Want To Switch But...

[bitbyter]

Hello everyone,

Currently I feed my girls a mix of Whysong Epigen 90, Evo Ferret and 8in1 Ultimate Crunchy kibble. I really want to switch them over the whole prey / raw but I kind of shot myself in the foot with my room design. I setup their room with those black irrigation pipes all over the walls. My first try with Raw, Wilma immeditely stashed a chicken wing in the pipes before I could catch her . Took me 2 hours to dissassemble them, find it and put it all back together . Not something I want to repeat.

I just recently got an upper level for my ferret nation and was wondering if this would work as a feeding schedule. The upper level would could be blocked off with a blast gate on the pipe I would install instead of the standard ramp.

24hr access to water

Morning Feeding - fresh food, 1 hour to eat while I get ready in the morning, blast gate open to access food area.

During the Day Free Roam - blast gate closed, no access to food area. Not sure about this. Approximately 8 hrs. If I get them on soups then maybe leave them access to a soup (hopefully they can't stash that)?

Dinner time feeding - in cage with blast gate open, free access to food area.

Evening Free Roam - blast gate closed, no access to food area.

Overnight - in cage with blast gate open, free access to food area.

[Deleted]

I think you're good on soup-stashing 'til you start including pieces of chicken skin/sliver chunks of meat...then....I defer to other people's judgement, but maybe if you feed them in the cage, and leave their food in the cage (particularly on the upper level) they won't want to stash it in the room? Maybe if you're lucky?

[Deleted]

To give yourself peace of mind for the long interval between feedings give them freeze dried or air dried meaty items. These they can stash to their hearts content without causing any sort of foul odors. Conditioning them to eat what gets put in front of them at meal times has worked for me.

You could feed them their raw meaty bones or whole prey items in their feeding den area,take back the uneaten item(s) after an hour has elapsed put into fridge to feed again later. Offer them a dash of soup or heavy cream or beaten egg just before you have to leave. Haven't found a ferret yet that will refuse these or can stash the liquids. This will really fill their bellies and encourage them to go back to sleep for a bit. Drop a few dry treats off before you have to leave. Then this process can get repeated when you get home. The dry offerings can be their overnight treat. at the end of the week go about the room and check the tunnels for their stashes and adjust yur offerings accordingly. You'll likely discover that they are stashing quite a bit, eating all you give them and putting on weight too! and all on pretty much two meals per day about 12 hours apart! The raw diets have a way of doing that!

Cheers,
Kim

[bitbyter]

Do you rehydrate the freeze dried or leave it dry?

[Sherry]

If it's just as treats or "nibblies" I'd give it dry.

[Deleted]

Yeah, fed the freeze dried and air dried as dry. Make sure they have access to plenty of fresh clean water - from a crock - NOT a drip bottle.

Cheers,
Kim