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Post by maja01 on Apr 23, 2016 15:26:25 GMT -5
Yes, they are just as different as people are As many ferrets, as many personalities They are super sweet - Lejla is such a nice old lady, so open ferret, really cute. gucci reminds me a bit of my first ferret Kuna - she has quite similar physionomy as she had. Well character is much different. We are improving day by day, today she is much less scared than she was, tough, she will need some more time to totally open. I started them on raw soup today and it went pretty well. I opened a thread here, that way is much easier for me to follow. Ok ... back to your fuzzes. First, I am really glad the pumpkin worked and everything is ok. Did you find what have they chewed on? Menues looks really, really good! I am so proud on you! You see - it isn't that hard to put them together How are they with the bones, tough? Both (all) of them eating crushed bones without problems now?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2016 11:39:47 GMT -5
Aww! I'm glad the ladies are adjusting!
Sheldon ate a binky but the little plastic bits passed. Chaos likes to eat blankets and Aris tries to eat toys. Hhhhhhhh it's as bad as toddlers except they don't grow out of it! Kayla and I taught the kids about "contraband" so now we have the kids on constant patrol for stashes of unauthorized items.
Chaos and Sheldon are the major bone eaters, Roscoe is so-so on bones, Arya and Aris will eat bone sometimes and only if its crushed but the poos are dark and firm.
Kayla and I are having the most issue getting them (all 5) to eat their organs now that they aren't blended into the rest of their food. Tried enticing them with salmon oil and eggs to no avail. I've set weekends as organ days and they will just not eat it. We were thinking of blending like 2 days of meat with their organs. Not sure how to do that without going completely back to soupies. I hate prepping soupies lol
This is like telling a kid to eat their veggies! "C'mon, Arya! Don't you wanna be big and strong? EAT YOUR LIVER!!!" Bwahahaha
On another note, I've been getting Aris & Arya used to the harness being on. They're cool with it until they want to go somewhere they can't and then they do the duking and rubbing/backing up to get the harness off. I've started with the leash too. I've been taking them to parts of the apartment that they haven't explored before so they can be distracted and not try as hard to escape. Their distemper vaccine should be well in effect now so once I'm sure they can't slip the harness they will start getting outside time/walks.
Speaking about ferrets outside, I cannot believe how stupid some people are. I was bringing Aris and Arya up in the carrier and the neighbors noticed them, both women stuck their fingers through the bars and THEN asked if they're friendly. That really irritated me because if they did bite, I'm responsible for that persons sheer stupidity. People...
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Post by maja01 on Apr 29, 2016 4:50:35 GMT -5
Hey. Sorry for late answer. It seems something is not working with proboards notiffication :/ I had quite some stuff going on and was not checking on the forum - i tought I will get notification when you will post in a thread ... Well ... i didn't get. Is there any difference in which organs they do not eat? They hate livers as much as kidneys? If you guys transfered them from organ soupie direct to chunks, we might want to go a step beck and first start them on organ soupie with slivers. Just like we did with meat at begining. If they like one organ better then other, than we will go with this one and blend in smaller amounts of others. For the bones - great to hear that two boys are being so good on it. With others we will need some more work to do Tell me for each of them what they eat and what they don't (which bones they eat, from which animal and how crushed it must be). Do they all eat chicken gizzards? I am asking to know if their jaws are strong enough. I know how it is with ferrets in public - that is why i don't do it unless we have some of our club's activity (i have to bring them there ). People stick their fingers in carriers, they try to kiss them without asking, some want to pick them up without asking ... The other "fun" part is when people try to guess what kind of animal it is, or even some parents explaining it to their kids. They are to proud (or what) to ask, even if you stand right by. I have heard ferrets being called everything, I guess ... from weasels, otters, badgers ... which is funny, but still ok, to guinea pigs, hamsters (?!), rats, lizzards and even a monkey ...
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Post by Deleted on Apr 30, 2016 18:23:16 GMT -5
It's okay, I don't tag you guys because it doesn't work on my mobile.
All of the ferrets are lazy about eating bones thicker than a pencil, so pretty much only rabbit, frog, and cornish hen bones. Necks have to be really crushed for them. Liver and pancreas are the least protested organs. I say this as they dump the entire food bowl in their litter pan in protest....
We took weights today. Trying to get top down pics too. The youngest ferret is Sheldon at aprox 4mo and he's caught up to Chaos, our big ring leader. I'm worried about Aryas weight but she's our only girl so I'm hoping this is normal. I'm pleased with our rescue Roscoe's weight considering he has hypertrophic cardio myopothy (no idea how to spell that).
March 30 weights were:
Chaos 2 lbs 10 & 1/8 oz Roscoe 2 lbs 2 & 5/8 oz Sheldon 2 lbs 4 & 3/4 oz Aris 2 lbs 5 & 1/2 oz Arya 1 lb 15 & 3/4 oz
Weights as of today: Aris 2lbs 6oz Arya 1 lbs 14oz Chaos 2lbs 8oz Roscoe 2lbs 6oz Sheldon 2lbs 8oz
We're letting the ferrets out for pics soon so I hope to have them uploaded tonight.
Side note- Arya is soooo friggin SOFT! Softer than kitten and down feathers, I love it! Aris is a just a bit coarser.
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2016 22:02:26 GMT -5
Arya Aris (sandy) Chaos (albino) Roscoe Sheldon
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2016 22:03:17 GMT -5
Pardon the mess, we were building them a new gate
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Post by maja01 on May 3, 2016 6:45:11 GMT -5
Wheights are all great and so they look great. Arya's weight is normal, (most) girls are much smaller and slinkier than males, she has droped a bit, bit is perfectly normal. Now most of them (except Sheldon) have reached their full weight and the winter is over, so it will be easier to track it from now on. I see Arya has fluffy coat - it i obvious even from pics Has she shedded allready or is still in winter coat? How old is Roscoe (i somehow slipped this data)? Is he on any kind of meds? The condition is called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy - you spelled is almost correctly. It means that the heart wall is thicker than normal, so a heart does not work properly. How is he feeling? Any obvious clinical signs like beeing less active, shorthness of breath, ...? Ok - for the organs - we wil than start from liver and pancreas and you will add tiny amounts of other organs in a sliver form to it and mix (not blend, just mix with hands) well. Bones - first - are they eating gizzards (chicken, quail, duck turkey, ...)? It is great since it is a bit harder meat and helps them get their jaw strenght. At the same time it is great for teeth cleaning. If they eat rabbit, chicke, cgh bones - it is just fine, they will slowwly go to some thicker ones Now we will go like this - you have been crushing these ones as well, I guess? So, now you will crush it less. Don7t throw them yet whole chicken wings, still give it some hits with cleaver, just don't crush them in really small pieces. Do you hang them b.i.m. parts or give them in bowls/plate? What kind of gates are you planing? Have you finished the cages - would love to see pics
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2016 12:29:19 GMT -5
Oi, this is a long one lol
The only one I've noticed shedding is roscoe. Kayla got Roscoe as a rescue, the ppl told her they were his 2nd home and he was only 2 and they just didn't have time for him. He was very antisocial and bit when she first got him. He wasn't agressive so much as he just didn't seem to know how to act. They had him in a small 2 lvl cage and we're pretty sure by his behavior he was never ever let out. He was scared being out of his cage. He was also very thin and his coat was nasty, I think they had him on cat food or Marshals. She took Roscoe to the vet and we found out he was very malnourished and had the heart thing. There's been a couple times he lost a lot of weight and got lethargic. The second time kayla thought he should be put down for his own sake. That was the time the vet kept him and called the disease control center on us and tried to say he was a rabies risk. They had CPS go to her kid's school to check for bite marks (there were none!). The vet said they had to quarantine him and we couldn't have him back, then said they we going to send his head for testing. They never even had a reason to think he had rabies! They heard he was a rescue and sometimes nipped and just went crazy. Kayla went crazy on them to get him back, she had to sign all these releases. Well since then he's put weight back on and is more active though he still wears out the fastest. He hasn't gotten bad like that in a long while. I'm sure its the improved diet. Sherry looked at his teeth and determined he must be 4 or 5. Now he is on raw and has 4 ferrety friends and rarely nips. He's become very loving and tolerant of the youngsters. He's really come out of his shell!
I know girls are smaller but I can feel Aryas hip bones. She is eating as much as Aris though. I think I just feel the difference so much because she's the only girl.
Aris, Chaos, and Arya are aprox 7mo, Sheldon is aprox 4mo. Sheldon and Chaos often vie for food though they haven't gotten as crazy as the time they accidentally got Kaylas fingers fighting over rabbit. It's funny that they fight for dominance because Roscoe will roll up and punk both of them and drag them both around the living room then go back to sleep lol Roscoe will dook around playing then dominate each ferret in turn. He's like the cool older uncle.
We slip gizzards in every chunk meal and bone meals are hung up on the cage. I've found they prefer the challenege. If I leave it in the bowl they just stash it. I'm still doing crushed small bones though Kaylas dudes will eat drummettes and wings without being crushed first, especially Sheldon.
I will do as you advised with the organs. I'll upload pics of the gate and cages. We're getting quite handy making our own additions and such!
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Post by maja01 on May 8, 2016 11:13:43 GMT -5
Oh, poor little one ... that's him Is he now on any meds for his heart condition? How is his "agility" - can he keep up with youngsters? It is normal to feel her hip bones - you can feel it in every ferret. They just can't "stick" out. From the pics she looks perfect. Food fighting happens all the time and is normal (in such a scale). Mine allways fight over one particular piece of meat, tough their bowl is full. But no, that one piece that first one grabs from the bowl is what everyone wants It is just like with small kids. The other kid's cake/icecream is allways better (even tough is the same) Ok, than just continue what you are allready doing with bones. Just crus them a little bit less. Don't leave them whole, just few more punches
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Post by Deleted on May 8, 2016 18:00:44 GMT -5
Ferret math! We were able to rescue a too young Marshals ferret, you may have seen Kaylas post. He looks maybe 2.5MO old. Waited 2hrs and gave him raw chicken breast slivers and he took right to it. Pics to come! The lady selling him complained he was crying too much and that's why she wanted to get rid of him and buy another, also by itself Well he hasn't cried at all here, he's been quite chill checking everything out and cuddling the humans.
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Post by Deleted on May 8, 2016 18:22:14 GMT -5
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Post by maja01 on May 9, 2016 9:25:50 GMT -5
Yes, I have seen this Kayla's post. Congrats on new member! He seems such a sweetie <3 I am really glad you took him. Have you picked him a name yet? Since he is blaze, he might be deaf/partialy deaf (which would explain beeing vocal - if he really is). Pleas quaraintene him and take him for a vet check before you will put him up with others. As far as it is for food - just give him everything you give to the others. You don't have to cut meat to slivers, just give him pieces. He might even surprise you with the bones (don't start him on large pieces, but you can try uncrushed ribbs and wing tips). As varied as his food will be from the start, less problems (if any) we will have. Youngsters are cool from this point of view, since they are not yet imprinted on anything :9
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Post by Deleted on May 9, 2016 19:42:25 GMT -5
Yup yup, he's a cool little dude. He hasn't been crying or anything. We've been giving him lots of human attention, he loves it. I forgot what vicious toe biters babies are! Vet next week. His poops looked like normal kibble poos and now they're the stank nasty switching poos >.< I had also forgotten how raunchy those were! No name yet, we're waiting for him to earn one
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Post by maja01 on May 10, 2016 10:54:20 GMT -5
Hehehe, I usually do the same with names. The ones you pick up in advance, usually don't siute them When you will try him different part of meats, let me know if is he having any problems with something particular. Please do weight him, and don't forget - he as a baby will need a bit more calcium in his diet. You can supplement two of the meat meals with bone meal. Everything else - just like the rest (ok, except that he can eat as much as he wants, whic can be enormous and unbelivable amounts ...)
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Post by maja01 on May 15, 2016 10:37:51 GMT -5
@funkelt how are we doing? How is the little one? How are the others progressing?
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