Post by Heather on Aug 15, 2012 23:07:02 GMT -5
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Name: Heather
HF Forum Username: ferreholic
1. Where did you first learn about natural diets for ferrets?
To be honest, I didn't know much of anything about ferts when my first one came home 3 years ago (my bf and I are animal lovers but I am sadly allergic to most animals - though not ferrets YAY - so he brought home Emmett as a surprise). But, I did feel that I needed to do research on their care and learned pretty quickly about their natural diet through books and online. Since then I have learned more on here, on other forums, online, and through books. I made an attempt when my boys were younger to feed them raw (before I really knew anything about raw) giving them egg yolks, baby food, chicken and chicken organs, and making a soupie of sorts, but my boys DID NOT like it at all, so I thought it was a wasted effort. These feelings were solidified when I talked to people on other forums who told me that I had my work way cut out for me and that the older ferrets get the more likely I could never switch them, so I gave up hope. Then I joined this forum and have gained new steam on switching the boys over.
2. Please describe the type of diet you would like assistance in switching your ferret(s) to. Be sure to include if you are interested in feeding whole prey (live or frozen-thawed) and if you are wanting to FULLY switch to a natural diet or PARTIALLY. If you are unsure what kind of diet you want to put your ferrets on, please express that and we can help you find the best type of natural diet for your ferret.
If we're all gonna do this we might as well do it right, so I would like to switch my boys to a FULLY natural diet. I'm not opposed to feeding any form of raw to my boys, but I will say that live prey and whole prey may be rather difficult for me. I and my bf are vegetarians (for reasons I won't bore you with here) and I just don't know if I can handle live/whole prey (maybe one day I can do whole, but live will prob always be off the table). But don't think that because I'm veg that I won't do the best for my boys. I know and understand that meat, especially raw meat, is what my boys need so I am perfectly willing and able to give them the nourishment their bodies require! Funny story (which again, I won't bore you with here ), but it was my carnivorous babies that actually turned me into a vegetarian (I know, strange - but if you ever wanna know the story I will definintely share). That being said, I am willing to do whatever must be done to ensure my boys are not only healthy but also at their peak!
3. Why are you interested in switching your ferrets to a natural diet?
Because it is what my boys need to be in proper health. I understand very well that ferrets are strict carnivores and unfortunately no kibble anywhere can provide such a diet. SO, a fully natural diet is the only way to go. As it is, my boys need some regularity in their life. They have had to switch kibbles so many times I (and I know they) just can't stand it anymore. They hardly ever have regular poos, they aren't as playful and bright as I know they can be, and kibbles are simply making my sick baby that much sicker! Long story short, my baby Bandit has had so many health probs that our vet has switched around their kibbles 3 different times (after I already switched them from Marshalls to Zupreem to Evo) to help determine if he has IBD or has food allergies. It would be nice to finally have them on their natural and FINAL diet. I know we will all be happier!
4. Do you understand that switching your ferret to a natural diet can be a lengthy, arduous process? Its not an overnight switch. It can be a commitment of several weeks or even months. Your HF Mentor will be more then happy to assist you in switchng your ferret(s) to a natural diet, but you need to be equally as commited. If you aren't willing to tough out a potentially lengthy switching process, or if you have major life changes approaching (baby on the way, moving, starting school, getting married/divorced, etc) then it might be a better idea to wait on switching your ferret's diet until you have more time. Are you willing to make the commitment?
I am definitely willing to make the commitment to my boys and their health!!! My boys mean the world to me, they are my babies as I have no desire to have any of the 2-legged variety. I understand very well the lengthy, stressful process of a diet switch as I have done this many times with my boys already (though I do understand this is going to be a bit different), and I understand the commitment needed to do such a switch - but it is all worth it as my babies will be so much healthier because of it (whether they like it and realize it in the beginning or not ) Also, we have no major life changes in the works to interfere with this process.
5. How many ferrets do you currently have? What are their names? Ages? Genders? Do they have any health problems? Are they overweight? Underweight? How long have you had each ferret for?
I have 4 ferts (all MF babies):
EMMETT - 3yo Silver male (though now more of a DEW) --- Emmett was my first baby, though he is now the bottom of the totem pole in the buisness. We've had him since he was 4 months old and got him from a Petco. He is my healthiest fert, though he had a REALLY BAD reaction to his second distemper shot and will not be having any more of those. He also had a very mild reaction to his third rabies shot, but it did not require a trip back to the vet. I'm not sure if this means he has an allergy problem or not, just thought I'd mention it. He is very athletic, sleek, and has a nice fluffy, soft coat. He has always maintained a good and proper weight for each time of year.
BANDIT - 3yo Sable male --- Bandit was a littermate of Emmetts and was brought home from the same Petco 1 week after Emmett was, so we have also had him since he was 4 months old. Bandit is the top dawg of the buisness. Bandit is my sickest baby and he has many threads on here. Long story short - he has many masses growing on his organs and some on his lymph nodes, his spleen is enlarged, he has a mild heart arrythmia, he has an unusual breathing pattern, he has possible IBD, and we are pretty sure he is allergic to chicken. He has had several projectile/violent vomiting episodes in the past 9 months and has been so sick once I thought we might lose him (though what was making him sick we do not know). We are unsure of what is actually wrong with him (cardio, lymphoma, intestinal issues, IBD, etc.), though we have run every test under the sun on him, along with taking aspirates. Our last option is to do exploratory surgery and take biopsies, but we don't know what we are looking for so we have not determined if we want to go this route or not yet. However, when he isn't getting sick again he seems fairly normal, is always very aware, eats well, and potties as well as is to be expected for him. I will say that over the past 2 months he seems to be doing pretty well and has been playing with his brothers a lot more (fingers crossed) His weight does fluctuate a good bit though his coat has always been pretty nice.
POGO - 3yo DEW deaf male --- Pogo was my third baby and was brought into the buisness (from a different Petco) about a month after Bandit was (he is about 2 months younger than Emmett and Bandit). He is a lil runt and ranges in weight from .5lb to 2lb during different times of the year (though it seems that he is staying closer to 1.5 and 2lbs now). We are a little concerned that something may actually be wrong with him due to his size and we are going to be pursuing this possibility more on their next check-up next month. He also has always had a slightly unusual gait in his back legs (it's like his legs are stiff). He may be deaf but he is a little spitfire. He NEVER stops and has been bouncing off the walls since the day he was brought home. He is also the scrappyest of my 4 boys and is SO FAST it's hard to catch him sometimes. He was also the nippiest of the group, though over the past year he has calmed down a good bit and tends to give more kissies than nibbles. His coat is always soft as satin in the winter but usually kinda rough and short in the summer. I've wondered if he has intestinal issues but our vet hasn't seen anything to prove this as of yet. Pogo use to grind his teeth all of the time, though he doesn't nearly as much anymore (and a lot of the time it is while he is eating). Also, he is missing a tear duct in one eye which has caused many an eye infection in the past (though not so many this past year) and he has had half of one of his ears cut off due to a mast cell tumor on the tip.
MISCHIEF – Roan deaf male (prob a wardy) --- Mischief was brought into our business just this last week to both give him a better home and to help our 3 boys get over the loss of their brother Gir, who we lost a month ago. We are unsure of Mischief’s age as the lady we got him from was not very forthcoming with how she came about to have him and she was unsure of how old he was when she herself got him. However, she and our vet are guesstimating him to be somewhere around 1.5 to 2 years old. I’m leaning towards the younger side as he is rather playful, his canines are rather short (but his teeth also have a good bit of tartar), he lacks muscle tone and seems very fragile, he doesn’t have terrific use of his back legs right now (though he shows no sign of hind-end weakness), and his tail is rather short. The vet gave him a clean bill of health (as well as any vet can without extensive testing), though I feel that Mischief is a little underweight. His head and neck seem too big for his body – he just looks like he should be a slightly chubby baby (though maybe this is just me projecting my desire for a chubster on him ). But on a food switch note – Mischief’s previous human had him on some Wal-mart crap food for at least 6 months (again, not sure how long she had him) but he IMMEDIATELY took to the kibble our boys are eating and he is perfectly content with giving up his former food. So maybe, just maybe, he will be an easy switch!
6. What diet do you currently feed your ferrets? (Please include all treats, supplements, etc)
Currently the boys are eating Royal Canin Hypoallergenic Rabbit kibble for cats (though they have been on Marshall's, Zupreem, Evo, Hills Prescription Venison and Zd). They get their daily dose of olive oil in the mornings. On occassion they get a little Ferretone. However, they get no treats or any other supplements because we are fairly certain Bandit is allergic to chicken and almost everything (other than their kibble) has chicken in it (so we play fair and no one gets treats). They also get pumpkin when there is the possibility of a blockage.
7. Have you ever tried to switch your ferrets to a natural diet in the past? If yes, what happened?
Yes. When they were about 1 to 2 years old I tried egg yolks (3 of them tried a lick but then turned their nose up at it), baby food (none of them will even try it), chicken and chicken organs (HA, that was a laugh - they looked at me like I was crazy), kitten replacer milk (a no go), a soupie of sorts (again a no go), and recently - venison treats (they liked the smell cause they actually really like venison but they wouldn't eat it, they would take it, but they wouldn't eat it) and venison liver jerky (HAHA one of them actually GAGGED when he smelled it, it was the funniest thing ). I have tried holding them, scruffing them, putting some of the stuff on their noses, putting ferretone on it, mixing it in with their kibble, but none of it works. They walk away and grind their noses into the carpet to get it off! The little weenies!
8. What additional information about yourself or your ferrets would you like to share?
Um, I think I've about covered it all unless you wanna hear some great fert stories! I will say that even though I've always wanted to switch the boys to a natural diet I am pushing for it now moreso than ever because of Bandit. I want, I need to help Bandit with his many health issues. He just has so many problems that I want him to be able to live as healthy and happy a life as he can while he can. And in the process everyone will be happier too. I suppose I should also mention that 3 of the 4 are STUBBORN eaters and REFUSE to eat anything other than what they know. It has been a lesson in patience to switch them to the different kibbles they have been on (ex.- if the new bag of kibble they currently eat even SLIGHTLY smells different they won’t eat much of it for DAYS).
Also FYI, I have in my possession 2 scales (one for food and one for the ferts in grams, ounces, and pounds), a mortar and pestle, a tenderizer, ice cube trays, individual soupie bowls, and a tub of bonemeal powder. I currently have no meat in my home as my BF and I are vegetarians, HOWEVER, I have a House of Meats 6 BLOCKS from my house where I have regular access to a myriad of meats (beef, venison, duck, chicken, quail, pork, rabbit, etc) so I can go pick up meat whenever needed. I just didn’t want to buy up a bunch of meat for the switch before I had a mentor just in case it would take a while to get said mentor allowing the meat to be wasted.
9. How often during the week do you have access to a computer?
Every day.
10. Please post a picture of each of your ferrets (if possible).
Hi and welcome to the mentoring program . In a little while your mentor (Jackie) will introduce herself and you can get started on a new adventure in natural ferret care and diets. Please remember to post regularly (daily or as per arranged with your mentor) so that your mentor can assist you move along safely in this adventure. Also note there may have been some changes in the application and how you should post so please review these before proceeding. If you have any questions feel free to either ask your mentor or any of the admins. If you experience computer difficulties or are going to be away, please notify your mentor and most of all relax and have fun . Your mentor is here to help you on this journey.
ciao
Name: Heather
HF Forum Username: ferreholic
1. Where did you first learn about natural diets for ferrets?
To be honest, I didn't know much of anything about ferts when my first one came home 3 years ago (my bf and I are animal lovers but I am sadly allergic to most animals - though not ferrets YAY - so he brought home Emmett as a surprise). But, I did feel that I needed to do research on their care and learned pretty quickly about their natural diet through books and online. Since then I have learned more on here, on other forums, online, and through books. I made an attempt when my boys were younger to feed them raw (before I really knew anything about raw) giving them egg yolks, baby food, chicken and chicken organs, and making a soupie of sorts, but my boys DID NOT like it at all, so I thought it was a wasted effort. These feelings were solidified when I talked to people on other forums who told me that I had my work way cut out for me and that the older ferrets get the more likely I could never switch them, so I gave up hope. Then I joined this forum and have gained new steam on switching the boys over.
2. Please describe the type of diet you would like assistance in switching your ferret(s) to. Be sure to include if you are interested in feeding whole prey (live or frozen-thawed) and if you are wanting to FULLY switch to a natural diet or PARTIALLY. If you are unsure what kind of diet you want to put your ferrets on, please express that and we can help you find the best type of natural diet for your ferret.
If we're all gonna do this we might as well do it right, so I would like to switch my boys to a FULLY natural diet. I'm not opposed to feeding any form of raw to my boys, but I will say that live prey and whole prey may be rather difficult for me. I and my bf are vegetarians (for reasons I won't bore you with here) and I just don't know if I can handle live/whole prey (maybe one day I can do whole, but live will prob always be off the table). But don't think that because I'm veg that I won't do the best for my boys. I know and understand that meat, especially raw meat, is what my boys need so I am perfectly willing and able to give them the nourishment their bodies require! Funny story (which again, I won't bore you with here ), but it was my carnivorous babies that actually turned me into a vegetarian (I know, strange - but if you ever wanna know the story I will definintely share). That being said, I am willing to do whatever must be done to ensure my boys are not only healthy but also at their peak!
3. Why are you interested in switching your ferrets to a natural diet?
Because it is what my boys need to be in proper health. I understand very well that ferrets are strict carnivores and unfortunately no kibble anywhere can provide such a diet. SO, a fully natural diet is the only way to go. As it is, my boys need some regularity in their life. They have had to switch kibbles so many times I (and I know they) just can't stand it anymore. They hardly ever have regular poos, they aren't as playful and bright as I know they can be, and kibbles are simply making my sick baby that much sicker! Long story short, my baby Bandit has had so many health probs that our vet has switched around their kibbles 3 different times (after I already switched them from Marshalls to Zupreem to Evo) to help determine if he has IBD or has food allergies. It would be nice to finally have them on their natural and FINAL diet. I know we will all be happier!
4. Do you understand that switching your ferret to a natural diet can be a lengthy, arduous process? Its not an overnight switch. It can be a commitment of several weeks or even months. Your HF Mentor will be more then happy to assist you in switchng your ferret(s) to a natural diet, but you need to be equally as commited. If you aren't willing to tough out a potentially lengthy switching process, or if you have major life changes approaching (baby on the way, moving, starting school, getting married/divorced, etc) then it might be a better idea to wait on switching your ferret's diet until you have more time. Are you willing to make the commitment?
I am definitely willing to make the commitment to my boys and their health!!! My boys mean the world to me, they are my babies as I have no desire to have any of the 2-legged variety. I understand very well the lengthy, stressful process of a diet switch as I have done this many times with my boys already (though I do understand this is going to be a bit different), and I understand the commitment needed to do such a switch - but it is all worth it as my babies will be so much healthier because of it (whether they like it and realize it in the beginning or not ) Also, we have no major life changes in the works to interfere with this process.
5. How many ferrets do you currently have? What are their names? Ages? Genders? Do they have any health problems? Are they overweight? Underweight? How long have you had each ferret for?
I have 4 ferts (all MF babies):
EMMETT - 3yo Silver male (though now more of a DEW) --- Emmett was my first baby, though he is now the bottom of the totem pole in the buisness. We've had him since he was 4 months old and got him from a Petco. He is my healthiest fert, though he had a REALLY BAD reaction to his second distemper shot and will not be having any more of those. He also had a very mild reaction to his third rabies shot, but it did not require a trip back to the vet. I'm not sure if this means he has an allergy problem or not, just thought I'd mention it. He is very athletic, sleek, and has a nice fluffy, soft coat. He has always maintained a good and proper weight for each time of year.
BANDIT - 3yo Sable male --- Bandit was a littermate of Emmetts and was brought home from the same Petco 1 week after Emmett was, so we have also had him since he was 4 months old. Bandit is the top dawg of the buisness. Bandit is my sickest baby and he has many threads on here. Long story short - he has many masses growing on his organs and some on his lymph nodes, his spleen is enlarged, he has a mild heart arrythmia, he has an unusual breathing pattern, he has possible IBD, and we are pretty sure he is allergic to chicken. He has had several projectile/violent vomiting episodes in the past 9 months and has been so sick once I thought we might lose him (though what was making him sick we do not know). We are unsure of what is actually wrong with him (cardio, lymphoma, intestinal issues, IBD, etc.), though we have run every test under the sun on him, along with taking aspirates. Our last option is to do exploratory surgery and take biopsies, but we don't know what we are looking for so we have not determined if we want to go this route or not yet. However, when he isn't getting sick again he seems fairly normal, is always very aware, eats well, and potties as well as is to be expected for him. I will say that over the past 2 months he seems to be doing pretty well and has been playing with his brothers a lot more (fingers crossed) His weight does fluctuate a good bit though his coat has always been pretty nice.
POGO - 3yo DEW deaf male --- Pogo was my third baby and was brought into the buisness (from a different Petco) about a month after Bandit was (he is about 2 months younger than Emmett and Bandit). He is a lil runt and ranges in weight from .5lb to 2lb during different times of the year (though it seems that he is staying closer to 1.5 and 2lbs now). We are a little concerned that something may actually be wrong with him due to his size and we are going to be pursuing this possibility more on their next check-up next month. He also has always had a slightly unusual gait in his back legs (it's like his legs are stiff). He may be deaf but he is a little spitfire. He NEVER stops and has been bouncing off the walls since the day he was brought home. He is also the scrappyest of my 4 boys and is SO FAST it's hard to catch him sometimes. He was also the nippiest of the group, though over the past year he has calmed down a good bit and tends to give more kissies than nibbles. His coat is always soft as satin in the winter but usually kinda rough and short in the summer. I've wondered if he has intestinal issues but our vet hasn't seen anything to prove this as of yet. Pogo use to grind his teeth all of the time, though he doesn't nearly as much anymore (and a lot of the time it is while he is eating). Also, he is missing a tear duct in one eye which has caused many an eye infection in the past (though not so many this past year) and he has had half of one of his ears cut off due to a mast cell tumor on the tip.
MISCHIEF – Roan deaf male (prob a wardy) --- Mischief was brought into our business just this last week to both give him a better home and to help our 3 boys get over the loss of their brother Gir, who we lost a month ago. We are unsure of Mischief’s age as the lady we got him from was not very forthcoming with how she came about to have him and she was unsure of how old he was when she herself got him. However, she and our vet are guesstimating him to be somewhere around 1.5 to 2 years old. I’m leaning towards the younger side as he is rather playful, his canines are rather short (but his teeth also have a good bit of tartar), he lacks muscle tone and seems very fragile, he doesn’t have terrific use of his back legs right now (though he shows no sign of hind-end weakness), and his tail is rather short. The vet gave him a clean bill of health (as well as any vet can without extensive testing), though I feel that Mischief is a little underweight. His head and neck seem too big for his body – he just looks like he should be a slightly chubby baby (though maybe this is just me projecting my desire for a chubster on him ). But on a food switch note – Mischief’s previous human had him on some Wal-mart crap food for at least 6 months (again, not sure how long she had him) but he IMMEDIATELY took to the kibble our boys are eating and he is perfectly content with giving up his former food. So maybe, just maybe, he will be an easy switch!
6. What diet do you currently feed your ferrets? (Please include all treats, supplements, etc)
Currently the boys are eating Royal Canin Hypoallergenic Rabbit kibble for cats (though they have been on Marshall's, Zupreem, Evo, Hills Prescription Venison and Zd). They get their daily dose of olive oil in the mornings. On occassion they get a little Ferretone. However, they get no treats or any other supplements because we are fairly certain Bandit is allergic to chicken and almost everything (other than their kibble) has chicken in it (so we play fair and no one gets treats). They also get pumpkin when there is the possibility of a blockage.
7. Have you ever tried to switch your ferrets to a natural diet in the past? If yes, what happened?
Yes. When they were about 1 to 2 years old I tried egg yolks (3 of them tried a lick but then turned their nose up at it), baby food (none of them will even try it), chicken and chicken organs (HA, that was a laugh - they looked at me like I was crazy), kitten replacer milk (a no go), a soupie of sorts (again a no go), and recently - venison treats (they liked the smell cause they actually really like venison but they wouldn't eat it, they would take it, but they wouldn't eat it) and venison liver jerky (HAHA one of them actually GAGGED when he smelled it, it was the funniest thing ). I have tried holding them, scruffing them, putting some of the stuff on their noses, putting ferretone on it, mixing it in with their kibble, but none of it works. They walk away and grind their noses into the carpet to get it off! The little weenies!
8. What additional information about yourself or your ferrets would you like to share?
Um, I think I've about covered it all unless you wanna hear some great fert stories! I will say that even though I've always wanted to switch the boys to a natural diet I am pushing for it now moreso than ever because of Bandit. I want, I need to help Bandit with his many health issues. He just has so many problems that I want him to be able to live as healthy and happy a life as he can while he can. And in the process everyone will be happier too. I suppose I should also mention that 3 of the 4 are STUBBORN eaters and REFUSE to eat anything other than what they know. It has been a lesson in patience to switch them to the different kibbles they have been on (ex.- if the new bag of kibble they currently eat even SLIGHTLY smells different they won’t eat much of it for DAYS).
Also FYI, I have in my possession 2 scales (one for food and one for the ferts in grams, ounces, and pounds), a mortar and pestle, a tenderizer, ice cube trays, individual soupie bowls, and a tub of bonemeal powder. I currently have no meat in my home as my BF and I are vegetarians, HOWEVER, I have a House of Meats 6 BLOCKS from my house where I have regular access to a myriad of meats (beef, venison, duck, chicken, quail, pork, rabbit, etc) so I can go pick up meat whenever needed. I just didn’t want to buy up a bunch of meat for the switch before I had a mentor just in case it would take a while to get said mentor allowing the meat to be wasted.
9. How often during the week do you have access to a computer?
Every day.
10. Please post a picture of each of your ferrets (if possible).
Hi and welcome to the mentoring program . In a little while your mentor (Jackie) will introduce herself and you can get started on a new adventure in natural ferret care and diets. Please remember to post regularly (daily or as per arranged with your mentor) so that your mentor can assist you move along safely in this adventure. Also note there may have been some changes in the application and how you should post so please review these before proceeding. If you have any questions feel free to either ask your mentor or any of the admins. If you experience computer difficulties or are going to be away, please notify your mentor and most of all relax and have fun . Your mentor is here to help you on this journey.
ciao