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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2014 20:02:22 GMT -5
This is some new stuff i found---duck, beef tongue, pork brains, quail, and bison.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2014 20:36:43 GMT -5
Oh what good finds! Using what you have and what you just got, build a menu for next week and post. I will look and it and tweak it and you can go from here. The hardest part is understanding the menu and how to balance it and I think that's one of the main thing that's lacking in what your feeding so far. But your girls are already doing really well and on the road to a healthier diet :0)
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Post by Deleted on Aug 30, 2014 20:19:43 GMT -5
Just checking in, how's the menu building goin?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 1, 2014 6:46:55 GMT -5
MENU FOR SEPTEMBER 1-7 1. Ferret's name: Abbey and Annabelle 2. Ferret's weight: 113 114 3. Ferret has eaten "X" amount on average per meal. 4. Stools on various proteins. 5. Activity levels:---------------------------sleeps except for early morn and evenings 6. Weekly menu: Mon AM: quail (bi) -----------------------stools great PM: quail (bi) Tues AM: heart----------------------------Abbey ate 2 hearts, Annabelle ate 2 hearts PM: Cornish thigh and breast +quail------------------------- 2 oz+? (did not weigh added quail meat) Stools: boney but not dry(abbey) dark and loose(Annabelle) ate her hearts at night Wed AM: rabbit (bi) .4 oz (for breakfast gave muscle and bone in) PM: rabbit leg (bi) ----1.6 oz+1 oz (Annabelle only also had about 2/3 of egg after vet visit) Thur AM: liver and pork brains+quail neck(O)------- 1 oz servings (quail neck to counteract organ pooh) PM: quail legs and cornish pieces (bi)------- forgot to weigh again----dab it! Fri AM: rabbit with stock (m)------- tried goat bits but refused it PM: quail (bi) Sat AM: gizzard slivers +(bison) (m)------- fed slivers til full(abbey tasted but anna ate some bison I cooked it to med rare PM: hearts (m) abbey would not eat anything so i gave her hearts annabelle did not want food either (few hearts) Sun AM: 1/2 liver,1/2 pork brain (o),(M) little over 1 ounce each gizzards anna ate 2.5. gizzards abbey ate cut up gizzards PM: chicken thigh cut up EVERYBODY'S STOOL IS LOOSE----- read more: holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/16051/abbeytheferret6s-switching-thread-abbylee22#ixzz3C3uKDXPI
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Post by Deleted on Sept 1, 2014 16:49:54 GMT -5
Had to restock the little saucers in feeding dens with more quail. Unless its under the sheets in their cage, they woke up and ate more food.
Empty plates made me smile. Hubbie is looking for me a cheap freezer on craigslist.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 1, 2014 17:10:06 GMT -5
So just to confirm, is that what they ATE last week or what you have planned for next?
Mon AM: quail (bi) BI meal #1 PM: quail (bi) BI Meal #2 Tues AM: heart Heart meal #1 PM: cornish thigh (bi) BI meal #3 Wed AM: rabbit bits no bone (muscle) MM Meal #1 PM: rabbit leg (bi) BI Meal #4 Thur AM: heart;liver and pork brains (H,O) 1/2 Heart, 1/2 organs (1/2 of which is Liver) PM: cornish back (bi) BI Meal #5 Fri AM: gizzard (muscle) MM Meal #2 PM: crushed chicken neck (bi) BI Meal #6 Sat AM: beef (muscle) MM Meal #3 PM: chicken drumette (bi) BI Meal #7 Sun AM: 1/2 liver,1/2 pork brain (o) FULL Organ Meal, 1/2 Liver PM: quail (bi) BI Meal #8
So that makes 8 BI meals, 3 MM Meals, your required 1.5 Heart Meals and 1.5 Organ (1/2 of which should be Liver). Also, it looks like you have 6 different proteins total, 4 different in the BI area. Normally I would say that you should do one less MM meal and replace it with a BI. BUT it all depends on the poops. If the poops are runny than always have a BI handy to give for next meal if it isn't already. I basically just have 14 meals ready each week with the required amounts (usually 15-16 meals cause I will have few extra BI and MM) and I will give a non-BI meal in the AM (IF the poops look ok) and then a BI in the afternoon to counteract the loose stools that the heart or organ meal is going to cause. If I have given 2 BI meals in a row and see their poops a bit more dry, then I will make sure a MM or heart or organ meal is ready for the next feeding. It looks like you did it, but as a rule I will usually feed a BI meal after every heart and organ meal, no matter what because it is going to cause runny poops. So that is perfect!
This is a really good start! Is there any issues with getting them to eat anything specifically?? Also, when it asked how much they are eating in a given meal, I know it's hard to know EXACTLY how much one vs the other is eating. In this area you can just say how much your given them at each meal (ie 5oz) and if they are only eating about 2/3 of it you know it is X amount, approximately.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 1, 2014 19:09:18 GMT -5
The menu is for this coming week. They have been eating quail today. I did not weigh today's food. But i will start weighing the food. Liver--they will not eat. Beef, I hope they will eat and pork brains they have never tried. So--menu may change. So the beef (muscle) may change to a bone in.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 2, 2014 5:10:22 GMT -5
Messed up and gave babies cornish bone in instead of hearts this Tuesday AM. Will give two bone in Wednesday with rabbit, since ill be giving hearts tonight.
Do I give as much hearts as they will eat?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 2, 2014 22:38:54 GMT -5
That's fine if the menu changes a bit. That's why it's helpful to post a 'planned' menu that you are going to plan on feeding (this allows me to make sure you have the right idea, although I think your really close already) and then one of what actually was fed along with your other questions. Again this allows me to make sure your kids are getting what they need. It's fine to substitute as long as things balance out in the end.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 2, 2014 22:44:03 GMT -5
As a general rule you should always feed them as much as they will eat with any meal, hearts included. At the beginning and during winter colder months this will much more than when they have gotten all those important nutrients back and also hotter summer months. Kits also tend to eat much more. I know Abbey is 5ish (correct?) but how old is Annabella again. I am racking my brain and coming up with 2, but in on my phone and can't look back. Pretty much any ferret over 12-18 months is considered an adult and will eat less. Females tend to eat less also, around 2-4oz a day. That's why, at the beginning until you get a better eyeballing it understanding of how much they eat, it's best to weigh things to make sure their getting enough. And of course weighing them is important too. Of they start loosing some than they need to be watched closely. Especially Abbey as she is older and more apt to having health issues.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 3, 2014 7:07:29 GMT -5
Yes, abbey is 5ish and annabelle is 1.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 3, 2014 7:19:51 GMT -5
Annabelle is getting rabies shot today because she is a biter. If she bites techs who do her nails, we will have to quarantine her for ten days. I am hoping she will settle down over the next year. She hasnt been handled a lot. I'll not give rabies shots again if she calms down. No distemper. I really hate doing this. I think I sit in vet's office for 30 min, afterwards.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 3, 2014 7:37:26 GMT -5
Awwww poor Annabelle and mommy. Shots worry me too, reactions are rare, but they can happen. The 10 day quarantine seems a little much too. Would you have to pay for that? I would maybe offer to restrain her yourself, if you feel you can.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 3, 2014 17:05:03 GMT -5
she went thru it with flying colors,but vet said its the second one that gets them usually if they r going to have a reaction. On the first one their body is doing something another (generating something). sorry i guess i tuned out the technical terms--just remembered wat was important to me. No 2nd shot.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 3, 2014 20:33:27 GMT -5
They have to stay at the vets when quarantined. I bet u do have to pay for the boarding. Who is going to clean ferret pooh for nothin--but mama? haha.
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