Post by Deleted on Apr 4, 2014 3:38:46 GMT -5
Hi Nicole!
So I got some answers regarding the feeding den. So generally, a feeding den is a dark area or space where your fuzzbutts can eat and/or stash their food instead of stashing it elsewhere. It can be a cardboard box or a plastic container left either inside their cage or it can be outside of the cage in the area where you feed them. I went out searching for different ideas on feeding dens so you can have an idea, so the following is what I was able to find you:
Pictures of feeding dens: holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/4544
Purpose of feeding dens: holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/6825
Problems with feeding on hooks: holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/4687
Trying to get them to eat in the feeding den: holisticferret.proboards.com/thread/6822
Hope these threads help answer some questions regarding feeding dens and how to make one. If not, I'll do some more digging and asking around.
Yeah, no vomiting or anything with the hearts. I wish I had chicken hearts! The only heart I can find anywhere is veal heart and it is the size of my head. Smaller hearts would make things much easier but I’m happy I can find what I can. They had chicken livers for the first time last night and as excited as they were for their dinner they tried to turn their noses up at it. But their tummies eventually got the better of them and they all ate and it was almost completely gone by morning.
Yay! They're getting accustomed to eating their organs and keeping them in! (dance) That's awesome progress. As far as hearts, you get what you can. I have chicken hearts but no liver over here. Trade ya! lol. Liver, from what I've heard, is hard to get them to eat because of the smell so awesome job! :boing:
Good to know about the teeth in regards to grinds. I actually bought them a toothbrush and paste set but admittedly only did it a couple times. I think I’ll hunt that thing down soon.
What paste did you get? Just wondering. I mean, if you're feeding them other meats like the gizzards you mentioned after they have some beef grinds, their teeth should be fine. We only recommend teeth brushing to ferrent who only feed grinds. My pet carnivore sells complete rabbit grinds. Includes all organs, bones, etc. So the ferrets are munching on soft food. Nothing is being fed that wil rub up against their teeth. But, Just in case... here's a video on how to brush teeth:
I think they sell whole Cornish hens by me, I’m pretty sure I’ve seen them. I made a trip to the market and got some chicken livers (the live in their stew is beef) and pork ribs! I never thought to feed ribs before but I will make that my next bone-in meal. I think I’ll try to mash the bones up with a meat tenderizer. Callisto was going to town on a chicken bone he found in the stew this morning so I guess this transition won’t be too bad after all. I saw some chicken feet as well that I plan on getting next time if I can remember.
Ooh. That's great then. You can chop the cornish hen up in sections and feed it. Regarding the pork ribs. You can have them eat the meat around the ribs and the rib tips are generally cartilage. That will most likely be easier for them to chew on them the rib bone. Chicken feet are greaaat! You can definitely buy those, just when you feed it... you have to add on boneless meat. Don't forget that or their stools may be too dry because they got too much calcium from the feet and no meat.
So… would that be only to the bone-in meals or all meals? Thanks for looking into the feeding box thing. They’re ok now but if I did something like chop a Cornish hen in quarters I would definitely need something like that. They all really like eating in empty soda 12 pack boxes but I have to throw them away after a little while so it doesn’t get all smelly and filled with bacteria. And I can only drink so much soda, lol.
So far, I believe only 1 of the your 3 actually eats bone. Or do they all eat bones when they want to? Let me know. The transition could be easy for Callisto but since the Rhea and Portia aren't eating any bone (I'm assuming that they haven't touched any bone at all) let's assume that all of them aren't getting enough bone in their systems. So, since they're on this AM stew/ PM separate organ schedule, add 1/2 tsp (for every 8oz of meat) of eggshell powder OR bonemeal powder to their AM stew. So weigh out the total amount of stew you're giving them and add the powder accordingly. So example, the stew weighs 4.5 oz, so you'd just add 1/2 tsp of the powder and make sure to mix it in well and that it sticks to the meat. This ensure that they're ALL getting 1/2 tsp of calcium per day (So since they're getting 7 stew meals, they're getting 7 bone-in meals--per se). Also, while you're doing this make sure to check stools. If they're runny or not 'normal' then you can add powder to one of their PM meals to make the bone-in meal count up to 8 and so on. If they're too dry, then back off of powder for one of the 7 days. Oh before I forget... Here is a link to what raw fed ferret's poops should look like:
img.photobucket.com/albums/v319/withloveandsqlr/fh%20images/poopchart1normal.png
So this is what they should be getting into their system every week:
So all their meals should equal to 14 meals. For example, you fed 8 bone-in meals + 1.5 heart meals + 1.5 liver/kidney meals, that equals 11 meals so in order to bring the meals up to 14 you have to feed 3 boneless muscle meals. This can be ground beef, chicken breast, etc. So everything has to equal 14 meals (2 meals a day x 7 days = 14)
Here is an example template. Your feeding schedule does not have to be like this one. Bone-in meals depends on your ferts stools:
Monday am: edible bone in meat
Monday pm: edible bone in meat
Tuesday am: edible bone in meat
Tuesday pm: muscle meat
Wednesday am: edible bone in meat
Wednesday pm: heart
Thursday am: edible bone in meat
Thursday pm: edible bone in meat
Friday am: edible bone in meat
Friday pm: 1/2 heart/ 1/2 liver
Saturday am: edible bone in meat
Saturday pm: muscle meat
Sunday am: edible bone in meat
Sunday pm: liver/organ mixture
Technically, I don't make up the schedule for you. You go out shopping, buy what you need (bones, hearts, liver, organ, etc) and then we can plan out a meal together until you get the hang of how to prepare and balance out a food schedule. I don't know what is available in your area and that's one of the main reasons why I cannot prepare a schedule out for you. When you go out shopping, you can email me and ask me whether something is okay to buy. Once you have everything at home, give me a list of everything you got and from there we can plan out their schedule then you can chop and package everything accordingly.
Thanks for separate contact info, I may just use it lol. I’m in Chicago so I’m actually only about an hour different I think. I am a full time nursing student and volunteer part time at a ferret shelter near me so I take my free moments when I can get them lol. I usually read what you write pretty quick but actually sitting down to type a response sometimes has to wait until the evening.
No problem. I'm always here to help you and shopping alone sucks. Been there and I wish I could've had some help since everything was pretty new to me, so go ahead and email if you want. I have never been to chicago, been to peoria but never made it to chicago lol. I wonder if it's similar to nyc, I'm originally from there. Miss it sometimes but ferrets are illegal over in NYC so, I'm not planning on moving back unless I find a job over there. Even then, I might just live in the state and drive to the city. Who knows. You have a lot on your plate. Nursing is very time consuming and you volunteer. Wish I could do that! The nearest shelter we have is about a 30-45 min drive (1 county over). That's nice that you help them out. It's tough. I help out nursing students from time to time at my job. I'm a chemist and when I had my 2 kids still running around I was a chemistry student, working in a lab, and researching. It was nuts but still made time for them.
Can you also give me a weekly diet that would not include the stew? I plan on doing some shopping this weekend and hopefully get all or most of the things they would normally be eating
So, I kinda answered this above with the template schedule. I planned out the previous one with the stew so that it wouldn't go to waste! Lol. Not sure how much you have left. So things they should be eating... liver, hearts, bones, muscle and some other type of organ (http://holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/13628/defines-nutritional-organ-meat). Of what protein, whatever you can find as long as they're getting a minimum of 3 protein sources.
So I got some answers regarding the feeding den. So generally, a feeding den is a dark area or space where your fuzzbutts can eat and/or stash their food instead of stashing it elsewhere. It can be a cardboard box or a plastic container left either inside their cage or it can be outside of the cage in the area where you feed them. I went out searching for different ideas on feeding dens so you can have an idea, so the following is what I was able to find you:
Pictures of feeding dens: holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/4544
Purpose of feeding dens: holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/6825
Problems with feeding on hooks: holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/4687
Trying to get them to eat in the feeding den: holisticferret.proboards.com/thread/6822
Hope these threads help answer some questions regarding feeding dens and how to make one. If not, I'll do some more digging and asking around.
Yeah, no vomiting or anything with the hearts. I wish I had chicken hearts! The only heart I can find anywhere is veal heart and it is the size of my head. Smaller hearts would make things much easier but I’m happy I can find what I can. They had chicken livers for the first time last night and as excited as they were for their dinner they tried to turn their noses up at it. But their tummies eventually got the better of them and they all ate and it was almost completely gone by morning.
Yay! They're getting accustomed to eating their organs and keeping them in! (dance) That's awesome progress. As far as hearts, you get what you can. I have chicken hearts but no liver over here. Trade ya! lol. Liver, from what I've heard, is hard to get them to eat because of the smell so awesome job! :boing:
Good to know about the teeth in regards to grinds. I actually bought them a toothbrush and paste set but admittedly only did it a couple times. I think I’ll hunt that thing down soon.
What paste did you get? Just wondering. I mean, if you're feeding them other meats like the gizzards you mentioned after they have some beef grinds, their teeth should be fine. We only recommend teeth brushing to ferrent who only feed grinds. My pet carnivore sells complete rabbit grinds. Includes all organs, bones, etc. So the ferrets are munching on soft food. Nothing is being fed that wil rub up against their teeth. But, Just in case... here's a video on how to brush teeth:
I think they sell whole Cornish hens by me, I’m pretty sure I’ve seen them. I made a trip to the market and got some chicken livers (the live in their stew is beef) and pork ribs! I never thought to feed ribs before but I will make that my next bone-in meal. I think I’ll try to mash the bones up with a meat tenderizer. Callisto was going to town on a chicken bone he found in the stew this morning so I guess this transition won’t be too bad after all. I saw some chicken feet as well that I plan on getting next time if I can remember.
Ooh. That's great then. You can chop the cornish hen up in sections and feed it. Regarding the pork ribs. You can have them eat the meat around the ribs and the rib tips are generally cartilage. That will most likely be easier for them to chew on them the rib bone. Chicken feet are greaaat! You can definitely buy those, just when you feed it... you have to add on boneless meat. Don't forget that or their stools may be too dry because they got too much calcium from the feet and no meat.
So… would that be only to the bone-in meals or all meals? Thanks for looking into the feeding box thing. They’re ok now but if I did something like chop a Cornish hen in quarters I would definitely need something like that. They all really like eating in empty soda 12 pack boxes but I have to throw them away after a little while so it doesn’t get all smelly and filled with bacteria. And I can only drink so much soda, lol.
So far, I believe only 1 of the your 3 actually eats bone. Or do they all eat bones when they want to? Let me know. The transition could be easy for Callisto but since the Rhea and Portia aren't eating any bone (I'm assuming that they haven't touched any bone at all) let's assume that all of them aren't getting enough bone in their systems. So, since they're on this AM stew/ PM separate organ schedule, add 1/2 tsp (for every 8oz of meat) of eggshell powder OR bonemeal powder to their AM stew. So weigh out the total amount of stew you're giving them and add the powder accordingly. So example, the stew weighs 4.5 oz, so you'd just add 1/2 tsp of the powder and make sure to mix it in well and that it sticks to the meat. This ensure that they're ALL getting 1/2 tsp of calcium per day (So since they're getting 7 stew meals, they're getting 7 bone-in meals--per se). Also, while you're doing this make sure to check stools. If they're runny or not 'normal' then you can add powder to one of their PM meals to make the bone-in meal count up to 8 and so on. If they're too dry, then back off of powder for one of the 7 days. Oh before I forget... Here is a link to what raw fed ferret's poops should look like:
img.photobucket.com/albums/v319/withloveandsqlr/fh%20images/poopchart1normal.png
So this is what they should be getting into their system every week:
- 7-9 bone-in meals (depends on their stools. Too soft = more bone, too dry = less bone. So if their stools are fine with 7 bone-in meals, then 4 of those meals have to be boneless muscle meal. More on this later)
- 1.5 heart meals
- 1.5 liver and other organ meals (where half is liver and the other half of those meals is another organ (such as kidneys, spleen, pancreas, brain, etc)
So all their meals should equal to 14 meals. For example, you fed 8 bone-in meals + 1.5 heart meals + 1.5 liver/kidney meals, that equals 11 meals so in order to bring the meals up to 14 you have to feed 3 boneless muscle meals. This can be ground beef, chicken breast, etc. So everything has to equal 14 meals (2 meals a day x 7 days = 14)
Here is an example template. Your feeding schedule does not have to be like this one. Bone-in meals depends on your ferts stools:
Monday am: edible bone in meat
Monday pm: edible bone in meat
Tuesday am: edible bone in meat
Tuesday pm: muscle meat
Wednesday am: edible bone in meat
Wednesday pm: heart
Thursday am: edible bone in meat
Thursday pm: edible bone in meat
Friday am: edible bone in meat
Friday pm: 1/2 heart/ 1/2 liver
Saturday am: edible bone in meat
Saturday pm: muscle meat
Sunday am: edible bone in meat
Sunday pm: liver/organ mixture
Technically, I don't make up the schedule for you. You go out shopping, buy what you need (bones, hearts, liver, organ, etc) and then we can plan out a meal together until you get the hang of how to prepare and balance out a food schedule. I don't know what is available in your area and that's one of the main reasons why I cannot prepare a schedule out for you. When you go out shopping, you can email me and ask me whether something is okay to buy. Once you have everything at home, give me a list of everything you got and from there we can plan out their schedule then you can chop and package everything accordingly.
Thanks for separate contact info, I may just use it lol. I’m in Chicago so I’m actually only about an hour different I think. I am a full time nursing student and volunteer part time at a ferret shelter near me so I take my free moments when I can get them lol. I usually read what you write pretty quick but actually sitting down to type a response sometimes has to wait until the evening.
No problem. I'm always here to help you and shopping alone sucks. Been there and I wish I could've had some help since everything was pretty new to me, so go ahead and email if you want. I have never been to chicago, been to peoria but never made it to chicago lol. I wonder if it's similar to nyc, I'm originally from there. Miss it sometimes but ferrets are illegal over in NYC so, I'm not planning on moving back unless I find a job over there. Even then, I might just live in the state and drive to the city. Who knows. You have a lot on your plate. Nursing is very time consuming and you volunteer. Wish I could do that! The nearest shelter we have is about a 30-45 min drive (1 county over). That's nice that you help them out. It's tough. I help out nursing students from time to time at my job. I'm a chemist and when I had my 2 kids still running around I was a chemistry student, working in a lab, and researching. It was nuts but still made time for them.
Can you also give me a weekly diet that would not include the stew? I plan on doing some shopping this weekend and hopefully get all or most of the things they would normally be eating
So, I kinda answered this above with the template schedule. I planned out the previous one with the stew so that it wouldn't go to waste! Lol. Not sure how much you have left. So things they should be eating... liver, hearts, bones, muscle and some other type of organ (http://holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/13628/defines-nutritional-organ-meat). Of what protein, whatever you can find as long as they're getting a minimum of 3 protein sources.