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Post by gfountain on Dec 15, 2014 17:13:33 GMT -5
If it ever happens again (hopefully it won't), if you'll run a q-tip along his gumline it should snag on the bone and show you where it is. I'm glad he's OK.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 16, 2014 14:08:00 GMT -5
Thank Heavens, Zekrom is okay. I know how frightened you must have been. It sounds like you had a good vet and your crisis was averted. You poor thing, that really must have been awful. I have heard of a story here or there, where a bone has been caught in their throat. While it's terrifying, the same thing can happen to a baby who chokes on a grape or piece of hotdog. It's unusual and rarely happens, but it can happen. I'm sure your husband didn't mean to hurt your feelings, he was frightened also. That just means he cares. Thank you! Gosh, I thought seeing Zoey reguritate that bone was terrifying......the Zekrom incident, I could cry all over again! I'm sure (and hope) he's just getting back into the swing of things, but he seems more cautious with food now I did offer some CGH wing (smashed and cut into pieces) and no one ate it. I had the remaining duck neck and I had also smashed and cut up a CGH leg in the fridge, but I put those in the freezer last night. He (and the others) have been chewing chunks and gizzard slices... Maybe they can pick up on me watching them more closely...... Thanks, ya I don't think he meant to hurt my feelings either (I'm just a sensitive soul)-he has said a few times now "I'm so glad my boy is okay" and hugs Zekrom
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Post by Deleted on Dec 16, 2014 14:13:43 GMT -5
Thank you gfountain - that's a great tip! And I really hope I do not need to use it! I don't think my nerves can handle much more, at least not for the rest of the year I was surprised Zoey and Elvyra wouldn't touch the CGH - they are usually the first ones to the plate. I made 5 batches of soup last night-well, chunky pudding 'soup'. Everyone loved it of course but I was happy to see everyone, at some point, chewed a few pieces! Since I had the gizzard slices, I stirred those into the soup too. Maybe I need to rebuild their confidence to chew the bones again? Should I just continue with the chunks and gizzards this week? I have not tried the quail yet - are those 'softer' bones than the duck neck or CGH?
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Post by gfountain on Dec 16, 2014 14:49:31 GMT -5
Sometimes a bone scare will cause problems for quite a while. Sherry had one choke on a bone and I believe it was almost a year before she ate bones willingly again. You might try just giving them the muscle meat again for a couple of meals and then introduce the bone again slowly, as you said to rebuild their confidence.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 16, 2014 15:04:07 GMT -5
Thank you-Yes I believe Sherry said (on facebook) she had to get a commercial grind for her girl since she wouldn't take bones after a scare. Gosh, why must they scare us like that!?!
Do you think I could be making the bones too smashed? (is there such a thing?) Or the pieces too small? Or maybe not smashed enough??
Not only does the situation make me feel bad, but also they were doing so well.....I feel like I'm the one who made them step back... (cue pity party music)
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Post by gfountain on Dec 16, 2014 15:23:25 GMT -5
The bones should either be small enough that they don't have to chew them at all, or large enough that they HAVE to chew. But no matter what size they are, there's always a risk of choking or getting a bone caught. I've had my boys choke on just muscle meat, and many ferrets choke on kibble. The only way to avoid that risk is to only feed soups or grinds, and even with those they can choke if they eat too fast. Once they're more experienced raw eaters, they should be fine. They'll learn to handle whatever size you give them.
I STILL can't keep track of who's who at your house!
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Post by Deleted on Dec 16, 2014 15:35:59 GMT -5
Hmm, alrighty. Like you said, I think I'll stick with some muscle meat/chunky soup this week so we ALL (myself included) can gain confidence again Haha, I really need to post some pictures! I wish I could from my phone since my home computer only sometimes wants to work. (my avatar is my baby Zoey! I just love that picture so much! She was mid-sneeze.....but it looks like she's laughing!)
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Post by Sherry on Dec 16, 2014 19:32:21 GMT -5
It was Suki. She got a bit of lamb neck stuck crosswise in her bottom jaw and she panicked and wasn't able to dislodge it on her own. After I got it out she would starve before she would chew bone again, even though they never again got lamb neck. It was almost a year before she would actually chew bones, and she had been raw fed for 3 years at that point.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 17, 2014 11:48:40 GMT -5
Oh goodness, poor thing! I wonder why/how it happened after being on raw for so long? Thank you @sherry for sharing the story and you're encouraging words! (you too gfountain and @poncesmom!) Even though the kids stay in the apartment, I wonder if they can tell it's getting colder this week? Or if everyone is getting back to normal? Zekrom has been pretty sleepy since the whole incident. He IS eating well though-still a little hesitant, but I'm guessing close to 2 oz a sitting! Gosh is his coat gorgeous! And Zoey's coat and chunky body! I think I'm noticing them more because of the health issues (Zoey confirmed Adrenal and Zekrom, I believe, adrenal). From bare tails and thinned fur...looking at them now they look like kits again! I love it! I NEED to weigh them tonight-even myself I am noticing, I'm getting back into the routine from the weekend. Eating habits though-everyone seems to be eating more, which is awesome! Maybe they all are in winter mode...finally!? Zekrom and Reshiram 'look' to be eating 2oz each per sitting. Zoey will eat maybe 0.5oz of soup because she has a secret stash of jerky I found last night! I heard her crunching and saw a nice little pile (well, probably close to 2oz) of jerkified slivers/chunks. I guess as long as she's eating right? (smh) Pepper looks to be eating 1oz in the morning and 1.5-2oz at night! Elvyra, if I count her stashing(she's so bad-love her to pieces though!) IF I hold her and prevent her from running off, she will eat 1oz. She was funny last night-I watched her for almost 5 minutes running to the dish, taking a mouthful, (not a piece of meat but as much as she could put in her tiny mouth!) and running behind the couch. 5-10seconds later, same thing. After it looked like she took 2 oz, I grabbed her before she could take off again. I picked her up and kissed her neck and cheek and she gave me a look like "okay, you gave me kisses now put me down. I have many things to do this evening mum". So, I sat down and grabbed the dish and put it to her mouth-she grabbed the last chunk of chicken in there (it was mostly pudding with heart chunks/slivers left) and tried to run. I said "nope, you have to chew it here. chew, chew, chew." and she did (mom-1, Elvyra-10) and she licked up most of the pudding and tried taking off with the heart pieces-again, "Elvyra, chew that here" so what does she do. She looked at me, then looked at the dish and spit out the heart! She licked again and then grabbed the heart piece and struggled to get away-I thought, she ate enough, I guess she can hide this one.....so she did (mom-1, Elvyra-11) hehe
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Post by Deleted on Dec 17, 2014 14:49:18 GMT -5
I really love this forum! I have been reading through some of the switching threads (I think I read 5 different ones today) and they are so inspiring! After reading them, I want to get home and love the babies and order everything I can (meat and toys) online! I've been thinking off and on......how difficult is it to get them to eat whole (frozen/thawed) prey? I can't remember if I put in my application if I wanted to do whole prey or not? (I think I did). I want to stick to the frankenprey but maybe a mouse or chick once a week? Pinkies as a treat? Since they are loving the soups, do you just pour some soup on top?
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Post by gfountain on Dec 17, 2014 15:08:24 GMT -5
Whole prey is just like frankenprey, except whole, lol. You introduce it the same way, in baby steps. Sometimes that means chopping up a mouse into tiny pieces, sometimes that means just slitting the belly open. Soup is always a useful introduction tool as is their favorite oil.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 17, 2014 15:23:47 GMT -5
Hmm...I *tried* giving Zoey, Zekrom, and Pepper and mouse (a hopper I think?) last summer; you know, when they were only eating kibble so how hard could it be hehe. I gave it as is, then I drizzled olive oil on it, then I poured half a cup of olive oil on it, then I put an egg yolk on it......I threw that one away and took out another one (I got a package of 3) and cut the belly open......then I put another egg on it and Zekrom licked the egg but that was it. My husband nearly passed out when I told him! The funny part, there's still the 3rd mouse in the freezer (evil snicker) hehe! I should probably just toss that one though...? Would pinkies be an easier start? I think I remember reading they do not offer much nutritional value...
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Post by Deleted on Dec 17, 2014 19:42:56 GMT -5
Pinkies are a treat, like a chick. They need to be an adult animal to provide the proper nutrients. I tried pinkies as a treat and they didn't go over. I didn't push the issue though, their sad little bodies laying around was enough for me.
Each new protein is like starting all over. You just have to coax them and convince them that this new food is actually food.
Juliet took down a mouse that showed up in the house. That mouse was dispatched so quickly, the other ferrets never even saw it. Since it was a wild mouse, we had to get rid of it and Juliet didn't get to enjoy her treat.
Heather talks about playing tug of war with a new food. Maybe you could get a mouse and play tug of war. (giggle) That's a funny visual.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 18, 2014 15:47:50 GMT -5
Tug or war.......hmm..... I might have to toughen up to try that I'd like them to have something for a treat......hmm, one day maybe I finally weighed everyone last night- great great weights!! Zoey is 1lb 13oz(same), Zekrom 2lb 12oz(up), Pepper 2lbs even(same), Elvyra 1lb 15oz(up), and Reshiram 3lb 4oz(up)!!!!!!! We had so much fun last night! I had been concerned that Zekrom wasn't playing much since the weekend so I got out the 'cat teaser' (a pole with a felt string with a felt fish at the end)- clearly the babies just wanted the momma in on the fun! Everyone, except for Pepper, took turns chasing the cat teaser, then eachother, then the teaser, then my leg(they are so gentle with me-ah, loves!) then eachother! I could never get Pepper to chase the teaser-not sure why; so we had tummy rub/bite my hand/play with a blanket time It was so great to see them all play together-warms my heart and soul!!!!!!
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Post by Deleted on Dec 18, 2014 15:57:33 GMT -5
You don't have to do a tug of war with a live mouse. I certainly couldn't. You could try tug of war with a frozen mouse or even gizzards. Those weights are good. Hooray. I'm glad that you had so much fun playing with them. They all love when their ferrent gets into a game with them. Have you tried blanket rides yet? Waggle the blanket, wait for them to jump on and then pull them. If you really want to give them a treat and we all do, some FDR is a good treat. Order a bag of Stella and Chewy's (feline) duck, duck, goose or tummy ticklin turkey. That's FDR and you can drop a few pieces into some water and let them fish. It will be a new food and they may not like it. Wynstan doesn't, but everyone else loves to go fishing. You can also make your own FDR, here is a link: holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/5840/home-freeze-dried-jerky-treats
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