Soup or chunks for kits?

[maurc43]

Since I have kits, I was thinking about skipping the soup stage. When people do this, do they start with the meat slivers or just go straight to the large chunks and just crush bones?

[Sherry]

With kits I'd go straight to whole pieces like chicken wings if 8-10 weeks old. If 3-4 months you may have to go with bits of chicken cut up instead and progress. Though do try the wings first.
For the whole wings, start by removing the kibble a couple hours before hand(same for the pieces) and "tease" the kit with it. Tickle their noses, play tug of war with it, etc. The thing is to trigger a prey drive so they bite it hard and get a good taste of it.
With the bits, you may have to pop a piece or two in their mouths for that. Offer a couple tbsp worth of small pieces mixed with a tsp of warm water on a dish first. If they don't take to it gently scruff to yawn and pop a piece in the mouth.

[maurc43]

Should I try whole with organs and heart as well?

[LindaM]

You can most certainly try it with organs and heart too, chicken hearts for example are totally small enough to try whole, bigger hearts you may wish to chop into chunks as depending on the amount of ferrets it could be too much food, and some protein's hearts are so big it may daunt first-timers.

[maurc43]

I tried giving them a chicken neck today by teasing them. They didn't want anything to do with it. I then tried rubbing ferretvite on the chicken since they are obsessed with it (I don't plan on continuing using it once they get on raw diet). Then I tried cutting it into small slivers and feeding them it on a spoon. That also didn't work so I tried the scruff and taste method. I got it into both of their mouths for a taste multiple times but they spit it right out each time. Do you think I should start with the soup method or after they are done playing for the night should I leave some in their cage for them to eat. I normally fill their food bowl up every evening before bed so if they don't eat the meat I put in there they will be hungry until morning.

Also if I do the latter, how will I know if someone ate it and the other didn't since they are caged together.

If no one replies before I put them up, I will just do kibble and wait to see what the next step is. Thanks

[Sherry]

Necks may be too much for them right now. I would cut up some chicken into small pieces and start with that.

[msplatypus]

I took in a rescue who is still a kit. I just started putting pieces in front of him and he just ate them up. I switched my older ferrets a bit later, when they were about 9 months, and I'm still having to beg them to eat the organs.

Start as young as you can, kits are furry stomachs with teeth. My little one even ate a chicken head, which made me both proud and horrified.

There was an evolution to it. I gave my newest one chunks of muscle meat first, and I would make the pieces big enough that I could lightly smack him in the face with it to get him interested, he'd grab at it, we'd play tug if war, I'd let him win, and presto, he ate the chicken and liked the chicken. For awhile I did commercial grind in the morning and for lunch, then balanced that with a frankenprey menu in the evening. After about two weeks he was eating chicken neck. Now he's on a full frankenprey menu with the rest of my business. It just took a little patience and some creative ways to get him interested (mostly me play-smacking him in the face with meat - he's deaf so he can't hear me so I needed a way to get his attention). He's now my only non-picky eater and the only one I don't have to force feed organs.

[maurc43]

Thanks, I'll try that!

[LindaM]

maurc43 How are things going today? Any luck in getting them willing to try either the wing pieces Sherry suggested or Msplatypus' suggestion of engaging in play to get interest in the food? Are they still getting kibble right now?

[maurc43]

Jan 22, 2018 18:33:56 GMT -5 LindaM said:

maurc43 How are things going today? Any luck in getting them willing to try either the wing pieces Sherry suggested or Msplatypus' suggestion of engaging in play to get interest in the food? Are they still getting kibble right now?

No luck yet! I actually just got on the site to look up the soup recipe. I'm going to make that today and then after letting them out for the day I'll do the scruff and taste method if they aren't willing to eat it on their own. Just bought a new bag of kibble for 30 bucks and I'm hoping to switch them to raw before I have to open it so that I can return it. I'll probably update tomorrow around the same time on the unofficial transition thread with what they ate or for advice depending on how it goes.

[LindaM]

Okay, I'll keep an eye for the update. Make sure you are persistent about your method, personally I'd do the Grab'n'Dab. You grab your ferret, dab a bit of the soup on their mouth/nose/gums, they should lick to get it off, and then you let them go again. You can do this throughout the day, or in sessions of 20-30 minutes, dabbing every 5 minutes. It can take several tries before they'll be willing to lick some off your finger by themselves. Once they do that, see if they'll do it off a spoon or the bowl itself.

[crazylady]

Hi Have you thought about offering them a mixed plate of meat ( as if your simulating everything in whole pray ) chop one chicken wing into small pieces ( easier for them to chew ) a few slivers of liver couple of chicken heart split in too and finally a little ground meat place to one side ( my bet is your ground will disappear lol) I normally add a little goats milk over the top too ( around 1 tablespoon ) they lick at the milk and dont realize they are tasting the meats at the same time hope this helps
Bev