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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2013 16:37:52 GMT -5
Whew, so glad their weights are ok!!
Yes, Merlin is very picky, but he does surprise me when I least expect it. Hermes wasn't interested in breakfast this morning (which, by the way, I hand chop each morning, the chop and freeze wasn't working for them, brats!!) but Merlin chowed down on the slivers. Not all, but a decent amount for him. Still turns his nose up at chicken bones, wingtips, broken open. I try to do whatever it takes to encourage him, but he's just not interested. Only when I dab a bit of ferretone on them will he even go near them. I know, Emu Oil is better, but I'm using up what I had from the other kids.
The slivers are a little bigger about 1/4"-1/2". Now, I have to admit that they will both try to carry them off. I have put up the baby gates, but Hermes just goes over a double gate with no trouble, and my kitchen has 2 entrances, exits!! Bugger!! [Funny, he also clears the bathtub without a hitch. His favorite place to go, loves it if there is water, or not, he's a tub man!! He likes to jump up the back of the tub, then slide down and do it all over!!]
They are getting a tad better about running completely away though. They just take it from their food mat to the floor, unless the pieces are just too big.
I did see kidneys at Publix, just didn't get them. Going tonight, and will check them out. Want to get turkey thighs, and maybe chicken feet, they have them sometimes. Wings for sure. I have some chicken breasts w/bone. I'll cut them into pieces with meat and see what Hermes does.
Just for reference, though, what size pieces of bone should I give them? I worry about slivers sticking in their throats!!!
I printed out Sherry's Frankenprey list and I'm taking it with me to store. then on fridge! Great to have!!
Thanks again!!
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Post by Deleted on May 23, 2013 10:03:52 GMT -5
The boys had fresh turkey breast and fresh beef kidney (barf) for dinner last night. They took right to the kidney and were hesitant about the turkey!! Hermes' fur is looking better every day. Less and less "orangish yellow". Merlin is looking very shiny too
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Post by miamiferret2 on May 23, 2013 13:21:08 GMT -5
i'm so glad! we are getting there. we just need to get them eating bones. you are doing a great job. you remind me of me after I lost Lemmy (he had insulinoma, adrenal and a slew of other problems caused by the medications etc.) I was just as determined as you to do right by any future ferrets that I brought into my house. you are just as determined as I was. you should continue to see improvement in their coats and in their muscle tone. no kibble fed ferret's coat can compare to a raw fed ferrets coat. they are better hydrated and they get so many natural vitamins and minerals from their food that of course it is going to show in their coats.
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Post by miamiferret2 on May 23, 2013 13:26:13 GMT -5
as for what sized bones, poultry bones are smaller so easier for them. they cannot eat big bones like from beef. too big. so any small bones from poultry. thighs, wings, necks, rib cage, backs. the same motion that they make with their jaws to slice the muscle meat before they swallow it is the same way that they will break up the bone. they just chew chew chew until it is all broken up. if you get them eating bone in meats, they can't swallow them so fast that they will cause damage from bones. they have to chew and break everything up before they swallow. when you make soupies or raw mush, should only use ground bone (such as what is found in stella and chewys, bravo, natures variety instinct, etc) because when they eat soup or ground raw much they tend to eat fast when they are hungry. they kind of just lap it up and no chewing involved.
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Post by Deleted on May 23, 2013 16:04:49 GMT -5
I'm not making mush or soupies anymore. Should I be? Yeah, obviously, I was thinking that poultry bones would be best. I mean, dogs even have trouble with beef bones. Hermes likes wings and chews the bones nicely. Even his poop is in normal shape, and I was kind of wondering about that. But he is fine.
Merlin is my slow boy. He just does everything more deliberately and that's fine. I sure don't want to rush him into anything. I want him to ENJOY eating. Which he does. They certainly do eat raw quite differently from kibble! It has always been that my ferrets have eaten most all of their meal at one time eating kibble. I notice these guys will eat, go play, come back, eat, go play all within about an hour, and after an hour, they are done, whether the bowl is empty, or half-full.
I have also had to put all the meat into one larger bowl (low sides, but larger circumference) because they want to eat together, not in separate bowls as when Merlin was lagging way behind. Awwww. So, now it's not as easy to tell how much each one ate. But, I am usually in the kitchen with them when they eat, so I get a pretty good idea.
Yes ma'am! You are right!! I went through 2.5 years (almost) of chemo, drugs, etc., with Spencer and I never, ever want to go back there. And Priscilla, at 3 having a huge pancreatic tumor, I just hate it. I wish I had started them both from adoption on raw, but I didn't know anyone who was feeding raw when I adopted Spencer, didn't even know much about it, and I wasn't on FB til 2010.
Today is different, and I will not stop pursuing the best health and nutrition I can for them. It's all about responsible animal ownership, and the best life they can have!
Thanks to the devoted individuals like you, we novices can learn and spread the word. I even hate to dogs and cats eating kibble. Makes me sick!!
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Post by Deleted on May 24, 2013 13:11:45 GMT -5
I believe Hermes is the one who has green poop diarrhea. He isn't eating. Anything I should do, or watch for?
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Post by miamiferret2 on May 26, 2013 23:09:02 GMT -5
Oh sorry I could not load the forum for some reason. I responded on FB though. How are his poops? Did he eat after that? No if they are on chunks and you are moving them into bone in meats like wings and thighs there is no need to make raw mush or soup. But you still have to put the eggshell on there if they are not yet eating bone (merlin that is).
How are they doing with their chunks and bones?
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Post by Deleted on May 28, 2013 14:00:25 GMT -5
His poops have resolved themselves. He's eating again.
They are eating much bigger chunks. I'd say 1/2" at most, 1/3" at least.
No bones yet. Publix only carries chicken feet when they feel like it, and did see some at Winn-Dixie, but they looked hideous, freezer burn, only one package. Yep, I'm still adding crushed egg shell. Now, here's a tip for some of your mentees, if you feel it's sufficient to pass on.
If you buy pig tails, (at least at Publix), there are pieces of bone kinda like tailbone that's sliced lengthwise, and you can cut it into small (1/2") chunks that have gristle and bone in it. They chew it with their molars. Mine love pork.
Gotta get turkey/chicken necks. Freezer's just full of goat milk cubes, pork and turkey!!
Merlin isn't onto bones yet. I'm kinda pushing the gristle pieces, but he's resisting. Still, he's eating much larger chunks of meat (dance)
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Post by miamiferret2 on May 29, 2013 7:45:40 GMT -5
Saw your pic on Facebook and So glad merlin ate some bone!! It is a start.
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Post by miamiferret2 on May 29, 2013 7:46:25 GMT -5
I have never seen pig tails at publix before!
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Post by Deleted on May 29, 2013 10:10:00 GMT -5
Ha ha! Yep, found pig tails (feel bad for the piggies) at Publix. Gross, but it's pork with bone and fat. They really like pork. One note of interest. Last night I had chicken breasts on the grill. Before grilling, I cut off the rib bones and cut them into 1/4" pieces with the meat. As you saw on FB, they LOVED the bones. Even Merlin. One interesting thing I did learn was how much they enjoy chicken. I bought turkey thighs last week instead of chicken, and it took them some getting used to. I added some chicken meat to the bones last night and they ate every bit. When I replaced the chicken with turkey, they were clearly disappointed! (disappointed) I'm so inspired now, I want to buy all kinds of fowl with bones for them. I don't buy CGH often for me, but I want to buy them for the boys. Now, ya know, I've got a "herd" of huge pigeons that come to my feeders every morning creating chaos. Uh, just sayin............... Will post their weights tomorrow.
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Post by miamiferret2 on May 29, 2013 19:47:30 GMT -5
I would consider the pig tails to be bone- in meat I guess.
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Post by Deleted on May 30, 2013 9:55:24 GMT -5
Weighed the boys last night. The do feel bigger, and have been eating more raw, less freeze dried raw Hermes: 3.30 lbs. Merlin: 3.10 lbs.
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Post by miamiferret2 on May 31, 2013 8:16:40 GMT -5
That is good! Good healthy weights for neutered boys. How is Merlin doing with his chunks and bones?
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Post by Deleted on May 31, 2013 14:04:24 GMT -5
Merlin is doing pretty well with his chunks. I keep enlarging them gradually slipping them in with smaller chunks. He will occasionally just gulp the bigger ones down, but usually prefers to stand with it hanging out of his mouth almost paralyzed, then he drops it and chews it up. Better than before when he would just drop them and not eat.
I am having trouble with him at night. He clearly doesn't eat enough during meals, and although I let the bowl sit out for about an hour, he isn't eating more. He waits until after midnight, usually around 3am to get hungry and will almost tear the food bowl out of the cage until I crawl out of bed and give him something! They get Stella & Chewys at bedtime (8-9pm) but Hermes eats everything in the bowl so there's nothing left in early morning.
Now, Merlin has decided he's tired of DDG! I purposely bought a lb. bag so I wouldn't have to go and pick up more. ERR. Any suggestions?
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