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Post by Sherry on Mar 15, 2017 9:57:56 GMT -5
Actually you WANT some pieces larger than others. That is how you slowly progress them to larger sizes lindaJust don't make them TOO much larger marietta Try to keep them close to the same size thickness, but make them maybe a half inch or even an inch longer. That way it feels the same when they pick them up, and more often than not they will start chewing them And yes, they can go either way- looking skinnier as they drop the fat before building muscle or start building the muscle before dropping the fat. How old is Albie again?
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Post by marietta on Mar 15, 2017 10:38:18 GMT -5
When I hold him up and dangle him he bulges out. I am going to weigh them again tonight. I have weighed them about 3 or 4 times since I started doing this. Last time I noticed weight loss so I was surprised when I picked up Albie and he looked fat. Do ferrets ever over eat initially when they switch and then calm down after they get use to eating raw? I forgot to do my weekly form this past weekend. So I will try and do that tonight.
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Post by marietta on Mar 15, 2017 10:40:30 GMT -5
Actually you WANT some pieces larger than others. That is how you slowly progress them to larger sizes lindaJust don't make them TOO much larger marietta Try to keep them close to the same size thickness, but make them maybe a half inch or even an inch longer. That way it feels the same when they pick them up, and more often than not they will start chewing them And yes, they can go either way- looking skinnier as they drop the fat before building muscle or start building the muscle before dropping the fat. How old is Albie again? They are both the same age. They are a year and a half.
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Post by LindaM on Mar 15, 2017 13:08:45 GMT -5
At the start of a switch, they will tend to eat more and then slowly start cutting back to the more average amounts (anywhere 2-4oz or even 3-6oz daily for adult males, which mind you still varies from ferret to ferret, thus just saying it's an average). To give an idea of how it could go, Loki who is 1yr 8mo old eats about 3-4oz on average daily and is staying steady at 3lbs weight (in the winter he was more like 4lbs due to winter chubs). He certainly isn't fat now, dangles like a straight little tube, but he's definitely a little tank of muscle. And that's good to know Sherry, thanks. When I switched, I just increased my sizes between new meals once they had accepted a size and kept the sizes in the bowl more or less the same in a meal, or mine just wanted to pick out the smaller pieces from it, but when they were all basically the same, they stopped picking out and just ate them like normal. Maybe mine just liked being difficult that way, LOL.
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Post by marietta on Mar 15, 2017 21:40:15 GMT -5
It is weird Albie looks visibly fatter but he is losing weight. These are as close as I could get bc they are tough to keep still.
3/1/17 Albie 1250g Gwin 1300g
3/5/17 Albie 1220g Gwin 1230g
3/15/17 Albie 1200g Gwin 1220g
I know some of this could be the time of year too.
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Post by marietta on Mar 15, 2017 21:50:25 GMT -5
Weekly Form (forgot this over the weekend so just posting now)
1. Ferret's name: Albie 2. Ferret's weight: about 1200g 3. Ferret has eaten about "3.5 - 4oz" amount on average per meal. I'm not sure each but between the two of them it is between 6 and 9oz right now. 4. Stools on various proteins. Only on chicken based soup now but looking better than before. 5. Activity levels: normal activity 6. Weekly menu: Currently just on soup recipe with probably thumbnail size chunks and a little bigger
1. Ferret's name: Gwin 2. Ferret's weight: about 1220g 3. Ferret has eaten "X" amount on average per meal. Same as above #3 answer 4. Stools on various proteins. Only on chicken based soup now but looking better than before. 5. Activity levels: normal activity 6. Weekly menu: Currently just on soup recipe with probably thumbnail size chunks and a little bigger
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Post by Sherry on Mar 16, 2017 9:46:16 GMT -5
So far so good And yes, they can and do often drop weight with spring. Sometimes drastically so. That is why the records you are keeping now may save you from a heart attack next spring They can gain/lose up to 40% of their body weight seasonally. Also it is time to push them a bit every second meal or so. Less soup, more pieces, slighter bigger pieces. Let's get the soup out of the equation entirely in a week's time if possible For today I'd like you to try something. Just pieces with a bit of soup topping, kind of like a gravy on fries sort of deal. Let me know how they do.
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Post by marietta on Mar 16, 2017 15:44:51 GMT -5
Sounds good Sherry I think (hope ) they will be receptive. They really seem to enjoy the chunks. Oh and I almost forgot, I got them to eat egg last night!
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Post by marietta on Mar 16, 2017 21:42:55 GMT -5
Did what you suggested Sherry and just saw Gwin eating some chunks
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Post by marietta on Mar 16, 2017 22:27:51 GMT -5
I love how much they run around and play now
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Post by LindaM on Mar 16, 2017 22:49:30 GMT -5
That's wonderful news, both on the egg and chunks! Good job. How about Albie, has he tried eating just the chunks with sauce drizzle yet or is he trying to play hardball?
It's truly amazing the changes that raw brings, on kibble Loki was just sort of active, when I did a partial diet it got better, but on full raw only, he is most definitely active. And Athena is like an energizer bunny that doesn't quit.
Are you noticing any of the other benefits yet, like overall softer fur or them smelling nicer?
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Post by marietta on Mar 17, 2017 7:07:17 GMT -5
I haven't seen Albie eat it he was too interested in playing last night but I gave them 4oz last night and only one was left so I'm guessing he ate some. I will try and make sure I see him eat tonight.
Yeah I have started to notice softer fur and they smell less.
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Post by Sherry on Mar 17, 2017 9:52:11 GMT -5
Oh that is fantastic!!! Keep pushing them and once they are eating 1x2' pieces we are going to start with bones. Also one more thing. Are you doing heart, liver, other organ separately yet, or are they still soup form? If soup form try the heart on it's own and see how it is received. Do the same thing with the soup "gravy" topping
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Post by marietta on Mar 17, 2017 15:24:18 GMT -5
Still in soup form. I will try that. I can't remember how much of heart, liver, and other organs they are suppose to get in a week.
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Post by LindaM on Mar 17, 2017 16:31:08 GMT -5
So for heart it's 10% of diet, so 1.5 meals a week. And organ meals are also 10%, so 1.5 meals a week (half of that needs to be liver). You can do a full heart meal, a full organ meal and one mixed meal of half heart, 1/4 liver, and 1/4 other organ.
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