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Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2015 23:15:51 GMT -5
Everyone has been eating well. Emil has been eating but tonight he only ate muscle and flesh. Noa ate the most today.
- Raven
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Post by Celene on Aug 20, 2015 7:45:26 GMT -5
Awesome! Can you post what their current weekly menu looks like now? (see my previous post) Thanks PS - Your fuzzies are doing great, they have come so far!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2015 15:44:51 GMT -5
Weight: Mia- 838kg Emil- 1.050kg Noa- 934kg Rumi- 1.000kg Tried red meat but they rejected it entirely.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2015 16:05:04 GMT -5
All of the except for Rumi ate a whole heart today. Noa was the most excited to receive a whole heart. Rumi also did her first successful war dance. She used to trip all over the place.
-Raven
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Post by Celene on Aug 21, 2015 16:08:52 GMT -5
Their weights look great! Everyone is almost exactly the same as when they started, except Rumi who is up a bit. Pretty soon their coats will start getting scraggly before their winter coat comes in, and they will start gaining a bunch of weight. (I know it sounds early, but these cycles are based more on light than they are on temperature/weather.)
Red meat needs to almost be treated as its own mini-switch. You can introduce small slivers by hand, with salmon oil on them, or even blend into a grind/soup to start until they get used to the flavour.
When you get a chance, please post their weekly meal plan. It can either be what they ate the past week, or the one coming up.
Monday AM: Monday PM:
Tuesday AM: Tuesday PM:
Wednesday AM: Wednesday PM:
Thursday AM: Thursday PM:
Friday AM: Friday PM:
Saturday AM: Saturday PM:
Sunday AM: Sunday PM:
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2015 20:23:35 GMT -5
Well we were thinking for next week Monday Am: Hearts & liver Pm: thigh (with its skin) Tuesday Am: thigh Pm: liver & thigh Unfortunately that's all we've been able to give so far is like that we can't find other organs in Montana (which is stupid since we live in a farming state)... We're currently working on bone training Noa and Emil seem to have no big problems on chunks the size of bullion cubes (we can't get any softer bones anywhere so we've been keeping an eye with thigh bones) Mia ate a little piece earlier but it was unfortunately a stored piece...so I do not know the size...and I can't get Rumi to remain still...However the ferrets love the bone marrow to death doesn't take much try to get them chewing it down. BTW I have also noticed Mia only eats mainly stored meats that we don't find and I know that isn't good...Any ideas? - Devan
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Post by Celene on Aug 21, 2015 21:03:07 GMT -5
Ferret jerky is considered quite the delicacy, but only when they make it themselves. I tried drying some meat for them once and they were not interested! This is a piece of quail jerky I found once! bone-in jerky isn't safe once the bones dry as they get brittle in the same way as cooked. If the meat is boneless or moist around the bone area you can let them eat it (if you want to). It's pretty gross, but as long as it is drying and not rotting it's fine for them. They have good little noses though and if the meat is "off" or dangerous they know not to touch it. There are things you can do to mitigate stashing. I have simply trained my girls not to, but you can also try feeding dens or clipping the meat to a cage/surface with shower hooks. As for the menu, if you could post a whole week's worth of meals that would be more helpful. Mostly I just want to make sure it's balanced! In regards to alternate meat sources, have you tried looking for chicken wings? They usually come in large packs and are much smaller than thighs. For organs and other types of bone-in meat I would suggest seeing if your local butcher can order it in, or if you can find an Asian/ethnic market nearby.
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Post by Celene on Aug 25, 2015 8:35:12 GMT -5
So how are things going?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 25, 2015 8:52:30 GMT -5
Emil and Mia are having a hard time switching to other meats. Noa is okay with and thing and Rumi tolerates the change. They are doing well with both and will steal each other's bone.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 25, 2015 18:13:12 GMT -5
My biggest concern (Raven did the last post BTW) is bone training...I'm afraid to go bigger...don't want one to choke... - Devan
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Post by Celene on Aug 26, 2015 8:13:18 GMT -5
How big are the bones right now? In my experience, largers/longer bones are actually safer. Smaller bones are easier for a ferret to try and swallow without chewing. Larger bones they are forced to slow down and chew every bit.
I'm glad they are doing great though! How big are the chunks of meat they are getting now?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 26, 2015 22:24:19 GMT -5
Today we tried beef. They are still reluctant to try but Mia, Rumi, and Emil ate a bit but we covered it in fish oil. Noa fought us and spat it out with every attempt. Because today was a new meat we made it smaller chunks than what they're used to.
-Raven
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Post by Celene on Aug 27, 2015 9:29:56 GMT -5
Fantastic! Beef does have a strong flavour and takes some getting used to.
I just want to check and make sure everybody is getting a balanced diet, so please fill out the following with what they are eating (include whether it is boneless or bone in):
Monday AM: Monday PM:
Tuesday AM: Tuesday PM:
Wednesday AM: Wednesday PM:
Thursday AM: Thursday PM:
Friday AM: Friday PM:
Saturday AM: Saturday PM:
Sunday AM: Sunday PM:
What size chunks are they eating with bone?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2015 18:27:40 GMT -5
Yay training again...lol... Unfortunately Raven and her mother mixed multiple meat pieces into one so other then skin I can't tell who eats what...the bone IS in it but not allot...Id say they are about the size of rocks near the size of pebbles...Also here now that we have a little internet. Most slices are the size of chicken hearts. (hearts included)
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Post by Deleted on Aug 30, 2015 16:12:26 GMT -5
After the last two days off I've come to notice Noa eats EXCESSIVE amounts compaired to the others...the others will just have a piece or two and be happy Noa eats at least 3-6 pieces...Should I be concerned? Also....We are thinking about putting a dye streak in Mias tail cause I can't tell her and Mia apart anymore (noas changed ALOT since the diet change) care to properly teach me on that as well please? - Devan
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