Olivia & Sophie's Switch (until we get a mentor)

[Deleted]

So instead of having a million different threads going with questions about trying raw, Jackie suggested I started a thread here in the newbie forum. That way I can get some help /suggestions until Olivia, Sophie and I get a mentor in the mentoring program. So this will be our switch thread for now!

Here's a little background:

Olivia & Sophie were born February 28, 2011 and were on crappy Living World Ferret Extrusion Diet at Petland. It wasn't even softened for them Since bringing them home I have added Evo Ferret to the Living World food, and am softening the food, adding in 1 tsp pumpkin and 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil. They currently have about 40% Living world and 60% Evo in the mix.

However today I tried freeze-dried for the first time and they loved it so from now I'm going to just be alternating Wysong Archetypal 1 Ferret freeze-dried food (chicken based) and ZiwiPeak dailycat Lamb (lamb based) for meals because they've decied the kibble mush is crap now compared to the freeze dried and don't want it anymore.

I tried feeding them some raw chicken wings (Amore raw cat food brand) yesterday and they were a no go so tomorrow I am trying some ground raw turkey (by itself or mixed in with the freeze dried if they don't like it) and some raw soupie.

I will post how that goes! If that's a hit, then I'm going to try the chicken wings again but crush up the bone marrow a bit this time and dice the chicken up a bit.

If anyone has any advice or other suggestions or anything I should know, feel free to post! I am open to all comments, constructive criticism and suggestions!

Thank you kindly!

~ Steph, Sophie & Olivia

[Sherry]

What you've got planned so far sounds good. If they take well to the ground, you can start adding in bits of real meat, and steadily increase the size.

[Heather]

If you can get your hands on some hearts and gibbies, try them. Minion, was bouncing around killing and hissing at his (I figure he was born around early to mid Jan 2011). They're still his favourite that he won't share with anyone...well those and his mice
ciao

[Deleted]

Those are both good ideas! Thanks!

I'm happy I at least got them eating the freeze-dried so that I know they are getting balanced nutrition until I can get them eating enough variety of the raw (hearts, meat, bones, organs) to have it balanced!

[Deleted]

Another good chew toy are chicken feet. Even my older ferrets went to them instantly. They are good to add on light bone days or just as a chew to hold them over to the next meal.

You might need to scruff and stuff some of the food, just to get them to try it. Spoon and finger feedings usually help make the switch go faster if they're resistant.

Keep us posted on how they do tomorrow!

[fearless]

I thought I posted here last night, must not have registered.

Ground chicken is ideal too, mix a handful of kibble in it, take away the kibble for say 4 to 6 hours, see if they try the ground chicken/kibble mix. I just cut off pieces of the chicken thigh I had, and ground it in my food processor. I also gave them the thigh bone with some meat left on (from what I didn't use for the ground chicken) and ironically both Jude and Zoey (two separate switching so not at the same time) went for the thigh bone first before the ground chicken/kibble. Something about those bones, kits love.

[katt]

Try the scruff and stuff with some ground meat and see how they take to it. Also be sure to take the kibble/FD food away a few hours before - hunger is the best motivator! If they don't take to the ground meat you can go back a step and try soups.

[Deleted]

Success!!!!




Both Sophie & Olivia just shared a whole plate of raw ground turkey breast! Hurray!

They were a little hungry from not eating for a few hours so that helped, but scruff n' stuff wasn't even neccessary! Sophie took to the food after being hand-fed 1 piece and I placed the plate in front of a sleeping Olivia's nose and she was eating before her eyes were even open ;D and she made her very first "my raw food!!!" hissing noise

Little Sophie even got some breakfast in bed.. spoiled brat!



I had actually prepared some Ziwipeak Lamb Freeze-dried for them because I didn't think they'd eat all of the raw turkey but they did so I have put the Ziwipeak in the fridge for the next meal.

Should I try to keep proteins/types of foods separated into meals when I am trying new raw food? I didn't want to give them both the Ziwipeak Lamb and the ground turkey since they ate all of the ground turkey, but what about when I'm trying new things like hearts, giblets and chicken feet? Can those be fed at the same time as the freeze-dried or should I try them as "snacks" between meals?

What I'm also wondering is do I need to split things into days when I am first introducing the raw? For example should I stick to meat for the rest of today, feed the Ziwipeak as the next meal and then after that try some diced raw chicken chunks?

And then try some organs tomorrow? And try some bones the next day?

If some of you wouldn't mind posting what you feed in a typical week, i.e. how you alternate things, that would be very helpful too!

What about taurine? Should I pick up some taurine supplements?

Thank you all for your advice!

[Heather]

Feed them some hearts for the taurine. If your really unsure about it get the supplements, but the darker the meat the higher the taurine levels....blood rich. Seemingly mice are really high in taurine (they have dark meat ) I can't help you with the dried stuff, I don't feed it so someone else can pop in and help you with those. I would be feeding those little ladies of yours every different type of meat you can get your hands on right now. Lamb, pork, beef....everything. They will eat it. Minion isn't fond of the mushy stuff, I feed it only because it's something they get when they're sick and I like them to have a taste for it. He gets whole meats the rest of the time, something he really likes. It's beef stewing meat today
ciao

[Deleted]

Thanks Heather! So bascially any kind of meat (chicken, turkey, lamb, duck, beef, etc.) and any organ / bone is good for them?

And it's okay to just keep randomly trying stuff even if it means I'm trying 2-4 new kinds of raw per day?

As far as sensitivities go... what are the most common ones? I'm pretty sure my girls don't have one. They are good with chicken, turkey and lamb so far it seems. But what about beef? Is that one they can have a sensitivity to? Or is chicken the most common one?

[Deleted]

Not sure if you tried this yet, but if you're having trouble getting them to eat the chicken wings, try pouring a little bit of olive oil on them. That was all it took to get my guy to chow down, and he hasn't looked back since.

Good Luck!

[Deleted]

Good idea about the olive oil. They are eating ground raw chicken and turkey now so I'm going to give the chicken wings a go tomorrow, might try the olive oil if they don't like them.

I will also be pickiing up crushed bone meal tomorrow to mix in with the meat to help with their runny poops, as well as some hearts, giblets and whatever else I can get my hands on.

What I'm worried about right now is balancing their meals... I'm worried that they are getting too much meat and not enough organ/bone. I know I'm just starting to switch to raw and in the process of trying out new things... but what's the best meal plan to balance while I'm switching?

Also, I was wondering about baby food. I was adding a few things to my first aid kit today and Ferret for dummies suggested putting meat baby food in there for when they are sick and getting them to like it before then... but what do you do with ferrets on raw when they are sick? do you just get them eating raw soupie and give them that?

It also suggested ferretone and nutrical and things like that for when they're sick... are those good things to have?

[Deleted]

I wouldn't worry too much about balance right now. Just focus on getting them eating the raw you could make a soup with some liver, heart, eggshell, and meat to balance it better, but deficiencies take a while to build up.

When my girls are sick they get either freeze dried soup or a bland chicken or turkey soup. Meat baby food is good to have on hand because it's gentle on the tummy (minimal digestion needed). And it can be use for a sick ferret too.

No ferretone here - I just use olive oil. I have some karo syrup in case of a sugar crash, but that is just for emergencies. Never used nutrical

[miamiferret2]

Don't use ferret vite or nutrical unless you really have to (ie to get them to swallow medication).
They are both loaded with sugar.
I have used Lambert Kay "shiny coat" linatone for 10 years. I also give coq 10 every day. Believe it or not, my ferrets have never liked ferretone!!

[Sherry]

What you are aiming for is 4 days(8-9 meals) of bone in meats. 2 days(3-4 meals) straight muscle meats. 1 meal organs. Liver and at least one other if possible. If not, just liver til you can get some kidney, etc.
Other meal that day whatever you have on hand ;D