Post by katt on Aug 17, 2013 22:08:09 GMT -5
I would like for you to trust me in this. We are not forcing any food on him at all. I understand that he had a very stressful experience but he CAN be switched. The key is to make changes SO gradually that he doesn't even notice it. I'm talking kibble soup for a week. Then a TINY Fraction of a piece of FDR blended into the soup for 1-2 weeks, then a Tiny Fraction more and so forth. If you take small enough steps over long enough periods he shouldn't even notice any change. Think of say when you spend a lot of time around a little kid and they are growing. You don't even notice the growth because it is so gradual, then one day it's like hey...where did that extra 2 feet in height come from? If he is still unsure about kibble soup, start with some softened kibble, and gradually make it more softened until you get to soup.
I am simply asking you to give my way a try. I truly do believe that you can get him switched and WITHOUT the stress, but it is going to take YOU committing to it.
Even getting him on FD would be a huge improvement. Both for him and your other ferrets. As long as you continue to offer kibble in the same cage you are taking a big risk that one of them will eat kibble and raw too close together and get sick. You are also increasing the risk of Kyle developing insulinoma with every month and year that he remains on a kibble diet.
Using soup is not a step backwards. It is always important for them to continue to recognize soup as food in the case that one ever gets sick. FDR is not unhealthy, the problem is it is addictive and ferrets WILL hold out for it which can prevent them from switching fully to fresh raw. It is best to remove FD entirely until they are fully comfortable on the frankenprey diet. Then you can add it back in as the occasional meal later. Also, while FD does offer many of the same benefits of raw it is not the same. Most FD raw contains other ingredients, even in small amounts. It also doesn't help at all for dental health. It is better than kibble but it's just not the same as fresh raw. If you are continuing to make progress with Removing the FD we can hold on the soup for now, but if they continue to hold out for the FD then I would like to try an alternate approach. Deal?
I am simply asking you to give my way a try. I truly do believe that you can get him switched and WITHOUT the stress, but it is going to take YOU committing to it.
Even getting him on FD would be a huge improvement. Both for him and your other ferrets. As long as you continue to offer kibble in the same cage you are taking a big risk that one of them will eat kibble and raw too close together and get sick. You are also increasing the risk of Kyle developing insulinoma with every month and year that he remains on a kibble diet.
Using soup is not a step backwards. It is always important for them to continue to recognize soup as food in the case that one ever gets sick. FDR is not unhealthy, the problem is it is addictive and ferrets WILL hold out for it which can prevent them from switching fully to fresh raw. It is best to remove FD entirely until they are fully comfortable on the frankenprey diet. Then you can add it back in as the occasional meal later. Also, while FD does offer many of the same benefits of raw it is not the same. Most FD raw contains other ingredients, even in small amounts. It also doesn't help at all for dental health. It is better than kibble but it's just not the same as fresh raw. If you are continuing to make progress with Removing the FD we can hold on the soup for now, but if they continue to hold out for the FD then I would like to try an alternate approach. Deal?