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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2015 11:49:49 GMT -5
Mine really loved Stella and Chewy's. Can you get it by this weekend? Right about the hydrating, just add some water to it.
That's great that Yogi went for the mixture of ferretone and salmon oil.
What if you tried making the soupie with pork? He might like that better. You could still add the chicken heart and liver, but instead of 8 ounces of chicken thigh, use a fatty pork cut. Pork is mild like chicken, and he may simply prefer it over chicken. It's worth a try.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2015 11:59:59 GMT -5
I can pick some up on my way home tonight. Should I keep it dry and mix it in? Rehydrate it and put it in a separate bowl from the kibble? Soften some kibble and mix it in? so many optiooooons. He has NI raw boost duck and turkey and he seems to be eating the freeze dried parts, although I am breaking them up to a smaller size so he can't really avoid them. Hmmm... I have another pre made batch of soup to blend that has chicken thighs in it. I guess i'll try making this batch again but make it a little more "soupie", since this last batch was much more thicker than the last. If he's still being ornery, I'll pick up some pork for the next batch. I'll let you know how it goes Did I mention he'll eat raw egg? He gets one every weekend!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2015 12:09:22 GMT -5
It's safe to leave it out for up to 12 hours or even more. How long will you be gone? If he has never had any before, then you might mix it into the kibble and wet the kibble also.
One problem with dry kibble is that it leaves them in a slightly dehydrated state. Do you use a water bottle or bowl? A bowl is better for Yogi, the trick is finding one that he doesn't tip over.
That's great that he eats raw egg. One idea would be to put out his soupie. Then whip up the egg and pour it over the soupie.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2015 12:19:39 GMT -5
I learned the bowl trick with my last group of furrkids (they taught me so well <3).
I will be gone for >12 hours (about 30?) I could ask the room mate to switch a bowl out but I'm a little uncomfortable asking her to do that. Maybe just mix in the dry stuff?
I'll take his kibble away when I get home tonight and try to feed him some of the new batch of soup tomorrow morning before I leave. Should I rehydrate some of the stella's and leave it in a bowl over night, maybe with some oil to see if he'll go for it? I know when I first got him he was always in the wet food bowl when I visited lol.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2015 12:30:49 GMT -5
So, it seems Yogi prefers his food wet.
That's a good idea to leave it with him overnight. Honestly, I shouldn't say this but since you will be gone for maybe 30 hours and stressing over his feeding, why don't you just leave his kibble with him. You can worry about his switch when you get home.
He's going to be missing you and won't eat as well anyway. This way, you enjoy the wedding and he doesn't have to deal with two different stressors...you're being gone and a new food that he doesn't quite get yet.
Also leave him with your pillowcase. It will smell like you and comfort him.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2015 12:49:11 GMT -5
Awww, that's cute, i'll do that... although I'm pretty sure he doesn't care about when i'm around, just that "hey, big ferret... let me out of this cage!" I'll leave some wet mix over night and see if he eats it. I guess I'll wait to blend the new batch for when I come back. I'll keep you posted
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Post by FireAngel on Aug 28, 2015 15:29:54 GMT -5
I have to agree with @poncesmom, while i don't like saying it either, if you're not going to be home then it's best to wait and just give him the kibble. Hope you have a great time this weekend!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2015 17:08:12 GMT -5
Thanks!
OF COURSE they sold the last bag from the time I called them to the time I got there :angry mob:
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Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2015 9:57:01 GMT -5
Of Course! Go have fun at the wedding and we can talk more about switching, after you get home. :banana:
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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2015 12:54:23 GMT -5
The wedding was a blast Now back to business! Last night I took the kibble out of the cage. I left a mouse with him over night, but I don't think he ate any of it. I cut it open and I think he recognized the smell, but didn't go for it. I dangled it and had him rip it up a little, but that was it. O well! This morning he was definitely HANGRY (he was giving me such a hard time when I was trying to clean up remnants of mouse and dirty litter)! I blended a brand new batch of soup this morning, this time a little less chunky than before since he didn't like the last batch much at all. It was the same soup recipe, no pork exchanged for chicken thighs. I weighed out a little over 2 oz of soup for him. When I put it on the ground, he ran up to it and definitely recognized it, but didn't go for it. I had to coax him a little to eat off the spoon. Quite a few squirms later he was eating some off the spoon, but didn't want anymore when I put him down. He loves eggs (he will eat an entire egg to himself, he's such a fatty!) so I whisked one up and poured it over the soup. He took to it and was eating right out of the bowl! I left him alone to eat. He didn't eat a monster amount of it before he went off to get into mischief again. About a half hour- hour later I showed him it again, got him to lick some off the spoon, and put him down to eat a little more. Not a lot, but he's getting the hang of it! He's in the cage napping now, so I put the soup and egg concoction with spoon in his cage... I'm off today so I'll be spying on him to see if he goes for it on his own.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2015 12:56:44 GMT -5
Just a thought. Are you sure of his age? Have you posted a pic of his teeth on the aging by teeth sticky under ferret talk for those that can to age him by his teeth? Just some things are making me feel he may be older than you think. So I took a look at his teeth... bright white and opaque! I'm pretty confident that he's the age that his certificate says he is!
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Post by FireAngel on Aug 31, 2015 17:34:46 GMT -5
I'm glad you had a great time! Now to get that stubborn little beast of yours on track! :heehee: The fist bits of anything new I have had to bribe them to try it by making sure it was sufficiently oiled!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2015 19:32:38 GMT -5
He didn't touch the soup at all while in the cage. I let him out for round deux and waited until he played off some of his energy before trying to feed him some more of the soup. Same thing- first resistance, then he was eating it (I was trying to coax him into it with some salmon oil, but he's too smart). He ate, but not as much as he did this morning and not as consistently... he'd eat eat eat, then try to run away, realized he couldn't, eat a little more and keep doing the same thing.
He almost finished everything in the bowl except maybe .3-.5 oz out of 2.0? I think Julesalot said that 2 oz a day is enough... is that true? He's only 7 months old (technically not until the 11th!) but he's pretty big.
I'm not putting the kibble back in the cage tonight. I have off again tomorrow so I will try feeding him soup again in the morning. Trying to focus more on having him eat it out of the bowl than the spoon (hopefully he'll catch on soon... not going to have enough time to do it in the am when I start the new job in a week or two).
The soup was out for about 8-9 hours, with the egg on top... I think someone said 8 hours is fine to leave soup out, but just wanted to get that confirmed.
Also, he really liked the egg on the soup. I know they really shouldn't get an egg anymore than once a week (twice during shedding season), but I wonder how just putting a little bit on top with each soup would fair? I made the mistake of giving him 2 eggs in a week a few weeks ago... his butt was out of control for days, so I'd like to avoid that if possible :puke:
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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2015 19:59:14 GMT -5
I'm glad that you had fun at the wedding. I love weddings.
Your little guy is really a personality. He is having fun and enjoying the attention. Typical toddler, playing with his food and his Mom.
Julesalot may have misunderstood or thought he was older and a female. He's six to seven months old and he is a male. He is a growing boy and needs to eat as much as he wants. He may easily eat more than 3-4 ounces at his age. A grown male will eat 3-4 ounces in a day.
A six month old and a young male during a switch may eat quite alot. He may need to eat often and it's a good idea to leave food out for him. The soupie is fine for eight hours. He will avoid it if it turns.
If he finishes his entire plate, then he could eat more.
Eggs do give loose and stinky poops. Since he really likes the egg on top, perhaps you could try to give a little less egg for each soup meal You'll waste a bit of egg but in a day or two, he should be fine with no egg. Especially if you are there with him.
When you introduce a new food, you might try offering the same food for a few meals in a row. That won't cause any imbalances over such a short period. If you have extra mice, put one in his cage every night alongside his other meal. With ferrets, they simply have to get use to a new food and seeing it and smelling it every day will help with that.
It really will make all the difference if you sit with him for at least one meal a day. Put him on your lap, place one hand under him and offer him some food from a spoon or a slice of a sliver.
One thing that my Wynstan loves is to have me hold him and stand at the sink. I run some warm water over a slice and offer it to him. He is fully switched but we did that at the beginning and he still loves his special spoiling sometimes. A little Mommy and Wynstan time.
I think you both are doing really great. It's early yet and he is moving forward. Give him a hug and yourself a Pat on the Back for good ferrenting. :thumbsup:
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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2015 22:35:10 GMT -5
Thanks for all the encouragement, you guys are great mentors! I wish I would have read your post before we left for the boyfriend's house! I only brought along another 4.5 oz for me to last the next day and a half... bah! After reading your post, I offered him some more soup... he likes being held and fed for sure! I'm really surprised he's eating it so well now, he was such a brat last week about everything. Must have been the batch of soup?? I like the time we get when I hold him and feed him, but I hope he gets the hang of eating on his own, just so when I have to run out the door in the morning he will still eat! Just practicality wise, I don't have the time to hand feed him 2-3 times a day. It's super cute you still treat your little guy, I'm sure he enjoys all that mommy time! I put a dab out for him for over night with a bit of salmon oil drizzled over it. Even if he doesn't eat it, you're right, at least he will still be smelling it!
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