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Post by Sherry on Apr 29, 2013 12:48:33 GMT -5
Sorry- I meant what bone do you have access to that isn't chicken Turkey necks, pork rib ends, quail, rabbit, etc As for bonemeal or eggshell you really do have to keep to about 1/2 per 8oz meat. Too much and they'll be constipated.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 30, 2013 16:46:17 GMT -5
In the freezer I have the following bone meat; Rabbits - small & medium Guinea pigs - adult Rats - adult Standard Mice - pinkies, crawlers, next sizes up all the way up to adult Multimammate mice - adult Baby quail Adult quail DOC's As soon as they decide they WILL eat bones, I am ready for them...... I also have pork ribs which I think are too hard for them as they never touch the bone, just eat the pork meat. As for bonemeal, they really aren't getting enough daily, it is probably 2 tsps between the 5 which I know is not enough so that is why I was trying to find other ways to get bonemeal into them other than in their b'nut squash. I put some eggshell in their organ soup but they weren't so keen with the "extras" in it. With the organ soup, I mix 1oz kidney and 1oz liver with an ice cube of soup (made up as per the starter soup on here as I still have some left from when Pixie was only eating soup - they won't eat the soup if it is just organ). They seem to not be as interested, is there anything I can add to it to make it more appealing, I have added fish oil. They had beef and pinkies today - not seen Pixie eat any pinkies but they have all been eaten. When I put them to bed in a moment they have a meal of heart and pinkies. I need a pinkie farm the rate I am getting through them - not cheap either but they are worth it (nod) I have also noticed that with fatty heart, they will nibble the heart meat up to the fat and leave the fat (headwall). It is cute to watch, but annoying as I want them to eat the fat (headwall)
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Post by Sherry on Apr 30, 2013 19:29:07 GMT -5
Since Pixie has started eating slivers, let's work at getting her increasing her chunk size. You are going to have to push her a bit. Start increasing the ratio of slivers to soup every couple of days until it's over 1/2 slivers. Then start increasing the size of just a couple bits. But only a small amount. Keep them thin, just a bit longer. Also try chopping the pinkies(easiest if done frozen) into smaller bits and mixing it in. Just do one for now. You may have to feed her separately, but let the others eat first. Who knows- she may decide to join in. For those who are now accepting pinkies, move them up one size. Not sure what you have, but here I can get tiny ones, and larger pinkies. Whatever your next stage is, try that. If they have fur you will likely have to cut open the belly and squirt a good bit of oil in to get them licking at it. Will they eat the actual rabbit meat? If so, start with the ribs for them. Those are easiest to chew through. How did they do with the chopped up quail mixed into their food? For all of them, start adding in maybe 1/4 tsp total for all together of bonemeal powder well mixed in. Mine won't touch the fat from beef heart either What you CAN do is melt it down over a low heat and mix some in with their meat. Maybe a tsp a day. For the organ soup if you want, start to slowly decrease the amount of other soup, maybe a tsp less each time you give it until it's all liver/kidney. You can also mix in 1/2 tsp heavy cream or goat's milk(both low in lactose) per ferret just before feeding.
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2013 16:16:29 GMT -5
I have increased the size of the slivers / chunks for them all again this week, Pixie hasn't been on soup for a few months now. I am not sure if I have read your post wrong and you are referring to something else? Sorry. I have run out of pinkies from mixing them in with all their meals this week so I have reordered some more. I have small mice with fur which I have mixed in. I'll put crawler mice in with them which are smaller tomorrow until the pinkies arrive. So far Smudge and Jasmine have eaten the small mice chopped up - I marinated them in pork first. Pixie hasn't touched the chopped mice but I have one pinkie left which she can have later (I know it isn't much but they have eaten me out on pinkie house and home ). The boys are fast asleep since I mixed the mice in so cannot report back on them. All apart from Pixie have been eaten pinkies in with their meat this week though. When I have chopped rabbit up, they had a few bits, but were not impressed with the bone attached, that is with the ribs too and without the fur. I cut it up real small as well, they aren't there yet I don't think. I'll keep trying now and again though to see if that magic "switch" comes on and they decide actually we will eat this. When they have heart I will try melting it down and putting it on their meat, I know when I used fatty pork to make their soup in the early days, they liked the soft fat that would congeal. I will try some cream in with their kidney and liver soup to encourage them to eat more. The amount of soup they have with it is minuscule, it literally is a tiny ice cubes worth, but obviously when they are eating it in its current form happily, I will decrease the soup.
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Post by Sherry on May 4, 2013 9:32:33 GMT -5
Okay, I misunderstood Now I have a better idea of where you are at. To paraphrase: "They are all eating small chunks. All but Pixie will eat the pinkies.No one was impressed with the bone, but they will eat the rabbit meat." When it comes to bone, sometimes you have to force the issue. Normally to push the bone I'll have someone feed chicken wings or necks well chopped up for 3-4 meals in a row. With your guys that isn't possible. Do they willingly accept the chopped up young quail yet? With the liver/organ soup I'd also assumed the ice cubes held about 1/2 ounce ;D If you like, just keep doing it the way you are doing it. To make life easier when this batch is gone you can either try the cream or just blend up some plain meat to mix in. As long as they are getting approx. 2oz each liver/organ per ferret it doesn't really matter HOW they are getting it
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Post by Deleted on May 6, 2013 16:31:32 GMT -5
Okay, I misunderstood Now I have a better idea of where you are at. To paraphrase: "They are all eating small chunks. All but Pixie will eat the pinkies.No one was impressed with the bone, but they will eat the rabbit meat." When it comes to bone, sometimes you have to force the issue. Normally to push the bone I'll have someone feed chicken wings or necks well chopped up for 3-4 meals in a row. With your guys that isn't possible. Do they willingly accept the chopped up young quail yet? With the liver/organ soup I'd also assumed the ice cubes held about 1/2 ounce ;D If you like, just keep doing it the way you are doing it. To make life easier when this batch is gone you can either try the cream or just blend up some plain meat to mix in. As long as they are getting approx. 2oz each liver/organ per ferret it doesn't really matter HOW they are getting it They aren't accepting the cut up baby quail yet, but I keep trying. Pixie still refuses to eat the pinkie, she will take a halved pinkie, run to stash it and spit it out in a corner, then she acts like she has just had poison in her mouth (headwall) I have cream to try with their organ soup tomorrow, so fingers crossed this works as a way to get it into them. Zebedee spent a night at the emergency vets as he has been quiet the last couple of days, then yesterday morning he was really lethargic. He is now back home - picked him up today - with norclav (antibiotic) tablets and zantac liquid. Vet not sure what is wrong with him but she did find a little ulceration in his mouth. He has 10 days of meds so I will keep a close eye on him. He really is feeling low at the moment bless him
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Post by Sherry on May 6, 2013 17:08:45 GMT -5
Has he been eating/drinking?
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Post by Deleted on May 7, 2013 9:37:29 GMT -5
Yes he has been and still is eating and drinking.
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Post by Sherry on May 7, 2013 18:11:20 GMT -5
Okay good! My first thought with something like this is a blockage. With the quail, try just adding 3-4 tiny slivers mixed in well with their meal. As they accept that, start increasing the amount. When it's about half and half start increasing the size of the bits
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Post by Deleted on May 8, 2013 4:28:49 GMT -5
Is that slivers of baby quail with the feathers on? Thanks
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Post by Sherry on May 8, 2013 8:10:55 GMT -5
Oh- their fully feathered? Great deal. But no, since they aren't used to feathers you'll have to get them knowing what the meat tastes like first. So if you can cut a bit of the breast or something that would be ideal. Once they know they like the meat THEN you can offer it either whole or cut up
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Post by Deleted on May 8, 2013 8:38:01 GMT -5
Ah that is what I thought, feathers gone! Thanks
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Post by Sherry on May 8, 2013 10:12:30 GMT -5
Once they are accepting it you can give it feathers and all. But in the interim since the feathers could well be what's putting them off, then just offer some of the meat itself.
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Post by Deleted on May 12, 2013 10:58:20 GMT -5
They didn't touch the baby quail de-feathered, I'll defrost some more later for tomorrow. They are enjoying pinkies, apart from Pixie.
Zebedee (fingers crossed) seems to be feeling better after 5 days on his meds. He never stopped eating and drinking so it hasn't affected his raw eating.
Not much more to report - I am weighing later so will update on weights. It is just a case of trying to get them eating bones now.
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Post by Sherry on May 12, 2013 11:28:06 GMT -5
Alright- another step back with the quail is needed Try cutting two or three tiny slivers per ferret and mixing those in well with their favourite meat. With the mice start increasing the size of them. With Pixie chop a pinkie up really well and mix that into HER favourite meat.
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