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Post by FireAngel on Jun 1, 2017 21:08:05 GMT -5
I feed mainly whole prey in northeast US and for 7 ferrets I spend about $500 every 3 months (ish), you are proably about right in the ball park for how much it would cost a month with only whole prey but as Katt stated there are always some variables that could help lower cost or increase it lol
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Post by Roberto de Molero on Jun 2, 2017 1:09:29 GMT -5
The things is I really want to feed whole prey. I am not really good at balancing my own food! I just manage to do that. And being whole prey a lot better I do think that is the way I want to go. Although it might have to wait bit longer than expected, because paying £100 a month only to feed a ferret is not something that I can afford living on my own. I might have to mix raw and whole if I want to get that little fluffbutt. But if I can't afford whole prey I don't think I will get one. Sad but it is what I think is best
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Post by FireAngel on Jun 2, 2017 21:08:13 GMT -5
I applaude you for wanting to do the best for them! Thank you! Yes whole prey is the best diet for them, franken prey can mimick it closely enough that there are no ill effects suffered. There is a chart to help balance franken prey with whole prey or complete grinds so it may not be as hard for you as you imagine. balancing chart
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Post by katt on Jun 3, 2017 15:07:15 GMT -5
Here's a basic menu outline to show how to balance Frankenprey: holisticferretforum.com/natural-diet/raw-diet-the-meat-of-the-site/basic-frankenprey-menu/It really isn't difficult once you get the hang of it, and a mentor would walk you through it until you had a firm grasp of the balance. That said, if you can afford whole prey with sufficient variety (they still need a minimum of 3 different proteins), then go for it! That really is the best diet if you can afford it.
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Post by Roberto de Molero on Jun 4, 2017 17:08:56 GMT -5
Thanks for that. Some little questions: I guess that when the menu says 1/2 or 1/4 an organ it means from a big animal like beef, lamb, pork... doesn't it. Because those organs from a chicken, duck, etc would be way too small? does a raw meat diet not have any effect on ferrets vs whole prey? Is it only about faeces consistency? I'm sorry if this questions sound stupid!
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Post by LindaM on Jun 4, 2017 18:26:41 GMT -5
I'm going to assume you're talking about the Frankenprey menu, and more specifically the heart and organ meals. So in those, the 1/2 or 1/4 in the menu is actually meant as a meal portion. So if you look at like the heart meals and organ meals, there is 1 full meal of hearts only, 1 full meal of organs (half of that meal must be liver, and half must be another organ), and then 1 meal mixed of heart and organs, so half heart, 1/4 liver, 1/4 other organ.
Heart totals 10% of the entire diet, and organs total another 10% (5% liver, 5% other) of the entire diet for the week.
The actual size of these meals are going to depend on how much your ferret eats on average. Which is why weighing and portioning is very helpful, and you portion the meals by weight not by just dividing each of the organs by "half" or otherwise, because then yes, you will end up with too little of one protein, and too much of another protein. Ferrets can have hearts and organs from any protein.
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Post by FireAngel on Jun 4, 2017 22:20:53 GMT -5
As Linda said, it means by wieght. As an example 1 ferret eats 3 ounces a day give or take some days, so a heart meal would be 3 oz and a 1/2 heart and 1/2 organ meal would be 1.5 ounces of heart + 0.75 oz of liver + 0.75 oz of (lets just use kidney as the other organ for this example) kidney. It is a cheat sheet basically based on the math of feeding a whole prey diet.
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Post by Roberto de Molero on Jun 5, 2017 3:00:20 GMT -5
Thank you so much! I might have to change my mind to raw diet and the random treat of a whole prey. Not exactly what I first intended but as long as the ferret doesn't suffer from it I'm sure I'll be eventually happy with it You are tremendously helpful!
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Post by katt on Jun 6, 2017 17:57:50 GMT -5
As Linda said, it means by wieght. As an example 1 ferret eats 3 ounces a day give or take some days, so a heart meal would be 3 oz and a 1/2 heart and 1/2 organ meal would be 1.5 ounces of heart + 0.75 oz of liver + 0.75 oz of (lets just use kidney as the other organ for this example) kidney. It is a cheat sheet basically based on the math of feeding a whole prey diet. Just as clarification to the OP on this - every ferret eats a different amount. 3oz is an example based on averages - your ferret(s) may eat less or more. Typically an adult female will eat 1-3oz per day, and an adult male will eat 2-4oz per day. That said, it varies from ferret to ferret, and season to season - they will eat significantly more in the winter vs the summer. Also, kits eat a TON compared to adults - they need all of the extra calories to grow big and strong.
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