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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2011 18:26:43 GMT -5
I'm a little worried. They don't seem to be eating as much, especially Sari Bantha, Pan, and Reks seems to be doing great with the chunks, but Sari still doesn't really eat any of them. There has been quite a bit left in the bowl when it's time to switch it out for fresh stuff. I haven't been doing anything differently. Same amount of chunks, same size, same everything. They should actually be eating more now, right? Not sure what's going on. Everyone is still playful, but it's hard to keep track if all of them are pooping though
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Post by Heather on Sept 10, 2011 19:49:30 GMT -5
When I"m concerned I use a scale to weigh and keep track. I also feed soupy by hand. Consider it a bit of one on one time. They may be eating more than you think, chunks cover a bit more food unless you're weighing it. It takes longer to digest and makes them feel full longer. I would maybe try hand feeding once a day..especially Sari ciao
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Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2011 23:04:06 GMT -5
I think you're right about them feeling more full. I was thinking that myself since I know they are all eating. Sari is definitely getting used to it now, but still not fond of chunks. Also, right after making a fresh meal, I sit there with them outside of the cage and hand-feed whoever is holding out (usually Sari or Reks). Sari isn't as enthusiastic about it with the chunks in it, but she does eat when hand-fed while holding her . I'm so tempted to order some hare-today since I know they love it, it's more pure and fresher than commercial, and I can get whole ground mouse (their favorite, surprisingly ;D). I think I'd have better luck switching them to whole stuff with just whole ground than commercial (it has too many other ingredients). The only problem is freezer space It's more economical to buy in bulk because shipping is so expensive, but it's worth it since the quality and sources are amazing. I want to get away from commercial so badly, which is one reason I want to try hare-today with them again. Also, since they have whole ground, they can get used to fur without having to eat whole prey whole yet. What do you think? I know this would change things a bit, but I REALLY want to stop using commercial anything badly
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Post by Heather on Sept 13, 2011 10:47:14 GMT -5
That switch is entirely up to you. I'm much more for the whole meal deal but that's up to you entirely. I know that commercial has a tendency to use fillers (veggies) and sometimes when you open a patty you wonder if there's anything else but carrots I have 20 ft freezer completely dedicated to fuzz food, plus they've invaded my 18 ft house freezer so I do know what you're talking about with space. We all do what we can with what we have. If you can do Hare Today then do so...yes I think it's better for them but there are considerations and I'm aware of that. I look at it this way..anything is better than kibbles but where you go from there is up to you ciao
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2011 19:15:00 GMT -5
I went ahead and ordered some Hare Today. 5lbs of whole ground mice (with fur), whole ground rabbit (with fur, but without intestines), ground chicken (whole dressed chicken with offal), and ground goat (whole dressed goat). I'm still only using it as a switching tool, but it will be much better than commercial and it will get them more used to what it will actually taste like (as well as textures like fur) once they are eating whole prey and frankenprey. I will most likely continue to order their more exotic meats and hard to find organs. On another note, everyone seems to be eating well again Almost nothing was left on the plate this morning from last night's meal. I did however add a little less chunks, so that seemed to help. I just needed to step back a bit
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Post by Heather on Sept 13, 2011 22:13:57 GMT -5
Sometimes stepping back is what is needed so you can move forward. There is nothing wrong with that. ciao
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Post by Deleted on Sept 19, 2011 5:35:30 GMT -5
Everyone is doing much better Reks has finally taken to eating chunks, and bigger ones too! ;D Today was the first day that I added a few bigger chunks, but the same amount (since reducing it a little for Sari and Reks). Sari is having no problems eating the food with the chunks added since reducing it (she even eats when I first make it like she used to ;D), but she still doesn't really eat the chunks yet Everyone else is eating both the small AND big chunks, though! The hare today order isn't getting here until Thursday, so I've just been feeding NV chicken with chicken thigh chunks until I do. Off topic... I finally got our roommate to feed Bane the cat raw (he's been on raw for about a month now), and he LOVES it ;D No surprise there... he would rummage through the trash bags for the ferrets leftovers One question though. Our roommate has been buying one bag of commercial raw of a different protein at a time. One bag lasts for about 6 days, plus he gets RMB's a few times a week in between meals. I told him it would be best to buy several proteins at a time to switch out daily, but I was wondering if feeding a different protein every 6 days was really that bad?
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Post by Heather on Sept 19, 2011 10:46:18 GMT -5
Regarding your friends cat....no problem, as long as the cat is into it. We change up our wee ones so fast because of their stupid fast metabolism but even then it takes weeks even months for the whole process to start to collapse. I believe Dr Jerry Murray DVM, said it took about 6 months for the whole process to start to collapse on itself. So, if your friend finds it more convenient to feed a whole package of one commercial protein and then go out and buy another "different" type of protein that's ok. Just not the same protein Wow ...your guys are doing great! ! Are there bones in those chunks? The hare today order is that a grind or a whole meat order? Fantastic. Now, what protein are you going to introduce next? ciao
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2011 6:37:02 GMT -5
Nope, no bones. Just boneless chicken thigh meat. The hare today order is all ground stuff (chicken, rabbit, mice, and goat) because I thought they'd be in this stage a little longer Sari is the only one not eating chunks yet (well, not "fresh" ones anyways : , so they will probably still be getting ground with chunks for a while longer. She'll eat the little itty bitty jerkified pieces she picks up while eating and places on the outside of the bowl that sit out all day (unless the others eat them first) They are more like crumbs actually, so I don't know if that really counts Remember how much Sari liked venison? Maybe I should try chunks of that. What do you think? Oh, and when I get the hare today order, should I mix in chunks from the same protein source? Chicken chunks in the chicken grind, mice chunks in the mice grind, etc?
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Post by Heather on Sept 20, 2011 10:52:32 GMT -5
You know that a lot of the hare today has all the stuff combined, in a ground format...that is ok you know...it's balanced. That would mean your wee Sari would be getting a balanced diet even if she never went beyond this. It also takes a lot of the stress off of the switch. I would be tempted to see if Sari will eat chunked venison considering she really like this. You can add chunks from the same meats or whatever you have handy...it doesn't need to be the same protein. How big are the chunks that you're feeding? and how thick is your soupy...still liquid or more like a chowder type thickness? If it's still very thin, I would try thickening it up a bit. ciao
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Post by Deleted on Sept 24, 2011 13:24:08 GMT -5
It's very thick, even more so with the hare today. It's pretty chunky actually ;D Pan and Reks both took to the hare today ground chicken with no problems (all I add is pumpkin)! Bantha and Sari were my hold outs, but it didn't take long for Bantha to warm up to it. Now he's chowing down with no problems ;D Ugh Sari She is eating it now, but only if I spoon feed it to her. She'd rather eat the dried up chunks off the floor than eat it. I did have an interesting phenomena happen with her... she STASHED Bane the cat's chicken neck ;D She licked the bowl around it first, then proceeded to drag it across the floor I didn't think she'd eat it though, just stash it It still surprised the heck out of me! ;D
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Post by Heather on Sept 24, 2011 15:59:18 GMT -5
You know...stashing is part of the process. It means that she would far rather have it as a treasure than let the cat eat it. I think you will find that she has to go through "her" steps to accept the change. Silly wee mite. I'm glad to hear that the rest of your little ones took to the new stuff. That is fantastic. Are you going to use the commercial grinds with meat on the side? ciao
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Post by Deleted on Sept 24, 2011 16:59:00 GMT -5
Oh, I forgot to address that I still want to feed frankenprey and whole prey, however long it takes. I was thinking of trying the goat tonight to see how that goes (I've heard it's well liked, even with my dad's cats who don't eat raw ;D). I'm still adding chunks to their meals, and they still eat them (just not Sari). I had some luck with her last night. I got her to eat a small piece of chunk with fat on it
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Post by Deleted on Sept 24, 2011 17:02:54 GMT -5
Maybe I should go ahead and invest in a feeding den for Sari to stash her chicken necks in? Maybe she'd eat it if I let her stash it (I can't let her do that yet since everything is carpeted or fabric )
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Post by Heather on Sept 24, 2011 19:19:05 GMT -5
Don't make an investment...do you buy soda or colas in cardboard boxes? All you have to do is cut a corner out of the box. Once it's dirty then you throw it out and use another. Cheap, easy...works great. My guys, Minion specifically...seems he doesn't like to eat in the open, has one of the plastic guinea pig covers (I was given them when a couple of fuzzes were surrendered to me) I didn't go out an buy them and my guys are just as happy using pop boxes. How big are the necks that she steals...are they whole? Cut them and see if she's still interested....maybe 2 vertebrae ciao
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