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Post by Deleted on Feb 7, 2013 15:07:41 GMT -5
It was white! Darn it! Well they hated it anyway. Any word on the pork chitterlings? They're intestines.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 7, 2013 20:36:45 GMT -5
I'll poke them again about it. Are you able to get any kind of freeze dried organs at a pet store? I managed to find lamb lung jerky basically and I offer that to mine as a treat, and I know they have FD liver and beef lung and heart jerky here. Maybe you could try that if all else fails?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 8, 2013 7:56:04 GMT -5
The agreed notion is that chitterlings are probably safe enough to eat, but are likely of a limited nutritional value. Also like tripe you'll want to look for ones that have not been bleached, just rinsed.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 8, 2013 9:55:20 GMT -5
I'll poke them again about it. Are you able to get any kind of freeze dried organs at a pet store? I managed to find lamb lung jerky basically and I offer that to mine as a treat, and I know they have FD liver and beef lung and heart jerky here. Maybe you could try that if all else fails? I have to run to the pet store today anyway to buy dog food, I'll check. Our store has a LOT of different natural food and snacks so I'm betting I could find something. Also they weren't too thrilled with the mouse...kinda tore it in half, played with it, and went on their way. I'm not sure if it's because they didn't want to eat it or if it's because they still had a chicken bone with chicken jerky on it in the cage when I fed the mouse. Every time I looked they were chewing on the bone and ignoring the mouse/small amount of chunks I fed with the mouse.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 8, 2013 14:28:21 GMT -5
Oh my gosh oh my gosh!! The store I went to today to buy meats had pork stomach, non bleached!!! They love pork so I'm sure the pork stomach won't give them as much of a problem as the beef tripe. Now to make perfectly balanced cubies for them this week!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 8, 2013 16:34:29 GMT -5
Here's hoping they eat it!
You may be right about the mouse. Wait till they're hungry before you try it again- them tearing at it and playing with it is a good sign though.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 8, 2013 21:42:23 GMT -5
I've got now 12 days of cubies that are what I think perfectly balanced cubies. (About 20ish% Organ give or take - Liver and Pork Stomach in equal amounts) the rest is Muscle Meat (Chicken, Chicken Hearts, Chicken Gizzards).
I made the cubies a little heavier on the organ because they will only be getting them every couple days. See, I'm going to alternate between the cubies and bone-in meals. With this ratio they will be getting between 1.2 = 1.8oz of Organ meat per Cubie meal. So a maximum of 10.8 oz per week for. On comparison they'll be getting 43.2oz of muscle meat from JUST cubies per week. When added to the sheer amount of Bone-In meat I'm feeding...I'm pretty sure this is a good ratio.
Also have 12 days of bone-in meals (Pork backs, Chicken Legs, Chicken Breasts bone-in).
Also have 12 bags of 1 count chicken feet for "snacks"
So the plan, roughly:
Feeding two meals, twice a day, unless they slow down on eating and do not eat what I give them in the morning. After a bone-in meal, I'm feeding two days of cubies to allow them to have time with the bones and they really, really like chewing on them for a long period of time. The bone will be removed at the next bone-in meal.
Friday (today): Bone-In Pork + Chicken foot Saturday: Cubies Sunday: Cubies + Raw Eggs Monday: Bone-In Chicken + Chicken Foot Tuesday: Cubies Wednesday: Cubies Thursday: Bone-In Pork + Chicken Foot Friday: Cubies Saturday: Cubies + Raw Eggs Sunday: Bone-In Chicken + Chicken Foot
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Post by Deleted on Feb 9, 2013 17:47:09 GMT -5
I posted your menu for sherry to look at, here's what she said:
So she thinks more bone, less organ. Ideally going to all bone and being able to get rid of the eggshell long term.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 9, 2013 21:29:00 GMT -5
I posted your menu for sherry to look at, here's what she said: So she thinks more bone, less organ. Ideally going to all bone and being able to get rid of the eggshell long term. Well, I've removed the eggshell entirely. Are you sure they don't eat pork back? Mine destroy the bones. Maybe I buy pork neck and I'm just confused? My 10.8oz a week figure was for both boys, so I'm not too far off on that, I guess. Just have to cut back to about 15% per cubie and I should be a-okay.
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Post by Sherry on Feb 9, 2013 22:01:03 GMT -5
Going to intervene here For each ferret you want approx 2oz each liver/other organ. So 8 oz per week for two. Bone in needs to be 7-9 meals a week of consumable bone. Are they eating almost ALL the pork bone, or are there a lot of bits left over? The problem is that ferrets have as higher need if bone than other carnivores. And actual edible bone doesn't only have calcium, but many micronutrients that they desperately need in their diet. Which is why things like eggshell powder are meant as a temporary solution. If they are not eating almost all the pork bone then it needs to be replaced with bone heavy meals like chicken wings or necks, turkey or duck necks, Cornish game hen, etc. thighs and drumsticks are bone light, so should only make up 3 meals a week max.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 9, 2013 22:06:21 GMT -5
They're eating most of the pork bone. I mean it really gets demolished.
Like I said, the way I have it divvied out right now they would only get a maximum of 10.8oz of organ per week for both of them combined. I will be sure to pick out some of the organ from their food to make sure that they get closer to 8oz per week this time, I don't want them getting ill.
They do really enjoy chicken necks. I can pick up a package of those at the store tomorrow to use in place of some of the chicken legs I was going to feed.
Sorry to cause so much trouble.
On the bright side they love, love, love the pork stomach. Actually walked in on them fighting over a piece of it. Hissing and all. They both wanted it badly. ;D
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Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2013 8:11:36 GMT -5
It's no trouble, we just want to ensure your ferrets are getting a balanced, healthy diet. Really bad things can happen when they go a long time with an improper raw diet.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2013 12:43:07 GMT -5
Sorry, it has been a terrible last few days for me.
I purchased some chicken backs that I have been feeding in place of the chicken legs. They seem to enjoy them. Also have been picking out organs from their cubies to make sure they only get 8oz a week total for the both of them combined.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2013 13:13:01 GMT -5
Everyone's still annihilating their meals I take it? How have they been doing lately with smell, fur etc? I've noticed more of mine are dropping weight and starting to blow coats.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 16, 2013 11:58:49 GMT -5
Smell is fine. About normal ever since they started eating raw.
And yes, Loki is starting to blow his coat and drop weight. Dexter is dropping a little as well but hasn't started losing his coat (he didn't gain as much weight or coat as Loki).
Energy levels are still superb (aka they act like crazy hooligans constantly) and their poop is normal.
They did get chicken legs yesterday as it's their favorite (I know, I know, wrong sort of bone) so I'll be feeding a tougher bone (some Chicken Back) tonight to make up for it.
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