Mix kibble and freeze dried

[whybiesmommy]

Is it ok to mix Wysong digestive support and Stella and Chewy freeze dried.?. I currently give my princess a few freeze dried liver and hearts with her Wysong, but I wanted to incorporate the chewy freeze dried with out the stomach upset.

[caitmonster]

If they're both dry, yes. The trouble comes when "wet" raw and other dry foods are mixed, as that can lead to bacterial overload. And if you're only feeding dry foods, make sure there always water available, too.

Are you currently feeding both liver and hearts with every meal? Depending on the amount, you might want to cut back on the liver--the Vitamin A it provides can be toxic in large doses (over time), and liver should only constitute about 5% of the total diet over the course of a week. Heart is fine, since the taurine in it is not toxic, and is water-soluble so any excess is easily removed in their urine.

Edit: Oops, I think I misunderstood your question, sorry!! But yes, gradually mixing it in over time can help them adjust.

[peacexlovexpets]

I would mix it as you feed it (not in bulk). What I do for my boys when I am changing diet, is I grind the new food into a flour (in a coffee grinder), spray their current kibble with a salmon oil/ferretone blend, and then I coat the old food with it, so they can recognize the new smell as edible/food.

My boys came from a rescue and were hooked on kitten kibble, so it was hard to get them to transition to anything but.

[whybiesmommy]

Thank you. I just want to clarify. Do I put the freeze dried with the kibble or feed it at different times. The internet is a scary place. I have read so many different things, I’m terrified to feed them. Lol.

[caitmonster]

As long as both the freeze dried and the kibble are dry, you can feed them however you want--together, separately, doesn't matter. It's only when FDR is rehydrated that the worry is it would digest differently than the kibble, thus leading to bacterial problems.

If you DO want to rehydrate (and FDR is best served rehydrated, since ferrets are designed to get most of their moisture from what they eat) some people on here feed a rehydrated freeze-dried meal twice a day, with some dry food left for nibbles--though at that point you may as well get rid of the kibble and go entirely with the raw.