yet, I have some lambs kindness I'll try with her if I can find some liver anywhere. :/ So far they still aren't big on the necks. I hand feed them both this morning, Chico lost interest fast and Dakoda kept spitting out some bone. Is there anything to do to tempt them more? Olive oil rubbed into it? Slightly heated? I'm still giving them a two meals a day, so just as the left overs and getting dry I swap them over.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2011 23:19:33 GMT -5
Also Dakoda's stools where almost green in colour after last nights meal. Is this normal after eating heart?
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Post by Sherry on Jul 4, 2011 9:36:40 GMT -5
For the interim, leave the necks out. For whatever reason, they've decided they aren't edible Brats! Can you get some chicken wings instead? Joint them, and smash up the larger bone. For the middle part, cut down between the two bones. As for the heart, it might be just a bit rich for Dakoda yet. Green usually indicates it passed through too quickly. She should get used to it with time. Maybe try combining it with another meat 1/2 and 1/2 for now. What type of heart was it? Chicken, beef?
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Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2011 22:44:27 GMT -5
Dokoda ate a whole meal of chicken necks that I had feed her yesterday, plus the meal I left in her cage over night Chico on the other hand is still not interested :/ I'll try hand feeding him this afternoon if that doesn't work I'll give him some chucks or maybe a whole chick. I'm really trying to get my hands on some chicken but all I have is lamb heart, kidney and liver.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2011 23:19:59 GMT -5
Chico just took a large chuck of chicken wing from me! WOOT! Still not enough to fill him, but progress none the less.
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Post by Sherry on Jul 5, 2011 9:10:00 GMT -5
Definitely progress ;D You just never know what they are going to do when, do you? As for the heart and organ, definitely try mixing it with some other meats for now, and just give it a bit more often since you'll be giving smaller amounts at one time.
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