Linus's switch

[Deleted]

Hey fellow ferrents, 

Update on Linus's switch, which is going fairly well. Unfortunately my camera gave up the ghost completely last week so no photos until I get a new one 

We are now on the frankenprey schedule except everything still needs to be pretty finely choppped up. He is talking bigger chunks of bone well and seems to enjoy chomping them up. He's still not a big fan of liver or kidney so I am having to add a bit into other meals to make sure he is getting his 5% of each. 

He's eating an average of 60g (about 2.1oz) a day which I would like to increase but it seems as soon as the meal cools a little (I warm it in a dish of warm water before to make it smell better) he gets bored of it. Sometimes heating it a little again helps but tbh he has never had a huge appetite, even on kibble so I don't know if it is just the way his wee body works. He put on about 100g in the first week and a half to 1kg and has stayed at that since. He's never been more than 1.2kg (winter weight two years ago) but I would like to try improve this if anyone has any tips   Basically I'd like to get him onto bigger chunks of meat but he seems to eat less when I give him this, so I'm stuck between whether I should aim to feed more or increase the size of pieces just now

Here is the album I was able to create before my camera gave up imgur.com/a/tsLI2 I will update it as soon as I can! 

On a slightly different note, I have been doing a lot of research for my honours project for university regarding ferret nutrition and in the process I have uncovered some great journal articles relating to ferret husbandry and studies into nutrition in related species. I would be happy to share this list of resources if anyone is particularly interested 
All the best!

[Deleted]

I'm glad to hear all is going so well.
Your Linus is a special boy and quite a character.

How big are the pieces that he eats?

One idea is to secure a large portion of a carcass, say half a Quail or a quarter of a chicken to a feeding den or somewhere in his cage. You can use a round shower curtain holder or something that is securely round and not sharp. Then see if he will eat from the large piece. Keep it low to the ground for his ease of eating.

They use their front teeth to tear and their back teeth to chew, so he may be comfortable with his sizes of meat.
If he does eat from the secured portion of meat, you will see what sizes work for him.

Here is the basic idea from an old thread:
holisticferret.proboards.com/thread/4160

I'm also borrowing one of msav 's videos. His Bleu (and all his fuzzies) are gorgeous funny little ones and he has some cute videos of them eating.

I would love any and all resources that you uncover. If you'd like to build a thread on it, then it would be very helpful.

Both Linus and you are really doing well. If you'd like to post his menu, we can take a look at it and make any tweaks necessary or simply pat you on the back for a job nicely done.
I will also be happy to change your status to raw feeder if your menu is good and you have a basic understanding of their nutritional needs. Just like someone who 'graduates' from the mentoring program, if you are already feeding raw then you should have that on your profile.

:wave3:

[Deleted]

Oct 20, 2015 17:06:27 GMT -5 @poncesmom said:

How big are the pieces that he eats? One idea is to secure a large portion of a carcass, say half a Quail or a quarter of a chicken to a feeding den or somewhere in his cage. You can use a round shower curtain holder or something that is securely round and not sharp. Then see if he will eat from the large piece. Keep it low to the ground for his ease of eating.                                          Here is the basic idea from an old thread:
holisticferret.proboards.com/thread/4160 I've now managed to get him eating bits about the size of a finger tip, but to be fair, I have been feeding him a few times a day and now I have moved him to two times a day he seems keener to just dive in so I will definitely give your idea a go about the carcasses. I have a chicken and a rabbit carcass I can cut up a little and give him a chunk of that. I've been wanting to make a feeding den recently but haven't really known where to start! I know there are a few stickies around here on it so I will sniff them out and get started  I'm also borrowing one of msav 's videos. His Bleu (and all his fuzzies) are gorgeous funny little ones and he has some cute videos of them eating.
I've seen a few videos of peoples fuzzies ravenously tearing into their dinners, that's definitely the aim! I love how excited they all get over it I would love any and all resources that you uncover. If you'd like to build a thread on it, then it would be very helpful. Brilliant, I will look over my journals over the next few days and post ones I think would be most of interest to people. Both Linus and you are really doing well. If you'd like to post his menu, we can take a look at it and make any tweaks necessary or simply pat you on the back for a job nicely done.
I will also be happy to change your status to raw feeder if your menu is good and you have a basic understanding of their nutritional needs. Just like someone who 'graduates' from the mentoring program, if you are already feeding raw then you should have that on your profile.
Thank you so much, I feel I have been working hard over the past month but we are definitely getting there  I am now sticking to the frankenprey diet in the album I posted and the amounts I am feeding still vary slightly But I am now managing to get 5% of his intake to be liver, 5% kidney (at the moment, I am working on introducing new organs) and at least 10% heart.

Hope your gang is doing well! Fuzzie hugs to all! 

Thank you so much for your guidance and support, I feel so glad for Linus I found this place haha!

[Deleted]

Finger tip sizes are very respectable sizes. I'll post some basic info after I settle in. We've been out and about all day.
It sounds like you two have made great progress.

If you want any links to feeding den setups, just ask. I'll be happy to link some.

I'm very happy that you're pleased with the forum. It's a very nice place with some lovely ferrents and absolutely darling little ones like Linus. It's also fun to think that I get to talk with someone in Scotland and so many different places around the world.
I love being part of a ferret community and find everyone so interesting.



(dance)