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Post by Deleted on Nov 18, 2013 17:50:38 GMT -5
Out of curiosity, are you measuring "cups" with an actual cup measure, or is this just a scoop or bowl full or something? someone brought up that seems like way more food than they would eat in a day- are you throwing a lot away or do they eat it all? (or most of it)
Also, liver should be 2 ounces per ferret per week for a total of 12 ounces for 6 ferrets. do you have a scale to weigh things out? If not I could find another way to convert is into volume measurements.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2013 14:01:22 GMT -5
I do it with a real measuring cup. I do have to throw some what a lot out but I make sure they are eating everything.
Chicken wings gets eaten about 80% Chicken/beef hearts 80% Chicken/beef liver 60-70% Chicken gizzards 60-80% Rabbit meat 80-90% Chopped beef 60-70% Lamb kidneys 80-100% Lamb chops 80-100% Ground beef 90-100% Turkey wing 50-60% Whole CGH 80-90% Fatty steak 60-75% Beef marrow 100% Eggs 100%
When I give them the new food I throw about 20-25% away... I'm guessing. Also look at the first number that I did as a % because a lot say -100% and they don't eat everything everytime 100%
The reason for so much food is because I like them to have a lot of different things a day and everything stays in the room/cage for 24-30 hours. Also, my big fatty is eating a lot and I saw him eat one kidney, half cup ground beef, and ran away holding a chicken wing. So funny.
My aunt gave me one but it broke so I have just been doing it by cups.
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Post by Sherry on Nov 20, 2013 9:52:54 GMT -5
Okay, main reason for needing the weight is mainly the liver/organs. They truly can have too much of a good thing with these. Such as Vit A and Vit D toxicity. Not good things. Given the MINIMUM you say they are eating with liver/kidney they are still getting at least a third too much. This can have adverse effects over the long term. what you listed was 12 oz liver in one feeding, and 16 oz in the next (cup and a half, and then 2 cups) I would cut the second feeding out entirely, and split that 12 oz over both feedings and check to make sure they are eating most if not all of it. And just an FYI, the way you are feeding CAN lead to obesity if you wind up with a ferret who doesn't stop when he is full, and yes it does happen. While it's good that you can cope with throwing 2-3lbs of meat away a week, you really aren't doing your ferrets any favours with this. The ideal is to only have one or two pieces of meat left over at the next feeding.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 20, 2013 17:18:13 GMT -5
Okay, I was never told this information before... I did post my menu almost every 3-5 weeks.
Let me get this right...
I told my mentor how much I was feeding my ferrets and she said it was all good and that I was doing a good job. Now you come in saying for the past 4+ months I have been feeding them too much of eveything. I don't get it... I have been at this for more then 4 months and now I'm being told it's all wrong.
What should I do now if everything is wrong? Why can't someone make me a menu and I will try and fallow that.
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Post by Sherry on Nov 20, 2013 19:37:17 GMT -5
You are misunderstanding. Your present ferrets ARE self moderating so it's all good. What CAN happen is with feeding this much a FUTURE ferret could well overeat. This is why we usually ask for weights with a scale so everyone is on the same page. You ARE doing a good job, don't mistake that. I tend to err on the side of caution, and if you get YOURSELF in the habit of doing this, once the initial appetite surge disappears then a) you are throwing out a LOT of meat, and b) a ferret in the future may wind up going on a diet, which is going to be harder to correct at that point. Part of the reason for the mentoring program is not just to switch your present ferrets, but to give YOU the skills to successfully switch any future ferrets, or even cats. Given that I haven't been the one who has seen the way you are measuring all the time(we usually only suggest this for the short term until you get a scale) I was able to twig onto it right away. Had I been accustomed to seeing it all the time, I might not. Until I got a scale I could not believe how much I was wasting. And I had no real idea just how much they were or weren't actually eating. It really WILL make your life easier. And your mentor has done a great job getting you to this point. You are very close to graduating, it's just a matter of tweaking a few things.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 21, 2013 11:46:43 GMT -5
I did have a scale but it broke and I never really used it my fiance did all that stuff for me. Also, I'm looking for a new scale on Amazon right now.
I have said lots of times I'm here to learn and "if" I am doing something that isn't good for my ferrets to please let me know so thanks for that. I didn't know that I was giving them too much liver and kinda over feeding them.
Other then doing what you said for the liver what else should I cut down on? Or should I just keep everything the same but maybe cut out half of everything and see how that goes?
Here is my new menu again please tell me if this sounds more right... Also, my ferret like to play/eat the chicken hearts I was wondering if I'm giving them to much right now or if it's fine or if I could be feeding them more. Thanks for the fast replys.
Monday- Half a chicken - Chicken wings x5 - Chicken hearts x5 - Chicken gizzards half a cup - Egg yolks/whole egg x3.
Tuesday- Rabbit meat 1 cup - Choped beef 1 cups - Chicken wings x5 - Chicken or beef liver half a cup.
Wednesday- Half chicken - Chicken wings x5 - Chicken hearts x5 - Lamb Kedneys x2 - Beef marrow.
Thurday- Lamb Chops 1 cup - Choped beef 1 cup- Chciken wings x5 - Chicken gizzards 1cup - Ground beef 1-2 cups.
Friday- Full CGH - Turkey wing 1 or Chicken wings x5 - Choped beef half a cup - Egg yolks/or whole x3.
Saturday- Pork chops 2 cup - Chicken wings x5 - Chicken/beef liver half cups - Chicken hearts x5 - Lamb kidney x1 - Beef marrow.
Sunday- Rabbit meat 1-2 cups - 1 Fatty steak - Turkey wing 1 or Chicken wings x5 - Chicken gizzards 1 or half cup - Eggs x3 - Beef marrow.
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Post by Sherry on Nov 21, 2013 17:27:00 GMT -5
Give another 1/2c of the liver in place of one of the gizzard meals and it looks good! For amounts of the other meats(except heart), I really would try cutting back by maybe 1/4 daily.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2013 6:47:18 GMT -5
Okay, I will do that for sure thanks so much.
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Post by Sherry on Nov 22, 2013 11:10:24 GMT -5
Okay, your mentor is going to step back in now
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Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2013 13:59:15 GMT -5
Okay, thank you.
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Post by Sherry on Nov 22, 2013 19:19:49 GMT -5
I completely forgot We will need an updated menu with the adjustments listed on it. I know it seems we ask for a LOT of menus, but it's the only way we have of double checking the balance
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Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2013 20:41:17 GMT -5
I did this menu just last night so I have only started using it today "Friday". Let me know how it looks... Thanks.
Monday- Half a chicken - Chicken wings x5 - Chicken hearts x5 - Chicken gizzards half a cup - Egg yolks/whole egg x3.
Tuesday- Rabbit meat 1 cup - Choped beef 1 cups - Chicken wings x5 - Chicken or beef liver 1/4 cups.
Wednesday- Half chicken - Chicken wings x5 - Chicken hearts x5 - Lamb Kedneys x2 - Beef marrow.
Thurday- Lamb Chops 1 cup - Choped beef 1 cup- Chciken wings x5 - Chicken or beef liver 1/4 cups - Ground beef 1 cup.
Friday- Full CGH - Turkey wing 1 or Chicken wings x5 - Choped beef half a cup - Egg yolks/or whole x3.
Saturday- Pork chops 2 cup - Chicken wings x5 - Chicken/beef liver 1/4 cups - Chicken hearts x5 - Lamb kidney x1 - Beef marrow.
Sunday- Rabbit meat 1-2 cups - 1 Fatty steak - Turkey wing 1 or Chicken wings x5 - Chicken gizzards 1 or half cup - Eggs x3 - Beef marrow.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 23, 2013 17:27:14 GMT -5
Are they all eating heart now? I'm thinking that if they are all willing to eat it, you probably want to put out 6 hearts rather than 5 in a heart meal so they all get one for them self so you can ensure they are getting their taurine.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 23, 2013 18:52:16 GMT -5
Yes, they are all eating hearts but sometimes they don't eat a full one to themselfs. I will add an extra heart I wanted to use them as treats like the jerkey because they like them so much.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 24, 2013 7:55:21 GMT -5
Ahh I see. I just don't want them to have to fight over the hearts if they all like them because someone ends up not getting any, and it is usually the same one every time in the social ladder. I've got a big heart hog in my house. He'll take the whole pile and stash it somewhere.
You can actually buy freeze dried hearts in some stores or online like the liver treats if you wanted something that is more portable.
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