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Post by Deleted on Feb 2, 2012 14:47:13 GMT -5
Sounds like its a good thing I won't be back at work for another week! (Stupid flu bug prevented me from going to the doc to get re-assessed & approved to go back to work.. ) Off to go make MORE soupies...and defrost some more...little piggies, they certainly love their grub!!! I will try to take some new pictures too! They FEEL so much heavier!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 2, 2012 15:20:40 GMT -5
Actually..i WILL be returning to work on monday! (the babes won't be so happy i'm sure..back to having to stay in their cage all day ) im worried i won't be able to feed them enough once i am working all day...should i just make extra soupies before i go to work in the morning so that they have more than they'd eat in one sitting?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 2, 2012 16:37:28 GMT -5
Here are some pics of my fatty tubtubs! (I used to be able to scoop two of them up one-handed...this is now impossible!) Freya: Marley: Soxx: No belly pics from Soxx - I bribed the other two with ferretone and he hates the stuff! Does a total and spazzes out -- I've seen nothing like it! I really need to get a scale >_< Hopefully soon!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 2, 2012 17:32:48 GMT -5
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Post by Heather on Feb 2, 2012 21:48:26 GMT -5
Any of those will work....it should give you measurements in oz and lbs and should probably be able to weigh up to 5 or more lbs. I believe any of those will work. What cute little tubbies ;D You can make up more soupy than they will eat in a sitting and leave it for them. It will be trial and error a bit but you should be able to leave them enough to keep them happy and relatively full for the day ;D Great that you're going back to work...now you can make lots of moneys to feed your hungry little fuzzes ;D ;D. ciao
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Post by Deleted on Feb 3, 2012 15:04:24 GMT -5
"lots of moneys" ...hah nice one ;D if only! enough to support us though Soooo...Marley is being peculiar. After eating like a fatty-tub-tub for a few days he has decided to boycott his soupies, starting last night, right when I was headed out to my boyfriend's. Although he WILL eat it if I spoon feed him. Spoiled thing! Last night his belly was bigger than normal and a bit firm, but after an extra dose of pumpkin it is back to normal this morning. No squirming (at least, none more than normal) or hissing/noises when I poked at it. His urine is particularly foul-smelling -- I walked into my room this morning & almost fell over (at least, I'm guessing it's his...kind of hard to tell but whenever I clean up after him I gag PLUS he is the only one who REGULARLY poops RIGHT NEXT TO his box... a total " MA" )! I gave him an extra dose of pumpkin at Sherry's suggestion, and he ate all of his soups this morning & right now when I spoon fed him. He'll eat a few bites on his own, then wanders off. Sherry suggested that if he still doesn't want to eat on his own (but has continued to eat f/a spoon) to try some plain, whole-fat yogurt to re-introduce the GOOD digestive bacteria, that he might have an imbalance. Thoughts? He has been full of it all morning, "helping" with laundry/cleaning the cage and annoying the others as normal ;D I increased the amount of raw for both Freya & Soxx. I realized that if I just cut back on the FD they wouldn't be getting as much food and I don't want to deprive them or increase raw AND decrease FD at the same time (I think they might protest that!) They don't QUITE finish their bowls anymore, but since they are getting a bit more in each bowlful (abt .5 to 1 tbsp more) I haven't been too concerned -- they are eating without spoon feeding to boot Thoughts on Marley? I DID just get over the flu
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Post by Heather on Feb 3, 2012 15:19:53 GMT -5
It's possible that his tummy was off. I've got guys that won't eat a meal but then are going for the next. If they don't eat one meal then I pay particular attention to their litter box, eating and sleeping habits for the next 24 hrs. He could have had a bit of a hairball that needed passing. Strong urine smell....that usually means that it's more concentrated than normal, he wasn't drinking either. Sound's like his tummy might have been upset and if things are back to normal this morning then everything is on the mend. If all things are back to normal then I wouldn't worry too much Having them leave bits in their bowls means that you're getting an idea as to how much is too much. This will help you gauge how much food they're going to need when you go to work. You upped their raw amounts?? They were ok with this? ciao
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Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2012 14:23:45 GMT -5
Marley is back to normal now Ate 100% of breakfast soupies solo, then went back and finished Soxx's later! After eating all three of them romped for awhile & now are dozing together. Actually he just tried to investigate my coffee table with a myriad of glasses on it...say his name, point a finger, he backs away like...who...me?! ;D Soxx is doing very well too...he stayed out as long as everyone else instead of taking an early nap! AND after I brushed him today I picked him up again..and I swear his coat is as soft as down, I'm not even kidding, my mom agrees When I got them in October...I'd never felt a coarser, patchier coat. Now he is all fluffy and soft and I just cuddle him all day long! Freya has put on a lil belly and her coat seems shinier too Eating: I realized that Marley's belly got all big and such like I described above after I fed him something like 3 tbsp raw/.5 tbsp fd. Maybe I fed him too much and he overate? So he gets 2 to 2.5 tbsp raw with about 1/4 to 1/2 tbsp fd. I increased the water again while I wean out the fd because he stops eating when he runs out of liquid Figured I could tackle that after getting rid of the FD. Freya I am working very slowly with since she seems to protest any change. I increased her amount of raw by about a teaspoon, holding steady at the amount of FD (a decent spoonful) to about 1 tbsp raw (I had increased the raw more than just 1 tsp but she wasn't eating it, so I dropped it back again). Lil Miss Picky! Soxx: I increased his raw to where he regularly gets about 2 tbsp mixed with about 3 teaspoons FD (a little less fd than before). He hasn't quite finished his bowls since the switch but since it's more food I haven't been too concerned, although his itching seems to have increased over the past few days He actually just shot out of the dog bed and is scratching like mad. Should he be getting some EVOO (or some other sort of oil)? They didn't have ear mites when they went to vet, but I noticed Mar scratching his ears earlier and Soxx seems to be concentrating on his ears more than before. This is rather off-topic but...How do I detect mites? I looked in Mar's ears but he is awful wiggly and doesn't appreciate me poking at his ears!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2012 14:35:09 GMT -5
Also..I've been having a hard time finding hearts. I can only find them packaged with gizzards, and there are many, many more gizzards than hearts per package. Literally found 3 hearts in one package of gizzards Not to mention finding the gizzard/heart combo requires a 20-30+ min drive and even then half the time they don't have it! I live in a really rural area and there aren't any asian food stores or the like around me. I don't know of any butcher shops although I suppose there must be some around me...somewhere...maybe? Should I just order some online, from hare today or somewhere else?
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Post by Heather on Feb 4, 2012 18:22:47 GMT -5
Aha....now I know where all the gizzards are I've got all the hearts (much to the disgust of my wee ones who absolutely adore the gizzards) You may want to go out and buy a taurine supplement just to cover your bases. I've picked some up because my sickies eat nothing much more than commercial grinds and I don't know how much taurine is in it. You can probably get it anywhere that sells health supplements and protein drinks. Don't be surprised if you've got a piggy who decided to eat more than his share and got a stomach ache for his enthusiasm. I've had a couple of those, especially when they first start out. I think one of Sherry's brats actually ate so much fish that she was puking everywhere. Scared Sherry....but all it was that little she weasel wanted "all" the food. Itchies....you may want to add some marine fish oils to either your mix or as a treat. I find it helped my guys, they get various oils all the time. It doesn't stop the "gotcha" itchies but it does lessen them a bit. Ferrets are just itchy creatures. Ear mites--usually they have a dark discharge. If I remember correctly if you take a cotton swab and clean the outside of the ear and the entrance of the ear channel then add some rubbing alcohol to the cotton swab (not the ear...unless you want to scrape the ferret off the ceiling and donate blood to the cause) the dark discharge will turn red (it's bloody poop from the mites) You can also take a swab and put the discharge under a microscope. Often you can physically see the mites if there are some. That's all your vet does too. Sounds like your little ones are doing well. Great job. Are you still working at getting them weaned off the freeze dried? ciao
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Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2012 23:30:37 GMT -5
I have cut back on the freeze-dried a smidge -- slowly for Freya, who seems to notice if I put a grain less FD in. Buuut tonight she ate 100% of her seconds So proud. They were a bit resistant to the cut in FD at supper -- but I fed them each individually in my lap (bowl in one hand, fert in the other) and they ate like piggies. Freya ate about 95%, Soxx 100% (95% his and the other 5% of Freya's... *eyeroll*), Marley 100% including the tiny sliver chunks of skin and organ at the bottom of his bowl! He is down to just about no FD - only a sprinkling - to a good 2.5 tbsp raw (plus water). Soxx got about 2 tbsp raw to half a spoon FD; Freya got 1.5 tbsp (ate probably 1.25tbsp) with somewhere between 3/4 to 1 tbsp FD. She was none too happy & needed lots of encouragement so I'm going to hold here for her. I still can't get over how truly luscious Soxx's coat is!! So soft and smooth he wiggles right out of my grasp even more easily than before (...I thought that was impossible!). I have never felt ANYTHING like it on an animal before, ever. Ever ever. Thank you for all the help you are giving me!!!
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Post by Heather on Feb 4, 2012 23:41:43 GMT -5
I only offer suggestions, you're the one driving the switch . So you are the one for the gorgeous feel of your little ones coat changes. Wait until their muscles start to change too. At first you think they're loosing weight, that's why we have you get a scales. They get lean and muscle hardened instead of just fat and pudgy. During the winter their coats get thick and plush and they get pudgy but it's not that soft flubby pudge. You're all doing very well, even your picky wee girlie ;D She's seeing her way around it all, she's just going to take her time...when she finally goes I think she will be the hard core raw eater. A lot of the more difficult ones are. ciao
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Post by Deleted on Feb 5, 2012 0:05:44 GMT -5
I wouldn't put it past her! She's surprised me before. And of course...I never mind an excuse to snuggle the babes, just a bit of a hassle if I'm trying to get out of the house (which of course is ALWAYS the time, right ). If I put an order in at Hare Today -- what are other items I should look at purchasing? We don't have a whole lot of variety around me. I've seen lamb, and turkey (beef, chicken, and pork as well of course) but not too much else. I think the scale may need to wait until I get my next paycheck My parents are getting a new cell plan which means that I had to get my own and I needed a new phone for the different network...SIGH...Sorry
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Post by Deleted on Feb 5, 2012 0:10:41 GMT -5
Also, any particular type of marine fish oil? I'm thinking my local coop might have some? (Luckily my mom is a member and I am listed on her account ) And how much, how frequently? I think Soxx's muscle tone has improved...I've noticed he is up on the bed more often, I found him on top of one of their sleeping spots the other day (not any higher than the bed but on an angle and much more difficult to climb), and he is starting to pull him self up onto the shelves in their FN instead of using the ramp! My old man! He used to never go up on the bed because he fell off all the time while trying to jump up, and I've never even seen him remotely eyeball the top of the sleeping spot!!!
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Post by Heather on Feb 5, 2012 1:07:09 GMT -5
I'm going to trust that you're keeping on top of it enough to know if your wee ones are loosing weight. We've had problems with people just throwing food at their little ones and not seeing if they're eating it or not. They then announce that guess what their little ones are loosing weight and they don't understand it. This way we ask for their weights every two weeks to make sure our mentees are staying on top of their switch and we can catch if the wee fuzzies are getting enough food to move on in their switch. As you know you only need 3 different types of proteins to graduate through the switch. Personally, I like to see as many as you and your little ones can accommodate. This is purely your choice. Rabbit is always a favourite and it's mild flavoured so it seems to go over well (I would feed extra hearts with it or a taurine supplement as it is said to carry less taurine that other meats). Pork, chicken, turkey....you may want to order something that will give you another boned meat, like quail quarters or something similar. I believe that guinea pig is another big favourite (I've never had the opportunity to feed this meat as I couldn't bring myself to "off" a guinea pig). I don't know what is offered by haretoday because they don't ship up here but try a couple of meats that you would think they would like and what might be considered prey for them (you don't have to feed it as prey, I believe that it comes unrecognisable unless otherwise specified) ciao
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