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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2013 14:04:27 GMT -5
I picked up a bag of the Chicken Formula frozen diet to give it a shot with my two little ones. Kipee quite liked it with no encouragement. She is almost 13 weeks old - do they usually take to it this readily at a younger age?
Saxton really didn't know what to think of it. I got him to lick some off of my finger and he gagged and turned his nose up at it.
Needless to say, at this point they are still getting the dry. Should I pull the food and see if Saxton will be more receptive to it?
I also picked up some regular chicken, chicken hearts, and chicken liver. I thought the commercial raw would be an easier introduction for them. What do you guys think?
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Post by Heather on Mar 14, 2013 15:10:42 GMT -5
Commercial raw is often much easier because you don't have to think...it's all balanced you don't have to do the numbers. The problem is it's expensive method if you've got a bigger business. I use it to cover novel proteins. Your kit reacted the way he should have....furry tummy with teeth. Let him have as much as he wants. Your other fellow also reacted in a most typical ferret fashion. Keep at him, every 10 to 15 min....get him to lick it. He will take to it. Some take longer than others. I always laugh at them when they're spitting and gagging. I know that if I'm persistent they will be eating it without gagging usually by the end of the day. They will have forgotten by the next but it doesn't take as long the following day. In fact depending on the age and how ingrained the whole kibble thing is they may actually try licking from a spoon ciao
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Post by Deleted on Mar 18, 2013 12:26:33 GMT -5
So I am happy to announce that my 2 dookers are quite enjoying their NV now. You were right- I just had to keep at Saxton for a little while. Kipee ate one whole medallion on her own yesterday, and Saxton ate two. Kipee seems to really be into any kind of meat. I was making hamburgers yesterday, and she King Kong'ed up my body and was trying to eat what I was making. I ended up giving her more of the commercial raw after 2-3 times, but it was hilarious. I have been giving them as much as they will eat a few times per day, and they have pretty much stopped eating dry food. I think I can pull it now, but are they getting everything they need for sure out of the NV? They seem more than ready to do this, but it's kind of a scary step after only feeding kibble for so long. I only have the two ferrets eating raw, though I would like to make the switch with my cats depending on how this goes. For now, I would like to try some more of the commercially available diets.
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Post by Sherry on Mar 18, 2013 12:58:52 GMT -5
If they are both eating it that readily you can definitely pull the kibble They are going to need a minimum of 3 different proteins(preferably more). You can start introducing whole meats by starting to mix tiny slivers into their NV. Start with 2 or 3 and when they take those, increase the amount. Your littlest one might actually take small bits of meat plain.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 18, 2013 14:21:23 GMT -5
That sounds like a simple way to introduce them to other proteins. When you say 3 different proteins, is this on a per day or per week basis? Or just as a whole? I work at a university and happen to share a building with the butcher block. They slaughter the animals down the hall from my office, so the meat is good and fresh. They have quite a variety, so should I just start trying out things and see what they like?
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Post by Sherry on Mar 18, 2013 18:09:46 GMT -5
Per week And almost guaranteed- they aren't going to like anything new when in sliver/chunk form ;D
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2013 14:07:45 GMT -5
They seem to take to things mixed in with the food reasonably well, but we aren't quite there with eating plain pieces yet We are feeding chicken, turkey, and lamb right now. What type of beef would you recommend starting with? Kipee wants the raw hamburger desperately. I feel like a jerk denying it to her, but I don't want to give her anything without knowing its okay to feed it to her.
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Post by Sherry on Mar 20, 2013 18:50:28 GMT -5
Any meat that has not been adulterated is fine to feed . So nothing salted, smoked, spiced, etc.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 21, 2013 7:28:57 GMT -5
I'm just curious about something with ground beef- after that whole hullabaloo about pink slime in beef, is that potentially dangerous to ferrets if they eat ground beef containing it?
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Post by Sherry on Mar 21, 2013 9:30:28 GMT -5
Honestly? I don't know. From everything I've read, it had been in use for a few years in the US prior to be media getting hold of it with no ill effects. Here's a brief run down of it: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pink_slime
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Post by Deleted on Mar 21, 2013 10:18:49 GMT -5
Thanks, that was interesting to read
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Post by Deleted on Mar 21, 2013 10:21:17 GMT -5
I just read that the frozen chicken has been recalled. It looks to be a small recall triggered by someone finding plastic in the mix. The problem has been found and fixed.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 25, 2013 14:00:21 GMT -5
Thanks everyone for all the help!
I am hoping you can help me with one more thing. They have been eating different types of NV with bits of meat mixed into it. Its been about a week since the kibble has been pulled, and man they are eating A LOT! I read that this is to be expected, as well as the stinky smell from detox. My concern is about their stool mostly. Kipee has very mucousy and pale stool (sometimes green and seedy) and Saxie's is more like the picture from the poop chart for normal on raw. Both had normal kibble fed poop before switching.
When I say Kip's poop is mucousy, and pardon my description, she has has strings of it hanging from her butt that I have to clean off. She doesn't seem to be in distress, as she still plays and eats just as much as before. I want to try and add some pumpkin or eggshell to the diet, but will this hurt Saxton since his poop seems normal?
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Post by Sherry on Mar 25, 2013 16:59:14 GMT -5
Definitely add some pumpkin. It's possible she's got some fur moving through. Eggshell can be added at the ratio of 1/2 tsp per 8oz of meat
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Post by Deleted on Mar 27, 2013 14:25:37 GMT -5
I think I may have found the issue we were having! I was cleaning out under the sofa and loveseat where they like to take all of their toys and our shoes, and I found a stash of crunched up kibbles that must have been stolen from the cat bowl. I cleaned it all out and checked around the rest of the house as well.
Their poops seem fine now, and everything is great!
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