|
Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2011 8:58:52 GMT -5
Hi everyone,
I'm a newbie to this board. I actually found it while trying to figure out how to handle my current situation. Here's the story:
I have a lovely, silly little 1.5 year old male ferret. Currently he eats evo, but has taken really well to chicken gizzards, hearts, and wings/legs. I dont have the time to commit to a complete switch to raw, with making all the soup etc, as i am a full time student with a full time job. I am quite aware of the dedication and time commitment that making the switch takes, and quite frankly at the moment i just don't have it. However, i'd like to continue with the chicken parts, and am not averse to picking up different types of meat for the little guy to try when i find them at the store.
My question is this: Given that my guy consistently and enthusiastically eats the chicken that i offer, how much of his diet should consist of it? I usually leave out about a half of a cup of evo, which takes him 2-3 days to finish, then give him hearts and gizzards or a wing. Anyone have any suggestions?
Thanks for your help, cyd
|
|
|
Post by Sherry on Apr 21, 2011 9:42:39 GMT -5
Any way you could simply alternate days? Since he's already eating chunks, you don't even need to bother with the soupie route. The main menu plan for fully raw fed is 4 days bone in(chicken wings, necks, turkey necks, cornish hen, etc.), 2 days muscle meats(no bone, at least one heart meal a week), 1 liver/organ meal a week, and the other meal whatever you like. You could also just take the kibble out overnight, and give him straight raw, and pop it back in during the day. Or even get him on freeze dried raw instead of kibble. And just an FYI- your guy is basically already switched since he's eating meat and bone. All you'd have to do is introduce more variety in proteins, and some liver and make one meal straight hearts
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2011 9:48:26 GMT -5
Agreed. He is already on raw (LUCKY! )
I vote for a freeze dried raw during the day/night, and rotating between 2-3 other proteins the rest of the time. Throw in a organ meal and heart meat once a week, and he's on fully raw.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2011 10:13:06 GMT -5
Thanks for all the help! One more question- as far as the bone in is concerned, he doesn't always eat it all in a day. I give him either legs or wings. sometimes he'll actually pull all of the meat off and leave most of the bone, other times he'll eat the whole thing. On bone in days should i just leave the wing/leg/neck out all day and then toss what he doesn't eat and start fresh? Hearts only and meat days shouldn't be much of a problem, as he goes especially crazy for the hearts, and eats them all the minute i put them in the bowl. Hopefully he'll be fine with livers Thanks again
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2011 10:17:19 GMT -5
If they don't eat the bone after 12-24 hours, I toss the meat and count it as a boneless day. Give another bony meat again and make sure they eat it
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2011 14:00:57 GMT -5
good to know. do you guys ever feed duck necks ? i was thinking of incorporating them as another source of protein. As for the hearts should they come from a multitude of animals of would i be ok sticking with chicken (by far the easiest to get for me)? Im probably going to try to feed duck, chicken and rabbit; since i only have one ferret chances are these will be the main three sources of protein that he gets provided you guys think that's enough variety
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2011 14:04:38 GMT -5
Duck necks I dont have access to, but I feed chicken adn turkey necks. Ducks are pretty much the same The more animal sources of heart, the better.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2011 14:05:24 GMT -5
ferrets need a minimum of three proteins. the more the better. i believe most people have a stable of chicken, as its the most readily available, and whatever else they can get.
|
|
|
Post by Sherry on Apr 21, 2011 21:48:50 GMT -5
Any heart meat will do It's for the taurine, and the more a muscle works, the more taurine is developed. Hence hearts being the ideal for it. Duck necks are good. I don't know about yours, but mine refuse to eat the bone from legs/thighs. I don't know if it's that the bone is too dense, or what, but I finally gave up on trying to get them to eat those. I feed bone with all fowl neck, cornish hen, rabbit, etc.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 22, 2011 8:58:01 GMT -5
Thanks everyone ! One more thing- since my guy already eats raw ( currently chomping away at a chicken wing ) would it be ok to cut the evo out completely from his regular diet and then just start on entirely raw? Sometimes with the chicken wings he'll hold out on eating the whole thing in one go. He's completely healthy, so I think it would be okay for him to go a few hours without eating before he gives in, just wondering what your experiences have been like. I do plan on giving him a small amount of kibble a few times a week; i have this great toy that you fill with kibble and the weasel has to push it around to get it out. Keeps the little bugger interested for hours....literally hours. In ferret time i think that's like what, two years? hahaha. I'm not to worried about effecting his interest in the raw because he's already into it even though he gets the evo as well. Anyway, thanks again for all of your help
|
|
|
Post by Sherry on Apr 22, 2011 9:15:07 GMT -5
Of course he can go straight raw And you can use the kibble in the toy, or you could do freeze dried raw just as easily Here's my basic menu plan for a week, to give you something to work from: Mon: Turkey heart, liver/organ Tues: Necks(chicken, turkey, duck, pork) Wed: Pork chuns Thurs: Whole prey(mice, rats) Fri: Beef chunks Sat: Cornish hen Sun: Rabbit, soup You need a base of at least 3 different proteins. You can tell if they aren't getting enough bone, their stools will be runny. The same if they are getting too much liver/organs.
|
|
|
Post by Sherry on Apr 22, 2011 9:16:27 GMT -5
Also- with raw, I feed twice a day. I make sure I put in enough to last til the next feeding, since raw chunk will last several hours without going bad. In fact- the whole pieces are usually good for about 24 hours
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2011 22:39:24 GMT -5
Just a quick update- got some pork rib tips- gave one to my little monster and he got right into it. He ate about half of one the night I gave it to him. Hooray ! Going to try turkey necks tomorrow morning !! The whole tip is probably 2 inches long, 1 inch wide and an inch thick. Do you think half is adequate? he ate the whole half on his own so i know he isn't trying to hold out, but i worry that he isn't eating enough. Thanks again! Cydney
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2011 23:02:22 GMT -5
my guys love rib tips!!! They tear into them like there's no tomorrow and even though I put enough in the cage for all of them they, with no fail, will all fight over the same peice. For me I always make sure there is food in the cage, if I walk by and I don't see any I'll throw in a couple chicken necks to hold them over until dinner or breakfast...that way I know noone goes hungry. I'm not sure but I think males will eat about 3 oz at a meal (more for bigger guys and less for the smaller babes) if you have a kitchen scale you could always weight the meat to make sure he's getting enough.
|
|
|
Post by Sherry on Apr 23, 2011 23:24:17 GMT -5
A good rule of thumb- if there's nothing left consistently by the next feeding time, you need to give more. If there's a ton left over, feed less. You should ideally only be pulling out a small amount of meat next feeding time.
|
|