Multiple Sources of Protein?

[fluffhead]

So, I've started my fuzzies on commercial raw and it's going great! After a week or so their poos are such better quality.

I started them with chicken and they took to it well. After a week I offered rabbit.
They eat it, but not with any type of gusto.

What kind of rotation should they be on?

[LindaM]

Ferrets can and will pick favorites, they will also end up with disliked proteins, or shall we call it, barely tolerated proteins, you should notice the difference easily with how happily or reluctantly they eat it (new proteins tend to have a bit of troubles at first but can end up a favorite once they're used to it).

You should be doing at least a minimum of 3 proteins, more if preferred since more variety is better, but at least 3 different ones. Though it doesn't quite matter in which order you do them, I like to follow up with a fattier protein after giving a lean one, ie. offering duck after having given rabbit. On a Frankeprey diet, or partial commercial and partial Frankenprey there can be somewhat more order in it, like giving bone-in meals after doing hearts or organs so it can firm up the poops again, or spacing out the meals a bit between things so you don't do just bone-in meals all in one succession and then end up doing organs, hearts and muscle for the remaining days in one go.

Chicken and Beef are troublesome proteins in my home for them (chicken seems to cause issues, and beef is simply disliked though they get a bit now and again and reluctantly eat it, but eat it they do), so instead they mainly get rabbit, duck, turkey, pheasant, venison, lamb, pork, and salmon (limited to a single meal per week). Those are my commercial raw proteins, they also get other proteins with their Frankenprey like quail and frog for example.

[fluffhead]

May 24, 2017 16:15:50 GMT -5 LindaM said:

Ferrets can and will pick favorites, they will also end up with disliked proteins, or shall we call it, barely tolerated proteins, you should notice the difference easily with how happily or reluctantly they eat it (new proteins tend to have a bit of troubles at first but can end up a favorite once they're used to it).

You should be doing at least a minimum of 3 proteins, more if preferred since more variety is better, but at least 3 different ones. Though it doesn't quite matter in which order you do them, I like to follow up with a fattier protein after giving a lean one, ie. offering duck after having given rabbit. On a Frankeprey diet, or partial commercial and partial Frankenprey there can be somewhat more order in it, like giving bone-in meals after doing hearts or organs so it can firm up the poops again, or spacing out the meals a bit between things so you don't do just bone-in meals all in one succession and then end up doing organs, hearts and muscle for the remaining days in one go.

Chicken and Beef are troublesome proteins in my home for them (chicken seems to cause issues, and beef is simply disliked though they get a bit now and again and reluctantly eat it, but eat it they do), so instead they mainly get rabbit, duck, turkey, pheasant, venison, lamb, pork, and salmon (limited to a single meal per week). Those are my commercial raw proteins, they also get other proteins with their Frankenprey like quail and frog for example.

I'm still looking for my third protein.I may aim for duck since rabbit and chicken are pretty lean--from my understanding.
My main questions is how often they should be rotated? Is it just whatever works or should they have chicken for a few days and then another protein for the next few days or should it be changed more often?

Also,a totally different question, but is it okay to be feeding the commercial raw diet with some extras? Such as chunks of heart--I'm just concerned that they'll get unbalanced, mainly--but, I do want them to get used to eating some chunks since we'll likely be looking at putting together our own raw diet. Like you said the pre-packaged stuff is pricey. >.<

You have a nice mix of proteins. Something I'll have to aim for. Where do you find all your supplies?

[LindaM]

Since my own range of proteins is so big, I don't really repeat any them a lot in the week. Since you're doing a commercial raw right now, try and mix it up, do a protein, then next meal the other, then next another, and if you wish to do the bare minimum of only 3 proteins, then rinse and repeat from there. The issue with fuzzies is that just like us, if fed the same thing over and over for a time, they'll get tired of it, so mix it up a bit instead.

Yes and no. You'll throw off the balance of the diet if you start just throwing in random Frankenprey long-term without a plan (unless you balance it properly), but if you plan to switch them away from the commercial onto actual Frankenprey, then it's fine, you need to start somewhere after all. Just don't do something crazy like Liver for every meal of the week.. that'd actually be dangerous, for example. This link below might be helpful.
Transitioning from Commercial Ground Raw to Frankenprey

Also, should you wish to do a menu that continues to include some commercial raw in with Frankenprey, then use this chart to help you balance the meals out every week:
Balancing Frankenprey Menu with Alternate Meals

As for my proteins, I buy my commercial raw (frozen and FDR) from a holistic pet store about an hour's drive away from me. I tend to buy once a month, or if I need a very big order/already plan on getting an order of Frankenprey online, I'll just do an online order for the Commercial Raw too. Mainly for the Commercial I use Stella & Chewys products, for FDR treats I do Orijen, Sojo's Simply and Vital Essentials (my guys MUST get their chicken heart treats.. or all h*ll breaks loose). Frankenprey I get at an Asian store also an hour away from home in the same direction as the pet supply store, or order online bulk from somewhere like Hare Today.

[katt]

You need a BARE minimum of 3 proteins a week - preferably more. Within that you can rotate the proteins however you'd like.

As for adding other meats to a menu of grinds you are corresct that balance is a concern. All of your non-grind meals need to be balanced with each other. Remember that the ratios are 10% heart, 10% organs (1/2 liver, 1/2 other), 10-15% edible bone, 65-70% muscle. Any non-balanced meals need to be balanced to represent these ratios. It is broken down in an easy to follow chart below. Grinds would be your "Alternative Meal."

holisticferretforum.com/natural-diet/raw-diet-the-meat-of-the-site/balancing-frankenprey-with-alternative-meals/