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Post by Deleted on Aug 12, 2017 3:25:22 GMT -5
My ferret has been on a raw diet plan for over a year now. Aside from his weekly organ meals, his main staple has been Chicken necks which were working well for most of it. We've had two scary incidents though, one time where he choked and then coughed up a too big piece of bone and was fine, and another where he swallowed a large bone chunk and needed an emergency vet visit to pass it. Is there anything I can do to avoid this? It was frightening enough for me to consider a return to kibble.
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Post by Sherry on Aug 12, 2017 8:22:06 GMT -5
Are you chopping the necks? If so make them into chunks he has to chew pieces of. That is when they learn to scissor off pieces they can swallow without issue.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 12, 2017 22:28:15 GMT -5
I haven't been chopping them up, just giving to him whole. How small should I chop them up?
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Post by Heather on Aug 12, 2017 23:33:08 GMT -5
I use a cleaver and just bash them. I don't normally feed necks as they're often too heavy on bone content and not enough meat. What other bones are you feeding? ciao
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Post by raynebc on Aug 14, 2017 11:59:44 GMT -5
Chicken and duck necks are pretty lean on meat, but turkey necks have a ton of it.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2017 1:14:46 GMT -5
I haven't been feeding any other bones. Can you give me some recommendations as what to feed him and how to prepare it, aside from organ meals? I'm really worried about the choking because he frequently tries to fit too much food into his mouth at once.
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Post by Sherry on Aug 17, 2017 8:48:17 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2017 11:52:21 GMT -5
Depends on what I'm feeding him. If I give him a chicken neck, he usually finishes it (Except for some small bone chunks) before his next meal. If I give him muscle meat with no bone, there is usually some left. He finishes his organ meals very fast and seems to enjoy them a lot.
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Post by abbeytheferret6 on Aug 17, 2017 13:28:10 GMT -5
In photograph 5, at this website www.gourmetsleuth.com/articles/detail/cut-up-a-chicken, I use the section where the tail is suppose to be(upper part of photo). I break it away from the ribs. Next, I cut that vertically in half--- 2 really nice boney pieces. I do not feed chicken ribs. I worry about those needle like bones. Although I do feed rabbit ribs in groups of 3's or thereabouts. I worry about knuckles too after my Abbey was rolling a big one around in her mouth:) Also I feed the middle section of wings. I have even cut them vertically between the two bones--- although not necessary (sorry pic a little blurry). You can buy frozen quail at Asian food stores 11.00-12.00 dollars for 6. Buying mine now as whole prey, so I have to pluck them. Be careful if you find quail at grocery stores. Check to make sure they are natural without spices and additives. I have found some at the Harris Teeter that are natural in frozen section of meats.
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Post by lyles on Aug 17, 2017 16:20:29 GMT -5
Are you chopping the necks? If so make them into chunks he has to chew pieces of. That is when they learn to scissor off pieces they can swallow without issue. Is that what it is? I've had problems with Nei throwing up because a quail bone gets stuck. I have to chop up all the bone-ins around an inch long because if I leave the meat out any bigger Nei will just hide it somewhere and it'll dry up before either will eat it. Food dries up here very fast for some reason, can't use a humidifier either or I get infections. Her favorite are the quail wings which seems to be the times she does choke it's on those. I don't chop those up though, but they are naturally very small with small thin bones, which is why she loves them. In photograph 5, at this website www.gourmetsleuth.com/articles/detail/cut-up-a-chicken, I use the section where the tail is suppose to be(upper part of photo). I break it away from the ribs. Next, I cut that vertically in half--- 2 really nice boney pieces. I do not feed chicken ribs. I worry about those needle like bones. Although I do feed rabbit ribs in groups of 3's or thereabouts. I worry about knuckles too after my Abbey was rolling a big one around in her mouth:) Also I feed the middle section of wings. I have even cut them vertically between the two bones--- although not necessary (sorry pic a little blurry). You can buy frozen quail at Asian food stores 11.00-12.00 dollars for 6. Buying mine now as whole prey, so I have to pluck them. Be careful if you find quail at grocery stores. Check to make sure they are natural without spices and additives. I have found some at the Harris Teeter that are natural in frozen section of meats. I don't feed mine chicken due to allergies, but for the quail I always chop the legs off at the base of the theigh, then the wings, then I turn the quail on the side and chop through the middle, then I half the bottom and the top lengthwise then I chop them across about half inch in width.
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Post by abbeytheferret6 on Aug 17, 2017 21:12:01 GMT -5
Read more: holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/23367/chicken-necks-choking#ixzz4q3jQx8gMWhen I serve quail I worry about the bones too. I have pulled the wishbone out and some other needle like bones. I also cut the wrap of skin that covers the stomach of animals into small bits with scissors. My newest girl was choking on the stomach wrapping of a skinned, 6-8 ounce rat. That particular part is tough. I would not have known she was choking but she was eating at my feet and her little tail bottle-brushed. I had to tug at it because it had created a suction in her throat. After that, I do not even fool with the stomach wrap on rabbits. I just give that to my dog.
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Post by Sherry on Aug 18, 2017 9:51:54 GMT -5
I just cut them in half and toss the whole thing in lol. They learn how to eat them no problem. And the raw bone, even things like ribs, aren't going to hurt them. Especially when fed with the meat on them. It is cooking that makes them sharp.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2017 23:51:41 GMT -5
I know you all are saying they should be able to eat things fine, but he choked again just minutes ago and we barely saved him. My fiance is saying we shouldn't feed him bone-in food anymore and if we are to continue the raw diet, we need to supplement him with bonemeal or eggshell powder or grind the bone-in meat into a paste in a blender. Thoughts on this? After 3 near death experiences with feeding him bones, I'm ready to switch back to kibble, so I need advice.
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Post by abbeytheferret6 on Aug 22, 2017 4:35:57 GMT -5
was it something other than necks?
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Post by Sherry on Aug 22, 2017 8:52:24 GMT -5
Try leaving necks off the menu for a while, and use bone from a different source. They may not have enough meat on them for some reason. Try quail, rabbit, mice, etc. Even chicken wings segmented.
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