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Post by killstartomie on Feb 18, 2021 14:34:03 GMT -5
This is the first forum I’ve ever joined, and I’ve been planning on getting a ferret for the last 8 months. I have checked out this forum frequently during my search, ive been doing lots of research on them regarding bedding, environment, diet, toys, anything I could think of to make my future furry friend happy. I was not planning on getting on for another 2 or 3 months so I could have at least a year or so of research under my belt; however my mom convinced me to take the plunge and I’ve had my little girl Spice for less than 48 hours. I got her from a breeder as the rescue in my city is on hold currently and has very high demand. I believe spice is a champagne? She’s very light in colour and her markings have not fully come out yet. To be honest I wanted to get an older one because it’s my first time, and I didn’t want to make any mistakes, but things tend to work out like this I guess. I joined because I was hoping to utilize the mentoring program regarding raw diet, but unfortunately that isn’t running right now. The breeder has her eating a certain cat food brand for kittens as well as the #1 ferret kibble brand in America. However, I know these aren’t good for my little one. I have always wanted to feed my ferret raw because then it will have the best quality of life, and I’ve been pouring over your guys forums about the raw food Frankenprey menu; I have a scale and safe bowls. But I’m just not sure I can pull it off without any help. She is 10 weeks old; I’m unsure of when or how to start feeding her raw. The ferret kibble makes her extremely smelly and I’ve heard nothing but bad things about it so I would like to get her off of it as soon as possible. However, I tried giving her some pure bone, meat, and organ frozen meat and she didn’t like it. I also tried pounding chicken wings in order to break the bones and everything, but she wouldn’t taste it. I was told that with young ones they would eat anything you put in front of them, and I was trying to go off of the Frankenprey diet, but am I supposed to make a soup for one so young? Any help with this would be very much appreciated. Again, I’ve only had her for less than 48 hours so I know she won’t warm up to the idea of new food immediately but I’m just not sure where to start as all of the posts around the internet ive seen have been very vague and geared towards fully grown ferrets.
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Post by caitmonster on Feb 18, 2021 19:43:24 GMT -5
Hi, welcome to you and Spice  I haven't switched a ferret to raw cold-turkey, so someone else will likely have more advice. I would say to start with the soup, though, since she hasn't ever had raw before. 10 weeks old isn't a moment too soon to start!  She will need some time to build up jaw strength--gizzards are perfect for that, also they satisfy the urge all ferrets have to chew on rubbery things--so soup and then slivers and chunks will give her that chance. Here's some links to posts about transitioning to raw:
How to hand feed (and hand feeding would be a good way to bond with your new baby): holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/17881/hand-feeding-ferret |
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Post by unclejoe on Feb 18, 2021 21:16:54 GMT -5
hello and welcome. It's great that you took the time to do your research because ferrets do require special care. they are unique in many ways. I hope you have one that is loving and fun. i am not an expert on raw, but i encourage it. there are some kibbles that are very high in meat content, and some that are high protein but mostly plant based. #1 brand might mean it's the most sold, and there are far too many ferret owners who just feed what the pet store recommends. I know you want to switch to raw, but what is the kibble? some are just junk and can actually be harmful long term. For example, walmart sells a couple "ferret foods" that are more suitable for rabbits, or monkeys. Marshall is the biggest breeder in the US, and their food is not the worst, looking at ingredients, but it has a lot of plant components, including corn. I do not feed anything that has corn, peas, chick peas, sweet potatoes. I'm hoping that one of out moderators with more raw experience can give a little guidance, like caitmonster , Corvidophile and abbeytheferret6. we don't have an official mentoring program as the forum has shrunk in deference to other social media platforms, but we will do all we can. again, welcome and congrats on your new little friend |
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Post by killstartomie on Feb 18, 2021 22:52:34 GMT -5
Im not sure if I’m replying to you guys correctly as this is my first forum, but thank you for the information and I will be checking out those links. Spice has been doing well, it may just be a fluke but she’s getting the hang of litter using very swiftly. I followed advice from here and another post from somewhere else about waking up before them and putting them in the litter, I also tap it and make clicking noises and she seems to know what I mean when referring to the litter. Her poo is very soft though, and sticky. I’ve never seen ferret poo before this so maybe this is normal but it’s definitely soft, not diarrhea but it’s not firm... I want her to be healthy, so all of this raw education is definitely what I need to help her do that so thank you for the advice and the links. I will have to give that soup a try.
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Post by Corvidophile on Feb 19, 2021 8:17:13 GMT -5
Yes, some kits will take to anything immediately, but we’re not all so lucky, unfortunately! Start with soup if you’re having trouble. You may also want to try salmon oil, as a few drops goes a long way towards making food more enticing. Also, patience is the key, it takes a while for some ferrets to take to raw. A lot of sitting on the floor and hand feeding them.
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Post by unclejoe on Feb 19, 2021 16:59:08 GMT -5
ferret poop tends to be soft, but it should not be runny. changing foods can cause changing poops. fyi, you don't have to be afraid to post poop pics if you feel the needs. we're used to it, and it can be helpful in narrowing down problems. you should find a ferret vet ASAP as well. A vet that takes exotics generally sees ferrets.
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Post by killstartomie on Feb 20, 2021 10:13:40 GMT -5
I’m not sure if I have to make a new post for this or if this is how I reply to you guys, but here is a picture of her poop this morning. She refused chunks of meat, so I made the soup and I’ll slowly start making the chunks bigger. I saw something about this colour poop called ECE, but Spice is very energetic and playful, and I’m guessing this is just happening because of the switch but as a new ferret mama I’m concerned. But she is very energetic. I do have an exotic vet in my city and will be making an appointment with them as soon as I can.
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Post by killstartomie on Feb 20, 2021 10:16:16 GMT -5
I’m not sure if I have to make a new post for this or if this is how I reply to you guys, but here is a picture of her poop this morning. She refused chunks of meat, so I made the soup and I’ll slowly start making the chunks bigger. I saw something about this colour poop called ECE, but Spice is very energetic and playful, and I’m guessing this is just happening because of the switch but as a new ferret mama I’m concerned. But she is very energetic. I do have an exotic vet in my city and will be making an appointment with them as soon as I can. Sorry I forgot to put the link. i.postimg.cc/kG0KSq5g/08161964-603-B-463-D-8-C3-B-3-BFC733-F4-C60.jpg |
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Post by killstartomie on Feb 21, 2021 0:27:51 GMT -5
Hi, welcome to you and Spice I haven't switched a ferret to raw cold-turkey, so someone else will likely have more advice. I would say to start with the soup, though, since she hasn't ever had raw before. 10 weeks old isn't a moment too soon to start! She will need some time to build up jaw strength--gizzards are perfect for that, also they satisfy the urge all ferrets have to chew on rubbery things--so soup and then slivers and chunks will give her that chance. Here's some links to posts about transitioning to raw:
How to hand feed (and hand feeding would be a good way to bond with your new baby): holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/17881/hand-feeding-ferretI think I figured out how to reply, thank you for your advice. Is there a certain amount of raw she should be eating? I mixed up some different meat chunks from the soup (liver, thigh, and heart) and she ate a couple of pieces and then stopped. Is this normal? Will she start eating more, like should I leave it out (she started stashing so I’ve been watching her eat) or should I take it away and then put it back in a certain amount of time? |
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Post by caitmonster on Feb 21, 2021 14:37:01 GMT -5
You're welcome! Glad to hear that she did eat some of it. They are self-regulating when it comes to how much they eat, especially with raw, so you can feed them as much as they'll eat in one sitting--when they start stashing you can be pretty certain they're full, haha. The amount they'll eat per day will vary depending on age, weight, and season (kits will eat more than adults; and they'll all stuff themselves when winter is on the way, for example); but on ~average~ an adult female will eat 1-3 ounces a day, adult males 2-4 ounces. If you need a visual estimate of how much that is, you could use those little 4 ounce plastic snack cups to pack meals, which is what I do. You can leave the leftovers out at room temperature; even soup stays edible for a decent amount of time: (copied from an admin post) Soup: 8-10hrs Grinds: 10-12hrs Chunks and bone-in meats: 12-24hrs Whole prey: 24-48hrs You CAN put down only the amount she'll eat in a single sitting and then pick it up afterwards, if you'd prefer, but you may have to sort timing and amounts out by trial and error. (Note that constant access to food is essential for ferrets with insulinoma--most likely not applicable in her case, but something to keep in mind.) Stashing can be an issue if you don't want animal parts left around your house! A lot of raw feeders will provide a stash box near food bowls. You can use a cardboard box, a plastic bin--anything that makes a nice dark little hidey-hole for their leftovers, and then just replace and/or clean it as needed. They'll go back and munch on them when they feel like a snack. I have to check Rocky's stash box when he's begging by the fridge, because sometimes he will pretend that he's absolutely starving and please please pleeeease can I have some food, look my bowl is totally empty, you haven't fed me ALL DAY--  |
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Post by killstartomie on Feb 21, 2021 16:45:51 GMT -5
You're welcome! Glad to hear that she did eat some of it. They are self-regulating when it comes to how much they eat, especially with raw, so you can feed them as much as they'll eat in one sitting--when they start stashing you can be pretty certain they're full, haha. The amount they'll eat per day will vary depending on age, weight, and season (kits will eat more than adults; and they'll all stuff themselves when winter is on the way, for example); but on ~average~ an adult female will eat 1-3 ounces a day, adult males 2-4 ounces. If you need a visual estimate of how much that is, you could use those little 4 ounce plastic snack cups to pack meals, which is what I do. You can leave the leftovers out at room temperature; even soup stays edible for a decent amount of time: (copied from an admin post) Soup: 8-10hrs Grinds: 10-12hrs Chunks and bone-in meats: 12-24hrs Whole prey: 24-48hrs You CAN put down only the amount she'll eat in a single sitting and then pick it up afterwards, if you'd prefer, but you may have to sort timing and amounts out by trial and error. (Note that constant access to food is essential for ferrets with insulinoma--most likely not applicable in her case, but something to keep in mind.) Stashing can be an issue if you don't want animal parts left around your house! A lot of raw feeders will provide a stash box near food bowls. You can use a cardboard box, a plastic bin--anything that makes a nice dark little hidey-hole for their leftovers, and then just replace and/or clean it as needed. They'll go back and munch on them when they feel like a snack. I have to check Rocky's stash box when he's begging by the fridge, because sometimes he will pretend that he's absolutely starving and please please pleeeease can I have some food, look my bowl is totally empty, you haven't fed me ALL DAY-- Thank you so much! I had to mix some of her soupie in with her raw food to get her to eat it, and she only did when I cut it into very small chunks. Will I have to do this for every food I try to introduce her to? I want to start following the raw guide with the bones and organs and different types of meat, but turning them all into soup first is a little daunting. I’ve totally gotten her off of those bad brands by now (I think she’s detoxing, she REEKS), but she did eat what I left out for her since it was mixed with soup. I thought her stashing would be worse, but she’s got a little hammock near her food she puts a few pieces under and it’s made for a really easy clean, but it’s good to know she won’t get sick from that so thank you. |
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Post by caitmonster on Feb 21, 2021 17:15:55 GMT -5
Ferrets are notoriously difficult--not out of spite, it's a self-protective instinct--when it comes to changing their diet, so you may have to. :/ Hopefully not, though--the idea is to introduce as many different foods as early in their life as you can, to help them develop an expanded palate. And, the more variety they're given, the more quickly they'll switch. That's where the "scruff and stuff" method comes into play; occasionally you do have to help the process along by making them taste something and realize that it's not going to kill them.
She will probably be smelly for a week or so longer, but she's well on her way to better health! You can let her play in some long-grain rice, which helps absorb excess oils. Laundering bedding will keep smell down, too. If you really feel the need to freshen her up, unscented baby wipes ruffled through the coat are a safe way to do so. The increased hydration from raw food will ultimately benefit her skin and reduce overproduction of oil.
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Post by abbeytheferret6 on Feb 22, 2021 8:58:35 GMT -5
Hello and welcome to the forum so glad you have joined us:)
So I got my kit from Petco she was probably 12 weeks old, and I started her off with chickens wings. I cut the wing at the joints and gave my dog the drum part of wing. She chewed on the other two pieces--- mid section and the wing tip. She really enjoyed this. She was eating the litter(bedding) at the store instead of the kibble for some reason. Will try to find some links for you as well. sometimes ferrets will eat late at night so leave a wing piece and see if she will eat it. I find that i have to keep putting the same thing in front of them over and over again. Things are new and they got to get use to the smell and texture so try not to get too discouraged---but know the feeling.
Sometimes ferret like things warm. So like if you have a cheap hand held colander, you could put some cut up meat pieces in it and run really warm water over it and put it in a plate with a bit of the water on it. Mine like to lap up a little water around the meat before eating it. Maybe to make soupie a little more enticing--- let it float in a baggie in extra warm water then give. Of course it is not going to stay warm:)))
However, with my older ferrets I always had to hold them in my lap and finger feed and baby talk. It took a few days of doing this.
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Post by Charlie on Feb 22, 2021 22:48:32 GMT -5
Hi! Welcome to the forum to you and Spice!!!
Sounds like you are well on your way to switching your ferret to raw! Switching at a young age does help to make it easier to switch. If Spice is eating the food you offer her for a couple days then you can move her to the next stage. Sometimes you may have to take a step back or hand feed a couple times to coax her to eat. Hand feeding also helps to bond with your ferret more too.
I switched my ferret when he was 3 months old and I just kept offering him a variety of different meats and organs. I missed the soup stage. All his bone in meals I use a meat cleaver to break up the bigger bones and chop everything up for him. When I was cooking my meals, he would sometimes stand by my feet so I would cut a little piece of raw meat off for him before I cooked my food and offer him pieces all the time. Even now I can still hand feed him. What I do when I feed my ferret is put him in his cage to eat his meal (if I don't hand feed him) then when he is done I leave the food in his cage and let him out but I always close the cage door so he doesn't sneak in and steal his food to stash it in the house somewhere. He was doing that for a bit but I caught on real fast. I know when he is hungry because he will always run to the fridge, so I'll put him in his cage to eat some food and then he will let me know when he's done and wants out again. lol
Cute profile picture of Spice!!
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