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Post by mjbez on May 19, 2014 16:23:35 GMT -5
That sounds really promising! Even Foster just putting part of the quail in his mouth shows his interest! Come one little guys! Eat some whole pieces for your mom! Whole pieces are sooo much easier.... having 3 on the same diet is so much easier! Keep working at it. With them being young ferrets I would like you to try feeding whole pieces (Like the quail you did) on a day that you can be around to kinda watch them. I don't know where your guys are in the house but when mine were being switched they were in the living room and I could see who ate what. I would be curious if they had nothing else for a meal (or 2) if they would eat the pieces. I had a couple that would hold out for the soupie because they were kinda lazy. However, after about 8-14 hours they were a bit less picky. Of course, this is only safe to do with a healthy ferret with no suspected insulinoma etc.
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Post by kraesmom on May 19, 2014 22:52:43 GMT -5
These ferts are young and healthy, so I don't have any problem with tough love. Tonight was the second time for lamb lung. They aren't fans. Kimble ate some. Avery ate two bites from my fingers and then refused until I added a half cube of FDR. Then he did ok (not great). Foster just said NO altogether. He's going to be hungry by morning, unless he eats the lung OR the chicken wing in kimble's den overnight.
Their FN is in my bedroom.
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Post by kraesmom on May 20, 2014 10:16:41 GMT -5
So, the lamb lung did not go over well. So they had it again this morning (I'm so evil ) I gave them a choice of unaltered lamb lung (no FDR) or quail. Foster turned his nose up and went downstairs to beg for something else. Kimble went for the quail. Avery ate a few bites of lung and then started a tug of war with Kimble for one of the two quail. Kimble stashed it in the den, and Avery went in and took it back out to gnaw on! I picked up a new CGH & it's in the fridge to thaw. If it is soft enough by tonight, I plan to chop it into quarters, and cut one of the quarters into bone-in chunks, with smashed large bones, to see what F&A will do. Avery and Kimble seem to love to eat bird...we'll see if I can get Avery into CGH. Maybe Foster will be hungry enough to join him?
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Post by kraesmom on May 20, 2014 21:46:42 GMT -5
Well, Avery was just crunching away on 1"x1" chunks of bone in CGH! Unfortunately, I'll have to find where Kimble stashed the rest of them in my bedroom before I lock them in for the night. Foster is desperate. I put the cat kibble away, so he climbed up a four drawer dresser to get to it and he licked up all the crumbs and dust on the tray. He also licked all the pear flavor out of an empty bowl on my nightstand.
I created another large den with two holes...hopefully, that will accommodate everyone now. So Foster is the hold out. How long can he safely go on a food strike?
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Post by kraesmom on May 21, 2014 15:46:14 GMT -5
HEDIDITHEDIDITHEDIDIT!!! Foster is chowing down on 1"x1" CGH chunks right now! Bones are crunching and everything!!! Avery and Kimble eat quail The look Avery gives when he wants food Lovely post-raw fur FOSTER EATS CGH CHUNKS Foster is on the left
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Post by mjbez on May 21, 2014 21:56:28 GMT -5
AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! YAYYYYY!!!!! This is huge huge huge progress!!!!! I'm so proud of you for trying some tough love. It's tough knowing that they want "their" food so bad. But maybe now that they tried some yummy bird they will realize pieces aren't so bad!
This is so exciting. Keep me updated on what they all try! Look forward to wonderfully clean teeth for all!
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Post by kraesmom on May 21, 2014 23:10:58 GMT -5
Before After
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Post by kraesmom on May 22, 2014 9:16:02 GMT -5
Foster got hungry this morning and pulled a stinky stashed chicken back out and was gnawing on it when I left for work! (dance) :boing: :banana: I think he has decided that if nothing better is being offered, he might as well eat what's there. I suspect that he's been holding out on me this entire time. My son has always been that way... My daughter will try and try and try until she acquires a new skill. My son, even as a baby, would not let us know he was even working on a skill until he was proficient. The day he took his first steps, he walked 28 of them that evening. When he (finally) started talking, it was in sentences. Foster has apparently been a closet chunk-eater. :thankyou: for your patience throughout
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Post by mjbez on May 22, 2014 20:42:35 GMT -5
Aww Yay Foster!!! He just needed to realize how delicious juicy pieces of meat are!! You are so very welcome. You've been a great mentee and your hard work is showing
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Post by kraesmom on May 24, 2014 9:40:39 GMT -5
Foster is now eating pretty much whatever I put in the dish. Last night, I heard someone crunching on guinea pig. It's about time somebody ate that! I had to overcome a LOT to dress those things.
Foster lost about 2 oz on his food strike, but he is still about 2 oz above where he started and is eating again. Foster and Kimble got to go for walks outside yesterday. Avery doesn't like to be outside at all. He runs right back to the do and begs to go in. I don't know how he knows what the door is from outside, but he does. Lol
I have happy, healthy fuzzes!
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Post by mjbez on May 24, 2014 16:45:39 GMT -5
This is sooo amazing to hear! So Foster and Kimble are eating most everything. How is Avery doing with the pieces? Did he try any gp? I know he tried pieces first but I just want to check if he is continuing to do so. I would like you to start thinking of a menu for your three. Continue to try different meat pieces to see what they all prefer. I recommend still feeding CR or FDR once a week. It's beneficial if anyone ever gets ill. FDR probably would work better but even CR can be diluted to make a soupie to feed to a sick ferret. If they get it once in a while they will continue their taste for the texture if needed. I still feed mine soupie 1x a week for this reason. Otherwise, they can get used to their yummy pieces and refuse their mushier foods. Can you make a list of each ferret and which things they will and won't eat. This gives me an idea if their are any other things we need to work on. But honestly, I think we are getting close Usually the biggest challenges are getting fuzzies to eat their hearts, organs or bones. And it sounds like that is starting to happen for all of them. Are they all consuming all (or most) of the bones they are getting? I know Kimble was from the get go. Your list can look something like this: Kimble likes - Kimble is having trouble with - Avery likes - Avery is having trouble with- Foster will eat - Foster is having trouble with -
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Post by kraesmom on May 24, 2014 20:46:21 GMT -5
Avery has been pretty much sharing kimble's food ever since the quail. He's doing awesome! Not sure how well you'll be able to read this. It is a grid of what they eat. Basically, none of them like red meats like beef, goat, or pork. (Although it is still offered) They will all eat chunks of most, if not all, bone in poultry...and they all love chunks of bone in rabbit. commercial is well received by Foster and Avery. Not so much by Kimble, although he does like FDR turkey and FDR beef/salmon. I have offered frozen mice, which had Avery and Kimble interested, although I found a dried up husk of mouse in the livingroom this week...not sure what happened there. I haven't yet offered mice since Foster started eating chunks...not sure what he'll think about them. They do eat the bones, except for the thick ones they can't chew up. All of them eat their heart/organ purée. Eating their organs tonight: Foster must be tired
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Post by mjbez on May 25, 2014 0:10:53 GMT -5
So now is the time you need to start making up a menu.
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Post by kraesmom on May 25, 2014 8:35:42 GMT -5
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Post by mjbez on May 25, 2014 10:02:36 GMT -5
Just to confirm- mouse, guinea pig, Quail and cfd is all organ inclusive?
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