Odd behavior with new diet?

[Deleted]

I hope this is the right board for this.

This first part is a reiteration from my introduction.

About two weeks ago my little lady, Thief, started running out of food (Orijen. I didn't know about imprinting, so she was on just the one) so I ordered more. I hadn't realized they'd changed their formula and she doesn't like the new stuff, so I ground it up into a soupy sort of paste and have been trying to transition her while rationing out what's left of her old supply (I mean, I need something for her to be able to eat until I have the stuff to transition to raw, right? And even then I can't change her diet cold turkey... Right?) Thief's an incredibly picky eater, and even when she was just a baby didn't like trying new things. I should have tried harder back then, but hindsight is 20/20.

She'll eat it the kibble mush with gusto if I hand feed / spoon feed her, but rarely touches it if I'm not there to coax her into it. I was just wondering if this was normal. Do a lot of ferrets require being hand fed for a while before they're willing to eat new things on their own? I don't mind feeding her this way for now, but I worry that she's not eating nearly enough at night (when I'm sleeping), or when I'm at school.

Also, I had enough supplies to make a little of the soup recipe that was in the mentor thread, but whenever I feed her some (a couple hours after the kibble, never at the same time) she'll lick my fingers and then mush her head into the ground like she's dying or something. I know they throw tantrums sometimes, but should it be this... expressive?

[Deleted]

That's actually quite mild, some ferrets will gag, spit and/or thrash about clawing if you're really unlucky and they hate it. ;D Just keep dabbing the soup on her nose or tongue several times a day until she accepts it is in fact food, it won't kill her and it even tastes good.

[Sherry]

Start mixing the raw puree in the kibble mush for now if you want. We can help you get her off hand feeding in a bit. Might as well keep up with it for now, that way she'll be more likely to accept it since you feeding it will make it "safe".

[Deleted]

I can hardly imagine any ferret being a bigger drama queen than my Thief, but at least she isn't gagging ;D

Mixing the chicken in with the kibble actually worked (kinda). She didn't tantrum her face off after eating it this time Thank you for the suggestion, Sherry!

[Sherry]

Mine used to get a cooked soup prior to being raw fed. It was the perfect way to introduce it

[Deleted]

So I'm not worried at all, just curious. Thief will do this thing where (first of all) she shivers when she eats no matter what the weather / her level of wakefulness. But also she'll take a mouthful of food, completely tense up like she's about to run away, and then relax and munch away. What's up with that?

[Sherry]

The shiver when being fed a lot of us have experienced. It seems to be excitement related, since it tastes better.
The tensing up to run off is that she's going to stash it

[bitbyter]

The mushing her head into the floor thing. Does it look like she is trying to wipe her mouth? Kibble fed ferrets an not used to having anything wet and sticky around their mouths and on their whiskers so it freaks them out at first and they HAVE to wipe it off. Eventually they get used to it and will only clean up when they are done eating.

[Sherry]

Yes, that's exactly what she's doing- wiping her mouth

[Deleted]

Mine do the pause/tense up routine all the time during hand feeding. Just freeze with a mouthful of food. I picture them thinking frantically "i haz it! whats do i do with it?" They have to decide whether to stay or go ;D

And the food on the spoon/in your hand is ALWAYS better than what's in the dish.

[Deleted]

Aw, it means she's excited? That's adorable!

I figured out the mouth wiping about a week ago, actually. She loves my boyfriend (who she only sees sometimes, we're long distance), and will sleep in his stuff any chance she gets. And after she ate (all by herself, I was so proud) she went to move past me. Stopped. Looked at me and out of nowhere rubbed her slobbery face all over his sweater (that I was wearing). At first I was like, "you little butthead! You did that on purpose!" and then I realized, "the little butthead just did that on purpose... It makes sense." She sort of chirped at me then bounced away. I couldn't even pretend to be mad.

I laughed so hard, Keri. That's it exactly. Sometimes I can see the little wheels in her head turning with those exact thoughts ;D