matty
Adolescent Member
Koda, Nissa, Jayne <3
Posts: 490
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Post by matty on Jul 10, 2012 13:38:13 GMT -5
We finally got them all switched to full raw. Soup once or twice a week, but otherwise, all of it is straight meat. We're still working on the bone part of it. They have a tendency to just drag bones around and not do anything with them. We were still doing litter box boot camp until they had the bone thing down, just in case. So I could see how that might add to the smell a little. But holy cow! I didn't think they were going to have this much smell!
What is going on?! Is this their bodies trying to balance out now? Is it because of the summer heat? It's darn near unbearable at times! It's almost like a sweaty smell (which I know isn't possible, but still). I'm giving them back the rest of the cage today, just to see what happens and if that cuts down on it. But has anyone else had this happen before?
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Post by Sherry on Jul 10, 2012 13:50:53 GMT -5
They could well still be detoxing.
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Post by kpaz on Jul 10, 2012 13:52:17 GMT -5
Are you adding eggshell since they won't eat raw bone? Not enough calcium can cause strange poops. Are any of them male? My Goomba got really stinky toward the end of the spring, I'm guessing because of hormones since it's baby makin' season (he is fixed though). He loves rubbing his pee belly all over the room, and I'm quite sure he likes his stink  |
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Post by Heather on Jul 10, 2012 14:06:40 GMT -5
I'm sorry, because I can't remember  (old age) but is Goomba adrenal? The reason for my asking....it's a hob thing to slime stuff. They like to send messages, to she-ferts...hoping to get lucky  No, ferrets smell worse in hot humid weather, at the beginning of season (altered or not), on certain meats, if their litter box isn't changed regularly (I change mine out daily, but they're not in cage that often and have multiple litter boxes outside too), bedding during the summer should be changed weekly or more often if they're feeling stinky. I find brushing them helps keep the smell down (it's done wonderful things for the hobs). If they're not getting enough calcium their poop seems to smell worse. I've also heard people complain that when they're eating chicken they smell worse but I can't say I've noticed it. Bathing also brings out the stink, except maybe in the case of hobs (they have a stink creating system going  they're the only ferrets I've ever seen that turn the bath water yellow and they didn't pee in there) Just some ideas ciao |
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cynde
Junior Member
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Post by cynde on Jul 10, 2012 14:22:26 GMT -5
Are you sure he is not hiding food in the litter box. Thor's cage smelled awlful. I couldn't find anything to make it smell that bad. When I moved the cage out, there was a decomposing mouse under the cage. He must have lost it out the cage bars and when he was out hid it. Phew!
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Post by miamiferret2 on Jul 10, 2012 14:26:14 GMT -5
they do go through a "detox" phase IMO. but ferrets will always have a musky scent. it is far less when they are fed a good diet, but it is there nevertheless. i quite enjoy it. I think dirty dog smell (or wet dog smell) is FAR worse than a ferret's smell.
perhaps they are not in a well ventilated area? i suggest that you wash their bedding a few times a week. this will help.
also get a rice dig box. the uncooked rice will help with the oils on their fur.
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matty
Adolescent Member
Koda, Nissa, Jayne <3
Posts: 490
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Post by matty on Jul 10, 2012 14:30:24 GMT -5
It's just not their usual smell. I know that much. I LOVE the smell of ferrets. And this isn't it. I wash the bedding once a week since they are in boot camp (or were). Clean the litter boxes twice a day. They do get eggshell, but their poops are still a little runny. Perhaps more eggshell? They are eating chicken as their primary meat with cow heart and chicken liver (although I should be feeding that more often). We are going to give them different options next pay day. we stuck with only chicken because we weren't sure they would switch fully and we wanted to have stuff to make soup. All in all, I'm doing just about everything being suggested. So perhaps it is detox? It isn't pleasant. I want the nice smells back!  |
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Post by klaudia on Jul 10, 2012 14:40:23 GMT -5
When the weather got really hot a little while ago Chestnut had a much stronger smell as well. It only took a few days, and now he's back to normal...  And after the switch it did take a few weeks.... |
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Post by Jaclynn on Jul 10, 2012 17:07:25 GMT -5
How much liver and heart are you feeding daily? You could be overdoing it. Liver and heart poops stink  |
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Post by suzie on Jul 10, 2012 17:27:36 GMT -5
Good point, mine get stinky with the liver and heart meals too, and looser stools
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Post by Sherry on Jul 10, 2012 17:58:39 GMT -5
Beef did that to mine as well. Really, any blood rich meal. Combine that with detoxing and you'd get some pretty stinky fuzz for a while |
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henrika
Adolescent Member
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Post by henrika on Jul 10, 2012 18:37:17 GMT -5
they do go through a "detox" phase IMO. but ferrets will always have a musky scent. it is far less when they are fed a good diet, but it is there nevertheless. i quite enjoy it. I think dirty dog smell (or wet dog smell) is FAR worse than a ferret's smell. perhaps they are not in a well ventilated area? i suggest that you wash their bedding a few times a week. this will help. also get a rice dig box. the uncooked rice will help with the oils on their fur. I have to agree - ferrets smell soooo much nicer than dogs IMO. Though I wonder about the detox smell, as I feed Rolo consistently half kibble, half raw daily, and I think he smells wonderful. Though maybe that is different, as he has been eating this pretty much since I got him. |
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Post by kpaz on Jul 10, 2012 19:22:03 GMT -5
Goomba isn't adrenal, he's just my big smelly boy. I think it must be his manliness as he turns all his bedding orangish  it is hot and humid here though, so maybe that's contributing. I do remember them smelling funky wen I first switched, so maybe it is the detox thing. Now that I'm really thinking about it, Goomba just made the final switch, so maybe he's going through the same thing as your little ones |
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Post by Sherry on Jul 10, 2012 20:03:16 GMT -5
Detox is when they reach a point after transitioning to raw where a TON of oils start coming out and the smell becomes almost sour. Depending on genetics, type of kibble fed, and how long they were on the kibble will make it better or worse. I noticed my 5yr old female went through this far worse than my 13 week old. My two year old male was also affected worse than his two yr old female cage mate.
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matty
Adolescent Member
Koda, Nissa, Jayne <3
Posts: 490
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Post by matty on Jul 10, 2012 22:06:55 GMT -5
We feed them heart like, twice a week and I haven't fed liver since their last soup meal, which was about two weeks ago. I probably should feed that more. But yea. It's chicken all the rest of the time. We'll switch them to duck and turkey as well. It's probably detox.
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