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Post by LindaM on Oct 9, 2017 13:47:00 GMT -5
Kelsey isn't kidding about the poop squish. One of the most important duties in our lives as ferrents.. is the poop patrol. I cannot even begin to tell you how many poops I have dissected by now. Gloves, baby wipes/paper towels, toothpicks/kebab stick, and a flash light are going to be your best friends. I've seen elderly couples who owned ferrets comment "Here we go again" in reference that it's just like what they had to do when raising a baby, LOL. And hon, your babies are normal babies. They are ferrets and it's a ferret's prerogative to give their ferrents gray hairs and mini heart attacks along with all the side-splitting laughter and joy they also bring. You're gonna be just fine and so are they, just follow Kelsey's lead.
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stacylo
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Post by stacylo on Oct 9, 2017 19:38:47 GMT -5
Yeah I did that whole put poop on a paper towel thing, squish it and see if it turns red one time a few days ago. Sherry had suggested it and all was fine. I think this time it was too but I totally forgot about that method until you mentioned it! I'll be sure to not forget the next go around. I've been keeping a close eye on their poops and on some level find it super interesting how much just a little bit of bone meal impacts the consistency of poop. So crazy! I offered a wing again today and they are definitely chewing on it but I can't say they are actually eating it. They'll chew on it for about 10 minutes at a time and then move on to something else. I think next time I'll cut the wing in half and try that and see if it makes a difference. I'm glad they're at least teething on it and getting some practice but they aren't eating much of it. I thought taking a cleaver to it would help them eat it but they still just chew. But I am super thankful for the chewing at least, for sure! Okay, they are just a couple days over 3 months old and Rogue weighed 895 grams (1.97 lbs) and Calamity weighed 866 grams (1.90 lbs) yesterday. Calamity is quickly catching up to Rogue's weight as she initially weighed a lot less than Rogue but was a lot sicker. She also is short and stout and Rogue is definitely a whippet. I'll post some pictures of their whole bodies when they're up too. They are currently eating about 10 to 12 ounces a day and have been since I stopped putting lamb heart in their soupie. Calamity is definitely eating more than Rogue but Rogue is definitely eating on her own. I just made a feeding den that I put out this evening (suggested by Sherry since I mentioned Rogue appears to not want to eat in front of me) and I'm not sure if that's made a difference yet other than to say that they ate 3 ounces already this evening (putting them at 9 ounces right now) and I would expect that number quite a bit later in the evening. So hopefully it helps Rogue. I was also chatting with Heather who was saying that since Rogue is a whippet she's likely to eat a bit less anyway. They're eating lamb soupie with slivers and twice now I've given them the chicken wing as I mentioned above. I have slowly increased the amount of lamb slivers and we are to the point where over half of the weight is lamb slivers. So probably 60% slivers, 40% lamb soupie. EDITED FOR PICTURES Rogue : imgur.com/a/nLJiQCalamity: imgur.com/a/qjEfxBoth of them snuggling: imgur.com/a/KZ98PFeeding den: imgur.com/a/9RaBf
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stacylo
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Post by stacylo on Oct 10, 2017 21:25:13 GMT -5
An update: They've eaten about 11 ounces in the last 24 hours. Most of that has been lamb soupie with slivers that are more like chunks than slivers. Small chunks but still.
And they did much better with the chicken wing with it broken into just a half of a piece at a time. They ate almost the entire thing. And Rogue appears to be a little less shy, though still shy, eating in the food den. They seemed to take right to it and no one tried to stash anything last night.
So good news all around!
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Post by Aftershock on Oct 11, 2017 1:26:01 GMT -5
When in doubt, squish it out! πππ
Sounds like they are slowing down a bit, which is normal since they are getting older.
If the feeding den helps, use itβ€ I assume Rogue would probably feel most comfortable in it (I'm sorry, I've been working all day and I'm getting ready for bed so I glanced over your posts) YAY! Chewing on it is a great start! You could smash the wings up a bit to encourage them chewing on them.
You're doing awesome!
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stacylo
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Post by stacylo on Oct 11, 2017 7:43:07 GMT -5
It's been really nice to have some consistency this week or so. I keep telling myself "no sudden moves, no sudden moves" with changes to their food. I don't think I had realized just how sensitive ferrets were to food changes and now that I have a bit of a taste of that (no pun intended!) I can make decisions better, I think.
The chicken wing has their poops looking a tad seedy (referencing the poop chart). I'm still not convinced they tolerate chicken super well but I haven't seen any diarrhea from it yet. But I would definitely like to get them introduced to a different bone in option as soon as they'll take it. Calamity sucks/chews on Rogue's ears less when she has the chicken wing to chew on.
With that said, I was considering introducing quail to them next. I have frozen full bone-in quail to thaw. Do you think I should I try to pull the meat off it to make a soupie or smash it up like the chicken wing and try that?
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Post by Aftershock on Oct 12, 2017 11:52:00 GMT -5
Keep up with the chicken wings for another day just to keep their confidence up. Another day wouldn't hurt. Seedy is fine, they are still at the start of their switch and it's just undigested fats. It should clear up in a month ish. If they don't have diarrhea from it, it's fine. It's possible they just had an overload at the start and now it's cleared up and they are adjusting. Tomorrow, what say you to trying some heart by itself?
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stacylo
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Post by stacylo on Oct 12, 2017 12:30:00 GMT -5
Sounds good for both the chicken wing and the heart! I'll put a bowl out of chopped up heart or just whole hearts? And then if they don't eat it give them the lamb soupie/chunks or chicken wings in the PM? Sometimes I offer both the wing and the lamb soupie/chunks at the same time. Do you think this is fine or would it be better to offer one type of protein at a time? Here is their poop from yesterday: imgur.com/a/Zfj4Y
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Post by Aftershock on Oct 13, 2017 11:43:29 GMT -5
Try 50/50 whole and chopped. If they try to avoid it, drizzle some soupy on it. Personally, I always feel better about offering one at a time, this mostly is when the foods are different sizes. Slivers, chunks, and soups are good for mixing to introduce new stuff, but when you try to combo soup and wings, they are more likely to avoid the wing for the soup because ferrets are extremely lazy. Well, unless you are Cow, then you go for the wing first and avoid the soup. But you get what I mean
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stacylo
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Post by stacylo on Oct 13, 2017 14:30:44 GMT -5
I had put out the bowl before I got your reply but we must've been on the same brain wave because that's exactly what I put out and I only put out 3.2 oz because I didn't want to waste it if they weren't interested. Rogue was a little skeptical but Calamity took right to it! I had to run some errands and when I got home all 3.2 ounces had been eaten! I know Rogue ate at least a bit because she was chewing on a chopped piece when I left! Yayyyyy! I'm so glad for them!
Edit: They both have had really loose poops since the heart. Not the crazy red one like yesterday but basically just mucus. I'm going to assume this is from having 100% heart vs just the 1 oz in soupie... Their activity levels continue to be normal and they're definitely eating.
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stacylo
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Post by stacylo on Oct 15, 2017 20:16:50 GMT -5
Alright here's an update:
Rogue is definitely eating on her own though she's definitely gaining a lot less weight than Calamity. This last week Rogue gained 31 grams and Calamity gained 94 grams. Whoa the difference! Rogue is definitely a whippet type and Calamity a bulldog variety so I'm not particularly stressed about that.
They've been eating between 10 and 12 ounces combined a day. They're now eating the lamb with just a couple drops of soupie on top. I introduced quail earlier today and they both ate it! So I think I'll stick with lamb, quail and chicken for right now and include a meal of hearts. I do have some questions about liver because I know they need it. Should I keep a soupie made just for liver? Any strategies for that? Add it to the heart meal perhaps? I know there is a meal on the menu plan that includes liver and heart. They will eat chicken wings but they're both having some extra nasty poops after eating it so I may try to get them to something else if it continues.
I figure I'll stick with this layout for awhile and try to move very slowly with changes.
Thoughts?
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Post by Aftershock on Oct 16, 2017 0:28:25 GMT -5
Heart and organ meals will ALWAYS cause loose poops This is why I always suggest feeding a bone in meal after organ meals. I helps balance their poops out<3 10-12 ounces is good! Okay, so I would like you to post a weekly menu using what you have them eating currently. Pleeeeease? Do you mind posting up some pictures of their poops after chicken wings?
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stacylo
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Post by stacylo on Oct 16, 2017 17:45:44 GMT -5
Yep, I'll definitely post pictures of poops after chicken wings. I was going to give them chicken wings tonight but they didn't eat any of their lamb chunks today and that is my fault. I tried to see what would happen if I didn't put any soupie on top (because I had been using only about a tsp...) and apparently that was a deal breaker LOL. So when I got home I added some soupie on top and they've been eating it but I'll likely keep them on lamb tonight so they don't get the idea that if they don't eat their food then I'll put something else out.
So I'll post some chicken wing pics tomorrow!
As for a weekly menu, right now I've been flying by the seat of my pants and was thinking a couple days ago that I'd like to add more structure to my planning so such perfect timing!
How's this? And still not sure about chicken but I'll keep including it for now until we can get to the bottom of the poops (no pun intended!). And I'm not entirely sure what to do about liver.
Monday AM: Lamb chunks w/soupie on top Monday PM: Chicken wings
Tuesday AM: Quail (whole but smashed a bit) Tuesday PM: Chicken wings
Wednesday AM: Heart Wednesday PM: Quail
Thursday AM: Chicken wings Thursday PM: Lamb chunks w/soupie on top
Friday AM: Quail Friday PM: Lamb chunks w/soupie on top
Saturday AM: (a liver meal of some sort but not entirely sure how to do that. maybe a liver and heart soupie?) Saturday PM: Chicken wings
Sunday AM: Lamb chunks w/soupie on top Sunday PM: Quail
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stacylo
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Post by stacylo on Oct 16, 2017 19:15:07 GMT -5
Update: So, they only ate about 2 ounces today and it's also the second day that they've been without meds. So I second guessed myself and worried that they weren't eating because they weren't feeling well so I gave them some quail. They just went to it as though they were starving to death and had no hesitation eating it. This means that they are waiting ALL day to eat something that they want to eat instead of what I give them.
They ate more ounces of quail in 40 minutes than they ate of lamb all day long.
Do I just hold out?? What do I do? Wahhhhhh stubborn cute little fuzzies! I love them too much to be mad at them.
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stacylo
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Post by stacylo on Oct 16, 2017 21:11:00 GMT -5
Oh! Also edited to say, this is the exact timeline in which they started stop eating after their last set of meds ended. One night is too soon to tell but it was about 2 nights after their last dose last time that they stopped eating. It seemed to be related to the lamb heart being added to the soup but their appetite picked right up after I put them back on meds... The timing is identical but I also introduced the quail yesterday so I think it's more realistic that the going backwards is because of that.
So going backwards, this means I return to soupie and take away the quail for now?
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stacylo
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Post by stacylo on Oct 17, 2017 8:22:50 GMT -5
Third update: They ate 4 oz of quail last night which is the amount they have been eating consistently overnight. So what I think I'll do until someone tells me otherwise is go back to the lamb chunks and slivers and keep with that again until they pick it back up again. And then slowly introduce chicken and quail again. It could be that I moved too fast on introducing the quail. We had about 10 days of consistency with eating and I thought that was enough but I may have jumped the gun.
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