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Post by Deleted on Feb 15, 2013 10:48:50 GMT -5
It is the wrong time of year in the UK for pumpkin, and we cannot get it canned like in the US. Butternut squash is the same family and we have that, will that be ok? I take it needs to be cooked and mushed up? I have lactobactcius probiotics (non-dairy) that I gave Gizmo after he came off his AB so I will give them all some. How long? A week perhaps? I will mix the bonemeal with the meat, but as I worry they are not eating enough, I’ll have to sit on my hands as I know they’ll turn their noses up at the meat being coated. I’ll obviously increase the bits in the soup too. Thank you
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Post by Sherry on Feb 15, 2013 12:38:52 GMT -5
Yes, the butternut should work as well. And yes, cooked and pureed. Main reason I mentioned that(besides bulking up the stool) is that it also helps repopulate the gut bacteria. And yes, the probios for a week
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Post by Deleted on Feb 15, 2013 16:12:32 GMT -5
Ok I'll get a butternut squash in the morning, thanks. I have Acidophilus Plus not lactobactcilus ;D So I coated the meat in bonemeal and they aren't interested, won't at it, which worries me as they don't look like they have particularly eaten much while I have been at work. I weighed them and they have all lost weight Zebedee 1507g Gizmo 1207g Pixie 891g Smudge 887g Jasmine 590g Now I am really worried as it would appear that they are not eating enough to maintain their weight Weight on Saturday (February 9th) were; Zebedee: 1531g Gizmo: 1231g Pixie: 912g Smudge: 923g Jasmine: 622g So in 6 days they have lost the following; Zebedee: -24g Gizmo: -24g Pixie: - 21g Smudge: -36g Jasmine: -32g
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Post by Sherry on Feb 15, 2013 17:29:08 GMT -5
Brats! Next step is to rinse in warm water and add just a tiny bit of bonemeal. Or even give them a soup once a day with some bonemeal in it.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 15, 2013 17:44:17 GMT -5
Ok will try less bonemeal on meat thanks. Should I be worried that they have lost weight this week? I am going to take Gizmo for a visit to the vets on Monday as I have noticed he is making a slight whinging sound when he sleeps which normally indicates his gut is playing up Do you think the change to raw is bringing about the recurrence of his IBS or just a coincidence? Sorry difficult question I know :-( He also has had runs over the last few days, him more than the others. Thanks Sherry, much appreciated
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Post by Deleted on Feb 17, 2013 9:43:54 GMT -5
They LOVE butternut squash warmed with some oil - used it to put their acidophilus plus in too. I gave them a teaspoon each, is that enough? Too much? How often should they have it? Thanks
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Post by Sherry on Feb 17, 2013 10:21:30 GMT -5
Should I be worried that they have lost weight this week? No, not unless it becomes consistent. Do you think the change to raw is bringing about the recurrence of his IBS Like you said- hard question. It could. Can you get pancreatic enzymes? I found those made a tremendous amount of difference for my IBD guy. And it won't hurt the others either. It goes on the meat at least an hour prior to feeding. The enzymes help break down the protein making it easier to digest. I gave them a teaspoon each, is that enough? Actually, 1/2 tsp a day per ferret is a normal amount
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Post by Deleted on Feb 17, 2013 12:14:05 GMT -5
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Post by Sherry on Feb 17, 2013 12:53:40 GMT -5
Actually I think your's may be the better choice ;D No soy.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 18, 2013 12:14:13 GMT -5
Actually I think your's may be the better choice ;D No soy. OK I'll stick with the ones I have, thanks. I have noticed sometimes what looks like completely undigested meat in their stools which I can only assume is perhaps them eating it too fast? I also see the occasional black, tarry stool, is this normal? Pixie is eating her soup with slivers in, actually the pieces are bigger than slivers. She still stashes if I offer her slivers of meat outside of the soup but doesn't eat it. The others are still having chunks and I am giving them soup with bonemeal in to get bone into them. I will bring them into the house when I get home this evening so will have more of an update then.
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Post by Sherry on Feb 19, 2013 19:25:24 GMT -5
I have noticed sometimes what looks like completely undigested meat in their stools which I can only assume is perhaps them eating it too fast? I also see the occasional black, tarry stool, is this normal? This is fairly normal early in a switch. Their stomach acids are still getting stronger. Soon all you'll find is the odd bone shard Also- just a head's up so you don't freak out, if they eat a chunk of fat they'll have white/whitish stools And if you happen to find a slug like stool, that's fur in there ;D Pixie is eating her soup with slivers in, actually the pieces are bigger than slivers. She still stashes if I offer her slivers of meat outside of the soup but doesn't eat it Okay, start slowly thinning the soup and increasing the number of slivers you are putting in the soup. What you are aiming for is a dish full of slivers basically rinsed in a very thin layer of watery soup. At this point you'll need to start adding a pinch of eggshell powder to the meat and mix well.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 20, 2013 17:08:50 GMT -5
OK good because it seems to be everyday. I have found whitish stools already and had assumed this was from fat but glad to know this is the case ;D
At the moment they are having bonemeal in soup, I have tonight given them half a rabbit all cut into chunks so hopefully they will tuck into the bone - so far they are not amused that their meat has bone under it. I have only seen Gizmo eat some so far.
I'd love to get them eating bone but the spoilt brats don't want the effort of dealing with bone. When I had my Woody (D.I.P) he would crunch through bones no problem and it actually got the others tucking in too on occasion. I am hoping Gizmo will decide he will be the one that starts eating bones and encourages the others.
I took the skin and fur off the rabbit. As much as I'd love to not have to, experience with my fussy ones is that they wouldn't have gone near it so baby steps. Get them eating the rabbit with bones and eventually leave the skin and fur on
OK I will start thinning the soup, will have to re-blend what I have frozen as it has been made pretty lumpy. I'll mix bonemeal with the meat and then put in the thin later of watery soup.
The 1/2 tsp squash daily has provided to be useful for putting their prebio's and some bonemeal in - they LOVE their squash. My fiancee thinks I am crazy for feeding my obligate carnivores vegetables after all these years of my stressing at PR events and to new owners NOT to feed their ferrets fruit and veg ;D
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Post by Sherry on Feb 20, 2013 19:06:50 GMT -5
I know what you mean ;D But it really does make a difference in their digestion. Think of it as the "fur" from whole prey. Since they can't digest it, it pushes everything through like a miniature roto-rooter ;D
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Post by Deleted on Feb 23, 2013 20:24:48 GMT -5
I know what you mean ;D But it really does make a difference in their digestion. Think of it as the "fur" from whole prey. Since they can't digest it, it pushes everything through like a miniature roto-rooter ;D ;D ;D Well I have had a few worrisome days as they didn't seem to be interested in their meat But this evening they seem to be tucking in again. This week they have had heart, beef and pork so as I think my little darlings obviously want more variety, I have restocked with turkey and also bought some lamb. Lamb is sooo expensive here, but they are certainly worth every penny. I cannot give chicken because of Zebedee which is a shame as that would be another source of meat and also the chicken wings would be perfect to get them started on bone - they always used to eat chicken wings no problem. Pixie won't feed herself it seems with the watery soup with pieces in, but she will eat it if I spoon feed her. I lower the spoon down to see if I can trick her into eating straight from the bowl but she is on to me and runs away. I almost feel like I am forcing her to eat as at the first opportunity she will try and run and avoid me. But I am not forcing it into her mouth, if the spoon is in front of her, and me normally having to hold her, she will eat. My worry is that if she is only eating when I spoon feed her, and even then it is under duress, then she isn't eating while I am at work, which is often 12 hours of me being away from the house I have always understood the importance of ferrets eating regularly, fast digestive system and all, so I am concerned about Pixie going long periods without eating. I am also concerned that the others don't seem to eat a lot of meat at all, however it is hard to gauge how much they should be eating. When I weighed them in the week they were back to the weights they were the time before last (if you remember last time I weighed them they had all lost weight) So, either the scales were playing up or they just had a fluctuation. I will weigh them again, hopefully tomorrow to check they are maintaining their weight. All they do at the moment is sleep - it is super cold in the UK at the moment - so they don;t seem to want to come out to eat. Now with the cold weather I would have thought they'd be eating more to keep warm (normally they eat more kibble when it is cold), however they are also sleeping much more with the cold, so perhaps they need less food as they aren't as active. Sorry for all the worries, I just want to make sure I am doing everything right
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Post by Sherry on Feb 23, 2013 21:27:46 GMT -5
Not a problem- that's what I'm here for As long as she's eating 2-4 oz a day, even hand fed, she'll be fine That constant access to food is for kibble fed ferrets since they don't get enough nutrition from it. If she's maintaining her weight she's doing well. Just keep working with her on eating from the dish. It can take a while.
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