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Post by Deleted on Mar 13, 2012 19:21:44 GMT -5
Okay, so for their 8oz meals, will half a teaspoon be about enough, or do I need more of the meal powder? I'm moving to Birmingham in the middle of May, so I should be able to get loads of the stuff really easily then, but hopefully we'll have them eating raw bones properly before then. And then they'll have their own room to play in and a freezer for their food, and sectioned off area of the garden for digging... can't wait
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Post by Sherry on Mar 13, 2012 19:24:21 GMT -5
That's the correct proportion, yes You can also use it in a soup if you give that weekly. I try to keep mine on a soup once a week to keep them used to it. That way, when one of them are under the weather, they've got a meal they'll readily accept, even if it does mean hand feeding.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 13, 2012 19:32:26 GMT -5
I completely skipped the soup stage because they were already eating chunks and stuff, but that sounds like a good idea for when they're sick, and I'd like to be prepared for an illness, I suppose the alternative is subQ fluids at the vets or force feeding if I give them soup, what meal should I replace with it? And Have you got a link to the soup recipe page?
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Post by Sherry on Mar 13, 2012 19:38:58 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Mar 13, 2012 19:53:57 GMT -5
They have eaten it before, but that was when they were still eating chicken, so they might have changed their minds about that too ;D What meal should I cut out?
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Post by Sherry on Mar 13, 2012 19:57:33 GMT -5
If you are using the bone meal, you can cut a bone meal.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2012 17:57:32 GMT -5
This might sound stupid but the bone meal powder really smells strange- what should it smell like? Just opened the bag and it smells weird...
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Post by Sherry on Mar 14, 2012 20:00:48 GMT -5
Depends on what meat it's from. What I've got smells like raw beef bones. Marrow gets mixed up with it, which can give it an unusual smell. If it's bad- you'll know it! Beef gone off is pretty sour and rank. Just thought- it will often have an almost "burned" smell as well from the bone saw.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2012 22:14:43 GMT -5
Maybe that's what I can smell, it doesn't really smell "off", must be the burnt smell.
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Post by Sherry on Mar 14, 2012 22:23:45 GMT -5
One thing to keep in mind. If it's "bad" your little ones will either be very reluctant to eat it, or outright refuse.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 15, 2012 8:23:24 GMT -5
I have two worries at the momente, one more urgent than the other:
At least of the furkids have white, watery stools from last night while I was asleep. I know watery stools are caused by food passing through too quickly, but white? Is this fat maybe? Or bone meal? Tilly prefers to licks the meat for ages before she eats anything, so maybe this is a result of licking off loads of powdered cuttlefish bone? I think everyone has done a normal poop this morning, but I can't be 100% sure, should I be worries?
Also, I think Spike must be a bit retarded. (I've posted this in the main bit too, as it's not really raw switch related) He learns waaaay slower than the others, and gets freaked out by wierd things. Every so often he just empties his anal scent glands for no reason and his tail bottle brushes, so he's scared, but I can't figure out why. He seems to spend most of his life being very confused, for example, if he has a piece of meat and you take it away from him, he'll spend at least ten minutes walking around looking for it. He's always very vocal, hissing and dooking all the time, it's like the constant chatter of a five year old on caffeine. He seems happy, but any ideas on what might be causing it?
He's a pointed cinnamin without a mask, so there are no signs of extra white on the head as it's already pale all over anyway, and he doesn't appear to be deaf, so I doubt it Waardenburgs. I'd just like to know if my baby is special needs so I can give him the best possible life.
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Post by Sherry on Mar 15, 2012 10:19:45 GMT -5
At least of the furkids have white, watery stools from last night while I was asleep. I know watery stools are caused by food passing through too quickly, but white? Is this fat maybe? Or bone meal? It could well have been from her licking it all off And white stools are caused by fat as well. If they have a normal poop, but it's white looking, that's a chunk of fat, and nothing to worry about. Also, since they've all had normal stools this morning, I'd not worry too much either. It's quite common for a ferret to have a funky poop from time to time. He's a pointed cinnamin without a mask, so there are no signs of extra white on the head as it's already pale all over anyway, and he doesn't appear to be deaf, so I doubt it Waardenburgs. I've got a hearing ferret who is most DEFINITELY WS. Heather has a sable who is as well. Both hearing. His behaviour sounds like it. Nothing special to do for these wee ones, just keep in mind that he will learn more slowly.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 15, 2012 14:16:27 GMT -5
Okay, I'll not worry about their poops. Now I know it's more likely that Spike is a WS ferret, maybe I'll look into changing my discipline techniques as he doesn't seem to be able to learn that biting is wrong for more than a few days at a time If he was a special needs person we'd recognise that he learned things in a different way from others, so I'll maybe have to try some different approaches with the biting. At least I know he has healthy jaws for bones if he wants them! By the way, you mentioned before that rabbit heart has low taurine in it- are there any other meats that are the same? Are some better than others?
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Post by Sherry on Mar 15, 2012 14:43:27 GMT -5
While the heart itself is higher in taurine than the muscles, rabbit as a whole is lower in taurine than any other meat. And if it's ground, it becomes almost non existent. A study was done several years ago where cats were fed an exclusive diet of ground rabbit. Within 6-8 months, they were all showing severe taurine deficiencies. I'm not aware of another meat like that. Some are higher than others, though. Lamb is high in taurine, as are mice. Brain of almost any kind is about as high in taurine as heart. Being an organ however, you can only feed limited amounts. Not sure what else at the moment. I'll have to take a look when I get home.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 22, 2012 14:44:16 GMT -5
The liver mixed in with the bone seems to kind of be working, it's a bit hit and miss. Yesterday morning they ate almost every last scrap, but last night they only ate about half. I also seem to be getting about 50% bone in poops, 30% boneless poops, and 20% organs poops within a 12 hour period from this lot, though I can't be 100% sure whose poop is whose. Also, Tilly and Penny both had "seedy" looking yellowish poops, so I think that means that it's going through their systems too quick right? Do you think it's just coincidence that they happened to have them on the same day and I just need to add more iceberg lettuce, or maybe something else wrong?
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