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Post by Deleted on Dec 16, 2016 20:30:18 GMT -5
I'm so sorry to hear about such horrible news, it really breaks my heart. My grandpa also has cancer, He's been battling against it on and off for the past 10 years and a couple of months ago his doctor has said he would have half a year left with us. So right now, he's basically a ticking time bomb, it really has hit family hard having to come to terms with it, so I feel I can understand some of your pain right now with being told such a diagnosis. Cancer such a horrible thing. I hate it so much. My thoughts are with you and your friend's families. <3 If you feel you need some time off from being active here on the switch thread, let me know. Though it's not ideal and I'll always be here for you, I can understand completely if you need to be with family or friends during this time. ~~~Of course I'd be patient with you. Tne transition isn't only for the ferret, it's also a learning journey for the ferret owners as well. Without you, GusGus probably wouldn't be able to get onto a new diet all by himself, especially if he has never had raw foods before. The switch can go fast or slow, regardless of the pace we can just go with the flow for GusGus and Your sake. I'm happy to hear that GusGus is still doing fantastic. I think you actually got quite lucky, usually older ferrets are more complicated to get onto raw, but you have him already on the soup and eating some chunks. This is a great start, and is especially good because the soup is balanced for a temporary use and it helps with his need for eating frequently due to his Insulinoma. It sounds liek GusGus is having such a great transformation with his beautiful coat and new energy levels. It is probably shedding season for you. Some of mine are shedding also for our summer, You guys are on winter I assume? Have you sniffed his tail yet? (giggle) Let me know when you start smelling artificial grape from his tail. Would GusGus eat the chunks of meat on his own if you left them, lets say, with his soup? Keep trying with full bones. I love that you blend it to make it easier for him, but start to do as many frequent bone hand feedings as you can in between soup or when ever you feel up to it. I have written an article on my blog in regards to getting ferrets to eat bone in meats, you're more than welcome to have a read and see if any tips there can help you. www.hakibeferret.net/2015/12/ferret-nutrition-get-your-ferret-eating.htmlYou're doing fantastic with GusGus. I'm super pleased to hear he's doing so well. Good work~~!!
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Post by Deleted on Dec 18, 2016 12:26:42 GMT -5
Hello again. ☺
I got my samples of Wysong today. I think Gus is totally turned off by any sort of kibble now, the spoiled little guy! 😂 I will go through my freezer and see if maybe I have something with bone in for him and give it to him. I do have some chicken necks. Maybe try just giving him some pieces of that?
Yes, it's supposed to be winter here. But, the temp is 70 today. It's so weird! We went from below freezing to this. 😂 And what on earth do you mean artificial grape?! He will smell like this? That's crazy!!
I tried getting a picture of his teeth. Didn't work too well. I Am gonna try again today with hubbies help. ☺ His teeth look pretty tough. 😢
Edit: I don't really need a long break or anything. I just may not check in every day as I'm getting over all the death. My friend passed away yesterday morning. My heart hurts so bad.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 18, 2016 22:30:57 GMT -5
Losing someone is never an easy experience to go through, My heart goes out to you and your friend's famiy. ;n; Chicken necks are great starting bones. Same with chicken wings. What ever you have readily available would be fine. I'm jealous of your weather. It's summer where I am, today will get up to 32°C (89.6°F?) or so. Grape tail as we call it, is this odd phenomenon that happens with raw fed ferrets where their tails begin to smell like artificial grape. Some will say it's like grape kool aid. To me it smells like grape flavoured hubba bubba chewing gum lol!. I'm not sure if kibble fed ferrets get it or not, but I noticed it strongly during my own transition. These days my guys don't smell so strongly of articifical grape, but I get a hint of it now and then.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 18, 2016 22:31:36 GMT -5
I was suppose to reply round the time you posted your reply but my internet was playing up. It's so frustrating!
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Post by Deleted on Dec 19, 2016 14:09:18 GMT -5
Wow! I still can't get over the weather differences. We're literally the opposite! I imagine it gets insanely hot in Australia! I more often have chicken necks as opposed to anything else. He's spitting out any bits of bone that he gets when I put it in his soup. He will literally lick the juice and everything off of it and then spit it out. I can't wait to get grape tail! I was telling Parker about it and he thought it was just as crazy as I did! Maybe I'll get lucky.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 20, 2016 0:49:32 GMT -5
I hate hot weather so I'd think anything over 22°C (74°F I think) is too much for me (I love cold weather, especially rainy weather.) Sometimes we get heat waves and those tend to span over a week of hot weather around ~35-44°C's. Keep trying with those necks! I think even simply GusGus licking at it is great. You're welcome to keep one whole and hold it for him while he chews it or licks it. Do ALOT of (over exaggerated) verbal praises every time he does something you want him to, such as licking, chewing, eating the meat. If you find he's not taking to the chunks or whole bone in meats, you're also free to chop it into a mash, but keep working with the whole pieces. The key is the persistent exposure. I thought Grape Tail was a myth until a few of mine got it. It is so weird but so fascinating! I'm sure you'll be ecstatic when you sniff it for the first time (giggle) I can't believe it's almost the end of the year already. Days go by so fast~
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Post by Deleted on Dec 21, 2016 5:00:52 GMT -5
Just letting you know that something has come up and i will be away for a week. Some other mentors will active and watching over the threads in my absence so continue to post as you were.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 21, 2016 21:40:38 GMT -5
Hi Kristin, while Machan is working on some stuff I will be here to substitute till she comes back. Please ask any and all questions.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 22, 2016 10:13:57 GMT -5
Sounds good to me! Thanks for letting me know. Also, my apologies for not responding to Machan's last post. I have a tendency to think I responded and not actually doing it. I'm really bad about it. Phone calls, texts, FB messages.... >< Gus is doing GREAT! I need to weigh him again; that's gonna be the plan for this weekend. Also, I'm going to attempt the chicken necks again today. He still spits out any bone that he gets in his mouth, so hoping he will get used to it. He seems to be eating a lot more lately, and sleeping a bit more. But when he's out, he goes nuts! LOL! He has started "biting" my feet. I say biting as a broad term. He pretty much puts the top of my foot in his mouth, then war dances away and laughs at me! He cracks me up!
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Post by Deleted on Dec 22, 2016 18:15:16 GMT -5
So since I am trying to work through this thread could you please fill this questionnaire out for me so I have a summary of what you have been feeding please? 1. Ferret's name: 2. Ferret's weight: 3. Ferret has eaten "X" amount on average per meal. 4. Stools on various proteins. 5. Activity levels: 6. Weekly menu: Can you also list the different proteins you have been using? Again this is just a summary so I can look things over thank you!
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Post by Deleted on Dec 22, 2016 18:16:44 GMT -5
Sounds good to me! Thanks for letting me know. Also, my apologies for not responding to Machan's last post. I have a tendency to think I responded and not actually doing it. I'm really bad about it. Phone calls, texts, FB messages.... >< Gus is doing GREAT! I need to weigh him again; that's gonna be the plan for this weekend. Also, I'm going to attempt the chicken necks again today. He still spits out any bone that he gets in his mouth, so hoping he will get used to it. [img src="http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h352/JW_2012/Emoticons/ .gif" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h352/JW_2012/Emoticons/.gif"].gif [/IMG] He seems to be eating a lot more lately, and sleeping a bit more. But when he's out, he goes nuts! LOL! He has started "biting" my feet. I say biting as a broad term. He pretty much puts the top of my foot in his mouth, then war dances away and laughs at me! He cracks me up! [/quote] During winter ferrets will eat more and they get lazier. He sounds like he is doing extremely well
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Post by Deleted on Dec 23, 2016 9:04:16 GMT -5
Of course! <3 And yes, he's doing fantastically! I am so in love with him! <3 1. Ferret's name: Sir Gustav Gusington (GusGus) 2. Ferret's weight: 2.86 pounds. 3. Ferret has eaten "X" amount on average per meal: Between 1 and 2.5 ounces at a time. 4. Stools on various proteins: He's only really done chicken, giblets/gizzards and hearts as it's all I can find at the moment. Will be trying other stuff (squirrel, deer, etc) as soon as I can get them. But his stools look normal. Maybe a bit lighter in color since adding chicken necks to it, but not runny or even crazy stinky. 5. Activity levels: He has gone from being able to only play about 5 minutes before a BG crash, to being all but free roam at LEAST 8-10 hours a day. 6. Weekly menu:Mostly consists of chicken neck bone, boneless chicken thigh, hearts, and gizzards with the occasional little bit of liver thrown in. Am planning to have more variety added when I can get it.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 23, 2016 17:22:30 GMT -5
Of course! <3 And yes, he's doing fantastically! I am so in love with him! <3 1. Ferret's name: Sir Gustav Gusington (GusGus) 2. Ferret's weight: 2.86 pounds. 3. Ferret has eaten "X" amount on average per meal: Between 1 and 2.5 ounces at a time. 4. Stools on various proteins: He's only really done chicken, giblets/gizzards and hearts as it's all I can find at the moment. Will be trying other stuff (squirrel, deer, etc) as soon as I can get them. But his stools look normal. Maybe a bit lighter in color since adding chicken necks to it, but not runny or even crazy stinky. 5. Activity levels: He has gone from being able to only play about 5 minutes before a BG crash, to being all but free roam at LEAST 8-10 hours a day. 6. Weekly menu:Mostly consists of chicken neck bone, boneless chicken thigh, hearts, and gizzards with the occasional little bit of liver thrown in. Am planning to have more variety added when I can get it. Looks good so far! You can also give him duck, turkey, pork, beef and lamb. That should be at a local walmart. I have read through your thread so far and I will have to agree with Machan, you really need to vet this little one. I noticed you do have pred now but that will need to be refilled and the only way you can get it is through a vet. You are also giving him an unknown dosage. Again a vet is the only one legally allowed to prescribe medications and dosages. I have two insulinoma ferrets both vetted and prescribed prednisilone. If you get the dosage wrong either to little isn't helping the ferret and could cause a crash later because it's not controlling it or you are giving to much you are over doing a medication that is not needed to and it causes more strain on the liver than needs be.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 25, 2016 17:59:27 GMT -5
I agree. I am hoping to take him next week, actually. ☺ With me being out of work so long money is crazy tight. But I should be able to scrounge up the funds.
He has been running around the house for the past hour or so, being goofy as can be!
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Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2016 1:45:42 GMT -5
I agree. I am hoping to take him next week, actually. ☺ With me being out of work so long money is crazy tight. But I should be able to scrounge up the funds. He has been running around the house for the past hour or so, being goofy as can be! Perfect, please let me know how it goes. It is extremely important to get him in. You are going to have to let the vet know about the self medicating for pred. When you do the Blood glucose test since he's been on pred it might mess up the results. So you need to explain how you got the pred and what you have been giving him (dosage wise).
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