Shellydipinto's Switching Thread/Yurei Avalon

[Heather]

eName:Shelly

HF Forum Username:shellydipinto

1. Where did you first learn about natural diets for ferrets?
I believe it was on youtube..partyferret's channel...from there I googled around a bit and eventually found this form and the facebook group!

2. Please describe the type of diet you would like assistance in switching your ferret(s) to. Be sure to include if you are interested in feeding whole prey (live or frozen-thawed) and if you are wanting to FULLY switch to a natural diet or PARTIALLY. If you are unsure what kind of diet you want to put your ferrets on, please express that and we can help you find the best type of natural diet for your ferret.
I would like to full switch to a raw diet that includes whole prey as well as meats that I can purchase from grocery stores or meat markets. I'm interested in commercial raw, but wouldn't want to have it as a staple.

3. Why are you interested in switching your ferrets to a natural diet?
I've have three ferrets in the past 2 years pass away on me...I believe that if I would have known about raw feeding a long time ago those ferrets would still be here today. I just want the best for my babies.

4. Do you understand that switching your ferret to a natural diet can be a lengthy, arduous process? Its not an overnight switch. It can be a commitment of several weeks or even months. Your HF Mentor will be more then happy to assist you in switchng your ferret(s) to a natural diet, but you need to be equally as commited. If you aren't willing to tough out a potentially lengthy switching process, or if you have major life changes approaching (baby on the way, moving, starting school, getting married/divorced, etc) then it might be a better idea to wait on switching your ferret's diet until you have more time. Are you willing to make the commitment?
Absolutely.

5. How many ferrets do you currently have? What are their names? Ages? Genders? Do they have any health problems? Are they overweight? Underweight? How long have you had each ferret for?
I have a weird answer. I technically have 6, but for the switch my boyfriend is going to switch 3 and I will switch 3. We don't live together, so our ferrets are separated during the day, but together every night...for this switch I will focus on the 3 that primarily live with me...

Nogin-age 5-6 and a boy. He has insolinoma and has had it for close to a year now. He is one pred twice a day and recently lost a lot of weight, but is slowly gaining it back. I have had him since he was only a few months old.

Goliath-almost 2 and a boy. No health problems... He is a big ferret over all, but not overweight. I've had him since he was a few months old.

Foopina-almost one and a little lady. She is healthy and a good weight for her size. I've had her since she was approximately 4-5 months old.

6. What diet do you currently feed your ferrets? (Please include all treats, supplements, etc)
Kibble is a mix of Evo and Ultimate Crunchy...
I try to feed raw soups that consist of any of the following: chicken livers, breast, hearts, gizzards..beef kidney and liver, eggs, eggshells, turkey, wings, pumpkin and olive oil..everything needs to be completely ground up and mixed with lots of water for them to eat it. Rarely they get ferretone...trying to cut it out completely after reading up on it. Oh I recently purchased some Nature's Variety Raw Bites...Lamb, chicken, and duck...they all pretty much hate it though

7. Have you ever tried to switch your ferrets to a natural diet in the past? If yes, what happened?
Yes, trying now...Goliath loves everything...Nogin is picky, but will eat soups from a spoon and Foopina is terrible lol. She will give a few licks sometimes, but recently shes hated everything except kibble.

8. What additional information about yourself or your ferrets would you like to share?
I work a lot of weird hours, but am definitely commited to switching these guys...I'm also trying to get myself eating better...trying to be healthy over all from humans to pets in this household! =)
9. How often during the week do you have access to a computer?

10. Please post a picture of each of your ferrets (if possible).



Hi and welcome to the mentoring program (wave). In a little while your mentor (Yurei Avalon), will introduce herself and you can get started on a new adventure in natural ferret care and diets. Please remember to post regularly (daily or as per arranged with your mentor) so that your mentor can assist you move along safely in this adventure. If you experience computer difficulties or are going to be away, please notify your mentor and most of all relax and have fun . Your mentor is here to help you on this journey.
ciao

[Deleted]

Hi Shelly my name is Bethany and I'll be helping you switch your ferrets to raw with any luck! If you have any questions or have a problem and need an answer quickly you can email me at [e-mail] or pm me.

I'll post my info below so you can skip it or read it as you chose. For right now I'd like to know what your feeding schedule is with your ferrets (ie twice daily, food always left out etc), and what you have on hand available for meat for them. Since Nogin is older and insulomic it's very important that we always have food available to him and we don't force him to go without for very long. This may make switching him a bit harder since we can't withhold food for a few hours to increase appetite, but we'll do the best we can.

It sounds like you've got one easy switcher and Nogin is a bit adventurous willing to try things, and your little girl sounds like the typical female diva, thinking you're poisoning her lol. I've got one of those myself and she has got to be the pickiest ferret ever. She finally started eating soup because another ferret made her do it.

I would try mixing up soup for them and for those that ignore it, keep dabbing it on their nose (or tongue) several times a day to reinforce that this is a yummy thing, try it. If you haven't tried using some sort of treat they like in the soup before, I would suggest trying it as it may help sweeten the deal for them.


Name: Bethany
HF Screen Name: Yurei Avalon
Location: NH, USA

About Me:
I’m 25; Someday I hope to run my own business as well as a nonprofit ferret rescue and education program. I currently live with my boyfriend Matt in a condo, which we hope to upgrade to a larger house in a few years. Once we have an appropriate house we intend to make the most excellent ferret habitat possible and look into getting privately bred ferrets, living as natural a life as possible. I currently work as a realtor.

My favorite color is..... Silver
My favorite food is.... Chocolate, followed by spicy things
My favorite holiday is.... Halloween
My favorite hobby is... Reading
I like to listen to... Pretty much anything but rap and country.
I collect... Ferrets! Model kits, Mounts/pets in WoW and MtG cards
Something about me you might be surprised to know... When I was a sophomore in high school I won my town’s fall chili cook-off contest with the recipe my high school culinary program gave to me. It got me $100, a story in the local newspaper and to this day, that chili recipe makes everyone who tries it a believer. (Turkey Cilantro for those inquiring minds.)
I became a mentor because...
I switched my own ferrets using information and tips I found on this site and from other places on the internet. I know from painful experience what a poor or inappropriate diet can do to a pet and I don’t want anyone to have to see their animal suffer like I watched mine suffer growing up. I’ve also made mistakes in pet care in the past, and I feel that the best way to atone for them is to learn everything I can to make myself the best pet parent I can be so that it never happens again. And if I can help other people do the same, so much the better!

About My Ferrets:
I currently have 9 ferrets with no desire to have more for now as I feel I am at the limit at which I can handle caring for them all appropriately. I have 6 hobs and 3 jills, all of which are Marshall Farm ferrets and are all young. Most of my ferrets were eating kibble for several months and then were switched to raw. The three newest went straight to raw the day they came home from the store. My ferrets are very spoiled- they have 4 triple unit ferret nation cages and a couple of hundred feet of tunnel connecting them to each other as well as a ferret playroom.

1. Murder – Male, sable. One of our oldest two ferrets, he is our alpha and a bit over a year old now.
2. Mayhem – Female, sable. One of our oldest two ferrets, she is still stuck on the soupy stage and is a bit over a year old now.
3. Artemis – Male, albino. My only “rescue”, purchased off of CL. He’s believed to be about a year old now.
4. Chell – Female, silver panda. A sweet, deaf wardy girl who is about 8 months old now.
5. Glad0s – Female, silver. An 8 month old, tiny jill who can out eat the hobs and is a tunneling expert.
6. Zar’thun – Male, dark sable. A well behaved, 7 month old hob with an excellent nature.
7. Stormageddon – Male, polecat. A clever 5 month old hob who believes he will one day rule the world.
8. Sigma – Male, dark sable. A 4 month old hob with a temperament as sweet as the Ood’s song. A real cuddle bug.
9. Wheatley – Male, silver panda. A 9 month old hob who may be a few sandwiches short of a picnic but he’s as affectionate as any other ferret. Currently still stuck at the soup stage.


About My Natural Feeding Experience:

Type of Mentor:
I have fed kibble so I have experience judging quality of kibbles. I mainly feed commercial raw products right now and I also use raw, meaty bones and muscle meat. I am trying to secure myself a local raw meat supplier so I can begin to transition my group to a full frakenprey, non commercial, homemade diet. I also use freeze dried and jerkied meats. I have two ferrets that refuse to eat anything but mush, so it makes life challenging.

My Specialty:
I would have to say that I seem to find creative ways of getting ferrets to try new things when the normal process just isn’t working for a stubborn ferret. I’ve never fed whole prey, but I could certainly come up with ideas to help others who wanted to try get there.