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Post by bitbyter on Oct 23, 2012 21:27:32 GMT -5
Came home tonight to find this by the cage on the floor. To me it looks like vomit but I'm not sure. Any input would be appreciated.    In the last two pictures those are bones. Could one of my girls been trying to swallow bones that were to big for them? |
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Post by suzie on Oct 23, 2012 21:30:20 GMT -5
Going with vomit- someone has an upset tummy, perhaps the bone was lodged. Hope all is well!
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Post by Sherry on Oct 23, 2012 21:31:08 GMT -5
The first two look like vomitus. Third is stool. It's entirely possible one tried to eat too large a bone and had a stress poop because of it.
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Post by bitbyter on Oct 23, 2012 21:34:23 GMT -5
Ok that's kind of what I thought as well. The second picture and third are about a ferret length apart with the second picture (with the bone) being at the head end. So, should I figure lesson learned? How often are raw feed ferrets hospitalized for choking on bones?? Is this really anything to worry about?
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Post by Heather on Oct 23, 2012 21:43:58 GMT -5
I've never seen it....but I have had a dog almost choke to death on kibble so it is possible.
ciao
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Post by mustelidmusk on Oct 23, 2012 23:52:57 GMT -5
Choking is a potential hazard with eating or drinking anything.
HOWEVER, you can do a LOT to mitigate the risk of choking.
1. provide a dark and quiet feeding den.
2. If your ferrets are served "raw meals' that they mostly eat as soon as you set the food down, feed ferrets in separate locations. Eac h ferret should have a separate, dark feeding den (a ferre may prefer the food dish to be outside the den so they can grab a chunk and drag it into the den.
3. Make sure feeding times are quiet/relaxed.
4. provide freeze dried raw for snacking during the day
5. Always provide plenty of fresh water.
The is idea is to encourage a private, relaxed eating experience. competition for food and/or getting too hungry between meals can result in hurried/stressful meals where ferrets ma bolt down food without much "chewing".
If you do have a ferret that does not chew much and bolts his food, you can always serve ground meals (either commercial or home-prepared, but you'll then need to clean teeth.
ALso, chicken back bones are petty soft - chicken neck and ribs tend to be easier to chew well. you can also crush the bones while they're attache to the meat. Cornish game hems are small and easy to chew as well.
the weight earing bones (long bones such as in the leg an thigh are weight bearing bones..the weight bearing bones tend to b harder.
-jennifer
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Post by bitbyter on Oct 24, 2012 6:56:08 GMT -5
They were eating quail. Can't get bones that are much easier to chew than that (other than mice or chicks). One of my girls is a pretty lazy eater so she's my main suspect. Hopefully she's learned her lesson and we actually chew her food more.
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Post by Sherry on Oct 24, 2012 8:34:39 GMT -5
No more problems since I gather?
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Post by bitbyter on Oct 24, 2012 9:22:10 GMT -5
Nope, they didn't eat a lot last night (there was quite a bit leftover this morning). I also found a liquidy black tarry stool in the litterbox last night when I was cleaning the litterboxes but I am hoping that was from the hearts they were eating yesterday. I couldn't find any poops this morning so I'm going to check when I get home - fingers crossed for no repeat of vomiting or black tarry poops (it literally looked like black hot runny asphalt).
Now that I think about it, one of then could have cut their throat on that bone that was vomited up and swallowed the resulting blood. I'm going to check their mouths and throats to see if I can see any wounds as soon as I get home.
Everyone was active and acting normal last night and this morning.
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Post by suzie on Oct 24, 2012 9:34:30 GMT -5
Ollie got a bone lodged once, but it got stuck in his teeth which was weird. I had to remove it with surgical tweezers (carefully) which was difficult with a squirming panicked fuzz. It took two of us to hold him. I think he was bolting his food, though, like mentioned above, and I separate them more now and feed more frequently and noticed they are more relaxed at mealtime. Ollie, Pippi and Boot were getting competetive for food and Ollie would hurry to eat, like someone was going to take his nummy! Good idea to check their mouths/throats just in case  Hope all is well! |
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Post by Sherry on Oct 24, 2012 9:47:42 GMT -5
That black tarry stool is from the hearts. Any blood rich meat will do that, along with any organ meats.
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Post by bitbyter on Oct 24, 2012 11:05:24 GMT -5
Yeah that's my thinking to but I'm still going to check everyone over tonight when I get home just to ease my mind.  I tell you being a ferrent I think we worry more about their health than they do. ;D |
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Post by Heather on Oct 24, 2012 11:07:22 GMT -5
Oh, most definitely. I don't think ferrets worry at all. They expect us to do it for them.
ciao
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Post by bitbyter on Oct 24, 2012 16:14:00 GMT -5
and they strive to give you a heart attack. After everything posted above plus Wilma's butt problems. What do I come home to?? Sock's dead sleeping.  Anyhow, poops look good from today, the leftover food from last nights meal has been eaten and they are both running around as usual after being woken up from their afternoon naps. |
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Post by Sherry on Oct 24, 2012 19:46:43 GMT -5
Oh that dead sleeping routine will do it to you alright! Every single time  |
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