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Post by goingpostal on May 1, 2014 22:08:52 GMT -5
Yes they might go a day or two without eating much at all when they start tapering off for spring and probably looking a bit scraggly and thin, I hate this time of year because it makes me so paranoid after winter fat. I usually end up indulging them a bit at first and then they get tough loved. If you want to try him on chicken again, just only offer it for a day and see how it goes, especially how much he eats and how poops look.
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2014 21:30:47 GMT -5
That drives me nuts when they don't want to eat. I have to keep reminding myself that they cut back this time of year and that some days they just don't eat as much. I did notice if they get a lot of the wing tips the poops can look a bit dry. Should I cut back a meal or 2 on the tips? I have been giving George the soup for med time, he seems okay. The menu was a little off this week....I forgot to give them lamb. I think they are all doing okay as far as the progress report goes. May 4, 2014 George: 2 lbs. 11.6 oz. Been eating commercial grind about 2.5 oz per meal, has been getting soup for meds sometimes, seems to being fine with it. Poops are good. Some days more active than others. Miko: 2 lbs. 3.1 oz .Eats great and not fussy. Poops are good. Always busy at playtime. Penelope: 1 lb. 7.4 oz. Eats good. Poops are good. Always hyper Lulu: 1 lb. 8.8 oz. Eating great, still needs a little EVOO, but is doing fine with bones. Poops are good. Plays more lately. Emmett: 2 lbs. 12.6 oz. Eats good, sometimes eats to fast and throws up. Poop are food. Runs and plays Coco: 2 lbs. 5.4 oz. Eats good. Poops are good. Runs and plays. Mikah: 1 lb. 6.5 oz. Eats a lot for being little. Poops are good. Runs and plays. *Noticed when they get wing tips for their bone they eat that before the meat.
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Post by goingpostal on May 5, 2014 20:33:21 GMT -5
What I would do is give the wing tips next to an organ or heart meal, as long as it's not coming out dusty it's probably nothing to be concerned about, seems pretty uncommon for them to get really dry stool no matter what. Or try swapping a wing day with a smashed up thigh or leg, something a bit meatier. Otherwise sounds and looks pretty good, Emmett eating and puking, just watch to make sure it's not a certain meat. I had a boy like that, gobble gobble puke, I think ferret puking is just the freakiest thing ever, really makes you worry. May settle down with time hopefully.
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Post by Deleted on May 6, 2014 18:00:03 GMT -5
Emmett and his puking I think is because he doesn't want the other 2 to get some food and he gobbles it down. He can be a snot, he will take food from Mikah or Coco right out their mouths, so I have to watch to make sure they all get to eat.
I don't think that will work putting the tips with heart or organ meat. They will just eat the tips and let the rest. I have some legs thawed for tomorrow and will just hang it in the cage for them. I will be home all day to make sure they eat it. I get nervous about letting bones in there when they are by themselves. I swear when I am just about comfortable with that somebody gets a bone stuck on the teeth... I still haven't given George chicken (well just the soup). I know he likes chicken, but don't want him to get a bellyache either.
I know what you mean about getting all paranoid when they don't eat. Then they don't poop as much and then I get all freaked...
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Post by goingpostal on May 6, 2014 21:26:53 GMT -5
Oh that's hilarious, taking food out of their mouths! I love how they always think whatever another ferret has is better. Oh and I meant feed organ one meal, wing tips the next, hearts or boneless the next rather than having two wing tip meals side by side or organ/boneless/boneless. Bones are really not too big of a risk, once they learn to chew on their own it's rare to have a problem, I've only had to rescue one of mine from a stuck bone in the roof of her mouth once but was SO glad I was there. I think it's probably more risky when you are dealing with bones we cut or smash for them since they are more unnatural than something they chew but it's hard in the beginning to throw a whole leg bone at them. I always have to leave bone in chunks double time in the cage or mine will ignore it, not wanting to work for food until they get hungry.
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Post by Deleted on May 7, 2014 22:07:29 GMT -5
Wow I was impressed with Lulu and the chicken leg!! She really went to town on it. Penelope on the other hand was being a total blockhead.. and refused to even try any. The rest did real good too. I did notice they didn't eat as much. Is that normal? Tonight I cut the meat off the bone cause they are being lazy at night and going to bed early. All 7 are doing that.
The little pieces of bones that got stuck were the ones they had stashed and were a little dryer.
I thought they were sposed to have bones with every meal, but the hearts, organs and 2 boneless meals a week. Was I doing to any bones in meals? They get bones with the quailand the rest except for the 4 I mentioned before.
I do think the chicken doesn't agree with George. I did give him more soup and I noticed his poops were smaller. I will have to get him some really lean beef and use lamb heart and beef liver to make his soup. I usually just use that for medicine time. And do put some soup on all their foods just so they keep liking it. Speaking of medicine time I better go and get their stuff ready...
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Post by goingpostal on May 8, 2014 19:43:24 GMT -5
It's pretty normal for them to not eat a lot or take more time to eat bigger chunks, lazy is the name of the game. You don't need every meal to be bone in, if you break it into 14 meals, two per day you would want 8-9 of those to be bone in. The rest you need a meal or two of organs and heart and then boneless muscle meat of your choice. On legs mine usually chew off the ends and leave the little middle part, wings I usually find a couple little bone shards left over and that's it.
Your menu plan could use a little more bone in if you think they will accept it for the next week. Now that they are chewing some real bone! If they are going to bed early, you might want to consider leaving in a bone in chunk, some of mine used to love eating about 3am. Used to wake me up all the time because I hook everything and would hear it jangling away while they jerked and chewed.
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Post by Deleted on May 10, 2014 10:15:21 GMT -5
They have no problem with bone!!! Specially at 3 am in the morning, lol. I was amazed how they chowed down the half quail... EVEN Lulu. Guess I can quit babying them. Last night I gave them beef and left it in strips. They wouldn't eat it that way, hubby had to cut it up for them. Then in the cage I had to stop Emmett from trying to take Coco's hunk of beef away. I'm not kidding they were doing the tug of war thing with that piece! Would another organ be considered a meal or should I leave that in the cage for a snack during the day or night? Then I can explore more with organ and figure out what they like. They also like pork, so we get them pork steaks. Can I just give them the whole thing and let them chew on the bone if they want? I don't know if that bone is to hard for them. The menu this week was better. Last week was kinda weird here with stuff going on...
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Post by goingpostal on May 10, 2014 22:42:48 GMT -5
Most people do organ as a meal on it's own so they can ensure it's eaten and not picked around, you can leave it as an in cage snack too as long as they actually eat it and don't stash it. Pork bones they can't really get through, but if they like gnawing on them go ahead and let them, it's great for teeth cleaning, just don't count it as bone in since it's not edible bone. I wish pork would go on sale here, I'd like to pick some more up for my dogs but it's so expensive right now. That menu looks great btw!
I know George isn't doing well so not sure when you will be on but am thinking of you guys, I know how hard it is.
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Post by Deleted on May 12, 2014 13:22:05 GMT -5
George is still with us. His color has improved and he is still eating little amounts, that's better then nothing. Still drinking more water then usual too. I am offering some about every 2-3 hours. I have an appt Tuesday at 1:40. I wonder if it was beef that started this.... he had beef for supper Friday and beef liver Saturday AM. I just hope this isn't the calm before the storm.
The rest sure don't think much of having to chew the meat off a CGH or having to work for their food. I am trying to be strong and making them. Except Lulu, but she is doing great with her bone eating.
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Post by goingpostal on May 13, 2014 20:23:15 GMT -5
They can eat wing tips so they can totally handle game hen pieces, what I would do is offer smaller amounts at once, a little hunger can be a good motivator and if they don't eat it, offer a fresh piece of the same the next time.
So sorry about your George, you are in my thoughts, I know how hard it is to lose those oldies, you really get close to them with extra feedings and attention and it's such an emptiness in the routine to have them gone.
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Post by Deleted on May 14, 2014 15:01:49 GMT -5
They did eat the CGH after I cut smaller pieces and made cut/slits in ot.
This morning they all got quail eggs. Mikah and Penelope didn't eat all of theirs, but once Lulu got going on it she did. The turn around with her is amazing.
I think with the extra grind I am going to put that in when I am gone during the day and maybe at night. They like to have snacks during the day and so far nobody eats the FD stuff.
I totally forgot to do the progress report thingy this week till now... All is the same as far as the eating. Will get weights, but I don't think that has changed much.
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Post by goingpostal on May 15, 2014 20:49:38 GMT -5
Good, glad they ate the game hen after all, big chunks must still be a little more than they want to tackle. The grinds will be nice if you have a really busy time too, I am swamped at work so my cat is getting mostly grinds right now, Hannibal I've been giving whole prey so it can be in there awhile. The dogs are getting fed on crazy schedules, this is when I wish I were more organized.
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Post by Deleted on May 16, 2014 13:21:49 GMT -5
I did notice that them little blockheads prefer eating bone in now. So they are not wanting to eat just meat.... MY GOD they go from one extreme to the other. I have no problem with leaving the meat in the cages, but I am always worried that Lulu won't eat enough. Oh and they have also figured out where to chew to get the meat off the hooks. (headwall) I thought they did REALLY good with the quail till I got the toys out from under the dressers and bed. So I guess they will be getting fed in the cages if that keeps up. The grinds will work good now that the market season for me will be starting. Do you think I should start giving them some now, so I know they will eat it? How long can that sit out? Memorial day I have a dog event, so they will be getting grind for those days in the cage. I just hope that dopey Emmett shares. I think that is why he pukes once in a while, he eats to much or to quick cause he is afraid the others will eat it all or something.
Oh this has been a long week...
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Post by goingpostal on May 17, 2014 21:50:04 GMT -5
Don't you hate finding those surprises? And of course they will beg and act like they are just starving even with food stashed. It's a good sign you may need smaller portions out so you can keep track. Grinds you can leave out up to 6 hours, I recommend less, it gets pretty icky otherwise but is still edible. What I do for grinds is scheduled mealtimes, add a little water if you need to and let them eat as much as they will at a sitting and they will be fine for another 6-8 hours. If the puking is right after eating and that white foamy stuff, that's normally eating too fast, and seems to be something some ferrets just can't help doing.
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