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Post by Deleted on Apr 17, 2014 8:46:50 GMT -5
This gives me hope for my incredibly stubborn 6 year old Clyde. Haven't tried raw yet but he's stubborn when trying any new cooked meat or eggs. Maybe raw is what he's been searching for.
Thanks for posting this. I did feel like it might be so hard since he's been on kibble his whole life.
Do you find feeding raw is cheaper?
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Post by Heather on Apr 17, 2014 14:18:09 GMT -5
Feeding raw is much cheaper. Even just off the initial cost. If you're going to feed a couple of the high end kibbles, frankeprey (which most feed) is much cheaper. One thing you must factor in is that there are other factors to consider than just up front costs. I find that my raw fed kids require less emergency vetting, have a better immune system, stay better hydrated if they get sick, stay young longer (are kept in better fit, retain better muscle tone). These are all things that people don't factor in. Less stools (less garbage in less garbage out), This also means that in the long run you actually feed less because they're metabolizing more of their food. There is less body odour (if you have intact ferrets this can be a big factor)but even then, having a ferret that smells not only of their own individual smell but smelling like the kibble bag too can have a huge impact, especially if you've got more than one. These are all costs. The wear and tear on the ferrets internal organs, teeth and digestive tract are other factors that you cannot see but must be taken into consideration. Figure out your savings if indeed your kibbles are cheaper....and then apply that to the insulinoma meds that you will probably have to deal with in the end as well as the ER vets and the sheer horror of watching your little one in the throws of an insulinoma seizure. Just some thoughts when adding up the costs of diet. ciao
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Post by Deleted on Apr 17, 2014 15:24:25 GMT -5
You had me at cheaper!! Seriously though, I've always known the health benefits but do feed high quality kibble. I think I just didn't know where to start and now I'm committed to getting these guys, and any new babies I happen across, eating this way. We just lost a baby in the worst way and even though I can't say the kibble got him sick, bone cancer and other things, but I just want to have my ferrets live as long as possible. Losing them is too hard. SO anything that might help is the way to go. It's a scary thing to go into, having a general idea but not a clue, if that makes sense. I will probably sign up for the mentoring program and I'm talking to some people who feed raw, or frankenprey. I'll probably go that way. Probably no whole prey for me. I know the food has a face but I don't need to see it. THANKS!
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Post by msav on Apr 17, 2014 18:31:15 GMT -5
Thanks, you give me hope with my 6 year old stubborn mule.
Although he is now seeking out the meat slivers in the soup. still wont eat meat not coated in soup yet.
I just can't imagine him chewing on a hunk of meat. He does not seem to have the patience to do that.
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Post by Sherry on Apr 17, 2014 22:03:02 GMT -5
Work with him- he'll get there
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Post by Deleted on Apr 17, 2014 22:35:41 GMT -5
Thanks, you give me hope with my 6 year old stubborn mule. Although he is now seeking out the meat slivers in the soup. still wont eat meat not coated in soup yet. I just can't imagine him chewing on a hunk of meat. He does not seem to have the patience to do that. I think you must be doing a great job since he's eating raw slivers, even if they are coated in soup. I can only hope it goes so well.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2014 17:26:30 GMT -5
I feed 40 ferrets & it costs me about $300AUD a month. $1.90AUD per ferret a week, that's a fully balanced raw diet.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 21, 2014 12:58:47 GMT -5
I am going to try my best to switch as well. I know they will do it, it just takes a few times to get them used to it. I will be trying a little every day now. Thanks again I do give them the fish oil daily as a treat & vitamin and notice it makes their coat shiny. When we first moved into this house (4 yrs. ago) it had a lot of 'water beetles or big cockroaches' that would get into the house occasionally (I know, gross) that one of my guys happened to love. I would find just the head left on the beetle. So one of them definitely loved raw. Still reading lots, thanks - Jodi
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Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2016 16:41:17 GMT -5
Love the success stories! My two jills just turned seven. We're getting ready to start the raw diet. We've had to make a few diet changes over the past year and have had varying degrees of success - all with negligible support. During one of my challenges, when I had tried everything I knew to do and was at my wit's end, the vet simply said: They really have you trained, don't they? I asked how to get "untrained" because I had honestly given it my very best effort. She simply shrugged her shoulders, laughed and said "I don't know."
I wish I had read Joe's story a few years ago. One of my jills suddenly stopped using her hind legs. Since her sugar was fine, I rushed her to the vet. The vet told me that she had a fracture in her back and that there was no option but the dreaded, unthinkable one. I had no clue how it could have happened. She thought there might have been a suspicious spot that could have possibly been a malignancy. With a shattered heart, I did what I thought was putting her needs ahead of my selfish ones. Less than a week later someone told me of a similar story of one whose vet guided them in a different direction. Since then I've heard others.
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Post by abbeytheferret6 on Apr 6, 2016 16:47:18 GMT -5
Gosh,I am so sorry.
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Post by olenka on Nov 28, 2017 20:32:42 GMT -5
Phaedra, how long did it take you to switch?
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Post by Sherry on Nov 29, 2017 12:24:01 GMT -5
Phaedra left the forum some time ago. But her's usually get switched with the help of watching others eat raw in a couple of weeks.
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Post by crazylady on Nov 29, 2017 12:50:52 GMT -5
Hi I have taken in many many rescues over the years and because I am a whole prey feeder they dont have a choice its eat or go hungry lol cruel you may think but after 24 hours they will eat me given the chance lol with new adults I normally place in a bowl of ground up meat over night and by morning I come back to an empty bowl lol after that its plain sailing if they know you will fuss and change foods because your scared they wont eat then your lost the ferret has you just where it wants you lol take care bye for now Bev
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Post by olenka on Nov 29, 2017 13:36:25 GMT -5
crazylady, i wish i could follow your advice:) Unfortunately, all our ferrets eat kibbles Nobody id around to set a good example. I tried to feed them cooked chicken when they were 3 month old. Even then they ignored it!
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Post by Sherry on Nov 30, 2017 12:09:47 GMT -5
You can apply for a mentor to get them all switched, not a problem Any ferret can be switched if you are willing to put the work in to do so.
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