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Post by Deleted on Sept 28, 2015 23:22:03 GMT -5
I know it's been a few days since I said anything or posted anything. Honestly it's been all I can do to stay sane at this moment.
The boys are doing alright on their switch. Poco still isn't having anything to do with chunks so I'm trying to make them smaller at some point. Figured I would just relax and let them get comfortable with the soupies and see if I can at least just get them to eat it with little to no water added. It will be mushy, but as long as it isn't chunky they won't really care.
Also, I'm not sure which one of them has the good poos, but I've seen a few. However one of them has black tarry poos. It's freaking me out a little bit. Going to monitor them now that they are separated and I can figure out which one has the dark stools.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 5, 2015 10:24:13 GMT -5
Nothing much has changed. The bad poops were due to the heart that poco digested. Everything is back to normal though. They are eating their foods just fine. I've stopped adding as much water to it so that they would get used to a slightly less soupie form rather than just adding chunks to their soupie. They eat chunks but only if I hold them and make them eat it by not letting them have the soupie on the plate until they eat the chunkie stuff. It's going well. Their poops are still runny and I feel so bad for them because of it. I wish they could have normal poops again. How often does it normally take for their poops to change back to normal?  |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 5, 2015 10:49:07 GMT -5
Try starting with small slivers and sneak your way up in size.
Ferrets tear with their front teeth and chew with their back. I find slivers work better than square chunks.
If you'd like to post a video of your holding them while they eat, we can make suggestions.
Sometimes, it's the small things that convince them to eat.
How much eggshell are you using in the soupie? You can increase it a bit to help firm up the poops.
You've been doing this for a month now. You'll see better poops as you move to less soup and more meat. Once they are eating bone, then you'll have lovely firm healthy poops.
It just takes some time.
You're doing very well and so are Shinchi and Poco.
:wave3:
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Post by Deleted on Oct 5, 2015 13:25:41 GMT -5
I started off the eggshells at 1/2 and then after the black heart poop I increased it to 3/4. But they are still soft. Poco did have a slight blockage as he got in to the bedroom and found a little ring made out of rubber bands and he destroyed it. I didn't know until we found it in the poops. I know it was him because he's the one obsessed with rubber. Found his stashy spot under my husband's dresser with tiny rubber bands everywhere. They seem to be out of his system now and he's not lethargic or anything.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 5, 2015 14:37:43 GMT -5
I posted to this and it disappeared.
Rubber bands are so dangerous. I never had to worry about it with my first ferret Ponce.
Then when Roamy came home, I watched him find one and decide to taste it.
I almost freaked but happily got it away from him.
Now everything rubbery or foamy is up and away.
Did you do a blockage protocol on Poco? Keep an eye out on him and see if you see any signs of distress when he goes to poop.
A blockage may show up a few days later and if you aren't sure whether he has eaten any more, he will need to be carefully watched.
If he begins to vomit or crashes, then take him to a vet immediately.
I'm not trying to frighten you but I do want to be sure that you are aware of any possible issues.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 5, 2015 15:33:16 GMT -5
No I didn't do a blockage protocol because I didn't see it until afterward and he's pooped clean and normal since then. I'm going to be going through their poops tonight to make sure its all gone buy he's been eating fine and bouncing around. We gathered all the rubber bands we could find and threw them away. I don't know how he found it to be honest. I don't even know where it was. The only rubber thing he is allowed to play with is his squeaky chicken but he just stashes that in the letter box and I remove it so he doesn't even have access to that without me being there. I need to buy another pumpkin so I can have it on hand for blockages.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2015 10:47:41 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2015 11:31:32 GMT -5
You guys are adorable to watch.
You did everything just right. They both were certainly eager to eat.
You were sweet with them and praised them first and they responded well.
Your husband gets a pat on the back for feeding them. He also may have done you a favor by not making the soup thinner. If they ate half of it and it has less water, then they didn't fill up on water or gravy but ate the soup.
The soup in the video is a nice thickness and I think you are ready to reduce the amount of soup and add nice long slivers to the plate. You can put half of the soup on the plate and put the other half all slivers and see how they do with that overnight.
Very very nice. Both of them really trust you and you are building a lovely bond.
They're gorgeous little fuzzies and you all are such a sweet family.
:wave3:
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2015 11:50:29 GMT -5
Can you do me a favor and show me some pictures of what size the slivers should be? I'm afraid I might do the wrong size, or that I'm not understanding what it should be. Should it be the thigh meat that I sliver up, or the liver or heart? Should I try to sliver up a different kind of meat? I've got some stored beef fat for treat with some meat still attached but I don't know how they would do with it since they've only had deer and chicken.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2015 12:01:29 GMT -5
I like to start with slivers since ferrets tear with their front teeth and chew with their back teeth. I'll need a few minutes to find some pictures but try something along these sizes: ######################### ########################## Combine them for a rough idea. I suggest hearts in slivers for new to raw ferrents. Mine will eat a whole one now but we don't want to overwhelm Shinchi and Poco. Organs are nice for organ soup. It keeps them use to soup which can come in handy if someone isn't feeling well. If they've eaten deer, they may very well take to the strong flavor of beef. Give it a try. Beef or any red meat is high in iron and Vitamin B and should be a once a week meal. Pork is the next logical meat. It's mild in flavor and high in fat. Most ferrets easily will eat pork. Look for a Boston butt roast or a picnic shoulder. You will get quite a few meals from it once you have cut it up and packaged it into serving sizes. Here is a great thread with pictures of all different sizes and shapes and types of food. holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/121/show-ferrets-eating-natural-diet |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 8, 2015 14:36:13 GMT -5
So I slivered the chicken hearts. I have pictures to show but I can't upload them via my phone. Got 2oz soupie and 4 hearts. Half plate soupie half plate slivers and started with Poco.
He was hesitate to eat the slivers buy he did lick them so I offered from my fingers and he took it! He ate about 8 slivers and half the soupie.
Shinchi turn was much easier. He wanted to eat the soupie so bad that as soon as I offered him a piece of sliver that had soupie on it he devoured the heart without any help. So I mixed what was left and let him have it. He licked the plate clean!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 8, 2015 16:13:01 GMT -5
That's wonderful.
They both ate very well.
If Shinchi finished his plate, then next time add a bit more. Ferrets will eat until they are full and if they leave some on the plate or try to stash some then they are full.
You'll have looser poops after a heart meal. Don't let that worry you.
How many ounces of soupie are you putting out?
Also, do you have a scale to weigh them. It's nice to keep track of their weights as they transition.
I like to keep a journal and then if I have to go to the vet, I can take that with me and I know their normal weights and can keep notes of anything the vet might say or any questions that I might have.
You'll get familiar with their spring and fall weights by keeping track and any unusual weight changes may alert you to possible health problems.
Those two are really really doing just wonderful and so are you. Nice job Ferrenting!
:thumbsup:
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