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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2012 10:27:35 GMT -5
Pandora is a Marshalls kit, she is closing in on 6 months in the next few days, last month when I took her to the vet she weighed in on 1.07 lbs and stayed the same weight from the two months before that. Since supplementing her EVO kibble diet with some commercial raw every night for the last month, she has gained SOME weight, it is noticeable that she is bigger. I just don't have a scale and can't say how much exactly. This being said, I know that ferrets eating raw don't eat much because they get a lot of what they need from meat... How many grams of food a day should she be eating anyways? I give her EVO kibble during the day but she doesn't seem to eat a lot if any. I give her a quarter Patty every night of the commercial raw chicken equivalent to 56.6 grams and she eats almost all of it so lets call it about 47-50 grams. That being said, is she eating a good amount of food or should I worry about her not eating much kibble during the day? Thanks  |
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Post by Sherry on Apr 24, 2012 10:30:14 GMT -5
No idea about grams, sorry. But my adult females eat between 2-4 oz of meat a day.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2012 10:53:03 GMT -5
Assuming she is eating 50 grams of meat a day that is 1.76 Oz... is that an okay amount since she is still a kit?
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Post by Heather on Apr 24, 2012 10:57:50 GMT -5
She should be eating more....but then you're supplementing with kibbles....don't know...don't use kibbles  A kit usually out eats an adult ferret. Their first year they eat double the amount an adult ferret eats at least. It's like the fall season only up the ante. Baby ferrets are little tummies with teeth....she should be eating everything in sight ciao |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2012 11:08:44 GMT -5
Thats what concerns me! She only wants to eat soupies or soft foods... could she have IBD? She is active every day but does sleep a lot. The vet looked her over numerous times and said she was perfectly healthy and I haven't noticed a change except for that when I added the meat is when she stopped eating her kibbles so vigorously and when the meat comes out she eats it no problem as much as she can. Perhaps she is just a small one? I don't know but I do want to get a second opinion from a ferret savvy vet in the short future. My vet is not experienced with ferrets but he certainly has done his homework on them and would like to get into exotics very much. He did all her vaccinations and said her tummy feels fine, her heart, eyes, ears and teeth are okay and we also had a fecal test sent off to the lab and she came out negative for parasites etc. She willingly takes purebites as treats from me at any time, and will even take kibble from my hands and stash it for later but I agree I think she should be eating more. Just an opinion. Is it perhaps that she has new teeth growing in? I can't think of any other reason? or do you think I just spoiled her with too many soupies so she is refusing to eat food thats too hard. If I put water in her kibbles or pumpkin to make the food softer she will eat it no problem and just lick away the liquidy parts. Hmmm.. I'm buying a blender this weekend so hopefully I can fatten her up  I'm really worried now. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2012 11:21:07 GMT -5
Why do you supplement with kibble? The thing is, that if she eats raw, why confuse her stomach with kibble? Raw and kibble digests very differently. Maybe that what's upsets her stomach. I would just start to give her meat chunks. If she eats the raw you are well on your way!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2012 11:30:20 GMT -5
I would but the only thing is that I just got another ferret and found it would be crazy to transfer one to raw and the other not. My other ferret is 1y4m old and she is VERY picky about what she eats, so I atleast want to get them on the same kibble. HOWEVER you do have a point, I think I may just try getting them both on raw as soon as I can. I need to go out and buy a blender and then I can at least give them raw soupies for now to get their taste buds going right? Does this sound like a good idea?
My boyfriend and I would very much love to have them both on raw asap, I have researched it a lot over the last few months and so I know the meal requirements and such. As for my picky older ferret that will not touch anything but the horrible living world kibble her owner had her on, can I make a soupy with a tiny bit of kibble to entice her? Shes a giant one and she doesn't seem to have an upset stomach from the Evo I have been mixing in with her kibble....
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2012 11:52:07 GMT -5
Got ya! If you can, I think it's easier to transfer both at the same time.  It's the best way to feed them. |
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Post by Heather on Apr 24, 2012 12:06:39 GMT -5
I would be tempted to offer more raw to your little one and see what happens. If she eats it all up then let her. I've had ferrets on raw who will not eat kibbles and keep them in the same cage as a kibble fed ferret. You just have to be aware that's what's going on and make sure that your raw fed ferret gets more of her raw. I would up the amount of soupy she's eating. If she's only eating about 2 oz then up it to 3 and see what happens. If she's hungry she will eat the kibbles right?
ciao
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2012 12:59:54 GMT -5
I would like to thank all of you for your helpful replies on this subject! Now I'm off to find old threads and start composing a grocery list... muahahaha.   LOL. |
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