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Post by Desiree on Dec 11, 2014 20:44:42 GMT -5
Yeah, someone threw up for me too. Just a small amount, but poops that followed were normal and they ate fine. Not sure who it was. I wonder why people used to/still say that they can't?
I've been wearing gloves and I have been more careful with liver. I made a big batch of soup to get it all out of the way. I finally got all my "meals" portioned which included the organ meals for when they go full switch which obviously included liver. I was very careful and still got some on my arm. It was pork liver, the reaction wasn't too bad, just a little itchy. Chicken liver was a lot worse. I can feed the soup though fine and they are messy eaters so it gets everywhere. I think it's the concentrated liver that bothers me the most. I'm just guessing here though.
Quail went much better today! Out of 4 ounces, they only left one! Rebel only ate 1 ounce but since she gorged herself this morning I'm not surprised. She also stashed a bunch to that I know they will both eat later. They love those dried up pieces. We found our routine. I make her eat a piece on my lap, then she gets to stash a piece, eat a piece, stash a piece. Takes her a little while longer to eat but she's not in such a hurry to not eat anything.
Riot, my goodness, he was so different tonight. He just sat and ate and ate. He spit out some bone but ate some too. He isn't going to be my bone cruncher but as long as he gets some I'm okay with that. He ate 1.5 ounces of quail tonight. There is only an ounce on the plate so between the two of them and stashing another .5 ounce is somewhere.
Today's totals
Rebel ate 2.9oz
Riot also ate 2.9 oz today. He was nomming on the plate though when I left it for lunch so I'm sure he got more than that. This is just what I saw him eat.
Over all, I am very happy today. (dance)
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Post by Desiree on Dec 12, 2014 12:50:53 GMT -5
<-- This is my so excited face right now. I put down half a chopped up quail still with some gravy on it on their plate this morning and both of them went right for it! Eating chunks, chewing with their back teeth. They do spit out some of the bone, I hope that's okay. I know they are eating some too though because I can hear it crunching. Rebel eats more bone than Riot but she eats less too. I put out four ounces of quail with gravy and when they both went for it, I decided not to mess with them and let them eat what they would like. I went back a little while later this morning and had them eat some more. I hand fed them only a few pieces while most of it, they ate on their own. Riot ate more than Rebel but I don't know how much. They only left 1.2 oz on their plate out of 4 oz. I'm going to continue quail for another two meals to four meals depending on advice given. After the next few meals should I try a muscle meat or another bone in? Should I try some organs? With the quail should I try it without gravy first before moving on? I still have to chop the pieces. Typically the pieces are thin but an inch or so long, should I up the pieces size to before moving on? When doing raw feeding should they be able to just tear apart a half a quail on there on their own or is cutting it up appropriate too?
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Post by Deleted on Dec 12, 2014 15:37:14 GMT -5
Aww yay! I'm so happy for the 3 of you! Yoou're all doing so well! I meant to comment sooner but I was a little busy this week with work. The throw up thing-I should have included it was related to hairballs; that ferrets cannot throw up hairballs like cats can so use a hairball remedy, etc. I think following that sentence, or maybe it was included in that chapter (ferrets for dummies book), that when a ferret throws up it could mean a blockage and an emergency. So I apologize about being so vague and giving the wrong info Question for you Desiree - the gravy you're using, is it blended organs or something else? The reason I ask is because I'd like to try it with my crew! They, the boys especially, really enjoy salmon oil drizzled over the chunks....but I don't want to use salmon oil every time. I have not tried quail yet (I got the 6 pack too; but just 1 package for now) but I would think until they are willingly eating the bone-in pieces, then cutting it up will help them get to the stage where they can tear apart half a quail (at least, that's my plan of attack) Keep up the great work! I'm enjoying reading your journey!!
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Post by Desiree on Dec 12, 2014 15:48:07 GMT -5
The gravy is just the soup recipe. I use one icecube per half quail but tonight I'm going to try it without it. I do have a blended organ gravy but I will use that later when they are on their menu. They just finished off their first whole half quail! It was chopped up and they left a few bones but for the most part, it is all gone. I need to get them to eat some egg soon. They are grooming each other a lot right now. Bonding I think.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 12, 2014 20:28:43 GMT -5
Way to go, Rebel and Riot!! They are doing great!! I love the sound of ferrets crunching bones. Doesn't it just make you so happy? :banana:
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Post by Desiree on Dec 12, 2014 23:05:47 GMT -5
Well so far they are not liking the no gravy thing. Riot ate a piece ish, he's my pickiest about eating different things. I got him to eat some skin, he likes the fat and part of a piece. None of it has bone in it though. Rebel ate a few pieces. They both split 1 oz of soup earlier since I was getting off work pretty late and they finished their quail at lunch. They only left the smallest of bones. When I left the room it seemed like Riot may have been eating. I think he's feeling vulnerable because of his foot. I won't have to time to baby them before the vet tomorrow, so I'm going with soupie and chicken chunks tomorrow morning. Will start on quail again tomorrow night. I'm trying again at ten to see if they will eat for me. If not it will be in their cages with their stash so they won't go hungry.
I'll update on here and on my other thread about Riot's foot tomorrow too.
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Post by Desiree on Dec 13, 2014 14:44:47 GMT -5
Well they ate nothing over night besides every last piece of chicken they had stashed. I don't think Rebel ate any thing over night. Soup this morning went good, no problems there. Tried to get them to try some egg since Rebel has been hacking a little. They both hate it. Had to try scruff and stuff and they won't even sniff it. So I put out some quail with some gravy and a spoonful of egg and they gobbled away. Fine then. Brats. Need to wean them off the gravy stuff but I'm not sure how...
Riot's foot isn't broken which is good. He was put on antibiotics and pain killers for two weeks. Hopefully this won't affect his appetite. The vet noticed the weight gain and commented on it. I kind of wanted to throw it in her face that he's gaining muscle from being on raw but I didn't but I'm glad she noticed.
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Post by Desiree on Dec 13, 2014 23:30:28 GMT -5
Alright, they ate better tonight. 4 ounces of quail with gravy and they left about an ounce. This was 3 ounces ate plus four ounces this morning between them. They had like two licks of some egg and that was it. Both got meds and Riot got his foot soak and everyone is up playing before bedtime. I'm one busy momma and I still have a thesis due Monday and one more final. I might not be on much tomorrow or Monday or I'm hoping so I can finish my stuff.
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Post by Desiree on Dec 14, 2014 10:44:15 GMT -5
Quick update before work. My fiance grabbed a CGH baggie out last night to thaw and not a quail, so quail is thawing now but I have CGH parts I need to use. I figured I could sit down with them tonight and handfeed them the CGH and go back to quail tomorrow. Hopefully this won't throw them off to much but I don't want the CGH to go to waste either.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 14, 2014 12:36:28 GMT -5
Good Morning This is my so excited face right now. I put down half a chopped up quail still with some gravy on it on their plate this morning and both of them went right for it! Eating chunks, chewing with their back teeth. They do spit out some of the bone, I hope that's okay
That's wonderful, I'd be excited also. They are good little eaters and you should be proud. It's not that unusual to spit out some bones pieces. Mine do also. Just keep an eye out and make sure that they don't spit all of the bone out. I'm going to continue quail for another two meals to four meals depending on advice given. That's a good idea. Get them use to eating bone and familiar with Quail. After the next few meals should I try a muscle meat or another bone in? Should I try some organs?
I think your two are very good eaters. What I would do is to take the next two weeks and every 2 or 3 days, I would introduce a new protein. Give them the 2 or 3 days to get use to a new protein and then introduce another one. Two weeks won't cause any imbalances and they get a chance to get familiar with the next new food. Most of us will use a soup recipe for the Liver plus another Organ meal. Simply puree the Liver and other organ. I tend to use pork kidney, brain or spleen. Then with the other Organ meal plus half a meal of Heart, I use chicken or pork liver, pork spleen or kidney and either chicken, duck or pork heart. I slice the liver, spleen and kidney into tiny pieces and then puree some of the liver, spleen, kidney or brains into a gravy. I pour that over the slices. So, this week work on getting them to eat bones. chicken/quail/cornish game hen. The next week, try some pork, beef or chicken and duck gizzards. Remember Heart is also a muscle meat. If they take to that, then work on the organs. Well so far they are not liking the no gravy thing.You can puree just a little of the plain meat and add some warm water. That makes a gravy and will seem familiar to them. I almost always add some warm water to any meat on a plate. It keeps the meat moist, smells good to them and they like the meat juices. Well they ate nothing over night besides every last piece of chicken they had stashed.
Jerkified chicken is a real delicacy for ferrets. Stashing makes them so happy. I keep an eye out and know where their stashing spots are. In the summer, I pick them up more often, before little bugs find them. Now that it's Winter, they are all about stashing. Since it makes them so happy, they get to stash a little. One of our ferrets greatest joys is stashing and if they are eating them, then so be it. Riot's foot isn't broken which is good. He was put on antibiotics and pain killers for two weeks.
That's very good news. Did the vet have any idea of what could have caused the swelling? Did they look for a splinter or piece of glass. Tried to get them to try some egg since Rebel has been hacking a little.Try whipping some egg up with a little warm water. You can add some oil and put the egg down or you can try pouring it over some food. Another way is to super soft scramble it. Put a touch of oil in a pan, whip up the egg and throw the egg into the pan. After 30 seconds or so, pour the whole thing into a plate. Take the raw egg from the bowl that you mixed it in and add it to the cooked egg. Let the egg cool and then try hand feeding some. Give them lot's of hugs and tell them how well they are doing. Your two are such good little ones and you are doing very well. (dance)
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Post by Desiree on Dec 14, 2014 19:09:39 GMT -5
Thank you! I have another question when you get to it. Because of the no gravy thing they are both averaging a little under the recommended. Rebel is eating about 1.5 oz and Riot's about 2 oz's. Both have put on weight. Riot's is most likely from raw while Rebel's might be from the pred. The thing is they eat great for the first couple of pieces and then run away. I can get a piece of two into them then there is no getting food into them after that. They gag and retch and run their faces on any surface like it's killing them. Are they just full? Rebel is done after about .5 oz and because I feed her lunch also she get's three times that amount. Riot eats just a little more than that, about .7 oz and gets three times that amount. They are eating stashed pieces in their cage but I don't know who's eating what and recently I think it's been Riot mostly eating which concerns me that Rebel isn't eating at night and she insulinomic. Is this okay? Her activity levels have been fine and she is active and ready to run around when I let them out in the morning. Nobody ate their stashes last night because the chunks are bigger and taking longer to jerkify. I'm guessing if their weight on consistent than I shouldn't worry too much. We are on a new protein for tonight. Tomorrow will be the last quail day. Tonight was CGH wing which Riot loved for the first few pieces. NO GRAVY! I added a little warm water (great minds think alike apparently) and they nommed on it pretty well. Lots of stashing from Rebel. I'm also wondering if a feeding den might not entice them to stay and eat more. I'm going to make one soon, maybe tonight if I finish my paper. Which I should be doing right now.
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Post by Desiree on Dec 15, 2014 11:07:38 GMT -5
(headwall) (headwall) (headwall) I am literally pulling my hair out right now! Chopped up some quail out some water in it and Riot wouldn't even touch it. Rebel was a semi good little girl and ate her .5 oz. Which is her standard right now. She was eat at lunch too the same amount and then at dinner. We are doing are eat two pieces and then get to stash something I'm letting her stash left over CGH from last night. She keeps messing with Riot though while I'm trying to feed him so I had to cage her after she ate this morning and she raged something hard. Good thing, it didn't stress Riot out because he can't hear her.
Riot this morning did not want to eat. After I scruffed and stuffed him once, he ate .2 oz on his own. I had to scruff and stuff .3 more ounces in him after that and he made it seem like he was dying, paws pushing me, head turning. If he was a biter I would be bloody by now. He's not an insu baby and he's not getting the soup he's holding out for. He can be hungry for a few hours till lunch maybe then he will want to eat more. He ate the CGH yesterday just fine, he can eat the quail today. I'm just super frustrated. He is normally my good eater at least for first few bites but today, nothing. I know when they are hungry too. They go right for the bowl/plate and then don't want what is in it. I will out stubborn them! Any other tips for me? I feel like I'm making this harder than it is.
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Post by Desiree on Dec 15, 2014 19:23:21 GMT -5
Okay, finals are done finally. Everything is turned in, no turning back now.
AND Riot ate his quail all by himself. They have been picking the pantry as their den and sleeping in it. They even pulled in one of my shirts in there to cuddle with. SO I was wondering if I put their food in there if they would eat it. Rebel ate some more too. They have only finished 2.5 oz so far today so they are getting some more tonight as soon as it warms up. Hopefully they will eat more. But I am hoping I can be done hand feeding Mr. Riot so I can work on getting Rebel to eat on her own too.
Oh and bone poops are awesome!!
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2014 19:43:03 GMT -5
Congratulations on getting thru your finals. Big sigh of relief. :boing:
Don't get discouraged, you've only been doing this for ten days or so. Each new food is like starting over. You've made very good progress in a short time. You also have had to deal with Riot's foot injury and Rebel's Adrenal. So pat yourself on the back.
I'm an indulgent ferrent and mine are free roam. If Riot and Rebel have decided that the pantry is a cozy nest, then I'd make some room for them and let them snuggle there. They will probably start a small stash and even eat some nice jerkified meat, while they hang out there. Once summer rolls around and the bugs come back out, you can worry about their nest later.
Hand feeding, coaxing and persuasion are a big part of the switch. Like I said, each new protein is like starting all over. Watch them eat and if you aren't happy with how much they eat, put Rebel or Riot on your lap and do a little hand feeding. It really makes a difference and you can usually get them to eat "just one more bite".
Ferrets are capable of out stubborning you. Try putting out a smorgasboard with one protein. Pick something simple like the quail or cornish game hen. Put some tiny pieces on a plate, put some tiny pieces in hot water, put some pieces and drip some oil on it, you can even try whipping up an egg and drizzling it over the pieces. Sometimes, it just takes finding the way they like their meals prepared. Some won't touch cold food, some like it cold, some want it wet, and some prefer to be hand fed.
Now that you are on Holiday break, you can breathe again and this is a great time to work on your two and their new diet. Don't hesitate to vent, we have all been there and don't hesitate to post your successes. There are other ferrents out there who need encouragement also.
:candycane:
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2014 20:26:23 GMT -5
That's a good amount for them to eat, come on fuzzies keep it up! :thumbsup:
As Stef said, don't be afraid to vent or brag, we're happy to listen to both, Lord knows I've had my share of vents on various things and the members here have always been there for me, whether it was good or bad. Nobody is going to judge you, but everyone is going to try and help. Don't give up, they're getting there! You know how awesome it is that they are eating bone? Super freaking awesome and I'm jealous of it, lol.
Keep up the hand feeding and I'd say it's worth a shot to put the food in their new sleeping den.
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