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Post by Deleted on Aug 4, 2013 13:24:19 GMT -5
Okay, i think for the time being then i'll just stick to chicken bone and feed other muscles meats. Seems to be working so far Thanks!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 5, 2013 0:32:01 GMT -5
Another way to get around it, is to get more bone in minces or grinds (as I know you feed one already), and have the chicken bone for teeth cleaning. It allows you to get variety in that way, as well
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Post by Deleted on Aug 6, 2013 15:08:56 GMT -5
Teeth cleaning was the initial reason i started feeding raw Im not convinced Jasper is getting the right amount of calcium he needs. I feed them 8 meals of chicken bone a week as you know but his claws are much whiter than the girls, could there be another reason for this or should i up his bone intake a little? Also, does all mince contain bone?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 6, 2013 20:47:02 GMT -5
Not all mince does, it should specify. Around here, "mince" is generally a term that denotes a meat and organ based food, "grinds" usually have bone, but it differs in other areas Are his stools okay? Raw fed ferrets have softer stools (generally) on a balanced diet, but they do have shape. If they're splats or runny, that could be a sign of bone deficiency. I shouldn't think he'd have a much higher requirement for bone, but some do. Is he eating ALL of his bone in meal? You might have to keep a sharp eye on him, and see how much of the bone he's actually ingesting - sometimes they go through phases where they fake you out and don't eat bone. With mine, I realized that was happening with Yogi, because his nails got very splintery. I'd go to clip and they would almost crumble into pieces. He was stripping the meat off, leaving the bone and the others would eat his left overs. If you want, up bone in to 9 meals or add 1/2 tsp eggshell powder to a cup of muscle meat and feed, just watch for constipation. Also, are they eating heart regularly?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 7, 2013 5:12:02 GMT -5
I've never seen a grind before, i will have to keep an eye out. His stool, when he eats chicken bone, are actually pretty dry if you know what i mean, and you can see bits of bone in them. But otherwise, when he eats muscle or organ they can be quite runny. They usually share a dish at meal time, and its not often they sit and eat in one go, usually they graze on it for a little bit, but Jasper does like to sit and eat so he is eating it. Sometimes i do find the odd bone left, but mostly he eats it. I've tried egg shell before and they wouldn't touch it. Maybe i didn't grind it down enough. They love their hearts, they have no problems with that, 1-2 meals a week. Is this enough?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2013 21:39:29 GMT -5
Yes, one to two meals of heart a week is a good minimum (though I do like having at least two), more doesn't hurt them, either. If his stools are exceedingly dry then I would NOT up the bone content. Too much bone is just as bad as too little. If his stools are runny on organ or muscle meat, you can mix the meal (have meat and a bit of bone, but take it from a bone meal). And it can take time for them to get adjusted to eggshell - my guys will eat it in large flakes, but I do like grinding it in a coffee grinder, it's more easily used as a fine-ish powder.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2013 4:09:17 GMT -5
Okay, he really loves heart so i'll make it two a week, and stick to what i have for bone. He loves egg but just not the shell but i'll give it another go :)I think im going to try giving them all their own bowls as well and make two feeding dens, so i can keep a closer eye on what everyones eating. Is there anything else i could be giving them as a natural treat/supplement (like egg), just to mix things up a bit?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2013 1:00:10 GMT -5
Feet (chicken, quail, duck or goose) are great sources for glucosamine and chondroitin. Oils, like salmon, EVOO and even coconut are good for skin and coats. Sweetbreads are great too. Things like freeze dried raw in those parrot puzzle toys are fun for them, and they have to work to get the treats, too, so it offers even more stimulation. Other "treats" can be things like young whole prey (pinkies, chicks, etc) if you can get your hands on them.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2013 1:58:52 GMT -5
I'm not sure what a sweet bread is but I'll give the oils a definate try, thanks! I'm really stuggling with bone meal, I can get the chicken wings easy enough but everyone seems a bit bored with them and pork too, they don't seem overally keen on that so I'm going to try lamb instead I think
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Post by Deleted on Aug 13, 2013 11:35:22 GMT -5
Sweet breads are brains, sorry! Refresh my memory, do they like turkey? Cut up turkey necks are great, and they can eat a lot of the wings, usually (drum sticks are generally a meat meal/activity - stripping off the meat is fun for them, but they don't get a lot of bone from it, if any). Fresh sardines, tilapia and salmon are great snack/meals and might break up the meats they are getting used to. I would just break it up since a lot of fish can make ferrets a little smelly Other meats to try are beef and mutton, venison, rabbit. I think most people typically feed chicken/eggs, turkey, beef, pork and fish because it can be usually found easily
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Post by Deleted on Aug 16, 2013 2:46:17 GMT -5
Oh right lol. They do like turkey, but i've had real trouble finding turkey necks. It was the very first thing i tried to find. I asked my local butcher and he thought i was daft :/ Whole turkeys aren't really something they deal with a great deal outside of the holidays and its not something i've seen in the supermarkets either. I might try the drumsticks though as a group bonding activity. I've tried salmon but they weren't too keen, and i've tried small amounts of mackerel which they liked, but that was tinned and before i knew it was bad for them; they haven't had it since. I'd love them to try rabbit, but i have a feeling the butcher might give me a whole one >_< I shall have to find out.
I'm still totally baffled by his claws. Its only his back ones which are whiteish. But i have discovered that he doesn't like to eat chicken straight from the fidge, he'd rather leave to go warm and a bit stinky before he eats it. Everything else he is fine with eating cold, just not chicken. Chicken feet is something i know i can get hold of, so i'll try that and hopefully it will taste different.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2013 19:49:13 GMT -5
Turkey necks (well, and unenhanced turkey at all), here, are difficult to find, too, so I feel you. For our guys, we have to use online and wholesalers (we just recently got 80 lbs of turkey tails online, hahaha). If you can get your hands on duck or goose, that's also another option Are his claws kind of crumbly or splintery when you trim them? Also, how old is he again?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2013 13:22:20 GMT -5
We have the smallest freezer ever, so ordering online in bulk isn't really an option His nails aren't crumbly but they do have a tendency to splinter. He's a rescue so we aren't sure, the gestimate is he is around 2 years old.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2013 18:45:51 GMT -5
For his nails, what kind of clippers do you use? If they're old, they can splinter, and if his nails grow quickly, they can splinter as you cut because of the length. Right now, you can use a bit of vitamin E rubbed into his nails and paws and see if that helps, as well.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 20, 2013 12:10:18 GMT -5
We've had them since December, they were the only ones the store had for small animals, i don't think they were very expensive. I'll try the vitamin E though if i can find it, thanks
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