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Post by Deleted on Nov 17, 2015 15:32:48 GMT -5
Wow that all sounds great! I'm not sure what's going on with the cubes...since I had 5 piglets to feed, I went through a couple batches of soup a day! I did pureed liver in the ice cube tray though (since it was about an ounce each, it worked great) but that's so soft (texture-wise) to begin with. I'm glad you want to stay with the frankenprey! Why don't we try setting weekly goals? And if you're able to do pictures too? (of Maisie and her meals) I didn't want you to feel rushed so that's why I thought grinds. But if grinds are gross, then frankenprey it is! Haha! If you can, take a picture of her dinner and I can see where we are.
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Post by Blue on Nov 17, 2015 16:52:01 GMT -5
Weekly goals would be good. Right now I'm hesitating between: - increasing the sizes of the slivers/chunks - introducing her to new meats The thing is, she's incredibly picky and non-adventurous when it comes to food (just like her Mom ). Every single time she starts on a new batch of soup, even if they have similar ingredients, she has to be persuaded to eat it with finger-feeding. I guess I could do a mix of new meat with small slivers, chicken with larger sliver sizes, and soup because goodness forbid it not be liquid. I don't know, that may be too much change at once? Or straight to the pulped chicken wing to she if she'll eat bone? (Probably not a good idea, I dunno.) I'll try larger chunks again tonight, and take a picture. Hopefully she'll eat it if she's hungry from this morning...
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Post by Blue on Nov 19, 2015 13:39:36 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Nov 21, 2015 17:15:07 GMT -5
What a sweet sleepy girl! The size of the slivers and mini chunks are good! Didn't go any smaller than those. For our first goal-no liquid. I know it's going to be hard, but you can do it! Keep eliminating the liquid a little each meal, and by Friday, only slivers. The meat has moisture, so it will still juicy for her...just not water with some meat in it. Let me know how she's doing with the liquid elimination each day and how her weight is in a day or so. (and I love pictures if you have the time) She's such a cutie pie! Remember, Maisie knows you love her and will do anything for her. You have to teach her that slivers and chunks are good on their own.
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Post by Blue on Nov 23, 2015 19:16:07 GMT -5
She jumped out of the bowl repeatedly again but I think her Sunday weigh-in is 2 lbs 0 oz!
Last few meals have been 1 cube soup, 0.4 oz chicken (with mini-chunks) and 0.4 oz lamb. I've stopped adding any water to the mix -- the only source of liquid is now the soup cube, which is still quite a bit. Also, when she stops halfway through the meal and pushes the bowl with her nose, I don't add anything (I used to add warm water). I pick it up and shake it which seems to trick her in to eating a little more. She's leaving quite a bit though. More than I'd expect given that she usually eats almost all of a cube + 0.8 oz meat. Maybe she'll eat more as she gets hungrier? In any case it's been easier than I expected so far.
When I warm up the soup cube in a baggie, quite a bit of water forms -- I could drain that? Or some of it? I'd rather she eat more before moving on to that, but maybe I'm being too wimpy. The strange thing is that she still drinks a lot of water on the side for a ferret who is still eating semi-soup. I feel like I should get her tested for diabetes! (Not really, but it does seems rather like excessive thirst.)
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Post by Blue on Nov 24, 2015 11:26:13 GMT -5
Well this morning she ate almost nothing. Just ate a bit when I held her and finger-fed her, and she didn't put up with that for long. Mostly she went off to drink warm water out of the saucepan I use to warm up her bowl. I guess I could remove that while I'm trying to get her to eat? I'm just afraid of her being really thirsty, since even when she eats soup, she drinks a lot. I'm guessing we're entering the battle of the wills stage? I'm not looking forward to it.
On the plus side I happened to get up way earlier than usual this morning, and I could really see the "most active at dawn and dusk" thing. She was running up and down the pavement outside! I need to make an effort to get up earlier for her (and for me.)
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Post by Deleted on Nov 24, 2015 13:16:13 GMT -5
There have been a few mornings where we have had time to play with the kids-haha, they are so fun and crazy at 'dawn'! I, too, would like to get up earlier and have play time...I'll have to ease into that one though! Let me know if you and Maisie work out a good plan! You can try to drain off some of the liquid from the soup cubes. I was thinking you would have all slivers and chunks(in a baggie) for her meal and as that thaws (either in warm water or on the counter) there will be some 'juice' in there. We hear that ferrets will drink less when raw fed and are shocked when we see them drink twice in a day! At least I was! I'm sure she's fine. Keep an eye on her intake...just incase I'm glad you're not adding additional water to her meals anymore! Don't worry that she doesn't eat everything while you're there. Sometimes my kids can't wait to eat and other times I couldn't force them if I tried. Have your usual time together but let her eat on her own. If she goes to sleep before you leave for work, that's okay because she will eat when she's hungry. Is she confined to a certain area when you're gone? (a cage or ferret proof room?) Weigh her meals, before and after, to find out how much she is eating. Since she ate so well over the summer, she may have her season's backwards. Everyone in my house is getting plump and fluffy-except Zekrom. They all still weigh the same, but they are eating more and getting gorgeous winter coats-except Zek. I'm just mentioning this as maybe he and Maisie are on the same schedule! Hehe. Let me know how the less liquid goes with those approaches!
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Post by Blue on Nov 24, 2015 18:38:54 GMT -5
Right, I can actually weigh her meals properly now that I'm not adding water halfway through, can't I? I'd forgotten that, thanks. I'm pretty sure she has her seasons straight because she gained weight and fluff in the winter, and lost it over the summer. Awww, poor Zek! She's in her FN 182 when I'm at work or asleep, but she rarely seems to eat any food I leave in there with her. I guess we'll see if that changes. So you're thinking I should even skip the soup cube, and just have slivers/chunks? That could work. I think. Maybe. Or at least clean up will be easier when she flips the bowl
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Post by Deleted on Nov 25, 2015 8:31:28 GMT -5
Try to weigh her food, before and after feedings, and that should give you an idea of how much she will eat per day. Since she's in her cage, you can leave the food with her. She *should* eat while you're away. Weighing the food will also tell you that she's eating even though it may look like she's not. Try only sliver and chunk meals. I think she'll surprise you! Let me know how out goes!
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Post by Blue on Nov 25, 2015 12:59:01 GMT -5
Semi-success this morning! Offering: 0.8 oz chicken thigh, only in slivers, no water added, although I did rinse the cold slivers in warm water & a few drops of salmon oil before draining. I used a bit of salmon oil throughout the story below: 1) wanted nothing to do with it 2) refused finger-feeding 3) I did a basic scruff & stuff with just one sliver, although I didn't scruff her, just held her head firmly 4) miracle! She started eating some slivers!! Only 0.2 oz, but then the slivers were still cold, so I left them to warm for a while 5) about 30 min later when the slivers were warmer: same drama, same outcome: she ate another 0.4 oz! 6) another 30 min later, tried again for the last slivers, but she would have nothing to do with it. I left her to it and came back to an upside-down bowl. I find that so hilarious 7) I left the remaining slivers in her cage when I went to work... and I must admit, I added some water because I knew she'd drink it (she did) and it would moisten the remaining slivers. In summary: yay! She ate 0.6 oz of just slivers this morning I never would have pushed this if you hadn't suggested it. I'm a total wimp. Thanks
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Post by Blue on Nov 25, 2015 13:11:17 GMT -5
The two containers are about the same size, I switched so I could put the bowl in warm water more easily. before: after:
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Post by Deleted on Nov 25, 2015 13:45:57 GMT -5
Yay! That's terrific! The next time might be a similar struggle, or worse, but keep at it. I don't think you need to hand feed her, but rather place her infront of the dish so she knows (and you know she knows) it's there. If she walks away, put her infront of the dish again. You could even say, go ahead and have some breakfast/dinner Maisie, and see what she does. If she refuses again, that's ok. She knows it's there and will eat when she's hungry.
You are doing a great job!!!!!!!!
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Post by Blue on Nov 27, 2015 7:35:19 GMT -5
Things are going pretty well! We've upgraded from tiny to small chunks of things she likes I'll take a picture next time. One question I have: if I'm adding raw egg, how long will the dish be good for? For example this morning I put out small chunks of chicken thigh, slivers of pork heart (she does not like heart), and about 1/3rd egg. She ate a total of 0.5 oz out of that. If I leave it out, it doesn't seem like it would be good for too long with the egg mix? Or is that people logic, not ferret logic? Wednesday night I gave her a mix of chicken thigh and liver, no added water, and she ate maybe 2 pieces. I left it in with her overnight, and by morning only 0.2 oz had gone. I'm not even sure that was eaten -- it could just be evaporation as the meat jerkifies! The next morning I gave her chicken thigh & liver again, but with a bit of egg added. That's kind of cheating liquid-wise, isn't it? But she ate most of it which was better than the night before. Anyway, I think we're making progress!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 27, 2015 11:46:28 GMT -5
I would be hesitant to give her some egg everyday. She should realy only have an egg a week, or 2 eggs per week during shedding. While it wouldn't *hurt* her, but rather she will expect and possibly not eat unless she has egg. Does that make sense? As far as how long-ferrets will not eat something if it has gone bad. The bigger the piece, the longer it stays good. Slivers and chunks can stay good 8-12 hours. Try the small chunks by themselves. No liquid and no egg. Give that to her for breakfast. Maybe just 1 oz, so if she doesn't eat it, you're not throwing much away. Give her the same thing (a fresh ounce) for dinner. Repeat the same steps the next day. This way she's not holding out for a better meal. For example, she doesn't eat breakfast because she knows you'll give her some egg for dinner. Tell me how she does tonight and tomorrow with this plan.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 27, 2015 11:52:55 GMT -5
I wanted to elaborate but couldn't edit on my phone. When I said the same thing for breakfast and dinner-for breakfast, if you give her muscle meat and heart, do the same for dinner. If it's just muscle meat for breakfast, it's just muscle meat for dinner. This goes along with the egg...if you give her muscle meat and heart, and she doesn't like heart, she'll hold out for dinner just because she doesn't want what you gave her for breakfast. Let me know if I was confusing
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