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Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2015 9:19:32 GMT -5
Hi all, I just wanted to share me and Linus's progress
This week is the first week of pure soup. He has had no kibble for a few days now and I'm super excited for the prospect of never having to go back to it! I received my shipment of raw from my supplier and now have some nice connections in town to get a variety of organs and meats. I've made up a menu as well if anyone is happy to give it a quick glance and tell me what they think. Here is the link imgur.com/a/tsLI2 as I can't attach it directly just now.
I have a food diary I am keeping to watch his weight and monitor exactly how much he is eating. He is able to manage about 1.5oz of soup at each meal still with a bit of encouragement but is chewing bigger chunks of meat now ( ) My only concern is how do I know how much to feed him? I am both worried about underfeeding him and causing weightloss, or overfeeding him and upsetting his tummy! He has had mostly darker, small poops since starting on only soup but energy has been just the same. Any advice on this aspect would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you lovely people
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Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2015 10:29:39 GMT -5
From my mentor bookmarks:adult males eat 2-4 ounces per day, adult females 1-3 ounces per day. Kits of either gender eat 2-3 times MORE food than an adult. They all eat more when they are in the fall and winter mode, less in the spring and summer mode. Read more: holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/16051/abbeytheferret6s-switching-thread-abbylee22#ixzz3nQO4s7XDDo not worry about overfeeding. They eat what they want and usually leave the rest or stash it. I always put more out than what they eat. some may wake up after a few hours sleep and nibble.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2015 10:43:39 GMT -5
Thanks abbeytheferret6 I'm glad there isn't too much of a worry about overfeeding, I'd really like him to put on some weight but didn't want to over do it for his little belly. Are those weights for both soup and when on fully raw? Thanks for the link I have looked at a couple of people's switching threads, they're very helpful (and reassuring!) And with regards to the poop, less and softer/blacker (this soup has liver and heart in so more blood) is fairly normal right? I have read that on a few peoples posts but it is a bit strange to go from seeing kibble poops every few hours to a couple of soft passings a day. Thanks so much
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Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2015 14:38:50 GMT -5
Oh yes the blood rich organs and the heart will give soft dark stools.
My senior would have 9-12 poopies on kibble in 24 hour period.
Have to give my girls organ soupies to get them to eat organs to this day, and I got to finger feed one.
It is nice using the ice cube tray---I have put the ice cube tray on the scale and filled each little tub with one ounce---but no need to be so picky.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 4, 2015 9:35:30 GMT -5
Thanks abbeytheferret6 I'm glad there isn't too much of a worry about overfeeding, I'd really like him to put on some weight but didn't want to over do it for his little belly. Are those weights for both soup and when on fully raw? Thanks for the link I have looked at a couple of people's switching threads, they're very helpful (and reassuring!) And with regards to the poop, less and softer/blacker (this soup has liver and heart in so more blood) is fairly normal right? I have read that on a few peoples posts but it is a bit strange to go from seeing kibble poops every few hours to a couple of soft passings a day. Thanks so much There is a big difference between kibble poops and raw poops, isn't it nice? If Linus has poops that are too soft, then up the eggshell powder a bit. How much are you putting in hi soupie? Soupie has organs in it and as you know, that makes for looser poops. He's doing well with his soup and you have started him on slivers. Start reducing the amount of soup and increasing the amount of slivers now. He can handle them and is ready to really start eating nice long slivers. You should see him put on weight as Winter approaches. They are leaner in the summertime and eat less. When you get a chance, please post a dangling picture of him and one from the top. Let's compare them to the first pictures of him. :wave3:
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2015 5:13:04 GMT -5
Hi there, apologies for the delayed reply, had a busy week here!
A lot of the business has been keeping up with Linus's progress. I took your advice @poncesmom and upped his eggshell content as I was only putting in about half a teaspoons worth. Now he has the most beautiful poops I've ever seen ha! It seems a strange thing to say but they just look healthier than kibble poops.
I have been able to move Linus to bigger chunks of chicken thigh and now he has managed to crunch down some duck wing and chicken thigh bone this week! He is still quite reluctant and I am feeding 3-4 times a day but he is managing close to 2oz a day. I am aiming to increase this as the chunks of meat get bigger but he has never eaten a huge amount and is quite small for a 3 year old boy (1kg/2.2lb).
I have a few picture including a "dangle" picture (giggle) that I am putting together and will upload when I am home from uni.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2015 8:10:11 GMT -5
Linus is moving along so nicely. I can't wait to see his pictures.
He's doing really quite well with his bones. Are you smashing them some to help him along?
Kibble poops unfortunately do look very healthy. All that wasted filler simply comes out and we think, Oh Boy...he's eaten well. Raw poops don't have the same size because so much is utilized nutritionally.
Next time you put out chunks, try adding some longer thinner slivers like fettucine noodles and see if he prefers those. I also add some warm water to the plate and it releases the smell. Mine love a little juice on the plate. That is until they stash some pieces and get to eat that nasty jerkified old meat which seems to be such a delicacy to them.
At 3, he may always be a smaller boy but you will see him get muscles as he moves along. Especially if he is eating raw and exercising his shoulder muscles. I leave bathroom rugs draped over the tub and mine use those to pull themselves up and play in the tub. I leave toys there and extra towels and it's a fun play place.
Both you and Linus are both doing excellent. He's a lucky little boy to have you. :wave3:
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2015 8:27:24 GMT -5
Linus is moving along so nicely. I can't wait to see his pictures. He's doing really quite well with his bones. Are you smashing them some to help him along? Kibble poops unfortunately do look very healthy. All that wasted filler simply comes out and we think, Oh Boy...he's eaten well. Raw poops don't have the same size because so much is utilized nutritionally. Next time you put out chunks, try adding some longer thinner slivers like fettucine noodles and see if he prefers those. I also add some warm water to the plate and it releases the smell. Mine love a little juice on the plate. That is until they stash some pieces and get to eat that nasty jerkified old meat which seems to be such a delicacy to them. At 3, he may always be a smaller boy but you will see him get muscles as he moves along. Especially if he is eating raw and exercising his shoulder muscles. I leave bathroom rugs draped over the tub and mine use those to pull themselves up and play in the tub. I leave toys there and extra towels and it's a fun play place. Both you and Linus are both doing excellent. He's a lucky little boy to have you. :wave3: Thanks poncesmom I am really pleased with his progress, considering how difficult I thought it was going to be!
Yeah I still use some warm water and a light coat of egg yolk, though he is now happily eating tukery mince without any egg, so hopefully the thin strips of chicken will be the next thing he eats without egg. I have to break up to bone to encourage his to eat it but he was having a good go at it.
He is constantly pulling himself onto tables, sofas, up the side of his cage, he's like a little bodybuilder so I can't wait to see the changes!
I just worry a little that because he is just starting on proper bone and sometimes is still picky that I am going to throw off the balance. If I stick to the frankenprey menu and just try to encourage him to eat as much of that days type of meat as he can, will the ratios still be ok? Or should I work out how many oz per day he should be having?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2015 8:43:01 GMT -5
He sounds like a little bundle of energy. Have you noticed his fur is softer? That's usually the first change we observe.
You started on Sep 18th, so it hasn't been a month and he is already doing so well. It takes time for imbalances to occur and you don't need to worry at this point. He is eating some bone. Stick to the Frankenprey menu and he will eat even better as he gets more familiar with it.
How is he doing with Hearts and organs?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2015 8:46:21 GMT -5
I should mention that his appetite will go up and down as you know. As for working out ounces, simply keep track of what he does eat now.
You do want him eating the proper amount of organs and heart, but that is based on what he does eat in one week. Heart is ten percent Liver is five percent Other organ is five percent.
Since this is all still new to him, if he is picky about his organs then you still have time to get him use to them. They almost always are picky about liver and organs in the beginning. Hearts seem to go over very well and that's so important for the Taurine.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2015 9:00:38 GMT -5
He sounds like a little bundle of energy. Have you noticed his fur is softer? That's usually the first change we observe. You started on Sep 18th, so it hasn't been a month and he is already doing so well. It takes time for imbalances to occur and you don't need to worry at this point. He is eating some bone. Stick to the Frankenprey menu and he will eat even better as he gets more familiar with it. How is he doing with Hearts and organs? His fur is amazing, I think the combination of winter approaching and his diet switch has done wonders for it. He quite likes both heart and liver and I have encouraged a little kidney eating too so I will work out how much I should give him on organ day
I'm just heading home now to get those pictures sorted so I will get them up for you to see his progress thanks a lot poncesmom!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2015 12:25:28 GMT -5
Here's a little album of Linus's switch so far imgur.com/a/tsLI2Apologies for the quality of the photos, I really need to get a new camera but I'm using my rubbish phone camera
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Post by Deleted on Oct 10, 2015 22:24:09 GMT -5
He's so cute! Haha, cat-snake, that's funny. It's great that he's enjoying everything, you lucked out!
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