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Post by Deleted on Aug 5, 2014 8:39:13 GMT -5
Therese, I think you're right-Elvyra would probably enjoy a feeding den. I'll be off work for 2 weeks starting Thursday (Vacation! aka, just relaxing at home!) so I'll be able to really work with the babies We had a little hiccup last night; well actually I guess it started Sunday night. I think I rushed the egg shell drying process because I couldn't get them to powder.(I use a magic bullet blender). I mixed it in with the soupie, but I could see little white specs throughout the soup. At first, everyone had a taste; but it stopped at just a taste. When I put my finger in to coax everyone, I realized it was very grainy So last night, I made a fresh batch of soup and everyone had some, but they were not as enthusiastic about it as they had been? This morning I looked at the dish-still full I'm not sure if I 'scarred' them with the egg shell pieces? Or, this time I did not add an egg yolk-while all last week there was? I'll see how they do tonight. I also made slivers with the gizzards and put them on top of the soup; Elvyra would lick it, but not chew it like she did before? Hmm.....hopefully I can get the babies back on track. I was planning/hoping to have them only eating the soupies by the weekend....... They were out ('free roaming') almost all day Sunday and my husband had them out the majority of the day yesterday- Maybe they were exhausted and off schedule? They were doing so well...I'm a little bummed; BUT I'll get them back on track
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Post by Thérèse on Aug 8, 2014 7:48:13 GMT -5
With a switch there's often a bit of regression here and there but persistence eventually sees raw fed ferrets
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Post by Deleted on Aug 12, 2014 10:23:12 GMT -5
Hi all! It's been a few days since I posted; but the kids are still having just soup. The magic bullet doesn't "puree" so there will be some 'chunks' and I noticed the boys (Zekrom and Reshiram) will chew and eat those. The girls however, will not. I added some slivers of gizzards and chicken thigh (which is what I'm using in the soup) but no one will take those even if I offer. Any suggestions? A plus side though; Zoey will eat from the dish as long as I offer from my finger first AND if no one else is eating from the dish
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Post by Sherry on Aug 12, 2014 18:57:23 GMT -5
Okay, since the boys are now eating those chunks, cut up more about the same size and mix them in. With the girls try using some ground meat mixed in. Sounds like they have decided to be little divas who will need their tiny hands held through this first big change Mix in about 1/2 tsp of ground thoroughly and as they accept that increase the amount by another half tsp every other day
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Post by Deleted on Aug 13, 2014 9:07:49 GMT -5
Thanks Sherry! Should I do ground chicken since they have only had chicken soup? Or should I try ground turkey or beef? I did get a beef heart and tongue (oh my, so huge) and they had blended beef heart in the soup. Zoey enjoyed it once I put olive oil on it; everyone else did well once I put some salmon oil on theirs. I think I'll try separate dishes with the boys and girls. I've noticed Zoey prefers not to have other noses in her way when she eats:)
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Post by Sherry on Aug 14, 2014 21:18:40 GMT -5
You could do either
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Post by Thérèse on Aug 16, 2014 8:49:53 GMT -5
My Sumo doesn't like to eat if anyone else is eating. I think it is because he gets their whiskers in his face unless he closes his eyes while eating. While the others will just eat with their eyes closed, Sumo always waits until everyone else is done. He knows I will always put more out if they scoff it all.
Perhaps Zoey is like Sumo
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Post by Deleted on Aug 22, 2014 14:35:24 GMT -5
Just when I thought I was failing, my babies proved to me that they do love their soupies! I'm not sure if Chicken LEGS 'taste' different than chicken thighs, but the last batch of soup was made of legs and the kids were not having it! I was so bummed! Zoey was acting the worse she has ever been (spitting, gagging, and then would run FROM me when she saw me=I did shed a couple tears)to the point I 'had' to give her kibble since I didn't see her eat anything for almost 2 full days BUT-I made another batch, this time with leg quarters, and I used a different blade for the magic bullet=perfect! This was a great puree and I finally got a mortor&pestle so I've been adding the eggshell powder too Zekrom-ah, what a doll! He will eat until he will pop, Reshiram and Pepper are right there with him Zoey does well if she gets her own bowl and if there's oil mixed in. I noticed Elvyra (who was almost chewing chunks at one point) would not take a lick...unless she too had her own bowl
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Post by Thérèse on Aug 30, 2014 6:50:04 GMT -5
Guess Elvyra and Zoey don't like to eat with the commoners, they are princesses!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 30, 2014 16:36:23 GMT -5
Haha, very true! I'm so excited though; Zoey is finally growing beautiful hair all over her tail! I'm not sure if it's the raw, the Des implant, or a combination! I think the raw, although she still searches for kibble everyday, is making her feel great! She's always giving me kisses and playing with everyone for longer periods! I also cannot remember the last time I saw her head bobbing and flat ferreting! We're at a stand still with the soup though. The ground beef was left behind 3 nights in a row But at least I don't have to have anyone licking from my hands anymore. Can anyone suggest anything to try to get them onto slivers? I also have some chicken backs in the freezer (I have not introduced that at all yet)
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Post by Deleted on Aug 30, 2014 17:19:17 GMT -5
To convince them to eat slivers, you can try a couple of different methods. Pick up someone, say Zoey. Stand at the kitchen sink and run the sliver under some warm water. Then offer it to her. If she turns her head, run it under the warm water again and offer it once more. You can also hold someone, let's say Zekrom-ah this time. Dip a sliver into a little of your new oil, that they like. Then offer it to them. Same thing, if he turns his head, try again. Don't put him down until he takes the sliver. He may just take it and run off. However, getting it into their mouth is almost half the battle. With your bunch, I would pick up some 5 (right) inexpensive flat plates and place them out on a rug. They can each have their own plate and won't be too close to each other. I bought an inexpensive little kitchen mat and can toss it in the washer. Make your slivers long and thin. One of my Mentees ferret, Severus doesn't like slivers, he likes cubes. Experiment with sizes and shapes. Just like us, they all have food preferences. One other small note: Mine really don't like beef. Unless, its expensive tenderloin. Once a week, I give them a beef meal and that's when I pour a raw egg over it. They do really like beef that way. I whip the raw egg up with some warm water until its frothy and pour it over the top. You're doing quite well with the little ones. Good Job!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 8, 2014 14:27:00 GMT -5
Thanks poncesmom! These babies crack me up; some are 'monkey see monkey do' and some are 'no mom, I need the attention, only me!' I got little plates (about saucer size, like for a coffee cup) and no one was a fan of the plates? BUT, when I put the soup into a dish/bowl (it came in a tupperware variety pack thing-I think 30 pieces or something crazy like that) that is an inch on each side and a half inch deep-forget it! No matter how much someone has (mainly Zekrom, Reshiram, and Pepper are my good hungry chunky monkeys), everything I put that little dish down they just have to eat out of it-and usually lick it clean! I'm surprised I haven't seen and fights over the food because they do push eachother out of the way! They all, somehow, find a way to get their tongues in there though Zoey has now started to eat on her own, as long as it's in the little dish (the inch by inch one). She was eat between a quarter and a third of what's in there and then play. After maybe a half hour-hour (when she 'takes a break' from playing), I grab her and put her back fee in my lap and hold her under her arms (when her front paws touch, she hops out of my lap) and hold the dish-she almost finishes it! Oh, there's usually about an ounce in the dish at the beginning. She has chewed (and sometimes swallowed) the slivers of checken and I have been putting in 'larger slivers' of chicken skin.She also has had that. Elvyra started the 'mommy, I need you to hold me too if you want me to eat'- so I also do that too but after about 10 seconds, I can put her front paws on the ground and I sit next to her. Reshiram and Elvra (and sometimes Zoey) try to run off with the slivers, but I can *usually* catch them and I say "no, you have to eat that here"-and they chew and swallow I think at this point I could lessen the soup, but I don't want them to back track-so I'm not sure how to have them progress 'the right way'?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2014 12:56:28 GMT -5
I also want to make sure I'm doing their soup right-I have been making the intro soup receipe (8oz chicken, 2oz liver, 2 oz heart with 2 tsp crush egg shell powder). I make this batch every other day (or sometimes I have made 4 batches and freeze them. But they get a 'fresh' batch every other day.) Is this okay to "split" among 5 ferrets? Should I add more of something? Oh, I also, not everytime but more often than not, drizzle a little salmon oil on top to encourage them. I have not 'had' to do this the past 2 nights, but I always wanted to ask and forgot. Any advise is appreciated OH! And if you have a favorite bowl/dish? Elvyra has started an obsession with flipping the dish the soup is in. I swear she only does it to get my attention because I'll watch them eat for a while and as soon as I turn my back- boom; wonderful raw(thankfully they will eat the soup thicker now) all over the carpet. Ugh, she's so fast about it too. I keep telling her, she's lucky she's so cute!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2014 14:18:06 GMT -5
The babies are still doing well. I blended a porterhouse steak(long story as to why a human did not eat it) and I frozen half of it. I mixed 1/4 steak to 3/4 chicken soup and that went well the first night. I did half and half the next night-also success! I put slivers of chicken meat and skin, hid them in the soup. I caught everyone, at some point, chewing...so I guess I really have to cut back to the soup and up the slivers. I'm hoping someone can chime in on the soup ratio for my 5-should I continue this way? Is the salmon oil okay everyday? I'd love them to start crunching bone-they do not like teeth brushing time
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Post by Thérèse on Sept 29, 2014 6:09:10 GMT -5
Glad they are moving along...kind of bumping this for you , so a mentor or two can deal with your questions
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