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Post by Deleted on Mar 16, 2013 21:25:11 GMT -5
So today I gave everyone a chunky soup with extra slivers of chicken in it, and they ate it all up! Getting closer to raw chunks day by day.. Can they go a day without heart meat? The rabbit CR i buy has liver and bones but no heart, is it okay to give that every four days or so?
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Post by Sherry on Mar 17, 2013 9:10:08 GMT -5
It sounds like they are making some good progress And yes, you can go without the heart for a day. I feed one, sometimes two meals of heart a week and that's it.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 19, 2013 9:27:11 GMT -5
So how much should I be expecting these guys to eat?? Right now they are getting a 250 gram package ( a little over half a pound) for breakfast and one for dinner, and still eating some freeze dried or air dried in the daytime. Im hoping this is just the appetite surge, because I cant really afford to feed more than two packages a day!! Any tips on how to cut costs?? I guess it will be easier when I can give them meaty bones.
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Post by Sherry on Mar 19, 2013 9:54:02 GMT -5
This is the appetite surge. It will likely last for about a month at this time of year. As they have to start chewing they will also slow down. When I initially switched our 3 new boys(they ranged from 2yrs-4yrs in age) they would eat a little over a pound a day between them They DO slow down, it's simply a matter of WHEN their bodies catch up on the nutrition they've been missing.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 25, 2013 21:31:35 GMT -5
I hope im posting enough, change is slow so I don't always have anything to update. This week has definitely been different though. About three days ago I noticed an abrupt decrease in all fives appetites. Either they finally got over the need to gorge on raw to build up nutrients, OR Spring has sprung! It has been sunny finally. Before after their pound and a bit of meat they would still graze on air/freeze dried raw during the day. The last couple days however there has been some raw left in the bowl when I come home from work, and in the morning. They are still eating soup but im adding less and less water, and feeding them chunks here and there if they will take them. One thing i'm a little worried about is a couple of bad green poops the past couple days (im pretty sure its Jasper), as well as a couple seedy ones. I think the seedy ones might just be due to swallowing the soup whole (with little bits of bones) because it doesn't quite look like the seedy poops Sebastian had when his colitis flared up. The bad poops are the exception rather than the rule though. Is it normal? They have been eating a new brand here and there this week.
I introduced beef again today, and they didn't spit it out like usual, hurrah! They still hate bison, venison, and lamb raw, and will only touch them in dried form. Im going to try goat tomorrow.
Here are their update weights!
Sebastian last week= 3 lb 1 oz this week = 3 lb 1 oz Annabelle last week = 1 lb 9 oz this week = 1 lb 10 oz Lucy last week = 1lb 15 oz this week = 21b 1 oz (my little cinnamon chub!) Jasper last week = 2lb 13 oz this week = 2 lb 12 oz Felix Last week = 3 lb 1 oz this week = 3 lb 3 oz
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Post by Sherry on Mar 26, 2013 8:43:35 GMT -5
Right now, since you are going to be doing CR, it's fine So they are now eating chicken and beef? To get them to accept the other meats start by introducing a VERY small amount well mixed into their favourite. Every second or third day, up the ratio a wee bit until they either are fully on the new one, or flatly refuse to touch it throughout the day. At some points you may have to start them by hand. And after all- even if they only go up to a half and half ratio they are still get the benefit of a new protein. Are you still interested in having them eat the necks/wings? Take the bone in, chop it up into 1" sections, and smash the bone up really well. That way, they will also learn how to scissor and eat meat/bone over time. You may need to start by mixing it into their CR. For the appetite decrease, you should also soon start seeing an energy increase. Yes, it's due to both spring time and they may be over the initial appetite surge Just so you are aware, with the CR you may never get them accepting it plain. I still have to mix a bit of water into it here. It's just enough to bring it to a wet ground meat consistency. What ever way you want to do it is fine For the poops, it could even be due to shedding season. Their bodies get stressed from a number of things, both good and bad stress. Shedding is also a stress on the body. Do you have any pumpkin? During shed I increase the amount of pumpkin mine get to help push through any fur that they would have ingested while grooming. It's just to help prevent a blockage due to hair build up in the stomach and to help keep things moving along. Normally they get 1/2 tsp pumpkin per ferret daily. Right now, I give them a tbsp every 3rd or 4th day.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 31, 2013 11:28:57 GMT -5
So my five are definitely eating way less now. They've been eating most of their half pound breakfast but only eating a spoonful or two at night. I hope this is normal!! I haven't changed the food or anything, so I don't think that's it. I guess if they were hungry they would eat it so I shouldn't worry. I started them on some pumpkin yesterday because I was seeing quite a few mucousy funky poops. They have been doing some significant fur licking so I hope it is just spring stress like you said. I bought some chicken neck chunks yesterday and chopped them up a bit smaller, Annabelle started munching happily on one right away so I hope the others follow suit! And in answer to your earlier question, they eat chicken, turkey, pheasant, and rabbit. They will eat lamb and beef when its in freeze dried/air dried form but not thawed raw. I want to introduce more "red" meats for variety, but is it really a problem if it never catches on with them?
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Post by Sherry on Apr 1, 2013 10:00:30 GMT -5
The appetite decrease does sound normal, and since it's most if not all I'd not worry about it And the funky, mucousy stools are likely due to fur. Keep pushing pumpkin for the next month and you should be in the clear Great news about Annabelle! If the others don't follow suit start by mixing some smashed necks into their other food. With the lamb and beef it's up to you. You can get them accepting it, but you will likely have to do so over the period of a few days and gradually get them used to it. I find with meats they aren't as fond of they eat about 1/2 their normal amount. I still feed it even though they eat reluctantly. Kind of like convincing a skin kid they really need to eat those brussel sprouts ;D You make sure they eat some for the benefits but don't stress too much when they have to go to bed slightly hungry because of their reluctance ;D It won't hurt them to have "light" meal days
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Post by Deleted on Apr 2, 2013 9:19:58 GMT -5
Okay great. I read on another post that during Spring girls eat between 1 and 2 ounces, and boys between 2 and 4, which means that my five would be eating anywhere between 8 and 16. They get 8 ounces for each meal, so I think they definitely are eating at least that much per day. Phew! This is my first springtime, so everything is still scary. My ferret 1 year anniversary is coming up this month.
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Post by Sherry on Apr 2, 2013 18:12:44 GMT -5
Not a problem! Make sure to do monthly weights on everyone. Not only will it give you an early heads up about potential health problems, but will help prevent your panic come every spring time You can look back and realize "oh yeah! They lost this much last year as well"
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Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2013 11:28:08 GMT -5
2 questions: does salmon oil help with the spring bad poops? pumpkin is great but only two of them eat it willingly, im sure the other three are getting tired of having pumpkin shoved down their throats every day.
Also, is it normal for them to be scratching more at this time of year?
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Post by Sherry on Apr 6, 2013 14:07:33 GMT -5
Salmon oil does nothing for poops except make the worse if they get too much. It's shedding season, meaning poops are likely going to be off. Fur passing through is frequently "slug" like. That's because mucous will coat the fur they've ingested so it can pass through. And yes, they will be extra itchy since they are growing a new coat Might be an idea to feed a soup a couple times a week and put the extra pumpkin in that. You can also try adding about 1/2 tsp oil to 1 tbsp pumpkin, mix it well and warm slightly. Some of mine prefer it this way.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 8, 2013 22:17:27 GMT -5
Okay, so I finally have all five crunching on little chunks of chicken necks, and they seem to like it! All five are consistently going to the food bowls at least once a day ( Annabelle, Lucy, and Jasper I usually have to put by the food in the evening to remind them to eat.) I haven't had to use the spoon in the past two days though, hurrah! I still want to primarily use commercial raw because is so convenient, and I don't risk messing up proportions. However, I would like to start incorporating regular raw maybe a couple meals a week. I found a local rabbit farmer who will sell me the meat, bones, and hearts, but no liver. How many meals can they go without liver? Also, what are the weekly proportions for all the things they need? I also like the CR because I can get so many protein sources in one place. I don't drive so hopping from butcher shop to grocery stores all over the city to find different meats isn't exactly easy.
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Post by Sherry on Apr 8, 2013 22:48:24 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Apr 9, 2013 23:03:36 GMT -5
Do they need organs other than heart and liver? Those are the only organs most CR brands ive come across have in them..
I was thinking about changing up my weekly menu to commercial raw breakfast; pheasant, turkey, chicken, duck, or rabbit(200-300 grams, depending on how hungry they are) and some meaty bones for dinner, either chicken, rabbit, or turkey (the ones I can find right now that are small enough. WIth occasional snacks/cage food of Ziwipeak air dried lamb or venison, and Primal freezes dried, beef, turkey, or salmon. Does that sound okay? Each CR package has the right amount of heart and liver in it, so will they be getting enough organ if its only one meal a day? How many ounces of meaty bone should a ferret be given in a meal? Any improvements or suggestions on this model menu are appreciated!!
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