|
Post by Deleted on Jul 16, 2014 9:43:59 GMT -5
About how long can I leave the soup out before it goes bad?
|
|
|
Post by gfountain on Jul 16, 2014 10:26:44 GMT -5
Soups are fine for 6-8 hours.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 16, 2014 18:49:56 GMT -5
I managed to feed him about 1/2 a soup cube this morning by holding him and getting him to lick a bit off of the spoon. This afternoon, I added about 1/2 tsp of ferretone to a watered down soup cube and he seems to almost enjoy it. I hold him and he licks a few spoon fulls and then demands to be let down.
|
|
|
Post by gfountain on Jul 16, 2014 19:23:14 GMT -5
Yayy!! Good start!
How big are your cubes? We need to get their weight BEFORE he eats and AFTER he eats, so we'll know how many ounces of soup he's getting.
Using the ferretone is fine to get him started. We do whatever works, but you want to slowly wean him away from it in the soup. So next meal, use a little less 'tone.
It's completely normal for him to just eat a little and then go play, and then come back for more. Your next step is to be getting him to eat it from a dish. The way to do that, as with everything else with these little guys and their food, is gradually. Put the dish on a table or the floor or in the cage, and let him see that you're dipping the spoon in there to get his yummies. With each bite, keep the spoon lower and lower to the dish. Does that make sense? He needs to learn to eat with his head in that lowered position. Are you holding him now to feed him? If so, try putting him beside the dish and just keep your hand on his back to keep him there while you feed him.
You're doing great so far!
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 17, 2014 14:38:07 GMT -5
So, I have a few meals recorded in Cloud's food journal. When would you like me to send it to you? Each page of the food journal lasts for 4 days so I could send it every 4 days? Cloud is doing really well this morning! I don't have to hold him and he is eating the soup with the spoon in the bottom of his bowl. Each soup cube weighs about 0.5 oz excluding the extra water and it is almost all gone now. I will start weighing the soup cube AFTER I have added the extra water and ferretone (I forgot to do that this morning so I don't know exactly how much Cloud ate). I'm so proud of Cloud!
|
|
|
Post by gfountain on Jul 17, 2014 15:59:33 GMT -5
Weight before adding the water is fine. Actually better, maybe, because that's the actual amount of raw food he's eating. Half an ounce per meal is good for a beginner, especially if he's eating it on his own from a dish. Does he seem to like it? Every 4 days is fine for the food journal. Just keep me updated on how he's doing with his meals each day. I'm proud of Cloud too, and I'm proud of you! Not many teenagers that I know (and I'm a teacher so I know a LOT of teenagers) would take on the added responsibility of switching a pet to a better diet when it requires as much work as switching a ferret does. Good for you!
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 17, 2014 16:22:23 GMT -5
I would do anything to ensure that Cloud is as healthy and happy as he can be whereas my brother wants nothing to do with pets because he doesn't want to have to take care of them, lol.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 18, 2014 13:39:34 GMT -5
Okay so, yesterday, Cloud weighed 2.381 lbs. He ate about half of each AM and PM soup cubes. Without extra water, the AM soup cube weighed 0.5 oz and the PM soup cube weighed 0.7 oz. With extra water, the PM soup cube weighed 1.6 oz. Both soup cubes contained about 1/2 tsp of ferretone. Today's AM soup cube weighed 0.6 oz without extra water and 1.6 oz with extra water. So far, he has eaten about 2/3. I managed to get him to eat a small chunk of meat from the soup. He is less active today than he was yesterday. I usually can't pick him up when he's sleeping and get him to sleep in my arms but today I could, twice. Both yesterday and today's poops are small and watery. I'm guessing it's because the soup contains a lot of water and because he isn't eating as much as he does with kibble. Other than that, everything looks fine to me. On another note, it's my birthday today! I am now 17
|
|
|
Post by gfountain on Jul 18, 2014 13:57:04 GMT -5
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! :boing:
You haven't taken Cloud's kibble away yet, have you? I'd like to get him eating a little more soup each day before you remove the kibble completely. He should be eating about 3 oz of soup that's not QUITE as watery as we have it right now. But since he's eating this well, start decreasing the amount of water you mix in. You want to work toward a yogurt consistency next.
I wouldn't worry about the lack of activity unless it continues. Ferrets have days when they're just lazy little buggers. Today may be one of those days. If he's sleeping soundly, that could just mean that his little belly is full and satisfied. Poops are going to be smaller with raw than what you're used to seeing. And watery, yes, because you're mixing in a LOT of water right now. Once you decrease that water, they should firm up, but be sure to let me know if they don't. If you're concerned, you can upload a picture of them for me to look at.
You know with raw, he's not going to eat as much as he does with kibble. His little body can use ALL of the raw stuff he's eating, whereas he can't utilize the fillers and carbs in the kibble. That's why kibble eaters have to eat so often and raw eaters don't.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 18, 2014 14:10:19 GMT -5
I give him the kibble back at night after I've taken the soup away.
|
|
|
Post by gfountain on Jul 18, 2014 14:21:08 GMT -5
OK, good. Tonight I want you to weigh the kibble when you put it in, then weigh it again in the morning, so we can see how much kibble he's still eating.
|
|
|
Post by gfountain on Jul 18, 2014 14:21:58 GMT -5
If you're home, offer him the soup frequently throughout the day. Or just leave it in his cage for him. It will stay good for 6-8 hours.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 20, 2014 13:51:26 GMT -5
I'm thinking about just taking the kibble away completely so it forces him to eat the soup; otherwise he might just holdout until night for the kibble.
Yesterday, I woke up kind of late so I only gave him one meal of two soup cubes.
Amount Served- 1.4 oz Amount Consumed- about 0.5 oz Weight- 2 lbs 5.7 oz Kibble eaten- 1.6 oz Poop Type- Small and watery Activity Level: Lower than normal
July 20 AM Meal:
Amount Served- 0.8 oz Amount Consumed- So far, undetermined Weight- 2 lbs 6.0 oz Kibble Eaten: 0.6 oz Poop Type: Small and watery Activity Level: Lower than normal
I will send you the 4-day food journal later on today.
|
|
|
Post by gfountain on Jul 20, 2014 14:38:37 GMT -5
Honestly, I don't think he's quite ready for you to take away the kibble completely. He's an older guy, so it's going to take him longer to get used to the new diet. Try grinding up some of his kibble and sprinkling it on top of the soup. See if he likes it any better that way.
Also, when is the last time he was vetted? Did they test his blood glucose? I'm not worried about any illnesses at this point, but since he is older, we don't want to take any chances with his health.
Smaller, looser poop is to be expected because of the soup. When you say watery, what exactly do you mean.. is there still solid stool or is it all watery? Since he's liking his soup better really runny, we may need to adjust the soup recipe a little to compensate. Let me know or post a picture.
Activity could be down for any number of reasons. You're with him all the time. Are YOU worried about him?
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 21, 2014 18:55:53 GMT -5
Oops I digitized the food journal but forgot to send it, lol. www.dropbox.com/s/c2cmig690k24emg/Food%20Journal%20July%2016%20to%2019.docxAlso, when is the last time he was vetted? Did they test his blood glucose?He went to the vet about 2 months ago but they did not test his blood glucose. Smaller, looser poop is to be expected because of the soup. When you say watery, what exactly do you mean.. is there still solid stool or is it all watery?They are still solid but with more moisture than with kibble. I added about a pinch of eggshell powder to his AM soup. He is usually pretty lazy and I'm not worried about him. Today, I added about a pinch of eggshell powder to his AM soup and I got him to eat 3/4 of the soup.
|
|