Some questions about raw transitions

[mishmoush]

After all of the reading and research about raw diet transitions, I've come up with a number of questions that I'd like to ask y'all while I'm preparing for the switch. 

I, thankfully, live in a city with a number of Asian supermarkets so the variety of meats (including organs and hearts) are plentiful. Although, I've noticed that a lot of organs that I wish to get are already frozen which brings up my first question: 

How do you prepare already frozen meats for meals? Meats can't be put into the freezer after being thawed, so do you break up the meats while it's frozen? or do you partially thaw them so that it's easier to portion out and continue as usual? I've also seen whole frozen duck or other smaller animals which would be an easy way to get a variety of organs, muscles and bone-in sections. Do you guys recommend that frozen whole prey be bought to portion and prepare? and if so, how would you do it?

I understand that at least three different types of prey are vital for a balanced diet, so is it important that even the organs/hearts are also given in a variety? I have plenty of access to pork and chicken hearts/organs, but I think I need to look deeper for a few other varieties. If the markets are lacking a variety (out of stock/don't stock/too expensive etc.) What prey hearts/organs are the best to feed? i.e are chicken hearts better than pork?

How often do you switch up the preys? Every meal? every day? every other day? weekly? I would like to hear your thoughts so that I can plan ahead when buying from the markets. 

For prepping and storing, I've read that a lot of people don't mix the organs with the hearts nor with the actual muscle/bone-in meats. Which I'm more than willing to do (seems easier that way too), would you recommend separating the meats/hearts/organs by prey as well? or do you mix chicken hearts with pork hearts no biggie?

Thank you so much for your time, that was a lot of loaded questions. (or at least it seems so) 

I'm very excited to switch but I want to make sure I'm fully prepared. The more I read and the more I know will just make the process much easier and less stressful for me and my babies. 

[abbeytheferret6]

How do you prepare already frozen meats for meals?
Meats can't be put into the freezer after being thawed

It is ok

The U. S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) advises:
Once food is thawed in the refrigerator, it is safe to refreeze it without cooking, although there may be a loss of quality due to the moisture lost through thawing.
food.unl.edu/it-safe-refreeze-raw-meat-and-poultry-has-thawed

Do you guys recommend that frozen whole prey be bought to portion and prepare? and if so, how would you do it?

If whole prey is a large pheasant or duck---you might want to thaw, cut up, and package it as muscle, bone-in, organ and heart. Yes, with name of prey on package so you can give variety without wondering if you gave that protein the previous day.

do you mix chicken hearts with pork hearts no biggie?

I usually just have one type of heart in the freezer--but if I did have two types, I would store them separately because of the difference in size or just being able to pick out a variety with ease.

When I get them (always frozen)---I do a slight thaw and separate all of them into packages. The packages will have enough hearts for  my 4 ferrets to have a heart meal.

[Charlie]

I partially thaw the meat then portion them and freeze. I try to get fresh then freeze but if I can't then I get frozen. I don't have a lot of variety in hearts so it's mostly chicken here. I keep all my heart, and organ meats separate then when I need just heart or just liver and kidney then I can grab them. Or if I need all 3 I grab 3 portions. I use liver and kidney as my other organs. I tried tripe but it was a no go. I get mostly beef liver and I think it's beef kidney too. But if I get whole rabbit I use the organs and heart from that as well.

I alternate all the varieties of meats every day so he's never eating the same meat two days in a row. You may want to find 5 varieties of meats. More options that way too.

My ferret was 6 months when he switched. He was eating some raw meat at 3 months (when I got him) and even before that because the girl I got him from was giving him some raw already. He was real easy to switch! My sister got a young ferret too and she took to the raw right away! I hope your switch goes smooth! I skipped the soup part altogether and offered him small chucks of meat right from the start.

[Sherry]

How do you prepare already frozen meats for meals?
I thaw, portion, and refreeze. It won't hurt them at all.


I understand that at least three different types of prey are vital for a balanced diet, so is it important that even the organs/hearts are also given in a variety?
Variety in organs isn't nearly as important as variety in proteins.

How often do you switch up the preys? Every meal? every day? every other day? weekly?
Depends on what it is you are feeding, and how many ferrets you have. With mice you can switch after a single meal. With rat it may take them 2 meals to demolish. A large quail it may take a couple days.


For prepping and storing, I've read that a lot of people don't mix the organs with the hearts nor with the actual muscle/bone-in meats. Which I'm more than willing to do (seems easier that way too), would you recommend separating the meats/hearts/organs by prey as well? or do you mix chicken hearts with pork hearts no biggie?
I just separate proteins from each other, feed liver/organ meals alone, feed heart alone(other than one meal a week where they get heart/liver/organ). If the meal is just heart, no need to separate pork/chicken heart. They are getting enough taurine from either.