|
Post by kattadragon on Jan 27, 2017 10:15:03 GMT -5
For some reason if I mix the chunks in with the soup they just lick the soup off the chunks, but if I serve just the chunks, then they eat it. I will probably prepare next weeks food this weekend for them. Any ideas on what or how?
All like eggs.
Bill - soup and chunks Tiny - soup and chunks Jezzy - soup and hand fed chunks with salmon oil (I gave her a piece last night and she ran of with it and stayed in her tube fore a bit, I think she ate it!) Jack - soup, and has eaten chunks, but I have not seen him do it for two days now, he is usually sleeping.
|
|
|
Post by svetlana on Jan 27, 2017 14:32:34 GMT -5
If all of them take chunks without the soup then you can remove the soup Start increasing the size of the chunks gradually. Have you seen if Bill or Tiny will be ok with any bone yet? you can cut some chunks with cartilage or even a small end piece of the bone and see whether they want to try that.
|
|
|
Post by kattadragon on Jan 27, 2017 16:28:28 GMT -5
I am worried they will not get enough to eat. Every time I have tried to give them chunks to eat when I leave, none of it is eaten went I come back, 9 hours later, I don't know if they are sleeping the whole time or what, but if I leave soup in their kennel it is eaten up by the time I get home.
And how would I get them to eat the liver?
Bill had dental surgery two ish weeks ago, should he try bone in yet?
I have not tried bone in with any of them yet. Where should I start with bone in, like what cuts of the bird?
|
|
|
Post by kattadragon on Jan 27, 2017 17:42:01 GMT -5
So, do I just chop everything up, mix it together, slather in a little oil and serve?
|
|
|
Post by kattadragon on Jan 28, 2017 13:29:25 GMT -5
I minced up about 2.5 ounces of thigh meat and three chicken hearts for them to eat after play time yesterday. I don't know if they have snubbed their noses at the chunks or have just been sleeping this whole time, but none of it has been eaten.
There are two containers of chunks, one has salmon oil, and the other has nothing. Neither was touched all night, but they did play fairly hard yesterday.
I will try hand feeding the chunks a little later. if you have any ideas please let me know.
|
|
|
Post by kattadragon on Jan 29, 2017 12:41:18 GMT -5
I put some soup in the kennel last night, Jezzy thinks the chunks are poison. I saw Bill and tiny eating chunks last, with out salmon oil. The soup is gone this morning, most of the chunks with out salmon oil are eaten and the chunks with salmon oil have been pushed around, but I do not think it has been eaten.
I will probably spend most of today mincing up ferret food.
|
|
|
Post by svetlana on Jan 29, 2017 18:17:00 GMT -5
Hello, You could try to hand/spoon feed the chunks if you are worried, they like the attention and they concentrate better on their food with owner supervision. One ferret of mine wanted me to bring him to the food and feed him the first piece, after that piece he was good on his own. Or just wait and see a bit longer. Unless a ferret has insulinoma, it's normal for them to eat 1 meal a day. Depending on the climate of where you're at you can leave small chunks out for 12-16 hours easy and larger ones even longer. Ferrets can handle meat that's far too "ripe" for human consumption. I gave my girls chicken wings yesterday morning, and they only finished them early this afternoon. Haha they don't care about my carefully planned menu for two meals a day If they still snub the chunks another day. Cover them in a little bit of soupie sauce it's ok if they only lick it at first, keep offering it. Sometimes it takes a bit of time. Liver is an interesting thing. A lot of ferrets get picky about liver. Give them a small piece, see if anyone takes it. If not, then blend it into their regular soupie to mask it, eventually cutting it to slivers and then chunks. With Bill's dental surgery I think you should be fine by now to start him on some bone. The vets usually ok kibble pretty quickly after dental works, and bone is easier on their mouths. For starting bone you should give them soft easily chewed pieces. Like chicken ribs, chicken wing tips, spongy bone ends. Make sure there is more meat on the chunk. Add a few pieces in with their regular meal.
|
|
|
Post by kattadragon on Jan 30, 2017 10:02:07 GMT -5
Tiny loves it when I hand feed her, but she is doing the best with the transition. I will defrost a chicken neck that I have in the freezer for Tiny and Bill, we can give that a go tomorrow. This format may help or I could just be over thinking it.
Bill and Tiny - Eating chunks, kenneled together to monitor food eaten and poops by these two. Food consists of 2 ounces Chicken thigh, 0.7 ounces chicken heart, 0.4 ounces chicken liver, 1/3 tsp. bone meal, drizzled with a little water.
Jack - I am not sure what he is eating, I have seen he eat the chunks and I have seen him snub the chunks. Food consist of 1.2 ounces chicken thigh, 0.4 ounces chicken heart, 0.2 ounces chicken liver, 1 ounce soup.
Jezzy - She will lick the chunks, but is flat refusing to eat any chunk any size. Food consist of 2 ounces soup, 0.7 ounces chicken thigh, extra water for mixing it all.
|
|
|
Post by kattadragon on Jan 31, 2017 8:22:22 GMT -5
Bill, Jack, and Tiny with a piece of chicken back. I will quarter it before I go to work, Jack just stole it from the other two.
|
|
|
Post by svetlana on Jan 31, 2017 9:09:46 GMT -5
Hello. I think the neck, you should maybe chop up a bit so they're not too intimidated by the size. Ferrets do better with long thin pieces usually rather than square ones, so if you're increasing the chunk size start going longer rather than thicker. Keep working on the chunks with Jack until he is comfortable eating them. If Jezzy isn't eating any chunks, make her soup thicker. No added water. And start blending it worse so maybe some bits are sort of stringy mush, but everything is still in very similar to the soup she's used to.
|
|
|
Post by kattadragon on Jan 31, 2017 9:42:08 GMT -5
I gave them a piece of back this morning. I gave it to them whole to see if there was any interest. That is Jack, Bill, and Tiny working on it up above. I cut it up into five square pieces and left it in there kennel. Jezzy is kenneled alone so the others won't eat her food. I will see about making her a thick sludgy soup tonight.
At what point should I work on a den? When I chopped up the chicken back Tiny took off with a piece to hide it in her tube. Is it important for them to be able to fit inside the den or should it be an open top?
|
|
|
Post by svetlana on Jan 31, 2017 14:39:57 GMT -5
That's so great that they took the neck!! I'm not the biggest fan of eating dens. They bring out too much primal instincts in my bunch (pooping on or beside the food to deter anyone from stealing it). But if you do want a den. Then make it dark and cosy. It's for their privacy, so closed top would make them feel better. But it really isn't a necessity. Keep up the good work! I'm sure Jezzy will get there in her own time
|
|
|
Post by kattadragon on Feb 1, 2017 9:49:59 GMT -5
Today's breakfast:
Jezzy - thigh chunks mixed with thick soup 1.8 ounces.
Bill, Jack, and Tiny - I left the chicken back in the kennel in case they want to eat it today. I also put in 2.8 ounces chicken tight, 0.8 ounces chicken liver, 1 ounce chicken heart, 3/4 tsp bone meal, and water to liquefy bone meal and coat all meat. All parts are chunks.
Tiny hid the two meaty pieces of chicken back as soon as I let them out of the kennel yesterday. Bill went to scarf his food this morning. He ate the thigh and some liver.
|
|
|
Post by kattadragon on Feb 1, 2017 12:54:49 GMT -5
Bill, Tiny and Jack seem to be doing well with the chunks so I will start to increase the size of the chunks. I will leave the little ones for Jezzy to learn to cope with.
|
|
|
Post by kattadragon on Feb 2, 2017 10:04:22 GMT -5
I am going to start weighing Jezzy's food in the morning and again in the evening, I am a little concerned she is not eating enough. I will post regular weights for her and closely monitor her food. Last night I cut up a chicken thigh, about 8 ounces into 3/4" cubes, three pieces where left this morning!!!
Jack: 1235g Bill: 1203g Jezzy: 841g Tiny: Did not get, ran out of time this morning.
Today's breakfast:
Bill, Jack, Tiny - all chunked up average size 1/2" - 3/4" - 1 ounce liver, 1 ounce heart, 0.5 ounce gizzard, 8 ounces thigh, 3/4 tsp bone meal (a bit of water to dilute)
Jezzy - 0.4 ounce liver (slivers), 0.5 ounce fresh thick soup, 1 ounce thigh (slivers), 1/4 tsp salmon oil (see if I can get more interest) I plan on hand coxing her some more this evening.
|
|