|
Post by LindaM on Sept 30, 2017 17:13:45 GMT -5
I wouldn't bother bringing up the diet to the vet. My concern with that, and which is why I asked, is that some vets end up getting their head stuck in the dirt and become entirely obstinate about giving a proper diagnosis to the problem and just stick to "diet is your problem" even when there are clear other medical symptoms. If the vet insists on finding out and it does come out somehow, don't let them sway you from the raw diet, rather try to see if you can help educate them as to why this is the best choice. If they refuse, and they get like the situation above, then you may need to find another vet again. It's always a big hassle.
|
|
Kaitlyn
Junior Member
Raw and Whole Prey Feeder
Occupation: Wife, Dog Enthusiest, Ferret Lover, and Gecko Chew Toy
Posts: 170
|
Post by Kaitlyn on Oct 1, 2017 10:56:43 GMT -5
Will have to do pictures of their meal tonight. Hubby fed them this morning, and we had to have a chat about appropriately sized pieces.
We just weighed them, Ratchet weighs 2.75 lbs, and Paint weighs, 3.17 lbs. They've both gained quiet a bit.
I'm hoping my vet doesn't care. They're so much more bright and alert, and their coats are already looking much better. We're still having nasty detox poops though. I can't wait for those to be over!
|
|
|
Post by LindaM on Oct 1, 2017 21:44:16 GMT -5
Hey hon, what's your menu like right now? Let's have a look at it. I think I saw you tried to make a thread about it, but when I try to click into it, it keeps coming up with an error screen. So let's take a look at it in here.
I'm so sorry about the poopies, those are bad, but they definitely serve a higher purpose. Just hold out a few more weeks! It's usually 4-6 weeks till it goes away.
|
|
Kaitlyn
Junior Member
Raw and Whole Prey Feeder
Occupation: Wife, Dog Enthusiest, Ferret Lover, and Gecko Chew Toy
Posts: 170
|
Post by Kaitlyn on Oct 2, 2017 5:42:32 GMT -5
Alrighty, here's a pick of dinner last night. I gave kidneys within the liver, but they look so similar, of the 4oz eaten, I can't tell you how much kidney they really ate.
Ferret food imgur.com/gallery/TObNA
And here's a link to my menu. We want to be sure it's good enough to meal prep for to make out lives a smidge easier.
docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/188mirzToftP_mBktPRP68iWY-XXoYmnFZwmvhnkvI98/edit?usp=drivesdk
I want to add more variety, but with a lot of small businesses still closed due to hurricane damage, I'm stuck with the grocery store at the moment.
EDIT: Forgot to add, they're going to the vet today to see if Ratchet's infection has cleared up enough to stop antibiotics. He sounds much, much better. But I'll let you know what they say.
|
|
|
Post by LindaM on Oct 2, 2017 12:19:05 GMT -5
Ahaha.. oh my, the way you set up your spreadsheet is quite reminiscent of how I had set up mine before. It reads just a touch more difficult though, I like to use similar colors on my menu as the meal I am feeding, making it easier to count the meals or by adding the terms (BI/M/O/H or Bone-In, Muscle, Organs, Heart) by the meals.
I count 9 bone-in meals (2 of them having the possibility to be muscle meals), 1.5 Heart meals, 1.5 Organ meals, and 2 Muscle meals. Good. Since yours are wee kits though, they should be getting the full 9 bone-in meals, calcium is very important for them to grow strong bones right now. As they get older or if it seems to cause issues (remember how to check for too much bone in the menu type poops), that amount can be decreased to 8 or 7. Oh, and I had asked for you; while we generally see the appetites taper down gradually, kits should start eating less around 4-5 months old, and chances are it won't be a big shock or anything for you, just a very gradual taper down. But again, keep in mind, winter will be upon us soon and plenty of us are already seeing little fuzzards get nice and fat for winter's approach.
I'd like to see a bit more variety in the bone-in, personally, as 5 of the meals are still chicken, but I hear you on how the businesses are doing over there still. Have you guys tried the turkey neck to see how they do? Are the boys still happy nomming on pork tails?
Please do let me know how the vet trip goes, and good luck!
|
|
Kaitlyn
Junior Member
Raw and Whole Prey Feeder
Occupation: Wife, Dog Enthusiest, Ferret Lover, and Gecko Chew Toy
Posts: 170
|
Post by Kaitlyn on Oct 2, 2017 12:32:53 GMT -5
Thanks!
Yeah, hurricanes suck lol. I don't recommend them.
They're still eating the pork tail, they did struggle with some of the larger bones towards the end, so I'm going to smash those next time. But for the most part, they can handle them. Hubby is picking up turkey necks today, and I don't really see them turning their noses up at them. I'll also ask him to look at the different cuts with bone to see if there's anything we missed that isn't chicken, and give you that list so we can see if there's anything at all they we can give them.
I'm hoping they come back healthier. Ratchet still wheezes when he plays too hard, but it's a big improvement.
|
|
|
Post by LindaM on Oct 2, 2017 12:37:42 GMT -5
Hah! Why do you think when my husband said the one guy he is working on a business venture/side project with would like us to move to Alabama, and I said "No", and proceeded to message my mom and grandma and asked them if they would like me to go live somewhere I have to deal with tornadoes.. they responded with "No" to my husband, LOL.
Sometimes I get pretty tired of Utah.. but, I'll give it something though.. it seems rather on the safe side when it comes to natural disasters. And having come from a country where I didn't get to deal with natural disasters.. the majority of the US looks like a deathtrap to me. x.X
Sounds good to me!
I hope so too, poor wee boys should not be sick, they should be bouncing off the walls and driving their momma insane, haha. ^^
|
|
Kaitlyn
Junior Member
Raw and Whole Prey Feeder
Occupation: Wife, Dog Enthusiest, Ferret Lover, and Gecko Chew Toy
Posts: 170
|
Post by Kaitlyn on Oct 2, 2017 16:48:32 GMT -5
Vet had to re schedule to tomorrow.
Hubby was only able to find rib meats according to him. So I'm not sure that any of those are ferret appropriate.
|
|
|
Post by LindaM on Oct 2, 2017 17:04:27 GMT -5
Ferrets can eat certain types of ribs as bone-in; chicken, turkey, duck, rabbit, etc. They can have pork rib ends.. but not all will eat it, and in this case doesn't help you already use pork as a protein for bone-in. Other animals like lamb, goat, venison, beef will all have bones that are just too dense and will end up ignored by ferrets or just the meat nibbled off. This should help for a bit of a shopping list if you guys can get to it sometime: holisticferretforum.com/natural-diet/raw-diet-the-meat-of-the-site/basic-frankenprey-menu/
|
|
Kaitlyn
Junior Member
Raw and Whole Prey Feeder
Occupation: Wife, Dog Enthusiest, Ferret Lover, and Gecko Chew Toy
Posts: 170
|
Post by Kaitlyn on Oct 2, 2017 18:06:42 GMT -5
I read hubby the list and he exclaimed "they have frog legs!" so he's going to go get some.
Now to pick what to give. Turkey necks, or frog legs tonight?
|
|
|
Post by LindaM on Oct 2, 2017 19:15:37 GMT -5
HAH! Frog Legs! Whooo!
So Frog Legs.. they are a good bone-in, not all ferrets will take to it, but some fall in love with it instantly, LOL. Something to keep in mind though is that Frog Legs are a very lean item, so follow it up with something fattier the next meal, or try not to have too many meals of it in the menu. I like to keep in mind when I feed especially lean proteins and follow by a fattier one again, eg. giving rabbit (very lean) and then next giving duck (fatty).
Flip a coin? I think either would be a great trial, and they're gonna get both eventually, haha.
|
|
Kaitlyn
Junior Member
Raw and Whole Prey Feeder
Occupation: Wife, Dog Enthusiest, Ferret Lover, and Gecko Chew Toy
Posts: 170
|
Post by Kaitlyn on Oct 2, 2017 20:14:13 GMT -5
Well they're getting chicken necks, because someone didn't read labels lol. But that's ok. I'll give them the frog legs in the morning, and got out myself and buy turkey necks for them.
|
|
|
Post by LindaM on Oct 2, 2017 20:23:21 GMT -5
Chicken necks are good too, not for a new protein, but it can be used in place of just chicken wings too. Haha, poor hubby, is he in the dog box tonight then? Give him a pass, he's new to this too and you guys are doing just wonderful so far. ^^
Lemme know how they take to the legs in the morning.
|
|
Kaitlyn
Junior Member
Raw and Whole Prey Feeder
Occupation: Wife, Dog Enthusiest, Ferret Lover, and Gecko Chew Toy
Posts: 170
|
Post by Kaitlyn on Oct 3, 2017 6:56:39 GMT -5
Nah, hubby is rarely in the dog box, unless he's being a jerk. He really tries, and I really couldn't be mad. It was a little funny.
I left the legs thawing this morning. Hubby, who feeds in the AM, is supposed to give me a report on how they take it.
|
|
|
Post by LindaM on Oct 3, 2017 13:21:57 GMT -5
AWWW! You guys are making such a good ferrent team! I'm so proud of you guys, good job. <3
You guys might find it helpful come the winter, to place items in the fridge overnight to thaw from frozen. I had some instances where sitting on the counter early morning for the morning meal, or some mornings for the evening meal didn't quite thaw things fully, and then it's a crapshow sometimes to get it properly thawed. Microwave is entirely out, it cooks the meat on the outside, as is hot water, it can cook around the edges.. there's warm water.. but with frozen items it cools quickly so you have to actively stand there and refill every little while. Just my take on it from past experience, LOL.
|
|