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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2016 19:07:51 GMT -5
I am about a year out from getting my ferret(s) but I am already doing some basic research on them. I know I would like to feed raw when I get them. I was just wondering, I feed my dogs raw and due to having some picky eaters, I just grind everything up in a meat grinder and feed that way. If I didn't all they would eat is chicken and beef, and totally ignore things they needed like organs.
I find this easier for when I get the ferrets but I know this means they don't get the cleaning action for their teeth. I figure even without chewing bones it's still better than commercial foods.
Does anyone else grind up their ferrets' food?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2016 19:18:23 GMT -5
I know some people do, or buy the commercial grinds online. It's healthier for them than kibble for sure, but if possible maybe try for doing the chunks of meat for that good old fashion teeth cleaning with the gizzards :] You'll find out what works best for you in the long run though. I'm sure someone here will have some suggestions for you!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2016 19:26:16 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2016 22:10:48 GMT -5
Awesome! I'll check out the link. The only reason I take time to grind it is we have such picky eaters in my house that grinding everything they need to eat up and mixing well helps to avoid the upturned noses!  I'm hoping to get my ferrets young enough that they are willing to at least try everything pretty quickly, but we will see how it goes. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2016 23:49:45 GMT -5
They certainly are stubborn little boogers, you're not wrong in predicting that!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 3, 2016 21:31:53 GMT -5
One more question in regards to this thought. When I blend for my other animals I take everything they need for the week and blend it all into one. So in ferret terms it would mean blending all the bone in, muscle meat, heart, liver, organs, etc into a chunky mix and feeding the complete mix daily. Is this ok or should I blend each bit and feed in pieces because that kind of defeats the original purpose. |
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Post by Sherry on Oct 4, 2016 8:39:16 GMT -5
With ferrets give one protein at a time until you know they don't have a sensitivity to any. Also you need to make sure to rotate proteins so they don't develop issues with any.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 4, 2016 9:42:30 GMT -5
So after I have given them each protein type individually to be sure they aren't allergic then it would be ok to do a mix? As far as rotating proteins, I could do one that is, for instance, chicken pork and beef in one mix then next time do chicken rabbit and rats etc etc? Obviously each mix would have bone in, muscle meat, heart, liver, and secreting organs in the correct ratio and then they would get the mix each day so that they are getting roughly a balanced meal each day.
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Post by Heather on Oct 4, 2016 15:39:06 GMT -5
You can do that but I would create my mixes so that you're on a weekly rotation vs a dog where they say 6 to 8 weeks. A ferret's metabolism is much faster and the biggest issue of all....the little boogers will get the taste for one grind and you go to change up they won't accept the second grind.
Another point, make sure you teach them to eat whole meats or you will have to brush their teeth
ciao
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Post by abbeytheferret6 on Oct 5, 2016 5:24:05 GMT -5
I would not put chicken in every grind for ferrets.
(poultry sensitive with one of mine).
Simple would be to follow the same weekly frankenprey plan day in and day out, once you know your ferret will eat something. For instance---
Monday's will always be quail(2 bone-in). Tuesday's heart and chicken wings(heart and bone-n) Wednesday rabbit ribs and lamb organ (bone-in and organ). Just get variety in, and keep types of meat scattered.
Introduce rodents early in ferret's life. It will spare you problems getting them to accept when older (been there). No need to put them in a grind--pretty convenient just giving the mouse or rat as is.
But everything looks good on paper and in theory---haha!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 18, 2016 5:51:51 GMT -5
I feed a mix of frankenprey & whole prey but within that menu I do include the use of commercial grinds at least twice a week. I often use an organ grind to ensure everyone eats all the same organs as I group feed 14 ferrets of varying ages. Also if the grind is just meat & bone I class that as bone-in meal with the understanding that its not cleaning the teeth. If its a whole ground animal then I count that as whole prey on my menu and adjust the week's menu accordingly. I find that by doing that its gets them used to grinds so if they need them when sick or older then they are already used to them. Mine pretty much eat anything I give them to eat no matter what way I present in to them so I like to keep a variety of textures, chunks, soup, grinds, carcasses and whole prey into their diet too  if your just coming to terms with feeding raw I'd definitely stick with the frankenprey menu as a guide then change things up as your ferrets get used to raw and different proteins. |
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