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Post by fuzzysock on Jan 25, 2020 14:38:08 GMT -5
Ello ello, future ferrent with some more (possibly dumb) questions
Lately I've been fully considering a fdr diet. With that being said any of you ferrents who are on a pure freeze dried diet I'm curious as to how many cups do you give per day?
I know of the concern of dehydration in fuzzies, but is it fine to leave some dry fdr bits in their bowl for them to nibble on through the day?
With teeth cleaning, other than using a little toothbrush, would it be fine to give a raw uncooked bone for the ferret to chew on to naturally clean their own teeth while on a 100% fdr diet? Or would that cause stomach upset/bacterial infection in the stomach?
Lastly, I know an fdr diet can get pricey (getting prepared for that) but out of curiosity, how much do you guys spend per week(s) month(s) on fdr?
I'd like to adopt a ferret from a shelter, 2 if possible, with that being said I've been trying to do the math of how many cups I would feed them per day (with switching the meats, turkey one day, rabbit the next ect...), how long the bags would last fuzzies and how many bags I should buy before getting my ferts just to start them off.
I've done plenty of research, surfing the web and even calling an exotic pet specialist, but I'd like to hear your guys input. I can't tell you enough how this whole healthy diet thing has gone my head in a spin ;__;
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Post by bishop24 on Jan 25, 2020 16:12:10 GMT -5
Ello ello, future ferrent with some more (possibly dumb) questions Lately I've been fully considering a fdr diet. With that being said any of you ferrents who are on a pure freeze dried diet I'm curious as to how many cups do you give per day? I know of the concern of dehydration in fuzzies, but is it fine to leave some dry fdr bits in their bowl for them to nibble on through the day? With teeth cleaning, other than using a little toothbrush, would it be fine to give a raw uncooked bone for the ferret to chew on to naturally clean their own teeth while on a 100% fdr diet? Or would that cause stomach upset/bacterial infection in the stomach? Lastly, I know an fdr diet can get pricey (getting prepared for that) but out of curiosity, how much do you guys spend per week(s) month(s) on fdr? I'd like to adopt a ferret from a shelter, 2 if possible, with that being said I've been trying to do the math of how many cups I would feed them per day (with switching the meats, turkey one day, rabbit the next ect...), how long the bags would last fuzzies and how many bags I should buy before getting my ferts just to start them off. I've done plenty of research, surfing the web and even calling an exotic pet specialist, but I'd like to hear your guys input. I can't tell you enough how this whole healthy diet thing has gone my head in a spin ;__; So I’m not a super expert but I’ll give you my two cents. I feed my guys frankenprey which is just a mix of different meat parts (chicken wings, blend of organs, hearts, duck parts etc) It’s probably the cheapest way to feed raw and costs me around $60 a month depending on what kind of meat. Ive also started making my own grinds which is a blend of muscle, bone, heart, and organs (not sure if you have looked into how much of each a ferret needs of these but it’s very important to keep them healthy!) I know that a lot of other raw feeders use grinds as well and you can buy in pet stores. It’s also easy to customize to insure that your guys are getting the right portions. But again that’s just what I do because it fits well with my life. Portions depends a lot on how old and if you have male or females. Young ferrets under a year eat a lot more and so do males. I had a male and two females and each meal (twice a day) was about 3.5-4 oz but now I just have two females and they eat 2-2.5 oz a meal. I’m not sure if it changes with fdr because it’s dehydrated Another concern is what a ferret has imprinted on for food. A ferret decides what is food by the time they are 7-12 months old. After that time it’s a lot more difficult to introduce new foods so if your adopted ferrets have only eaten kibble they will be resistant to eating fdr. It’s not impossible by any stretch but it definitely takes a bit of work and patience to convince them that it’s not poison. As for bones I’m not sure if a ferret would go for a plain one. They are more about the bone with meat on it so things like poultry necks and wings. Be careful with feeding too much bone too because it can cause constipation. Gizzards (weird bird parts) also work well for teeth cleaning. I also totally relate to feeling of being overwhelmed by researching healthy diets. The amount of information and products for ferrets can be limited and misleading and even harmful but I’ve found that this forum and website have the most up to date and honest information. Once you start and get into a routine it’s sooo much easier and will start to make sense. It’s also important to find something that works for all of you because healthy and happy ferrets and humans make a big difference. Good luck and welcome! |
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Post by fuzzysock on Jan 27, 2020 13:20:33 GMT -5
bishop24 Sorry for the late reply but thank you for your input! Yea already figured fdr is going to be the expensive route for a healthier diet, but so long it’s for the good of my future fuzzy, oh well lol. Already i a have a “ferret bank account” I plan on using to help me get started in setting up to be a Ferrent, mostly for food and vet visits. I even have a side “bank” for emergency vet visit. Though I would like to feed frankenprey at some point once I feel less like a worried mother hen when I eventually do get the lil fuzz. I’ve only ever had cats and dogs as pets, so a whole new species has me paranoid about everything. 😩 even the idea of transitioning them for kibble to meat is worrying me, I don’t want to upset their tummies and plan on going beyond slow with the transition. So giving them a raw treat, like gizzards, and bone with meat on it is safe to give them on a pure fdr diet to help keep their wee teeth clean? 😮 didn’t know gizzards helped clean teeth! I thought it was just bone
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Post by fuzzysock on Jan 27, 2020 13:20:43 GMT -5
bishop24 Sorry for the late reply but thank you for your input! Yea already figured fdr is going to be the expensive route for a healthier diet, but so long it’s for the good of my future fuzzy, oh well lol. Already i a have a “ferret bank account” I plan on using to help me get started in setting up to be a Ferrent, mostly for food and vet visits. I even have a side “bank” for emergency vet visit. Though I would like to feed frankenprey at some point once I feel less like a worried mother hen when I eventually do get the lil fuzz. I’ve only ever had cats and dogs as pets, so a whole new species has me paranoid about everything. 😩 even the idea of transitioning them for kibble to meat is worrying me, I don’t want to upset their tummies and plan on going beyond slow with the transition. So giving them a raw treat, like gizzards, and bone with meat on it is safe to give them on a pure fdr diet to help keep their wee teeth clean? 😮 didn’t know gizzards helped clean teeth! I thought it was just bone
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Post by abbeytheferret6 on Jan 28, 2020 5:06:33 GMT -5
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Post by Sherry on Jan 28, 2020 9:34:31 GMT -5
Why not go the commercial frozen grinds instead? If at some point you want to go full raw, it will be easier than from fdr.
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Post by nancyl on Jan 28, 2020 19:49:33 GMT -5
You're in Texas I see. So, to expand on Sherry's post, look at Texas Tripe. They do a wide variety of grinds that are bone, muscle meats, organs. Chicken, turkey, beef, pork, rabbit (when they can get it-there's been a problem lately as the supplier's freezers went down). They have the best prices around and they deliver all over the state. You might have to drive a bit to meet the truck but they do cover the whole state. And others. I'm in Oklahoma for instance. The only issue may be that their minimum order is a 20 lb case but if you have freezer space that would be no problem. (It comes in a 2 lb pack. They can be thawed, portioned out in serving size containers and refrozen.) Or if you have room a small chest freezer is quite inexpensive. I would do that way before I would go the FDR route. And, speaking of which I need to thaw some hearts. I buy those in 40 lb bulk lots.
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