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Post by katt on Jan 5, 2013 23:08:52 GMT -5
Ok. Not bad! Start slowly but steadily increasing the size of the chunks. Have you tried wing bones yet? If you can get a chicken wing, smash it and chop it to bits, until the bone is totally pulverized. You might have to hand feed some marrow bits (marrow is like nutritious candy for them lol) for them to recognize the chunks as edible. If they are eating the cartilage they may take right to it. If not don't worry, it's still early in the switch, they'll definitely get there.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 6, 2013 13:39:33 GMT -5
I'm going to go buy some chicken wings tomorrow. Funny note, my father, seeing the wonderful look to all of my ferrets, especially Chico, said I should open a Ferret Rehab center. Says something about both the state Chico was in when he arrived, and how well he is doing now, eh?
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Post by Deleted on Jan 8, 2013 2:38:15 GMT -5
No luck with chicken wings as of yet. They wont touch the bone, not even when I crunch it down with a hammer.
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Post by katt on Jan 8, 2013 5:30:30 GMT -5
That is great! Just shows what some love, proper care, a d good diet can do! I'm glad he found his way to you. As for the bones, keep with it. Try again in a few days, they may just need a little more time with the bigger chunks. They have been progressing so fast I guess they really haven't built up all of those chewing muscles yet! I will leave it up to you for now if you want to keep trying some bone daily or periodically, or if you want togive them more time to work on chunks. Either is acceptable right now. They are still learning to chew, and building up jaw muscles but I am confident they will take to the bone with enough encouragement too. It is a little early yet, they have just been doing so well! Hand feeding always helps too, especially if you can give them the marrow - it is tasty!
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Post by katt on Jan 9, 2013 17:03:00 GMT -5
Just a bump for the day
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Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2013 17:30:57 GMT -5
They are doing well. Stools look good, and everyone is finally weaned from kibble. (Futte was stubborn about wanting to look for kibble before eating meat, silly ferret) The last three days they have all been free roam 24/7, in my bedroom, except Uno who insists on waking me at 4 in the morning, by chewing on my clavicle, which is when I put him in the cage for the last two hours of the night.
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Post by katt on Jan 9, 2013 22:22:55 GMT -5
lol Silly boy! Glad they are all doing so well - keep keeping me posted! Let me know what they think of the bones when you hand feed them.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2013 2:41:39 GMT -5
Right, everyone is eating the cartilage now, have introduced some small bone in their meals. I think Konrad is eating some.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2013 2:42:44 GMT -5
Oh, and most of them have gone Ultra-Fluffy and silky.
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Post by katt on Jan 11, 2013 6:14:17 GMT -5
Yay for fluffy raw coats! Isn't it just Great?! Way to go fuzzers for all gnawing on the cartilage! They are really doing exceptionally - as are you. Usually it takes bigger businesses much longer to switch, even single ferrets and small groups sometimes take longer than this. Your crew are really plugging along! You are doing awesome with them. Will the other take the bone and actually chew it if you hand feed it to them?
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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2013 9:44:54 GMT -5
I haven't tried that yet. I will try with some tonight and see how that goes.
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Post by katt on Jan 11, 2013 14:10:11 GMT -5
Let me know how it goes!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2013 12:39:32 GMT -5
Yay, progres! I saw most of them eat bits of bone this morning. Granted, that was because I'd slept in, so they were raiding their stashes and crunching the bones. I hurried to get them something fresh. (I really need a new sound for my alarm, I sleep right through the one I have.)
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Post by Deleted on Jan 13, 2013 6:35:50 GMT -5
Calvin had the top bit of a chicken hip stuck on his teeth yesterday. He came over to have it dislodged, as he couldn't manage it on his own. It was the ball-joint top. Well, it means he is eating bone, at least.
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Post by katt on Jan 13, 2013 13:48:19 GMT -5
Uh oh, I'm glad he found mom to help him! An yaay for progress! Now as they keep munching the bone, gradually break up the bone pieces less and less until they are eating whole bones. Some of the larger bones, such as chicken legs, will always need to be at least broken to give them a starting point, but most of the smaller bones (chicken wings, backs, ribs, etc) they should be more than able to handle on their own. I forget if I already asked you this sorry, but could you list the meats are they eating now?
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