Horrorhalo's Switching Thread/Sunnybera

[Heather]

Name: Morgana
HF Forum Username: Horrorhalo

1. Where did you first learn about natural diets for ferrets?
I saw a video on youtube where they fed a live mouse to a ferret. I was interested in feeding raw (not live) to my ferrets for a long time, but did not know how or where to start.

2. Please describe the type of diet you would like assistance in switching your ferret(s) to.

I'd like to give my ferrets frozen-thawed rather than live. What I had in mind is switching them into a partially natural diet to see the results, if all goes well I might switch to fully, later. I'm hoping that with introducing raw to my ferrets, at least Ryu might get some more energy and look healthier.

3. Why are you interested in switching your ferrets to a natural diet?

My cat has been on a raw diet for the past 3 years and her energy and appearance have improved a lot from when she only fed on dry food.

My ferrets seem healthy enough in exception of Ryu, who I've been told (because I never was given her documents) that she is about 1.5 years old. Her activity is minimum and looks too skinny and "slow" for her age. Or in the case she is a senior I believe a natural diet would not do any harm either, as for the other two I'd like to have them grow nice and healthy.

4. Do you understand that switching your ferret to a natural diet can be a lengthy, arduous process? Its not an overnight switch. It can be a commitment of several weeks or even months. Your HF Mentor will be more then happy to assist you in switchng your ferret(s) to a natural diet, but you need to be equally as commited. If you aren't willing to tough out a potentially lengthy switching process, or if you have major life changes approaching (baby on the way, moving, starting school, getting married/divorced, etc) then it might be a better idea to wait on switching your ferret's diet until you have more time. Are you willing to make the commitment?

I know nothing is easy with these little beasts I'll have to work hard and have a lot a patience (something I have tons of). Current changes in my life: I will be starting university on the 3rd of October. I calculated that I'll have a minimum 5/6 hours of attention for my ferrets daily, hopefully that shall be enough.

5. How many ferrets do you currently have? What are their names? Ages? Genders? Do they have any health problems? Are they overweight? Underweight? How long have you had each ferret for?

I currently have 3, and I am not planning in adding any more at the moment.

6. What diet do you currently feed your ferrets? (Please include all treats, supplements, etc)

I feed them: Marshall- Premium ferret diet mixed with some Furo vite. Treats (only when they use the litter box or very seldom): Cunipic Dulkiss bacon flavoured.

I give them also some Malt paste. But it is for cats (Friskies Malt paste) I suppose it helps digest hairs as good as any ferret one.

7. Have you ever tried to switch your ferrets to a natural diet in the past? If yes, what happened?

The closest I got to a natural diet is mixing some sausage dice with cat food when I did not find ferret food and fed it to Ryu.

She ate the cat food and left the sausage

8. What additional information about yourself or your ferrets would you like to share?

I'm an Illustration artist, but I'll be studying fashion design for a career. That means that most of my work will be done at home. Which provides me with more than enough time for work, my ferrets (and other animals I own) and some social life.

I am kind of new into the ferret world, but I've been most of my life surrounded and working with animals, specially horses. This resulted in 2 things: 1- I have incredible patience (which is great for me when it comes to art!) 2- I enjoy caring and understanding animals.

I took some time to bond with Ryu, she had been very cold and distant with me the first weeks. But she slowly gained some confidence.

Havoc and I bonded instantly on the first play time, he would bounce around me and be dooking all the time, he was very affectionate too when I picked him up, he would lick me and rub his face on my shirt. I found it funny.

The new girl has only been with me a few days and she is still a little scared of me and everything. Ever since she stepped into the pet shop she has been shut is a glass cage with nothing more than a sack to sleep in. FOR 2 MONTHS. So she is still getting used to toys, noises and big things moving around the room (me, cages or doors) But she is a sweet girl despite this, a very sweet girl.

9. How often during the week do you have access to a computer?

Daily


Hi and welcome to the mentoring program. In a little while your mentor (Sunnybera) will introduce herself and you can get started on a new adventure in natural ferret care and diets. Please remember to post regularly (daily or as per arranged with your mentor) so that your mentor can assist you move along safely in this adventure. If you experience computer difficulties or are going to be away, please notify your mentor and most of all relax and have fun . Your mentor is here to help you on this journey.
ciao

[Deleted]

Hi, I'm Annie (known on here as sunny or sunnyberra ), and I'll be helping you switch your guys to a more biologically appropriate diet. I love daily check-ins, but I'm aware that life gets hectic, or there's nothing to report, so every other day is perfectly fine as well, or, if something major comes up, just drop me a line and tell me you'll be MIA for awhile, I don't have a problem with that, either! After a week with no response, I'll prompt you, and after a month of no response, the thread will be vaulted (but you can always request it to be taken out of the vault at another time).

A little about me: I'm 24, and a second-year graduate student in school psychology/clinical psychology here in the wonderful state of Virginia. I love reading (mostly fantasy/sci-fi, but other genres sneak in there from time to time) and writing short stories, as well as baking; when I'm not doing school related stuff, work, or care-taking fuzzies, I'm usually found doing one of those three things. I've been a proud ferrent for six years, now, and have been feeding raw to my fuzzies for four of those years.

I currently have six ferrets: Pixie, who's 6 years, now; and then Hiko, who's 3.5-4 years old; two 3 year olds - Yogi and Sian; and two young kits, Rula and Neera. I first decided to switch after doing a bit of independent research after Pixie and her brother, Yew, turned two. That was the age I was dreading as a new ferrent - it seemed so scary, as I read more and more about the illnesses that seemed to start cropping up around that age. I decided then to do everything I could to lessen my guys' risk. One of those things was getting them off of kibble and onto a more natural diet.

There are quite a few methods used for switching. For my guys, I decided to disallow kibble. Instead, I offered kibble coated boneless chicken chunks and I would supplement feed meals of baby food every few hours after the initial fasting period (Yew also got soup, made from pureed chicken meat, baby food and olive oil, because he liked it, whereas Pixie didn't).

After a bit of hair pulling, they were both switched completely, and they never looked back. Sadly, Yew's since passed away, and I eventually introduced Yogi (first) and Sian (second) as kits, and both were eating meat chunks the same night I got them. Hiko is my rescue (and suspected Waardenburg baby) who had been used to eating sugary treats like gummi bears and sugary Wal-Mart kibble. I treated him the same as the others - gave him kibble-dusted meat chunks, and he started eating them that first night. By his second evening with me, he was completely on raw. By the end of the week, he was eating bone-in. Now, he's a proud raw-eating pro, who occasionally really enjoys a frozen/thawed quail or two. Rula was the easiest switch in the world as well. Neera, on the other hand, was surprising stubborn for a little kit, but after a syringe feeding session, she realized "oh hey, this stuff IS food," and then I offered her a wing tip, and she's been bone crazy ever since

So, it's possible. It might seem tedious or nerve-wracking, but we'll get your guys there, with a method that works for you *and* for them!

Why don't we start with a soup? Here's what you'll need:

8oz chicken meat
1-2 chicken hearts
1 liver
1/4 tsp powdered eggshell

Enough water, or homemade chicken broth(straight chicken, no spices, veg, etc) to make a soupy texture
Puree all of the above together, freeze in ice cube trays, baggie cubes after frozen.

Before putting the soup down, pick up the kibble for a couple of hours, and get them playing and romping around. Then put the soup down and let them explore it on their own for awhile. If they don't show an interest within the first 30 minutes, dab a little on their mouth or on the inside of their cheek.

If they're exploring it, leave them be for about an hour and then try a scruff and stuff session to get them a taste. Just make sure to praise 'em like crazy, don't get frustrated, and keep any manual feeding sessions short and sweet After a bit, you can pick it up and put their regular food down before trying again.