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Post by ladyhawk on Apr 22, 2012 2:02:58 GMT -5
First let me explain...I Live in a BLACK HOLE!!!!! Got NOTHING here. I have to drive about 50 miles to a Petco. 200 miles to a Petsmart...and these are NOT my choice of pet supplies. I pretty much On-line order my ferret stuff. I think with my older crew Kibble is here to stay. However I would like to 'try' and mix some nice grain free choices in and see it they might try them. If I use kibble, I like to have a mix in case I can't one. So far I want the epigen 90- Would like to try CORE cat food, B4 grain cat, Archetypal 1. I would Also really like to try Freeze dried, Re-hydrated. On these I see there is a list. What are the most common most of you use on these? And Please any online stores I can look at them on? Also I'm waiting for some family stuff to finish up and it will be around mid May when I can have enough time to dedicate to trying Takis on Raw foods. I will be making trips to local groceries to see about the Organ meats. I know I can find gizzards...but that's not real helpful  I'm gonna see if I can find the livers and hearts at a old time country store that still butchers. If I do find them, would there be a issue with offering some in chunks to her? Just in case she is open enough to try? And if I do this, do you rinse your meat with cold water and let it warm to room temp? I'm just asking because I have had a couple ferrets that were willing to try things even at a older age. They were never good things...dang it! My Kaz used to fight you for a Romen noodle! Or a lick of Ice Cream. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 22, 2012 2:58:23 GMT -5
Sounds like you live in "B.F.E." !
Some of our forum members have had good luck ordering from Haretoday.com - they get all sorts of things from whole prey to raw meaty bones and varying offal.
I've had decent luck with whole prey items from Rodentpro.com
The key to ordering food items via mail order is to fill the box! that way you are paying for frozen food items - NOT frozen packing materials!
During the transition phase my kibble mix has consisted of Evo Cat poultry, Evo dog small red bites, and Wellness CORE cat. All grain free and supposedly between these three all manner of meat protein sources are covered - ungulates, fish and poultry. This mix has made a world of difference in many ferrets coming my way!
If you are that far out in the boonies - you may be in a perfect position to establish your own whole prey colony!
If you have a frost free freezer you can make your own freeze dried items. An air dehydrater, or simple outdoor sun rack or a low heat in the oven can offer a way to home dehydrate meats for treats.
Don't shut the door on older ferrets making the switch - I've had elderly ferrets switch relatively easily. You may be pleasantly surprised!
Welcome to the forum!
Cheers,
Kim
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Post by Deleted on Apr 22, 2012 7:32:28 GMT -5
I still use kibble - Wellness core, Epigen 90,Blue Wilderness mixed together. Last summer I started giving them Vital essentials as treats - first I cut them up and put a little oil on it to get them to try it. I started leaving some out over night to see if anyone would eat it dry. I have 2 that love it dry ( they get soup 2x day ). I also rehydrate some but it has to have some pumpkin and oil mixed in - my girl likes it warm and i usally have to dab some on her lips before she eats. I have 3 old boys and a boy and girl that are 2years old.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 22, 2012 8:01:36 GMT -5
I have a hard time finding anything other than meat and liver where I live. For hearts and commercial ground (Rabbit, etc) I order from HareToday (They're in PA, I'm in VT - I stick with 2 day shipping and fill the box and have had no problems with my food arriving thawed). When I ordered kibbles/freezedried I used Casey's Hidden Pantry (caseyshiddenpantry.com) which had faster shipping than Wysong.
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Post by miamiferret2 on Apr 22, 2012 10:23:05 GMT -5
Wysong ferret Archetypal 1 is freeze dried raw. If you want to feed kibble, i would go with the wysong ferret epigen 90. I got a stubborn 6.5 year old insulinomic ferret to eat raw. If i had not done that, i firmly believe that he would have died a year earlier. Nothing is impossible.  |
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Post by goingpostal on Apr 22, 2012 11:46:42 GMT -5
Well you aren't alone, plenty of us live in rural areas, I am 1.5 hours from the nearest pet food store, 2.5 hours from the nearest petco. I order from hare today and rodent pro, locally I can get turkey, chicken, beef, pork, I snatch up every turkey giblet pack my store puts out, those have hearts/livers and they do sell beef/pork liver as well but get most organs from hare today along with odd parts and pieces. All of mine were 4+ when I switched, including an 8+ year old so it's very doable.
Caseyshiddenpantry.com sells freeze dried, mine like Wysong Arch 1, Vital Essentials and Stella/Chewys. I also did a lot of searching to find a rabbit breeder that will ship to me and breed my own mice. I've also taken up hunting. Very few ferrets are just going to try and eat raw on their own so don't be disappointed if yours don't, we have to convince them with soupies and some scruff/stuffing, they will act like it's poison and you are killing them but they get over it. If you get a mentor they will help you along and this forum is full of great info.
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Post by ladyhawk on Apr 22, 2012 16:49:37 GMT -5
I do plan to get a Mentor! I want to do as requested and have the meats on hand when I apply. Everything is closed on Sunday here, so this week I'll be checking to local meat supplies. I figured if they must have kibble...make it the best I can get/afford. I'd like to try the freeze dried raw as a intermittent towards fresh raw. josiesmom, I like that idea of getting the meat source in the kibble from as animals as possible. I deff. understand about frozen food and mail. Have a snake and have to order mice for him! I think my real concern is I know there are some Rules about Raw and kibble...NOT mixing. This also applies to the freeze dried Raw I take it? So remove all kibble 3 hours before offering Raw, if it's taken keep it removed another 3 hours? I'm on my way to checking out those web sites !! Thanks  |
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Post by ladyhawk on Apr 22, 2012 17:19:50 GMT -5
OOoo and I have a deep freezer, but it gets icy  BUT... I do have a dehydrator! I am actually looking for some tips on kind of Meat Chew recipe. Kind of going off a old recipe in Ferrets for Dummies called Tui's Chewies. I want to use Know gelatin and broth from cooked whole chicken. I guess simmer a small amount of broth adding the Gelatin until no more will mix. Then it would need to be poured onto something that could rest in the trays to dehydrate. Kind of like fruit roll ups. Think that would work? |
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Post by Heather on Apr 22, 2012 17:23:12 GMT -5
If you've got a dehydrator....why bother with all the trouble. Thinly slice raw meat and let it dehydrate. You can make it as chewy (usually have to refrigerate those ones) or as crunchy as you like. Works great. I do that with liver
ciao
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Post by ladyhawk on Apr 22, 2012 19:14:52 GMT -5
The only meat Ive ever done it was people jerky. How do you go about chewy and not being 1/2 done? Just watch it like a hawk?
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Post by Heather on Apr 22, 2012 20:43:37 GMT -5
I just keep an eye on it. I don't know how fast your dehydrator works but mine takes a couple of day. I turn the meat about 24 hrs after putting it in the dehydrator and then depending on how thick the cuts are and how fast it appears to be drying will tell on how often I have to check...and yes, I've gone in and found hard jerky...the dog likes it a lot ciao |
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Post by ladyhawk on Apr 23, 2012 13:18:14 GMT -5
I checked out that Hare today place Nice! I can get 16ibs of stuff and shipping 2 day Fedex is about 25$. That's what I'd spend driving around trying to find stuff. I will still try find local stuff, but think I will use them! |
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I'm gonna see if I can find the livers and hearts at a old time country store that still butchers. If I do find them, would there be a issue with offering some in chunks to her? Just in case she is open enough to try? And if I do this, do you rinse your meat with cold water and let it warm to room temp? 
