|
Post by Deleted on Jul 10, 2015 23:29:31 GMT -5
I'm back now. My vet sent me a nice card that was signed by all of the staff at the clinic. It even had a little paper pawprint that has seeds in it, so I can plant that in memory of her. I feel better just getting back to normal with everything. Now back to the switch. They're eating veal soupie right now. They seem to really love it. I'm not surprised since they always seem to love the most expensive ones. I'm going to try to make up a menu tomorrow because I want to try to move them onto different meals, instead of just the balanced soupie everyday.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 11, 2015 10:09:52 GMT -5
That was very sweet of her. I received one from our vet when Ponce passed away. It went into his memory box, along with his favorite toy and the few film pictures that I had of him.
Have all the others been okay, are they missing sweet Penelope?
I went back thru your switching thread. I know that some of yours, you want to stay on grinds or soupies, but the others have had slivers and chunks, correct? They've had a nice variety of proteins based on your shopping reports and menus. It's time now for them to move forward to larger slivers and less soup, and began working on small bones.
Speaking of veal, we went into Nashville and I had the best Veal Roulade. It made me giggle to think of yours eating (almost) the same meal. We've found a great new restaurant there. That's the first Italian one there to go on our favorite restaurant list.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2015 16:44:42 GMT -5
Just checking in, to make sure that you're okay.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 20, 2015 15:53:18 GMT -5
How is everything going? :wave3:
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 20, 2015 22:13:21 GMT -5
Everything is fine Just haven't been on the computer much lately, sorry about that. Nothing new to report really. I'm hoping to go to the asian store again soon and maybe get some fish. I should be weighing them tomorrow, hopefully. And a menu: Sunday: AM: organ - deer liver + pork kidney PM: bone in - quail Monday: AM: bone in - CGH PM: muscle - pork Tuesday: AM: heart - chicken hearts PM: bone in - duck Wednesday: AM: bone in - duck PM: bone in - rabbit Thursday: AM: bone in - chicken PM; bone in - rabbit Friday: AM: heart + organ - chicken hearts + deer liver + pork kidney PM: bone in - CGH Saturday: AM: muscle - beef PM: bone in - chicken
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 21, 2015 9:30:32 GMT -5
Your Menu looks great. Nice variety of proteins and the right amount of Bone In/Muscle/Organ meals. Have you got everyone eating at the same pace now, and is everyone eating the Bone In meals? When you post their weights, will you please give me a run down of how each one eats alongside their weights? I ran into this thread again recently and thought that you might enjoy listening to one of, if not The leading Ferret Expert, Bob Church. His subject was Teeth and Diet: www.ferretcongress.org.au/show.toy?cid=49725
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 21, 2015 9:35:27 GMT -5
You have a wonderful understanding of feeding now and are handling each of yours well. Do you feel like you're ready to move on and graduate?
I will stay with you as long as you need me to, and always be here for you. So, don't hesitate to say that you aren't ready and want to continue awhile longer. :wave3:
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 23, 2015 11:41:10 GMT -5
I'm just checking in. :wave3:
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2015 6:49:13 GMT -5
Bump...I hope everyone is doing well.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 29, 2015 2:17:40 GMT -5
I actually think I may be ready. Most of them are at least mostly switched over and I'm pretty certain I know what to do with the rest of them. Most of them are at the same stage now, except Bentley.
Bentley - 1lb 13oz Still mostly only eating carnivore care, but also about a spoonful of soup per day Yogi - 2lb 5oz Eats everything, organ soupies, crushed bone in meals, heart and muscle. Pretty much will eat whatever I put in front of him. Woody - 3lb 0.5oz Eats anything that's offered. Snowy - 2lb 4oz Also eats everything. Nestle - 1lb 9.5oz Eats mostly everything, but sometimes difficult about bone in meals. Godiva - 1lb 10oz Eats everything. Hershey - 2lb 4oz A little difficult with bone and organ/heart meals, but otherwise eats everything.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 29, 2015 9:12:01 GMT -5
I think you are ready. You know more than you think you do. Let's recap and I will post an exam. After your exam, please post a menu. Once Heather approves of it, then you are graduated and we change your status to raw feeder.
You're very smart and have been so good with all of your ferrets. I admire your rescue work and I know that you are a very experienced Ferrent.
Meat- muscle meats, or chunks. Turkey, chicken, beef, pork, lamb, goat. Any meat containing no bone. Includes heart and gizzard.
Bone in- meat with consumable bones. Some ferrets can handle larger bones, some will need small bones from the size of a chicken or smaller. Exceptions are neck and tail bones. Some ferrets CAN eat the weight bearing bones from things like rabbit and chicken, but most won't bother with them. It will sometimes work better if you smash the thigh/leg bones from chickens. Good examples are: chicken necks/wings/spines, turkey wing tips/ribs/necks, duck wing tips/ribs/necks, pork rib ends/riblets, some will eat pork neck, ox tail, most adult whole prey(rabbit/mice/rats/quail/gerbil/hamster/guinea pig).
Organ- liver, spleen, brain, lung, thymus, pancreas, kidney, etc. Any part of the body that secretes.
Average weekly menu would be:
7-9 meals consumable bone 3-4 meals muscle meats[at least 1.5 of which NEEDS to be heart (heart should be about 10% of the total diet)] 1.5 meals of approx 2oz liver and 2oz other organ.(This can change over time depending on how much your ferret eats, but is a good starting point. Total should be about 10% of weekly diet)
A bare minimum of 3 proteins are needed to cover your ferret's basic nutritional needs. This can change depending on YOUR ferret. Some do better with a bit less bone, some need a bit more. You'll be able to determine what your ferret needs as time passes and you become accustomed to raw feeding.
What Defines a NUTRITIONAL organ meat? This is a very important question, and something that causes a lot of confusion. Many structures that are considered “organs” anatomically are NOT considered Organ Meat nutritionally. Nutritional Organs are Major Hormone-Secreting Tissues: Liver Kidney Spleen Pancreas Gallbladder Brain Major glands (thymus, thyroid, parathyroid) Uterus Testicles
Pork Stomach Lining** (pork stomach is an organ, but it is lower in nutrients than the others listed) Tripe is the stomach of ruminating animals (usually Beef). White tripe has all of the nutrients bleached out of it and should not be fed. Green tripe is high in nutrients but smells horrid and usually ferrets won’t go near it so it’s really not worth the bother. If your ferrets will eat it, more power to you. Chitterlings (pork small intestine): similar to stomach this is an organ but is low in nutrients compared to the others and usually picked out of whole prey so there isn’t much benefit to feeding it.
NON-Organ meats Gizzards – gizzards are comprised of primarily muscle tissue and tendon, nutritionally they are a muscle meat source. Great for cleaning teeth.
Tongue – the tongue is comprised of muscle and mucous/salivary glands. These glands secrete mucous and digestive enzymes but NO hormones. The sublingual tonsils are at the very back of the tongue and are a lymphoid tissue (immune system). These tonsils are way at the back, so IF they are included on your purchased tongue, they are included in the whole tongue piece. Nutritionally tongue is a muscle meat source.
Lungs- lungs do not secrete hormones, they are comprised of connective tissue and endothelium. They are not considered a true “organ” as far as raw diet is concerned. They are however a GREAT part of a raw diet and are very high in Iron and Vitamin B12, as well as other B Vitamins. Definitely a good thing to feed if you have access.
Edible bone in meat: is just that meat with bone included. It is NOT bones with just a bit of meat on them (ie: most of the meat removed). If you fed bones like this you will throw the balance of the menu off. See below for acceptable bone in meats
chicken: any / all, quail: any / all, rabbit: any / all, turkey: necks, ribs, and wing tips, duck: neck, ribs, and wing tips. pork: button bones, rib ends, cornish game hen: any / all.
Any commercial frozen raw with 10% to 15% ground bone. Any freeze dried raw with 10%-15% ground bone. Muscle meat: any heart meat. Chicken (including gizzard), turkey, duck, lamb, goat, beef, Cornish Game Hen (counts as chicken), venison, elk, basically any meat (unaltered such as smoked, pickled or injected with salt) without bone.
*heart is considered a muscle meat but is ABSOLUTELY necessary as it is their primary source of taurine. Lack of taurine in their diet can lead to eyesight problems and other issues. Organ meat: Liver, kidney, thymus, pancreas, reproductive organs, lung, brain, basically any part of the body that secretes. Fat is an important part of a carnivore's diet as this is where they get their energy. It works for them in the same way carbs do for humans. Make sure to pick fattier cuts over leaner cuts when buying your meat (thigh vs. breast, shoulder vs. tenderloin, etc)
Variety For optimal health a minimum (more is preferable) of 3 different proteins need to be in the diet. At least one of the minimum 3 proteins needs to be something other than: chicken, rabbit, cornish game hen or fish. This is to ensure enough Vit B, iron and a good base of taurine in the diet (most taurine comes from the heart in the diet however).
Please look this over and I will post an exam for you, in just a little bit. :wave3:
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 29, 2015 9:40:31 GMT -5
Okay, you've made it to your final exam. I have absolute faith that you are ready and will do great on this test. Try to take the test first without looking up any answers, just for your own sake. You can go back and check your answers, but doing it first without looking reinforces what you know. Good Luck:
1. List two good sources of Taurine
2. Your ferret's stools are loose/soft. What is this a sign of and how can you adjust to fix it?
3. Your ferret is constipated and his stools are very hard and dry. What is this a sign of and how can you adjust to fix it?
4. What percent of the diet should be organ?
5. Are gizzards a muscle meat, or an organ?
6. About how long is a ferret's digestion time?
7. How long does each type of meat generally stay good: raw soup, ground meat, med-large chunks, bone-in meats, whole prey?
8. How can you tell if your ferret is too skinny?[/b]
9. Are leaner meats better for your ferret or fattier meats?
10. Extra Credit:
Why did the Ferret go to the Movies?
:wave3:
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 31, 2015 10:24:51 GMT -5
Just checking in.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2015 11:32:39 GMT -5
Just wanted to see if you had taken your final exam? Let's get you graduated (dance)
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2015 23:14:10 GMT -5
Ah, sorry! I had it all typed out and then it disappeared. Lets try this again! 1. List two good sources of TaurineHeart and tongue(pork?) 2. Your ferret's stools are loose/soft. What is this a sign of and how can you adjust to fix it?Loose stools are a sign of too little bone. Feed one more bone in meal. 3. Your ferret is constipated and his stools are very hard and dry. What is this a sign of and how can you adjust to fix it?Hard stools are a sign of too much bone. Feed one less bone in meal. 4. What percent of the diet should be organ?10%(5% liver and 5% other organ) 5. Are gizzards a muscle meat, or an organ?Muscle meat 6. About how long is a ferret's digestion time?Four hours 7. How long does each type of meat generally stay good: raw soup, ground meat, med-large chunks, bone-in meats, whole prey?Soup - 6-8 hours Ground - 6-8 hours Med-large chunks - up to 12 hours bone in meats - up to 24 hours whole prey - 24 hours 8. How can you tell if your ferret is too skinny?If you hold them up(dangle them) and you can see a waistline, they are too skinny. They're also too skinny if you can see their ribs/hips. 9. Are leaner meats better for your ferret or fattier meats?Fattier. Fat=energy 10. Extra Credit:
Why did the Ferret go to the Movies?I don't know this one, sorry And the menu!: Sunday: AM: organ - deer liver + pork kidney PM: bone in - CGH Monday: AM: bone in - quail PM: heart - pork heart Tuesday: AM: bone in - chicken PM: muscle - veal Wednesday: AM: muscle - pork PM: bone in - quail Thursday: AM: bone in - rabbit PM; bone in - duck Friday: AM: heart + organ - pork heart + deer liver + pork uterus PM: bone in - CGH Saturday: AM: muscle - beef PM: bone in - chicken
|
|