|
Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2015 11:05:55 GMT -5
I've got to figure out a way to teach Snickers that the stuff on the curtain hook is the same as the stuff in the bowls the other guys are eating, just more bone. As all four of them are at different eating points, meal time is getting crazy. I have them eating from a wide bowl next to where I sit so I can monitor and record what they are eating. Two eat first, Possum and Sid. They are still in the small bone slivers and chunks. Grizzly general eats with them for the easy stuff, then he comes back when they are done and works one or two chunks of bone (I use this time for one on one pull the meat and eat bone lessons). Then his jaws get tired so he goes off and rests; meanwhile, Sidney generally comes back for more and again I use this time to slowly get him to accept bone fragments... He doesn't like to work while eating. Since snickers doesn't like to eat with the group he comes last. I have his meal waiting for him. I'm trying to get him to eat the larger meats in his cage, but he still forces me to be near him as he eats. He won't touch the tethered meat. But bring the same meat over to where I have the others eat and eats with gusto; until I'm distracted, then he runs off with the meat, with my dog in hot pursuit. I bring him back and repeat. Dog gets more than she should. I chase the two of them... The chasing is getting old, and Snickers is having way too much fun. I'm going to try rigging a clamp with the hooks attached to string to see if this will work. Any ideas? Oh you never told me how much taurine and eggshell. Right now I add 1/8 of tsp taurine to their daily food (9 oz of raw meat) and 1/4 tsp eggshell.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2015 11:10:41 GMT -5
Oops, forgot to add, I know you said they didn't need the eggshell if they are eating bone, but as they aren't eating a ton of bone yet I'm adding some. Their poops do not show unused calcium specks and the poop isn't too dry.
|
|
|
Post by bitbyter on Jan 13, 2015 19:33:06 GMT -5
You really don't need the eggshell if they are all eating bones to some extent. Nutritional deficiencies take months to show up. At the rate you are going this should be done long before that. Also, if they are eating hearts and organs you shouldn't need to supplement with taurine either.
As for Snickers running off with meat. Couldn't you close the cage door while he is eating?
|
|
|
Post by bitbyter on Jan 14, 2015 14:36:33 GMT -5
Just a reminder, but I need updates every 2 days, 3 at the most or I start to worry.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 15, 2015 10:02:56 GMT -5
I've been updating every day for the past week. I was wondering why I wasn't hearing from you!
From this view I don't see any of my posts prior to the 10th. On the 10th I discovered the classic view button. Now my screen resembles the old ferret forum view. Argh. I'm so sick of computer issues I could scream.
If you want some fun, since you're a computer geek, check out the website "Down Right Now" and search Frontier Communications. You will see a map of the U.S. And yellow/red areas for service issues. Look for Illinois (middle of US below lake Michigan). The yellow area over the middle of Illinois is centered above our home... Or at least it feels like it is. This is what free commerce really looks likes. Shitty service for very high prices. We have two internet providers to choose from. They set their own prices (not legal) and work the people by powering down areas (low power for us means more money for them) of the country. Particularly in states that haven't taken them to court. My state is the most corrupt in the US, therefore our roads suck, schools aren't funded, and Internet speeds are joke. Such is life in the US of A.
Ok here is a synopsis of my missing posts;
I think Sidney is a waardy. After reading through the waardy threads on the forum, he has classic symptoms: panda bear, wide set eyes, deaf as a post, flat nose, awkward gate, social misfit, blue irises. I'm wondering if this may have something to do with his lack of fat? He sure eats. But even his method of eating is different from the other three. He tends to snorkel through is food.
Weights(pounds/ounces); remember the 1/5 date was early because Grizzly lost weight 1/5/2015 1/15/2015 Grizzly 2.13 2.13 Snickers 2.10 2.11 Sidney (missed). 2.11 Possum 1.12 1.10
Looking over 3 month weight chart Grizzly tends to hover around 2.13 his highest was 3lbs, his coat is silky and full. Snickers is steadily increasing fat deposits, his coat is beautiful. Possum hugs the 1.12 mark, her weight is down 2 ounces, but I think this was partly due to small meal this morning (more egg than meat). I wish her coat would take on the luster of her brothers, but she has just started consistently eating bones and marrow. Same with Sidney. Sid leaves his bones till last, so if he is full he doesn't eat as many.
Eating stuff- I have finally found a method that works really well. I have a community bowel, that I watch as they eat, so I know who gets what and how much. I began by sitting with them and just hand feeding little bits with a little salmon oil. They quickly learned mummy has the yummies. Then according to whom is eating at which stage, in the process of getting to full bone in meals, I work with each one individually. For example Possum is still working on mashing chunks of bone that isn't crushed. Sidney is learning to scissor and eat bone first. Grizzly and Snickers are learning to pull meat off large chunks and crush larger bone pieces. This has put an end to Snicks running off... Although, I can see the glint in his eyes as he pulls a hefty morsel away from my hand. Off he goes with the dog in hot pursuit. Now that my dog is eating raw, I don't care who wins the chase. Snickers comes back for more. I love meal time. After dealing with my mother all afternoon its a great way to relax and unwind.
I will go back through my other posts and copy and paste.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 15, 2015 10:15:09 GMT -5
So I looked in the old version of our forum, I see posts and responses from me from jan 3,5,7,8,10 and today. Nothing between 10th through today. I know I posted on the 12 or 13 about Sidney and the Waardy syndrome, along with new feeding update, but everything else seems to be there. So I probably managed to delete the post. ?
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2015 8:45:48 GMT -5
Do you know anything about colloidal silver? I'm interested in using it for my ferrets and dogs.
|
|
|
Post by bitbyter on Jan 18, 2015 10:25:37 GMT -5
For what purpose? Colloidal Silver does have antibacterial properties but it also has some side effects (which is why it was abandoned by the medical profession decades ago). It is not a "supplement" but something that can be tried as an alternative if there is a medical NEED.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2015 19:21:29 GMT -5
I'm looking for holistic treatments for tear stains on my dog. Just wondering about efficacy.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2015 19:29:15 GMT -5
Tried chicken backs and fresh chicken lung tonight. Possum loved everything, Sid convinced I'm poisoning him. Grizzly was meh. And Snickers played catch me if you can with the dog (dog loves chicken backs). How did you get yours to love organs? This is the one thing I struggle with constantly. I'm starting frankenprey tomorrow. They are ready. Cross fingers. I'm just worried about organ days.
|
|
|
Post by bitbyter on Jan 18, 2015 23:51:56 GMT -5
I pureed the organs and poured it over the meat. The option that a lot of people have good success with is to freeze the organs and then slice them super fine with a mandolin slicer or vegetable peeler. Then you put them on top of the meat. When it thaws it kind of creates an organ "coating".
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 19, 2015 9:19:43 GMT -5
I like the purée idea.
|
|
|
Post by bitbyter on Jan 19, 2015 10:52:15 GMT -5
yeah, then you slowly make it less and less of a puree. Puree, with some slivers or organ, less puree / more slivers, less puree / larger pieces, etc.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2015 9:43:59 GMT -5
So I started them on turkey necks. I clevered the necks will still half frozen, chunking them into cubes. They haven't shown too much interest but that is how intros always go. My concern is after thawing the cubed muscle/bones I've noticed the bones are really crunchy and sharp??? I'm worried about cutting their gums?
|
|
|
Post by bitbyter on Jan 22, 2015 15:26:31 GMT -5
They'll be fine. I'm not a huge fan of necks as a bone in meal option myself but regardless, don't worry about it to much. I know it looks sharp and nasty but they can handle it.
|
|