Yay questions! Ask anything and everything
How much should I give a week of the pumpkin? Do I give It once a week when I make them soup or more then that.
I feed pumpkin daily. 1/2 tsp per ferret normally, 1 tsp per ferret during shedding season.
should heart be feed more then once a week?
1 heart meal a week should be fine. I also use a taurine supplement just to be on the safe side. I use the NOW brand from amazon.com
www.amazon.com/NOW-Foods-Taurine-Powder-Ounces/dp/B0013OW6RMShould I be worried? Igor and Eward will stay up until I put them up.
Hmm, could he be bored? My older girl (2 y.o) does that when she's bored. Maybe try a new toy and see if it helps.
I try not to give to much olive oil a week I give them less then a tsp. about two times a week. If I think they might have hair buildup I give them a little more. I haven't heard anymore coughing so I am happy about that. Should I give more Or less olive oil?
I give about 1/2-1 tsp of olive oil daily. Fish oil can be used too.
I did buy stew beef off the bat they didn't like it at first but I left it In the cage before I went to work and it was almost all gone. Should I watch how much beef they get a week can It be to fatty?
I feed beef 1-2 times per week (just rotating between chicken turkey beef and pork). Don't worry about the fat
Ferrets need about 25-30% fat in their diet.
So my question Is how long Is raw meat good for if its defrosted in the refrigerator?
Just a general rule Raw soupies lasts 6-8 hours, ground raw lasts about 12-18 hours, whole raw meat, bones lasts 24-48 hours and whole prey typically lasts 48 hours. Raw tends to dry out before it starts to spoil. And ferrets will not eat bad food unless they are starving.
If you're asking how long you can leave meat in the refrigerator, probably about 2-4 days. Soups spoil faster than whole meats. If you feed frozen meats, it should last even longer than the above times. This will also change depending on how warm the room is. Most meats follow the same timing. I don't see beef spoiling any faster than chicken.
If It still smells fine should it still be fine for them to eat?
I don't go by smell. If they eat it, it's usually okay
Should I let them tell me If something has gone bad or should I just throw It out If it smells bad?
I would just see if they're eating it. I usually clear out any uneaten food after 12-24 hours depending on what I'm feeding.
CONGRATS ON FERRET MATH!! WOOT! Aren't babies amazing? What a good boy to eat raw so quickly! I would expose him to as many different meats as you can while he's young, it will make your life easier as he ages.
He didn't eat the first day he cam home but the second day he is already eating raw like he was doing it all his life.
Great! Babies eat a ton and have a faster metabolism, so you might need to feed him 3 times a day, or leave a bit of extra food out so he has enough to eat. You don't want to let him go more than 12 hours without food while he's a baby.
He ate a chicken wing in 25 minutes but just the meat. I am going to start crushing the bones for him but he Is already chewing on them.
That sounds like a good idea. Once he realizes that there is yummy marrow inside it might encourage him to start chewing the bones up. He might need some time to build up his jaw strength too.
Plus he Is already using his potty box right off the bat!
Aren't you lucky!?
Sounds like a little angel!
Hooligan: Is still being a brat he wont eat meat but he will eat a very thick soup and chew up the skin that didn't get blended. I will try meat with him again tonight. I am feeling lucky! Tonight feels like the night.
That's great that he'll eat thick soup. I would start sneaking skinny slivers of meat into his soups. See if that helps. And teh skin is a favorite here as well. Make sure not to overdo it or he will start having whitish stools from unprocessed fats.
Thank you for the menu that was super helpful and easy to print out! Please feel free to put your every thought in on everything. Tell me more about what you think good or bad. I would like as much input as you can give. It doesn't even have to be about feeding. If you think I am doing something wrong or harmful to my ferrets I would really like to know. I want them to have the best life they can. I can take criticism. I am an art student I get It all the time
You're doing really great. Hooligan is really the only one who hasn't jumped on the wagon, but we'll get him there. Something I found to work with stubborn fuzz is daily hand feedings. I would cut up longish (1-2 in) slivers of meat and cover them with oil or something yummy, and scruff and stuff the food into their mouth. It took a while, but it seemed to help get them interested in chewing.
One question - do you have liver on the menu yet? If not, it'd be a good idea to start adding it into the menu. Once a week is usually good. I find that feeding a bone-in meal before and after a liver meal helps with their stools. Liver stools are icky and dark and smell bad. You can feed a little extra pumpkin with this to help.
So what proteins in all are you feeding? What meats are bone in and boneless?