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Post by gfountain on Sept 17, 2014 15:33:22 GMT -5
How's it going with August's menu? And tomorrow is 'new baby day', isn't it?! So exciting!! Can't wait to see pictures of the new little one
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Post by Deleted on Sept 18, 2014 13:44:42 GMT -5
New baby!!! He's so sweet and I'm so happy that I actually cried out of happiness today. I have waited so long for him, my pastel boy. He is almost 2 months old. I love him so much already, it's just crazy!! I gave him a little bit of duck neck as his first meal here. He attacked it like a real carnivore. Bones were too hard for his tiny teeth though, I will try with mice tomorrow, he should be able to crack these bones I think? August is a little confused about him and when I introduced them to each other, August bite him pretty hard. I keep them apart now and will try again tomorrow. I'm a little scared that August will hurt the little guy.
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Post by gfountain on Sept 18, 2014 14:40:08 GMT -5
He's GORGEOUS!! I think I need to smooch that nose... Oh wait, you're on the other side of the world. YOU smooch that nose for me! He is so beautiful! Does he have a name yet? Neck bones are a little hard to crunch I think. You should be able to put him right onto August's menu though, just watch to make sure he's eating everything. And he will most likely eat 2-3 times MORE than August does right now. As far as introductions go, the general rule is let them work out their dominance issues. As long as there's no fear pooping and no blood, they should be fine. Poor August is going to have to learn to share his home, his food, and his mommy so be sure to give him some extra lovings for the next few days or weeks. I am in love with your babies!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 19, 2014 5:24:37 GMT -5
Thank you very much!
New baby currently isn't eating.. at all. He didn't touch the necks yesterday so I replaced them with one mouse. He ate most of it overnight. But today he haven't touched anything. I gave gim chicken wing tip but he only licked it, so I made the whole wing into a soup but he doesn't touch it at all. He is sleeping now but I left the soup on hoping he will eat some of it later.
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Post by gfountain on Sept 19, 2014 14:02:34 GMT -5
That's not good! What was he eating before he came home?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 19, 2014 14:23:54 GMT -5
Breeder said that he ate Royal Canin kibble and also raw meat. She said raw meat was 1/3 of his diet. I also offered him some kibble, but instead of eating it, he started digging in it so I removed it.
He has finished half of his morning soup so he is eating but very little amounts. Could this be just stress because of home chance, August's bite and also he got vaccinated yesterday?
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Post by gfountain on Sept 19, 2014 14:54:52 GMT -5
It could be a combination of all the stresses, yes, but unless August broke his skin with the bite, I wouldn't be overly concerned with that. The vaccination could cause some reactions however. What was it for? If he doesn't begin eating soon, I would be very worried. He's a baby and should be eating almost all the time. What kind of meats has he had? Was it ground, chunks (what size), and did he eat any bone? Did he eat soup at the breeders? Did you offer him the same kibble that he's been having, or was it different?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 19, 2014 15:51:25 GMT -5
It was Novivac Puppy DP complex vaccine. What do you think about vaccinating in general? I don't want to vaccinate annually and I don't want to vaccinate against rabies since Estonia has been declaired rabies-free and it's not required by law anymore. Breeder said I do need to follow through with second complex vaccine in one month and then he is done. So I understand that after that second vaccine he will have protection.
So far he has had one whole mouse yesterday and today he had soup ( blended 1 chicken wing, 1 mouse, little bit of water - he ate almost half of it and August had another half). In the evening I served him goose and chicken meat chunks. I cut them into very small pieces and he is eating 1-2 pieces at once and then goes back to sleep. I really hope he will eat all the pieces overnight. Tomorrow I start weighing his food to see excatly how much he eats.
He's current weight is 670 grams = 23.63 ounces
At the breeders he ate chicken pieces. I don't know if he ate bones. Tomorrow I'll give him quail and then I will see if he eats bones.
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Post by gfountain on Sept 19, 2014 16:49:30 GMT -5
Vaccines are very controversial. My understanding is that most, if not all, vaccines are effective much much longer than one year. My kids had their initial distemper and rabies shots and will not be getting any more. For my ferrets, the risk of a reaction to the vaccine is much higher than the risk of them contracting either of those illnesses.
So the baby is eating some. That's good. I thought he wasn't eating at all. Yes, weigh his food and see exactly how much he's consuming. I had to laugh at him playing with the kibble instead of eating it.. at least he knows there's better stuff available! Yes, start weighing his meals to see exactly how much he's consuming. And if possible, let him eat with August so he can see what he's supposed to do with that food. Have you tried putting them together again yet? Quail bones are tiny so hopefully he'll manage those with no problem.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 19, 2014 18:09:12 GMT -5
That's exactly what I want to do- not vaccinate anymore after the first initial shots. August also has had only the first shots and no more. I tried to put them together outside the house today, first August pretended to be ok, but suddenly attacked the little baby again. Little one screamed so loud. It seems that he is starting to eat more now. Small quantities still, but at least he is eating.
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Post by gfountain on Sept 19, 2014 18:33:01 GMT -5
Good.. could be lowered appetite from the vaccinations or stress. Although it seems horrible to say this, even screaming isn't cause for concern with the two of them. August is trying to tell the little one that he is the boss. The more you interfere with the process, the longer it will take. Seriously, no poop, no blood... no problem. And I can say that easily because I'm not there listening to the screams. Poor August is going to have to learn to share and the little one is going to have to learn his place in the family. No name for the little one yet? I just keep going back to look at his picture. He is so beautiful!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2014 14:27:32 GMT -5
Well he definitely can manage quail bones and he loves it. So good to hear that crunching sound. Today in the morning he had 1.12 oz chicken thigh meat, as a snack 3 quail eggs and in the evening 2.11 oz quail with bones. He has almost finished everything so I will give hime more quail for the night, probably another 2.11 oz. Tomorrow I can say exactly how much he consumed. Are these quantities normal for a big baby like him? Little one's official name in his passport is Ian. I tried to put them together today and give my best to NOT interfere, but I had to because August got so agressive that little Ian actually pooped himself out of fear. I'm still so scared that he will get hurt. But despite the horrible screaming there is no blood or anything.
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Post by gfountain on Sept 20, 2014 19:53:52 GMT -5
It's good that he's eating! It's hard to say what 'normal' is for any ferret especially a baby (around here we call them 'tummies with teeth'), but if he's leaving a little bit in the dish then he's getting enough.
I like the name Ian, and it suits him. It's DEFINITELY time to separate them if he is fear pooping. If you have a small kennel or crate, you could try putting August in it for a time-out whenever he attacks Ian, no more than 3 minutes though or he'll forget why he's in there. Are your boys free-roam or caged?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2014 8:03:09 GMT -5
They are free-roam, but right now I keep little Ian in a cage until they become friends. Today they ate their lamb lunch together.
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Post by gfountain on Sept 22, 2014 9:53:14 GMT -5
Oh how cute!! Ian looks a little worried that August might come over and eat his food, lol. He might prefer to have his food in a flatter dish. Ferrets like to be able to see around them while they're eating and the sides of the bowl would prevent that. We've found that many ferrets who are stubborn about switching to raw do much better when their food is put on a flat dish rather than a bowl. I'm glad to see them sitting together in the same proximity. Does that mean August is getting better with him? When August attacks, it might help to put him in Ian's cage for a few minutes while Ian gets to continue playing. Ferrets are pretty smart and if you put Ian in the cage, August will learn that all he has to do to get your full attention is attack Ian and he'll go away into the cage. If you put August into the cage instead, he'll learn that attacking means HE'LL go away.
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