New to raw! I need a bit of help!

[Deleted]

I started switching my fur butts over to raw the 20th of this month and they took to it rather quickly! Now they eat just ground meats (usually a mix of beef and chicken with some liver throwing in on occasion). I'm wanting to get them started on chunks and bones, but they look at me like I'm crazy when I offer the chunks and bones to them
Any way I can slowly start getting them to eat the chunks? I've also tried giving them wing tips but they just get ignored

[Heather]

Are they getting no bone? powdered egg shell? taurine (often hearts)? because you're going to have to balance their diet so you can get them up to eating chunks, using a healthy mix. You've not mentioned how old your little ones are either, this will go a long way to helping us help you. Is the ground just ground meats (human grind). Usually when introducing chunks you start mixing the chunks in the regular grind (or soupy) so they get used to chewing. I start all my newbies on a ground mix that I make specifically for them that actually has ground bone in it too. It gets them used to actually chewing bones. You can also take a hammer or cleaver to the chicken wings (my guys have no use for wing tips, but kits often do) and smash them up smaller. Ferrets are terrible, if they don't recognise it as food they won't touch it. The most difficult and the most important thing to get them to do is eat bone.
ciao

[miamiferret2]

If they are not eating bone right now add 1/2 teaspoon of ground raw eggshell or human grade bone meal powder per 8 ounces of meat. Mix it in well so it is evenly distributed throughout the meat. That will provide calcium. You must be seeing some runny poops!

[Deleted]

My ferrets are around 9-10 weeks. I started them on kibble soaked in water with ground meat mixed in and every day I'd add more meat, now they're on just ground meat with some kibble powder because I don't have eggshells or bone powder. So far this has kept their poops normal so it'll do until they'll finally eat bone. I haven't had any luck at locating beef heart in the grocery stores so I'm trying to find a butcher that will hopefully have some. Tomorrow I'll try adding in some chunks with their normal mix and break up some of the bones from the Cornish game hen and throw them in to see if they'll try them out. If I can't find beef heart what are some other good meat supplements for taurine? I've tried looking at the petstores for a supplement but I couldn't find any.

I went and checked to see if either of them ate the wingtip I left in there cage earlier and it was gone! I didn't find it stashed away either so one of my boys finally figured out it was food

[Deleted]

I'm in the process of switching 7 ferrets to raw. I have about 4 who have taken to eating their bones and about 6 who will eat chunks of meat. Some take to it naturally, some have to be shown. I make my soup and then dunk the chunk or bone in piece in it, thoroughly coat it and then offer it to the furkids. this gets them to lick it and eventually, they will grab it themselves and take it somewhere to nosh on.

I have 1 ferret now who actually prefers bone in and chunked meats to the grind.

[Sherry]

For right now, you can also take chicken wing, segment it, cut the middle in two, and offer the wing tip and the two middle bones whole. Then smash up the larger drumette bone. Since they will be teething, they should enjoy chewing on the bones.
Something else that will be a lure for them eating these is to put the cut up wing into a baggie, and putting it in a bowl of very warm water to warm the meat. For beginners especially, this is frequently more palatable.

[Deleted]

I cut up a chicken Wing like you suggested and cracked some of the bones do the marrow is out, that got them somewhat interested, I haven't seen them chew it yet, but they've been going to town on the marrow

[Sherry]

They'll get there. They've got the taste for it now

[Deleted]

Thank you all for your help!