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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2016 20:19:13 GMT -5
I've made raw soup to start transitioning my ferrets. But I don't know how long is too long to go without kibble. I took their kibble away yesterday morning 940am, and proceeded with the raw soup. I tried raw soup all through the day, and left them with no kibble at night. This morning at 5 am I tried the soup again, and my husband again at 6am. He insisted we didn't give them more kibe until we tried soup again after work today which was at 430pm. Only one ferret will willingly eat the soup on their own, and I have three. I caved and gVe them kibble just now at 5pm because it had been well over 24 hours since a full meal besides what I've forces them to eat. And now I feel just cruel and I wish I had given them kibble while I was at work cause they were so hungry when I showed it to them... I feel terrible! I'm waiting for a mentor, but I already feel like I've hurt them and failed D:
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Post by Heather on Feb 22, 2016 20:30:49 GMT -5
You didn't hurt them but you could have had serious problems. You should never allow a kibble fed ferret to go longer than about 12 hrs and usually no longer than 4 hrs if they're older. Leaving them to get hungry enough just doesn't work. Ferrets learn about what they're weaned onto...they have to be taught the soupy and raw meat we offer is food. They do not understand this otherwise. They will starve themselves to death or suffer serious liver damage otherwise. Do not let them starve. Offer feeding times, where you sit down and teach them to eat the soupy, they will not go to this on their own. Read through some of the mentoring threads to get some ideas. I usually hold them on my lap, and either use my finger to dab food on their nose. If they lick it off then I will then use a spoon and teach them how to eat it. If they choke gag and carry on I then let them go off and play and then do the same procedure in about 5 minutes. The most I ever allow a kibble fed ferret to go hungry is about 4 hrs. Never any more ciao
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2016 20:31:02 GMT -5
try scuff and stuffing them a few times thaw how i got mine to eat. and then spoon feed em
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2016 20:54:37 GMT -5
Omg I feel awful, I was scared to leave them without food, I should have stuck to my gut feeling... They had some licks of soup throughout those hours, and some raw egg yolk, but I massively failed that one. I feel so guilty... Does that make me a bad ferret mom? Is that mean? I wasn't meaning it to be Before bed last night they all had descent weight, but all dropped a bit by this time today... Which made me panic.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2016 21:03:22 GMT -5
Is there any way of telling if damage was done? Ever since I introduced the soup they've been grinding their teeth. But my one ferret has been grinding her teeth even with the kibble just now. Could it be a tummy ache?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2016 21:09:44 GMT -5
I just realised it was over 30 hours they didn't have a full meal. that wasn't my intent at all. They did eat some raw soup,but not enough. Not sure what to do. I'm scared I made them sick or hate me.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2016 21:17:05 GMT -5
Nvm my husband said he gave them some kibble yesterday afternoon But that still means 24 hours without a full meal.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 23, 2016 1:18:28 GMT -5
Firstly, you should take a deep breath. Are they alert? Playful? Acting normal? Then no harm done.
When I was transitioning my babies, I started with a bowl of soup and a large, wide spoon, with them on my lap. Kibble was out of their cage for a while to prevent a tummy ache. I made them try it, then let them go. Tried again a few minutes later, let them go. They slowly started eating even when I wasn't holding onto them, then they started eating with the spoon just laying in the bowl, then they started eating without a spoon at all!
A few hours after every session, they'd get more kibble, once they'd eat the soupie without being coaxed, they stopped getting kibble for good, then I increased chunks until it was without soup, then I added more meats.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 23, 2016 13:18:37 GMT -5
I've let them go back to kibble and when I get off work today I will weigh them again and let them play.
I'm worried because even though they've all been to the vet in the last 6 months, they haven't all had blood work done. I'm always worried one of them has insulinoma or any disease and I haven't caught it. So I hope I didn't hurt them if any of them have an underlying disease and I just haven't caught it yet. Our vet said they look good, and tests are SO expensive here..
I will try again on my next day off, once I see if they're back to normal. But I'm not sure if I should go back to the vet or not. It's about an 1.5 hours worth of driving and $50 per blood work test. He said not to do it until they show signs of anything, but I always think they show signs of every disease. Cause I'm paranoid.
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