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Post by bitbyter on Oct 28, 2012 15:33:39 GMT -5
I just thought of something. Are freeze dried or deyhydrated organs as nutritionally complete as fresh? If so, these might be the answer to resolving the flare-ups of Wilma's bum after her organ meals. If I buy these (or dehydrate my own), I can control how much I re-hydrate them and she may handle them better.
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Post by Sherry on Oct 28, 2012 17:11:02 GMT -5
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Post by bitbyter on Oct 30, 2012 19:27:37 GMT -5
Ok my official raw menu posting:
Tuesday Morning 1.5 oz Chicken Heart + 4.5 oz Quail
Tuesday Evening 4.5 oz of Bone in Chicken & Turkey (wing & neck)
Wednesday Morning Leftovers from previous evening.
Wednesday Evening 5.2 oz Chicken Gizzards & Bone In Turkey (neck)
Thursday Morning Leftovers from previous evening.
Thursday Evening 5 oz Bone in Chicken (Thigh) & Quail
Friday Morning 4.7 oz Guinea Pig, Bone in Chicken (Drumstick) & Quail
Friday Evening Leftovers from previous meal.
Saturday Morning 5 oz Guinea Pig & Quail
Saturday Evening Leftovers from previous meal.
Sunday Morning 5.5 oz Chicken Gizzards & Quail
Sunday Evening Leftovers from previous meal.
Monday Morning 0.5 oz Chicken Heart + 1.5 Chicken Liver + 2.5 oz Rat Pup + Ground Eggshell
Monday Evening Leftovers from previous meal.
Tuesday Morning 4.5 oz Bone in Chicken (Thigh) + Rat Pup
Tuesday Evening 0.5 Chicken Heart + 1 oz Chicken Liver + 2.5 oz Bone in Chicken (wing) + Ground Eggshell
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Post by Sherry on Oct 30, 2012 23:23:33 GMT -5
How are stools on this menu. It's very bone heavy, which is why I'm asking. They should be wet but formed.
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Post by bitbyter on Oct 31, 2012 7:01:19 GMT -5
Yeah I am trying to provide as much bone in to help with Wilma's bum. Stools for Socks are good, small but good. Wilma's seem to be all over the place still. I think I may take her back to the vet later in the week or next week because I noticed yesterday her stools had a greenish tinge to them (kind of a light olive green). I'm going to clean the litter-boxes tonight so I have a clear idea tomorrow of stool types.
Her bum has been MUCH better this week. It is almost back to where it used to be (only poking out after she defecates and receding within 1/2 hour to 40 minutes). It's so nice to pick her up and not see it poking out every time I check.
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Post by Sherry on Oct 31, 2012 9:05:08 GMT -5
Okay, great! I'll turn this over to Heather then
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Post by Heather on Oct 31, 2012 23:21:00 GMT -5
Congratulations You've graduated and you're ready to walk this path alone, now. You have the foundation to help you feed your fuzzes in a more natural and healthy manner. I do have concerns about how heavy your menu is in both bone and egg shell supplement. I understand that you're dealing with an issue with one ferret but my concern is a blockage or cycstic stones in your healthy ferret. Too much calcium, can be as bad as too little. Is there a way to feed the wee ones separately? or to make sure to supplement the other ferret with a bit more meat? This would be all you need to do to ease this imbalance. Please remember that your learning never stops, and dietary needs change from ferret to ferret (as I'm sure you are more than aware of) and throughout each their lives. I would also like you to be aware that though you now have the capability and the knowledge to create and adjust your little ones diets, you are never alone and that your mentor (you need only pm) is always available to you. The list is also a very good resource and you should always be aware that it's available to answer any questions you may have either about diet or care. Despite graduating, please continue to search out other protein sources to expand and improve your little ones diet. Good luck, in a few days either Sherry or I will lock down this thread. If you wish to update your menu do so now as it will be viewed and can be used by yourself and many others at any time as a reference tool. Once it gets locked down you will not be able to post or change it. Your mentor will be in to congratulate you shortly . Congratulations again ciao
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Post by bitbyter on Nov 1, 2012 6:51:17 GMT -5
For more balance, could I reduce the bone in Frankenprey and increase the whole prey? Another option would be more gizzard meals. They really enjoy those. It would be really difficult to feed them separately but I'll see if I can come up with a strategy. I've mainly been adding the eggshell to their liver meals as that is the one that seems to be causing the problems for Wilma. I'm going to see if I can move to dehydrated or freeze dried organs to help resolve the issues. Also, since introducing the bone in meats and whole prey they have basically totally gone off their ground meat mix they just ignore it and wait for the next meal.
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Post by Sherry on Nov 1, 2012 9:25:01 GMT -5
Maybe just make a couple of the chicken bone meals to chicken chunks instead. Or even use a thigh or drumstick instead of a wing or a neck. That also reduces the bone And before I forget- CONGRATULATIONS!!!
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Post by bitbyter on Nov 1, 2012 9:30:55 GMT -5
Ok that I can do.
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Post by Sherry on Nov 1, 2012 9:33:58 GMT -5
Great! Just change it up in your menu as these are what we refer everyone to and I'll lock this one down
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Post by bitbyter on Nov 1, 2012 14:34:55 GMT -5
Ok, I have modified the menu. I've replaced some of the wing & neck meals with thigh, drumstick or gizzards which should increase the meat to bone ratio. I am also hoping to introduce them to rabbit in the next week or so. I also removed the meal with the ground meat as they have ignored it the last three times I've tried to give it to them. How often do you advise giving pumpkin? Right now they are getting ~1 tsp (depending on how much they eat) each every three days. I'm going to purchase this www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11525753&f=PAD%2FpsNotAvailInUS%2FNo and see if Wilma will accept it as a fresh liver replacement since the fresh aggravates her bum issues. Sherry was kind enough to unlock my switching thread so I could post some comparison pictures of the girls. Socks before switch on kibble (Wysong Epigen 90 & Evo Ferret (she has bad Rat Tail at this point): Socks on Raw (Rat Tail is 95% gone (her coat has gotten really dark this fall): Wilma on Kibble: Wilma on Raw:
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Post by Sherry on Nov 1, 2012 15:16:55 GMT -5
I try to give 1/2 tsp of pumpkin daily as a rule. Of course, that varies depending on shedding, etc. And those freeze dried liver treats might help! Let me know I'm going to lock this thread down and move it to the archives now, but feel free to pm me, or even just ask in the forum proper if you have any questions
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