New to Ferrets and DEFINITELY doing a raw diet - some ?s

[smithde83]

While I realize food consumption is based on your ferret (I've been reading every thread on here I can find) - is there a ball park for 4-6 month old kits for ounces? When does their food dial back - like 1 year old? I have done rescue for years (bottle fed kittens) so I already planned to weigh weekly. I will be getting a female this month (so I was thinking 6-9 oz) and hope to add a second baby next month although I'm not sure sex (6-12oz for a boy?), they are already fixed so I won't have to worry about that, just have to pace out my spending and save for bulk food orders. I did order from Hare Today and a rather extensive amount lol, I got carried away and knowing I wanted two I think I ordered for 2 (almost 24 pounds by the time I was done and now see why the 55 ld boxes are a good way to go). I wanted to start with grinds, I got both complete and then muscle/organ/bone because I know they are currently on kibble (yuck) and I will have to transition. I also got items on the bone, fdr bone to add a little to make sure they get enough, pinkies, chicken necks, chicken hearts and beef on the bone. I wanted to break everything down into freezer vacuum seal bags once it gets here and transition towards a whole prey diet which is why I got a little bit of everything. We are an active house with a 5 and 7 year old (kids lol) and I work part time while my husband is active duty military (think 12-14 hr days 4-5 days a week). But I have no idea what size whole prey items they eat - like is a large pinkie right or are they eating larger by 6-12 months? From what I saw and put into carts - RodentPro seemed like the best for whole prey items but I'd like to get a rough idea of how many and what size so I can see what it would cost monthly. Can I package recommended amount in grind ounces and then add one of the other items like a heart, chicken neck and slowly add in bone in items and whole prey? Or is that too much food? I take having pets seriously and want to make sure I've thought it all out (I have both a dog who eats FDR and cats the eat the best I can afford and might also transition to grinds from HT). I also take in consideration vet costs (my vet does "exotics" like ferrets) but how often do they go? What is the stance on vaccines as she does lean more towards a holistic approach but won't argue if I ask. Just trying to get an idea on cost so I can tuck it away. But I realize food is going to be my biggest spending item after their set up. I did get a 2 level Midwest Critter Cage with saving for a third level. I have so many cat and dog toys that all I bought in addition was hammocks and some wand toys. I've also realized I need way more litter boxes or to convert the ones we already have to pellets over clumping clay. Will they share with cats as possible prey to them? Is that safe? I use tote containers and cut a hole in them as they are cheaper than litter boxes and seem to need to be replaced just as often because the smell gets into plastic period. Thanks guys and gals! I have learned so much from you already and have really enjoyed having most of my questions answered already, it's so hard to find answers for ferrets and one that I align with like a raw diet. Also what is considered a treat and ok for treats? I know fruits, veggies, carbs are out but what about dehydrated things that Hare Today has like beef, bison - organs or meat? The jerky sticks? Thanks!

[Corvidophile]

Looking good so far! One note, they won’t be able to eat the beef bones. They can gnaw the meat off of them but because cows are so large their bones are just too hard for ferret jaws. The ounces you listed are a good starting range. Pinkies are a good transition item and treat, but shouldn’t be fed as a main diet staple because they aren’t balanced out nutritionally as the mouse is too young. They can eat whole adult mice as kits, it’ll just take them a little longer to finish. Their bones are very soft, even the skull. I’ve used RodentPro and Hare Today as well, and I even bred my own mice for a while. RodentPro is cheaper than breeding your own, what with the cost of food, bedding, and CO2 to euthanize. You can also feed live if your ferrets are good hunters with the toy wands, and this is sometimes useful to entice them into trying out mice in the first place. You place the mouse either into a tub or small container that the ferret can reach in and strike them easily.

[smithde83]

Thank you! I know they need 3 protein sources at least which actually seems a bit harder when looking at whole prey but I've started to gather you can get bigger prey and cut it into pieces. Do they eat one a day of something like a mouse/rat/chick or more? I was looking at the small rats, chicks, and rabbits too. I've been wondering about treats, because I simply don't see info on that anywhere. I actually had a heart transplant so I know I have to be a little more careful with raw foods but probably not anymore than I already am given we eat paleo which means whole foods from scratch and I do a lot of the cooking. With the transplant I also don't think I have the figurative heart to kill myself unless it was 100% necessary (think apocolypse and I need to feed my family lol). My husband has said a hard no to live feeding but we'll see how we do as we get closer to that, I would have a hard time finding anything more than mice and I thought rats were a no no?

[Corvidophile]

For live feeding, rats are a no-go. Too big and powerful. For frozen feeding they’re fine. You may have to cut them up for a kit. Chicks, like pinkies, are also a treat. You’ll want to cut up larger chickens and let them have it piece by piece, keeping the remainder frozen or refrigerated depending on how fast they’re eating it. The only thing you have to worry about germwise that’s different from preparing human raw food is e. Coli in the intestines of whole animals. You can remove the intestines yourself, or let the ferrets do it, but they’ll be messier probably! Some ferrets will actually eat them, especially in baby-aged prey like pinkies and chicks, but most leave them behind.

For non messy treats, some people like to give dehydrated/freeze dried liver or heart chunks. They also like to lick salmon oil, and getting yours used to and liking salmon oil is a good idea because you can then use it as a sauce essentially to cover up new foods that they’re afraid of trying to get them to eat it.

[abbeytheferret6]

I've also realized I need way more litter boxes or to convert the ones we already have to pellets over clumping clay.

Puppy pads is what is use. However I do have a few litter boxes that I throw in a paper towel or two. Never figured the cost if it is cheaper this way or not---but sure is convenient and less cleaning especially with puppy pads. My ferret will go about twice on paper towels in his litter pan. Then, he goes beside it if i don't catch it in time. But I am pretty well trained.

I have had ferrets who would not go behind another ferrets pooh. LOL. Good luck with sharing kitty pans. Maybe somebody has the answer to whether it is safe or not.

[Charlie]

You can feed kits whole mice without cutting them up. You can get small adult mice. Once they are older you can give them large adult mice. Usually I give my male 2 large adult mice for one feeding. Kits will eat more then adult ferrets so if you have 2 kits they will probably eat 1 large adult mouse each. Introduce the mice early when they are kits. I started with a couple of pinkies as treats then went to hoppers then adult mice. He took to them with no issues. Kits haven't imprinted on their food so getting them on raw early will be a much easier transition. My ferret also eats rabbit. I have to cut that up since rabbit is much bigger and he can't eat all that in a day. You can feed rats and guinea pigs too. Rats don't need to be cut up either. I have not used guinea pig but that may need to be cut up.