|
Post by bitbyter on Aug 23, 2012 7:31:41 GMT -5
Yeah, she didn't eat any of the soup I left with her in the cage. She did eat some kibble though so at least I know she is eating. I think she has some real confidence / submissive issues when it comes to food. She was eating this morning when I opened the cage and as soon as Wilma climbed up to the food level, Socks backed away and eventually left. As far as I can remember Wilma has almost always been sleeping or off doing something else when Socks eats.
|
|
|
Post by Sherry on Aug 23, 2012 9:55:55 GMT -5
Wilma's the alpha in your group then. That's not uncommon for "lesser" positioned ferrets to give way to the alpha.
|
|
|
Post by bitbyter on Aug 23, 2012 14:27:26 GMT -5
So when I'm working on getting Socks interested in the soup should I cage Wilma?
|
|
|
Post by Sherry on Aug 23, 2012 17:22:23 GMT -5
No need right now, as long as you can supervise.
|
|
|
Post by bitbyter on Aug 24, 2012 20:33:32 GMT -5
Tonight Wilma is in the cage with some soup for the night. I also chopped up a mouse and added it to the soup to see if she'll eat that as well.
Socks is still being an problem. I got her to eat a bit on her own from the plate by holding her back end with her front end in the feeding den with the soup. She probably ate two mouthfuls this way before deciding she needed to leg it and hide to finnish what was in her mouth. I have left her free roam for the night with soup and water available. I am hoping she will eat more when she is alone.
If she doesn't, tomorrow I may create a larger feeding den from a cardboard box and see if she will eat the soup when she is totally enclosed in a private space.
I'll also get their weights for you in the morning.
|
|
|
Post by Sherry on Aug 24, 2012 22:06:10 GMT -5
She's being really stubborn! Next time, try her with the den and when she runs off, try the hand feeding again. Keep her on your lap unless she's really fighting it. We have to get her eating at least a tbsp in one sitting.
|
|
|
Post by bitbyter on Aug 25, 2012 6:28:12 GMT -5
Well we've had mixed success here this morning. The good news is that Socks ate about half of her soup on her own overnight. I guess she felt comfortable enough to eat without me or Wilma around. I'm going to try to get her to eat this evening with a larger totally enclosed feeding den. Wilma didn't eat any of her soup overnight. I'm not sure if the smell of the mouse threw her off or she had forgotten what the soup was as she certainly rushed the kibble when I gave it back this morning. Current Weights: Wilma at 1 lb 12 oz has lost a tiny bit. Socks at 1 lb 6.8 oz has gained a tiny bit which is good as I think she is too skinny. Though it can't be due to the raw as she hasn't eaten enough of it to make a difference.
|
|
|
Post by Sherry on Aug 25, 2012 10:15:32 GMT -5
First- right now, it's going to be hit or miss with when they eat, how much they eat, and HOW they eat. You'll sometimes take 1 step forward and 2 or 3 backward. It's a patience game at the moment, as well as a guessing game as to what the best method for YOUR ferrets is going to be. You'll have it down pat- and they'll change the rules ;D But they WILL get there! You just have to have made up your mind they WILL eat raw, and sooner or later they will That is excellent news for Socks! She's starting to recognize that raw soup=food For her, do whatever you think is going to work best. For most of mine, it was holding them and not letting them go unless they REALLY fought it. For Socks- it could well be that enclosed den. With Miss Wilma now. She's decided to be stubborn and make you backtrack a bit. It happens. Keep doing what you are doing at the moment. Once they are both eating enough soup on their own twice a day, we'll remove the kibble for a day or so and see how they do. For now, keep giving it back just to make sure they've enough nutrition.
|
|
|
Post by bitbyter on Aug 27, 2012 22:05:46 GMT -5
SUCCESS!!! I pulled their kibble at about 6 pm tonight and just took in their soup. The BOTH immediately bee lined for the cage. Wilma dove in and SO DID SOCKS! Wilma ate about half her plate in one go, Socks ate some (I'm guessing about 1 to 1.5 tsp) before she backed off but she was eating and so excited she bottle brushed her whole body!! (never seen that before). I guess I just had to let her get her hungry enough. ;D Anyhow, I am leaving the soups available through the night so we'll see where we stand in the morning. I took some video (one pretty dark before I figured out my phone's video camera light feature) that I'll post in the morning.
|
|
|
Post by Sherry on Aug 27, 2012 23:35:11 GMT -5
Oh that is FANTASTIC okay, keep them where they are for a couple if days and then start thickening the soup. What you are aiming for in a bit is a wet ground meat consistency. Once it reaches that point we can start introducing slivers of actual meat.
|
|
|
Post by bitbyter on Aug 28, 2012 7:45:32 GMT -5
This morning both plates were empty!! Now there is no way to know who ate what but when I pulled out the kibble for the day Wilma was hungry and Socks wasn't so much so I am assuming she ate a decent amount of the soup last night. Here are the videos from last night. The first one is sideways and dark but you can seek Socks on the left with her fur all standing on end and Wilma on the right. In this one you can see Socks's reaction to taking a lick off of my finger. The total look of panic about eating while exposed. She eventaully eats it (which she would never do before without hiding) but then decides she has had enough of the whole soup thing for now. Wilma eating so enthusastically she is ignoring me! ;D
|
|
|
Post by Sherry on Aug 28, 2012 8:55:59 GMT -5
They are BOTH doing well! If they are cleaning the dishes up entirely- it's time to start increasing the amount they are getting
|
|
|
Post by bitbyter on Aug 28, 2012 10:32:23 GMT -5
That was 2 oz of thick soup before water was added and a tsp of pumpkin mixed in each. I've also noted they are drinking FAR less water now that they are getting better hydrated via the soups. Tonight I'm going to grind up two mice and split that between their soups and see what happens. I'm also going to cage one fo them just to make sure Socks is eating the soup and it wasn't just Wilma hogging it all.
|
|
|
Post by bitbyter on Aug 30, 2012 7:23:54 GMT -5
You weren't kidding when you said one step forward and two steps back. So last night I pulled their kibble at about 7 pm. Then I put a plate of very thick soup (I hardly added any water) and a ground up mouse in the cage with Wilma around 10 pm. Same dinner for Socks but left her uncaged. This mornings results, Wilma ate only a quarter of the plate and was waiting where the kibble dish normally is in the cage. Socks didn't eat anything at all . So either Wilma cleaned Socks's plate the other night or she just wasn't hungry this time (which I doubt). Tonight I'm going to switch back to a more liquid soup and separate them for the night as above to make sure Socks is eating the soup.
|
|
|
Post by Sherry on Aug 30, 2012 9:31:00 GMT -5
Yeah, it does happen. When you move too fast for them, they simply balk and refuse to eat. Only thing you can do is go back to where they WOULD eat and move more slowly. For now, leave the mice. It changes the smell and taste too much for them yet.
|
|