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Post by Deleted on Dec 13, 2014 10:28:51 GMT -5
Good morning everyone!!
I'm very excited this morning because I added chicken slivers to my girls' soupy and they ate it!! (dance)
Should I attempt chicken wing tips today??? Or am I moving along too fast???
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Post by Deleted on Dec 13, 2014 11:34:40 GMT -5
That's great. I know how happy and excited you must be. Try making your slivers bigger and the amount of soup smaller. See if you can get them to eat just slivers without soup.
At night, put the wing tips in their cage, smash them to help them along and see how they take to them. If I remember right, neither girl has Insulinoma, correct? I only ask because a little one with Insulinoma needs access to food 24/7 and food that they will eat.
Great Job, you're off to a good start. :thumbsup:
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Post by Deleted on Dec 13, 2014 18:33:23 GMT -5
That's great. I know how happy and excited you must be. Try making your slivers bigger and the amount of soup smaller. See if you can get them to eat just slivers without soup. At night, put the wing tips in their cage, smash them to help them along and see how they take to them. If I remember right, neither girl has Insulinoma, correct? I only ask because a little one with Insulinoma needs access to food 24/7 and food that they will eat. Great Job, you're off to a good start. :thumbsup: No Insulinoma. For dinner I made them wing tips (with bone), which I smashed with a meat tenderizer, with chicken meat with very little soupy. They ate it! They didn't eat tons, but they seemed to really enjoy it, so I'm satisfied with that as I didn't expect them to it it. I now have the leftovers in their cage. They must have enjoyed it because they played for a little bit and went right back to bed and they're sleeping. My husband made a ramp for them to come in and out of their cage as we have a gate at the entrance to our office so they don't get out because I'm afraid to lose them. Mia is sooooo nosy! She is forever trying to escape and she is strong!! lol Here is a pic of their ramp and their dinner... Thank you for your regular replies, they are much appreciated. :thankyou:
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Post by Deleted on Dec 13, 2014 19:54:22 GMT -5
Your husband is very clever. That ramp is great.
Your girls are good eaters. Hooray for that. (dance) Girls don't eat alot and if they left some in the bowl, then they were full.
You're very welcome. I'm glad to help.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2014 1:45:54 GMT -5
After reading on how much some of your babies are eating, I'm finding that mine do not eat all that much, especially Bella.
Today I went out and bought all fresh meats...beef kidney, honeycomb tripe, ground beef, rabbit and gizzards.
I introduced some ground beef to my girls, Mia snubbed it and Bella licked and licked. Tonight I have part ground beef and kidney in the dish for the night. They do not like big chunks, it's like I have to cut them really small or put it through my Magic Bullet.
They seemed to eat more of the kibbles than they do the RAW, but I don't want to give up because I know it's what is best for them. Is this how the transition goes, very slow at first??
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2014 13:00:08 GMT -5
How many ounces are they eating every day? Did you make the balanced soup recipe the forum gives and do the steps, nose dabs, finger licks, spoon feeding, increase the density of the soup and once at pudding-like add in slivers? Ferrets are carb junkies, my girl hasn't had kibble in 7 weeks but if she saw a piece she runs like heck to get it and eat it, they want their junk food, just like us.
And yes, it can take several months. It has been 3 months and my boy is still on soup and tiny slivers, and he still hates slivers. It's my fault mostly, we had problems throughout the months and I wasn't able to move him up like I should have and he got used to the soup, but we are getting there, it takes time and most importantly it takes patience from you. My girl has been on raw for 7 weeks and is on bone pieces (tiny ones) and large slivers, every ferret is different, and each ones takes time (unless they're a kit, lol).
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2014 14:52:46 GMT -5
I was just feeding them as much as they would eat since they need to put weight on, but today I started to weigh it. I put 2oz in their bowl this morning and I have re-weighed it now that they have eaten and there is 0.9oz left. I find Bella eats much better when I spoon feed her, so I do it because she needs some muscle. I fed them bone the other day and I could hear Mia crunching down on them. I do make the soupy and that is where I have been putting the chicken slivers. They will eat the soupy no problem, it's the meat chunks that Bella tends to snub. I know some people might say I'm spoiling Mia by feeding her, but right now I just want to increase her health. Thank you for your help
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2014 14:59:27 GMT -5
So they're eating about 1-2 oz a day? Generally, females eat 1-3 oz a day and males 2-4 oz a day. My two eat more than they should at 5-6+ oz a day, but every ferret is different in how much they eat.
Why do you say you're spoiling Mia by feeding her? I spoon-feed my two, I have been for the entire time they've been on raw. I'm tough-loving my girl right now, but she is 1yr old, she's chubby at 2.5 lbs and completely healthy. She's still eating 2-3 oz a day, half as much as before because I'm making her eat slivers and bone. Your girl needs to put on weight, so getting her to eat chunks isn't #1 priority, right now she needs to get healthy, she can stay on soup for a little longer, she'll be fine. Try soup with smaller slivers and see how she takes that.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2014 15:53:13 GMT -5
So they're eating about 1-2 oz a day? Generally, females eat 1-3 oz a day and males 2-4 oz a day. My two eat more than they should at 5-6+ oz a day, but every ferret is different in how much they eat. Why do you say you're spoiling Mia by feeding her? I spoon-feed my two, I have been for the entire time they've been on raw. I'm tough-loving my girl right now, but she is 1yr old, she's chubby at 2.5 lbs and completely healthy. She's still eating 2-3 oz a day, half as much as before because I'm making her eat slivers and bone. Your girl needs to put on weight, so getting her to eat chunks isn't #1 priority, right now she needs to get healthy, she can stay on soup for a little longer, she'll be fine. Try soup with smaller slivers and see how she takes that. I had read something somewhere, can't remember, but it was about not spoiling our fur babies by warming up their food a little and so on. But you're right, I don't care, my babies need me to feed them then by all means that will be what I do! I weighed Bella today and she weighed in at 1.8 lbs from 1.1 lbs last week. Which some would say it's a good weight, however I still could see her ribs, mind you she is missing hair. I don't see her ribs as much, so it's coming along. Do you feed your baby by spoon? I will continue with the soupy with slivers of chicken for now. Thanks again for all of your help!
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2014 16:00:59 GMT -5
Ferrets are stubborn and sometimes they need tough love, like what I'm doing with my girl, and a lot of times it works and can help them move up a lot, but sometimes it isn't the best option. I warm my ferrets food because they like it better like that, it isn't a problem because they will eat it chilled or at room temp, but I love them and if I want to warm up their soup a little then I will. When it comes to not making them eat slivers/chunks/bone because they don't want to, that's wrong, you have to push them and you have to out-stubborn them but there is a line to be drawn. Right now your babies are new to this and your girl needs to put on some weight. How long have they been on raw? Are you still offering them kibble?
Missing hair is a sign of Adrenal Disease, as is decrease in appetite and weight loss. Has she been Vet checked?
I have spoon-fed my babies nearly every meal for the entire time they've been on raw, my boy for 3 mo and my girl for 6wks. I sit in the floor, hold them in my lap and feed them by spoon, they eat better like this, it's to get them further in the switch and get food into them. Both my mentors recommend this, it isn't spoiling it's doing our job as their owners to make sure they eat.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2014 16:08:15 GMT -5
Loki didn't consider spoon feeding to be spoiling. Extra lap time is torture for him, not to mention embarrassing in front of the cat. But, at first that's the only way I could get him to eat any soupy.
I just would slowly lower the spoon closer to the soup until he was licking out of the bowl. We had some tiny plastic spoons that worked great, once he started licking on his own I would let the spoon drop in the bowl and lower him and the bowl to the floor.
Your girls are doing so good!
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2014 16:39:12 GMT -5
Ferrets are stubborn and sometimes they need tough love, like what I'm doing with my girl, and a lot of times it works and can help them move up a lot, but sometimes it isn't the best option. I warm my ferrets food because they like it better like that, it isn't a problem because they will eat it chilled or at room temp, but I love them and if I want to warm up their soup a little then I will. When it comes to not making them eat slivers/chunks/bone because they don't want to, that's wrong, you have to push them and you have to out-stubborn them but there is a line to be drawn. Right now your babies are new to this and your girl needs to put on some weight. How long have they been on raw? Are you still offering them kibble? Missing hair is a sign of Adrenal Disease, as is decrease in appetite and weight loss. Has she been Vet checked? I have spoon-fed my babies nearly every meal for the entire time they've been on raw, my boy for 3 mo and my girl for 6wks. I sit in the floor, hold them in my lap and feed them by spoon, they eat better like this, it's to get them further in the switch and get food into them. Both my mentors recommend this, it isn't spoiling it's doing our job as their owners to make sure they eat. That's exactly how I feel, they have preferences just like we do and why should we deprive them of what they prefer. I started them on the soupy on December 5th and they are totally off the kibble. They were both vet checked prior to me getting them and I called the vet and they said that everything was fine. I'm wondering if she has rat tail because her tail is not pink it's got some black on it. I am going to research it further. I will continue to feed mine too. I don't see Bella's ribs as much as before and it's only been just over one week since starting on the soupy. Should I be leaving them food throughout the night since they are on the soupy?? I've read that they don't need access to food around the clock unless they are on kibbles??
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2014 16:49:43 GMT -5
They've only been on soup for 10 days, so they're still new to it. How long have you had them for?
They should have access to food all the time, or most of the time. They should eat every 4-6 hours. Definitely leave some soup in their cage at night, don't have to add slivers in too, you can just leave some soup out. Since Bella needs to put on weight she should eat more often and have constant access to food.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2014 16:51:29 GMT -5
I prefer to leave food out. Since they are on soupie, why don't you leave out some slivers at night. Make sure that they get a good breakfast and dinner of soupie and then during the day and at night, leave them a bowl of slivers or even wing tips. If they are hungry, they can eat. It might also help move them along.
They are both doing well and moving along nicely, but it never hurts to familiarize them and let them get use to this new food.
Can you post some pictures. That will help tell us if it's simply Rat Tail.
Don't worry about people saying that you are spoiling your babies or that hand feeding is wrong. No one would say that if you had a baby or small child. This isn't much different. You are simply helping to make them feel secure with a new food. You won't be hand feeding forever, but if it takes a little attention to get in "just one more bite", then that's a good thing and you are also building a bond with them.
You're doing well and should be proud of yourself and the girls. :thumbsup:
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2014 17:39:51 GMT -5
They've only been on soup for 10 days, so they're still new to it. How long have you had them for? They should have access to food all the time, or most of the time. They should eat every 4-6 hours. Definitely leave some soup in their cage at night, don't have to add slivers in too, you can just leave some soup out. Since Bella needs to put on weight she should eat more often and have constant access to food. I've had them since November 19th. I always have food in their cage. They don't eat too often since they have been on the soupy, when they were on the kibble they ate every couple of hours. They both sleep alot! I know they are known to sleep 16 to 20 hours a day, but sometimes I wake them up.
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