Just a few questions....

[mhuerter]

So, I don't have the post requirements yet to apply for a mentor, but I will.  I also need to get some pictures.  I'm hoping I can ask a couple of questions in the meantime.  My ferrets are very new to me, two 11 week old boys that I've only had for two weeks (these are not my first ferrets but the first time I've considered raw).  I really want to get started immediately on raw because I don't want to feed them what they were eating before they came to me.  Rather than get them used to a new kibble and then switch again, I'm trying to just go straight to the frankenprey diet.  I have bought some liver, chicken hearts, chicken wings, lamb, goat and turkey neck.  Going out of town tomorrow to an Asian grocer to find another organ and some more variety.  I'm very pleased so far that they prefer the raw and don't want the kibble.  So questions:

1.  They are best friends...except when there is food!  They are in a ferret nation and I put out two dishes of meat; one on the top level and one on the bottom.  Within two minutes they are trying to eat out of the same bowl and hissing and screaming at each other.  Do I let them sort it out or should I close off top and bottom so they eat separately?

2.  Poop monitoring - three days on raw now...first day, two bone in meals; day 2, one bone-in, one muscle meat; day three, one bone-in meal, one heart meal.  Poop is still very loose.  Will this firm up in time or is there a different bone-in meal I can provide that has more small bones that they can eat?  They are leaving one large bone from the chicken wing though the ends are gnawed on. 

3.  I still leave kibble out during the day as they are still babies and need to eat frequently (don't they?) and I work 9.5 hours a day, Monday to Thursday.  Should I be taking the kibble away?  Can they go 10 hours between feedings? (I know that's a long time to be caged but they are outside for a walk each evening and spend a half hour out of cage in morning and two to three hours out each evening)

Any advice would be appreciated.  I really want to do what's best for them.  I've dealt with middle aged and senior ferrets in the past with too may health (and behavior) issues from poor care and want these guys to be as healthy and happy as possible.

Sorry this was so long winded!

[raven]

Hi mhuerter your questions are a bit too advanced for me but i figured i'd chime in some until someone with real advice can get to you.

1. On this plus side this means they really like their food, mine don't really fight but they do try to push each other out of the way from one bowl even though there's 2 at times. I think they will work it out but i'm not positive on that.

2. loose poops could mean they need more bone but also raw poops are also wet and dark depending on how much blood (like organs will cause dark poo), poops are going to be funky while transitioning either way.

3. If they are eating raw they don't really need kibble. Ferrets "graze" (eat all day) because everything in kibble doesn't get used, so they have to keep eating to keep recharging, where as on a raw diet they use it all so they don't have to eat all day long, Many seem to feed on an AM, PM cycle. Males eat about 2-5oz a day and a kit can eat up to 4x as much. Also seasons kind of change how much they eat as well. Here's how long you can generally leave out food: Soups: 6-8 hours, Grinds: 8-12 hours, Chunks: 10-24 hours (depending on size eg. the bigger the chunks are, the longer they'll last), Bone-in Meats: 12-24 hours (again, depending on size), Whole Prey: up to 48 hours.

Hope that helps some. Happy ferrenting

[Sherry]

I can answer for you
1. Food fights are the norm lol. They won't hurt each other. If it is a favourite meat especially it won't matter how much you put in, what the other is MUST be better


2. At 11 weeks, I'd be feeding on the higher end with bones. So 9 instead of 7 meals from the basic menu. And poops will be funky from detoxing for a while yet Also, raw feed stools are naturally wetter and looser.

3. Ditch the kibble. Just put in enough meat to last them through. If you like, for breakfast give thawed and then just before you leave toss in some frozen meat. They'll eat it as it thaws That should hold them til supper.

[mhuerter]

Thank you so much Raven and Sherry! I read somewhere (not here) to only give them what they will eat in 30 minutes and then remove all raw food so I was very concerned they'd be hungry during the day if I removed the kibble. Now I realize that I haven't been feeding them nearly enough raw and I can leave it for them to snack on all day. That video is exactly what mine are like and I was concerned...they sound like bloodthirsty little monsters about to rip each other apart! It's kind of funny though when they each get a good grip on opposing ends of a chunk of meat and play tug of war. It makes me so happy so see them eating a natural diet and loving food. None of my previous ferrets ever got excited about meal time!
Thanks again!

[mhuerter]

Another question, sorry to be a bother, can my ferrets eat pork tails?  I bought some but getting them home and portioning things out, they appear to be very, very fatty.  Has anyone fed pork tails?  Maybe pair them with a leaner meat?

[raven]

I feel like I read somewhere around here that fatter cuts are a good source of energy but I don't know how much is too much.

[mhuerter]

Okay, just an update....so far, pig tails are a fail, they won't touch them.  Organ meals I have to separate them for a bit because greedy guts eats all the heart and leaves the other organ for my less enthusiastic eater.  For anyone in Ontario, I have found lamb and goat at several different grocery stores in the freezer section - SuperStore, No Frills, Metro and Food Basics.  I did find liver and heart at pretty much every grocery store in town but was having a difficult time finding other organs so a one hour trip to a bigger city with an Asian grocer secured enough alternate organ to portion and freeze for about three months (I go to London, ON at least monthly so this isn't an issue for me).  I've also found quail at local grocery stores, though it is expensive.  Rabbit was much cheaper at the Asian grocer than the local grocers.  I'm still figuring out portions and freezing things is difficult because of this.  It was easier to freeze in 4oz portions and then freeze some 1oz and 2oz portions to top up if necessary until I get it figured out. 

In only 1 week there is a very noticeable difference in their energy levels!  Whether this is due to age, diet or a combination, I'm not sure but it's good to see.  I have cats so I can't give them run of the house because of cat litter but I confine them to one room for play time.  Where they used to just wander around exploring the room, now everything they do is at full speed and they chase me everywhere.  Both gaining weight daily but poop is still a disgusting mess.  (I watched a video here on smashing up bones and I'm confident they are eating more bone now)  I'm carefully watching my balance but it will take them a while to adjust I guess.  That and they are still litter training so cage cleaning and washing blankets is a daily job! 

[Sherry]

Wish I'd have seen this. Pig tails are often a fail. And for kits they need a LOT of food. I also leave meat in all day. If it goes off they won't touch it. And at their age they will be out eating adults

[raven]

I second what sherry said, I used to throw out their food that they didn't finish after 6-8 hours but now I just move it separate from the new food and sometimes I come back at the end of the and they have eaten both their left overs and their new food, which would have ended up wasted in the trash.