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Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2013 14:24:47 GMT -5
If it isn't a BIG holiday then we don't really have/get turkey in the stores. Sometimes the store I go to will have a big turkey breast or will have wings but never anything else really. You buy a chicken here it comes with nothing I asked the lady who does meat because I'm always asking for stuff no one else asks for... and she said he never gets the necks or anything else at all. They do now carry chicken hearts almost all the time and sometimes the gizzards just because I always ask them and I have been going there for almost three years now and everyone likes me and my ferrets there. I have another store I get meat from but most of the meat is about 60% doesn't come from the island it comes from somewhere else in Canada. I know the cornish game hen has everything in there still it may not have the head because it didn't before... but the neck is on there. How do I defrost the hen safe for them? Other then when they are in the ferret room I watch them like there is no tomorrow... Haha, cute ferrets always trying to get in stuff they shouldn't. Ahh, I have safty things on my toilet so they can't get in there and fall. I don't think they will into the bath tub my thing looks like this + I don't think they would/could get bast that metal part... but yes I will watch the babies with my life.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 30, 2013 13:25:54 GMT -5
Any frozen meat can be safely defrosted by letting it defrost in the fridge overnight, or sitting in a sink or bowl full of cold water, changed out for fresh cold water occasionally. Never use warm or hot water. This will partially cook the meat and encourage extra bacterial growth. These rules are actually the standard safety rules for handling human food, but should be applied to your ferret food as well. You can give them smaller pieces still frozen, this can be a popular treat in the summer, watching them trying to nibble on a frozen drumstick etc.
Do you get duck or goose locally? Those are fine ferret meats.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 2, 2013 4:50:05 GMT -5
I always leave all the frozen stuff in the fridge over night I don't like using water or leaving it in the sink. I tried the CGH they did eat most of it but still not really any of the bone. I gave them an egg cracked it a bit they didn't really want it until I cracked it open and only Binxi seemed into the shell she didn't really eat it just took it and hide it places. Goose I'm not sure but I do know I can get duck and rabbit.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 2, 2013 19:43:33 GMT -5
Mine don't eat the shell either, they just crush it and scatter the pieces everywhere so I have to vacuum it up. e_e
They may be lazy right now, you can crack the egg open fully for them for now and try and slowly wean them into doing it themselves.
What does their weekly menu look like right now? Like, are you cable to list what you feed them Sunday through Saturday?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 3, 2013 6:26:54 GMT -5
Haha, yeah my Binxi loved to run around the room with the shell in her mouth she didn't want to eat it just wanted to play with it. I don't think they are really lazy I just think they are little princesses and want everything done for them. Every day they get a chicken wing, two chicken hearts, two chicken gizzards, they get a chciken leg or cut up chicken breast, marrow from beef on Monday Thursday Saturday, eggs on random days but trying to keep it to Tuesdays and Sundays. I throw in random stuff every now and then beef, pork, and only tried two CGH the second time was better. They like when I cut up the meat for them they aren't into working for there food. Also, is this meal plan okay? At least just for now? They aren't really into much other then chicken they do like the marrow.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 4, 2013 5:59:21 GMT -5
They need more organ and bone in their diet, some liver and preferably some other organ as well. (Gizzards aren't organs, nor technically are hearts though heart is essential for taurine.) If they don't like fresh livers you can often find freeze dried liver treats cheaply at a pet store. Just check the ingredients to make sure it's only liver.
Bone you may need to find something that is smaller and easier to eat or buy an ulu knife or cleaver if you don't have one already and chop the wings and such into smaller pieces if they aren't willing to go through the work of chewing the larger pieces up. I cannot stress how important it is to get enough bone in them, calcium deficiencies are serious if they develop and can lead to things like Rickets. Google "swimmer kits" sometime and find a video of it to see how important calcium is.
Eventually you are going to have to find some other type of meat they like, they can't live on just chicken or turkey only. If they ever develop an allergy or sensitivity to the protein or the supply suddenly runs dry locally, or suddenly just stop liking it you will be up shite creek without a paddle if they won't eat anything else.
How old are these new ferrets you're getting?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 4, 2013 18:06:45 GMT -5
Chicken liver will still be good? I could try looking for the liver mostly it's just beef liver I find. The only treats they like are N-Bones but the store almost never has them and I don't feed them treats much. They might like the liver treats I will try looking for some. I have been smashing up the wings now they will eat it just fine... I'm thinking of giving them two wings now a day. If they need calcium can I try and see if they like milk? I hear people feed there ferrets bread and milk that sounds so bad... but if ferrets can drink milk would a little milk for my girls be okay?
Beef just isn't going well with my girls. Pork they nibbled it but left it for the chicken. If I try taking away there chicken and just leave the beef and pork over night then maybe they will start at least liking pork. Does that sound good? Do you think they will be fine over night?
I really want to adopt but sadly there are no ferret rescues out here anymore and the SPCA never has ferrets. I have been looking for unwanted fererts on "selling sites" but as soon as the ad is made the ferrets are already gone adopted out. The age of the two new ones will be about 8 weeks old. I will not be ordering/getting them till about November. It takes them about a month to find my right ferret and now I'm ordering two at once they will have to find the two I want at the same time.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 5, 2013 5:50:29 GMT -5
Any kind of liver is fine, regardless of what animal it comes out of. With liver you just want to make sure you don't feed them too much.
No milk and ferrets are a bad idea, milk and bread is indeed a terrible idea as you've guessed. Cow's milk is too high in lactose, it gives them upset tummies and makes them have liquid poo. If you want to give them something dairy like as a rare treat, goat's milk or heavy cream are alright (much less lactose) but in small quantities. These sometimes still make their poops go liquid. And if you were going to give it, not more than a teaspoon or two once in a while. They don't "need" dairy, their body is not designed to process it.
They need to be eating bone, for the calcium and to help keep their stools firm as well so they don't prolapse. When they have runny poos too often, they can prolapse.
Try taking away their chicken and leaving out a new protein for them to try. If they still refuse to eat it within 8-12 hours, let them have their chicken back, don't starve them. Chances are good you will have to mix the protein with one they like, just like you did with kibble. You will probably need to grind or mince up the new protein. You may be able to have the guy at the meat counter at the store grind up a piece of pork or beef for you. Mix that in with some ground chicken, like 80% chicken 20% pork and slowly up the amount of pork over time. This should work with any new protein.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 5, 2013 20:09:29 GMT -5
I have never tried them with milk but I did hear that goats milk isn't to bad for them. A lady on a FaceBook ferret site said her ferrets drank her whole glass of goats milk and I didn't see anyone saying anything bad about what happened. I may try them with a little goats milk I'm always worried about over/under feeding them I do try and be as careful as I can.
Well, today I started giving them two chicken wings now all smashed up and they like it, it's only 6:00pm now and it's almost all gone... I think I will give them one more before bed at 3:00am. Is there a thing as too much chicken wings?
Well, they still like kibble they don't like treats so I feed them a little bit of Orijen to them I just give them three pieces at a time. I could try mixing the Orijen, chicken, and pork or beef but they really don't like it at all. I know you said cooking the meat isn't good but maybe just to get them to like the beef maybe cook it to like rare? I wouldn't cook any other meat just the beef just until they will eat it.
My girls will nibble/try almost anything but, Marshalls treats and Beef. (disappointed)
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Post by Deleted on Sept 6, 2013 5:45:19 GMT -5
If they want more food, give them more food. It is going to be winter soon and you'll see your girls start eating a lot more and bulking up for the winter. You really want to feed them more than just chicken wings for their diet and give them some variety. Maybe try some thighs. Those are usually cheap because most people hate dark meat. And they have more taurine in them naturally. You can't really give them too many chicken wings, but they're mostly skin and bone with a small amount of meat on them.
You don't want to mix kibble and meat if you can help it as it causes digestive upset, and the same goes for cooked and raw meat.
Have you tried raw hamburger/ground beef? Mix a small bit of that in with some ground turkey or chicken and see if they'll eat it.
Your ferrets are smart, the Marshall's treats are terrible for them anyway.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 7, 2013 22:03:26 GMT -5
I do give them a thighs I said legs that means drumstick and thigh are together... well at least that is what I meant by leg. They will eat the small bones in the thighs but not the big bone but they do pick all the meat off and when I smash the chicken wings and give them the beef marrow they like it. Once a week I think I will get them a CGH.
Well, I thought Orijen was just fine? It says so on the Facebook page I don't use the marshalls anymore.
Yes, that is what I try them with all the time and I buy it fresh. I have tried the ground beef, steak, rib meat, liver, heart, and the marrow and they only seemed to like the marrow. I haven't tried them with ground beef in while so I'll pick some more up for them soon.
I know the treats aren't good for them they came with this ferret pack I won... are the N-bones that bad for them even if I only give them one or two a month?
Also, I want to give you a heads up I have to leave on Monday and I won't be back until Friday but my fiance will be looking after the babies we all live together and they are both are babies I'm just the only one who uses the computer. When I leave I will write a list for him and I will also get him to try the ground beef everyday.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 8, 2013 16:13:04 GMT -5
The n bones aren't technically bad, but they are made of soy and not the greatest thing in the world. Orijen is technically a good kibble, but ANY kibble is bad to feed at the same time as raw meat, because they digest at different rates through the digestive system. Kibble digests more slowly than raw meat, and can basically cause the raw meat to sit there blocked behind kibble with the bacteria stewing in the gut instead of swiftly passing through like it normally would and cause issues. So you want to feed them several hours apart if you're going to feed them in the same day. Enjoy your week away, just let you fiance know if he needs help with an emergency he can post on the forum for help and we'll do the best we can to help while you're away.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 8, 2013 16:50:24 GMT -5
Oh, well I knew the soy was bad for them that's why I won't be feeding them that many.
Okay I understand that sounds kinda gross. I only really feed them a little every now and then. What if I give them kibble and put the beef blood on it so they will learn to eat it?
Thanks! The first day I joined I bookmarked this site and put it on my toolbar I try and get on every day. I'll tell him if he needs help then he can ask here. He feels uncomfortable trying to ask or post anything on the HolisticFerrets facebook page. Agree
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Post by Deleted on Sept 9, 2013 5:48:49 GMT -5
Why would you want them eating the kibble? Isn't the whole point of them switching to raw is so they're not eating kibble?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 9, 2013 11:55:01 GMT -5
Beause they like it and I just want them to eat start eating beef. Only having chicken is boring they didn't really mind the pork but I was just trying to come up with more then just put the meat in the cage.
I can't cook the meat, I can't mix it with kibble, and the only thing I'm hearing is put the meat in the cage I mean there isn't much direction here?
I know ferrets eat raw meat and I already knew that the meat goes in the cage. We have been talking for almost 8 pages now and all I got was put the meat in the cage I know what else?... Please.
I'm not trying to be rude or anything but more then just saying put meat in the cage isn't really helping I mean I come on almost every day just to let you know what's going on and you don't really talk about meat "tricks".
Just putting meat in the cage is not working I left beef and pork in there cage for 9 hours and they didn't eat much but a few bites of the pork.
I'm leaving in an hour and today until friday they will only be eating chicken breast, leg, wings, gizzards, liver, and hearts. I told him to also add a bit of pork and beef everyday just so they can get used to the smell.
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