|
Post by FireAngel on Oct 1, 2015 22:16:49 GMT -5
That is cute about the names and good for you sticking to your guns and showing a little tough love! I wouldn't share my cookie dough either!
|
|
|
Post by Klarissa on Oct 2, 2015 18:45:12 GMT -5
Today they had gizzard for brekkie. There was no complaints & none stashed away. When I get home I'm smashing up some chicken backs & I'm leaving it until they eat it! I've altered their menu a little bit. Of the 7 bone in meals 2 will be chicken backs/wings, whole quail, duck wings etc; 1 mouse meal a week; remaining 4 meals will be grinds. The grinds allow for proteins that I can't use otherwise, whether for price or not suitable (rabbit, duck, buffalo, kangaroo). I'm exchanging a few of the beef muscle meals for chicken gizzards to help with their jaw strength. I'm trying to work in some fish, at least for Fredzia. Last night I gave her some tilapia, which she was very excited about. My husband doesn't eat fish, so I always share with the dogs & ferrets. Probably try out some salmon & catfish. Watching Bear & Willy's relationship grow & change is so funny! They started out on cage/room rotation. Then I divided the room with a gate and they each got half. One day Bear pulled the gate mount out of the wall & laid beside Willy. Now they will share a blanket, tentatively. The other night I caught them trying to lay together in the same hammock, while simultaneously fighting. It was too cute! Neither wanted out, they wanted to snuggle, but it took awhile to find a position that didn't make Bear hiss & screech The other night I caught Bear trying to play with Willy, but she'd run away & hiss when he would reciprocate. They will definitely get there! They still occasionally scuffle, never for more than 10 seconds - I don't even get up & check anymore. We've also started cuddling with them together for 10-15 minutes at night so Bear sees him relaxed. I'm waiting awhile to intro Fredzia again. She has stopped hissing & lunging at them through the cage (whether she is in it, or has the room). I think she needed the butt kicking Willy doled out. Willy really really really didn't want to fight. He kept turning his back to her when she tried to bite him, when she did get him he just rolled in a fuzzy knot, never biting her. But when she broke out & attacked him while he slept, Willy had had enough. Bear trusts my husband in a way I haven't seen, she trusts him 110%. My husband would hold Bear, with her butt in Fredzia's general direction. I would watch Fredzia & sin bin her for any signs of aggression towards Bear (hissing, lunging, etc) but never letting contact. Bear fell asleep while my husband held her, even though crazy Fredzia was causing a riot. We tried the let 'em dook it out method, but Fredzia was the aggressor AND the one to poop her fur, so we are taking a different approach. Bear & Willy sleeping (almost) together. My husband giving Fredzia some love while I try & eat without getting my toes nommed off.
|
|
|
Post by Klarissa on Oct 5, 2015 12:34:59 GMT -5
So, Saturday night I gave Willy & Bear a 5.5oz chicken back. I gave Fredzia a 3oz chicken back. Saturday night I best it with a hammer to break up the bones, but yesterday they had eaten very little. So, I took bacon scissors & cut it up more.
Bear & Willy ate their whole back by this morning. It must have been both of them. I caught Bear eating yesterday, and there is no way she ate the whole 5.5oz.
Fredzia didn't really touch hers. She pulled off some meat & cartilage, but didn't eat much bone.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2015 10:31:58 GMT -5
Sounds like Frezdia (and Bear & Willy!) are doing really well, with the chicken backs she could've just had a lazy day, the backs can be a bit tough for some ferts to eat especially when they haven't been on bones for too long, so I wouldn't worry too much over that. Sometimes my guys don't want to each much on certain days, usually after that day they'll hog stuff down though haha.
|
|
|
Post by Klarissa on Oct 7, 2015 11:06:30 GMT -5
I chalked up Fredzia not eating her back to inexperience, and will try it again. She eats gizzards & whole mice, so she will develop the skill to eat chicken backs eventually. Bear & Willy scarfed down 4oz of organ & egg when I fed them after the chicken back. They may have ate the back, but they didn't like it I'm swapping out chicken liver, for beef liver to lessen the chicken they eat. So, just the heart & bone is chicken, and even then they get mice once a week. I have quail & rabbit, but I want to make sure they will actually eat it. Their muscle meat is pork, but they get beef once a week. It's been chaotic at the moment, and I have waaaayyyy too much meat in my freezers (3 freezers, to be exact). Other than buying more organs, we're trying to use up what we have .
|
|
|
Post by Klarissa on Oct 7, 2015 11:47:57 GMT -5
I was at the grocery store & I got sidetracked by some stewing lamb, bone in that was 50% off. I forgot soy milk. I wasn't even shopping for the ferrets But I got some veal liver & stewing lamb - switch it up for them.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 8, 2015 10:31:49 GMT -5
Ooh yum, they should like that. My guys lovee Lamb. Mutton, not so much, lol. Just a reminder- when feeding raw, different proteins only count if they are in muscle meat form. So just as an example, if fed weekly chicken and pork, then fed beef organs but no other type of beef, that would only count as them getting 2 proteins.
|
|
|
Post by Klarissa on Oct 8, 2015 10:33:25 GMT -5
Yup, we have chicken grinds & chicken backs for bone, pork & lamb for muscle, plus one beef meal, and whatever organs I have pulled.
|
|
|
Post by Klarissa on Oct 11, 2015 8:27:50 GMT -5
Bear's winter coat has come in, and she is beautiful! She has a had a waxy, rat tail for months & now it super fluffy She has gotten so fluffy & her fur is very white. Fredzia & Willy's grey patches are getting bigger & darker daily. But there coats haven't gotten much thicker.
|
|
|
Post by Sherry on Oct 11, 2015 11:32:39 GMT -5
Sounds like she is gorgeous! And julesalot is right- she will get better as she gains experience at eating the backs
|
|
|
Post by Klarissa on Oct 11, 2015 12:25:43 GMT -5
Yeah, my expectations of Fredzia was lower. She has only been on raw for a few weeks - she just happened to fully switch immediately. I'm going to try her with bone in fish. She LOVES fish, and I think the bones are easier for her. Thanksgiving, so I'm asking all my friends & family for their turkey giblets. So far I got 3 necks, 3 hearts, and 3 lungs
|
|
|
Post by Klarissa on Oct 12, 2015 15:51:16 GMT -5
Pictures of the fuzzy crew. Fredzia Bear Willy Concerned about Willy's shape :/
|
|
|
Post by Klarissa on Oct 19, 2015 20:48:23 GMT -5
Quickie update! Proteins now include: Quail, chicken, turkey, duck, beef, lamb, pork, fish, and mice. They really love fish! Every week has one fish meal (bone in or muscle depending on type), one mouse meal (bone in), and turkey/quail/duck/chicken (all bone in). I still use chicken hearts, pork kidney, and chicken liver regularly, and occasionally duck liver & veal liver. This week I had some turkey heart liver, lungs and will have a few more turkey organs after I butcher another turkey. Will be adding: Rabbit Beef tongue Baby chicks (treats) Texture range from pureed (organs, so I know they are being eaten equally by all), large chunks (most muscle & bone) , and whole bones (quail, chicken backs). Everyone is fluffy, fun, and fat! One grind meal a week as to incorporate occasional rare proteins (kangaroo, buffalo). Also, funny autocorrect
|
|
|
Post by katt on Oct 21, 2015 22:04:28 GMT -5
I want a sign..."Warning: Ferret Eats Small Children"
|
|
|
Post by Klarissa on Oct 22, 2015 11:27:15 GMT -5
Me too!! I might make one for the back of my car
|
|