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Post by Heather on Apr 3, 2012 21:34:36 GMT -5
Name: Sammy HF Forum Username: scoobydoo20
1. Where did you first learn about natural diets for ferrets?
I first learned about natural diets through some people on ferret.com's forums. Then I had purchased Ferret for Dummies and it had the info on the natural diet with pros and cons versus kibble and the pros and cons.
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.
As of right now I would like help with the freeze dried commercial raw and Wysong Epigen 90. Eventually I would like to fully switch over to a more natural diet. For now I have to take things really slow.
3. Why are you interested in switching your ferrets to a natural diet?
I've always wanted to do a more natural diet with all my animals. Not just my ferrets. Shock was recently diagnosed with insulinoma, and while researching the topic more results had come back as the natural diet is usually the best when it comes to ferrets with insulinoma. And I had come across this forum and joined. Weezy on the other hand is still healthy no health issues *knocks on wood*. But she could use some meat to her bones she is very petite.
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 completely understand that it takes time especially for the older ferrets. And I'm ready to face this challenge.
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 2.
Weezy Female 3 yrs Clean bill of health. To me she looks to be underweight since she is so small. She never goes over 2 lbs. I got Weezy from the local pet store in 2009 when she was just a couple of months old.
Shock Male 4+ yrs of age (exact age is unknown.) Has Insulinoma He can use some extra meat on him. He came from a ferret rescue about 2 hrs away from me. Before he was rescued from a hording situation, at the time he had a clean bill of health other than ear mites and fleas. He's been with me since May of 2011.
6. What diet do you currently feed your ferrets? (Please include all treats, supplements, etc)
Currently they are getting Totally Ferret and Zupreem. I recently mixed in some Wyson Epigen. Shock has been getting watered down baby food with some pumpkin for soups. I put some Stella & Chewy's Duck Duck Goose in with his soup and he's taking a liking to it somewhat. They both get some Ferretone and N bones usually those are twice daily. Weezy is somewhat picky so she doesn't eat any soups which I would like to change that.
7. Have you ever tried to switch your ferrets to a natural diet in the past? If yes, what happened?
No
8. What additional information about yourself or your ferrets would you like to share?
I love to learn new things especially when it comes to my pets. I'm also planning to go back to school sometime next year as a Vet Tech. Something I always wanted to do.
9. How often during the week do you have access to a computer?
All day, everyday. I spend a few hours on before I go to work.
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
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Post by Deleted on Apr 4, 2012 12:11:03 GMT -5
Hello Here's a little about me Name: Jackie HF User Name: Jackie Location: West Coast of Florida About Me: Hello! I'm Jackie I am 19 and a senior in college, working on my B.A. in Chemistry/Biology I am in the process of writing my senior thesis, which I am really nervous/excited/anxious to do! My goal in life is to become a neonatologist (sick baby doctor). After I graduate I am taking a year off to get myself together before I start med school (hopefully) in 2013. My favorite color is..... pink My favorite food is.... Pizza My favorite holiday is... My birthday [img src="http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h352/JW_2012/Emoticons/ .gif" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h352/JW_2012/Emoticons/.gif"].gif[/IMG] My favorite hobby is... Couponing. I am an avid couponer :-D I started to try to save some money, and now I am completely hooked! I like to listen to...all music. I love music from all genres, rap, rock, hip-hop, pop, country. I don't discriminate I became a mentor because... I am really passionate about feeding raw and have seen first hand the benefits it has. If I can personally help someone give their fuzzy a better diet, then I am more than happy About My Ferrets: I have three beautiful female ferrets. Pixie: Is my soul ferrets, my sidekick, my partner in crime. I got her at 8 weeks old and we've been inseparable since. She is 3 years old now. Pixie is super spoiled, and switching her to raw was the hardest. But, she eats whole chunks like a pro now and is as healthy as can be! She had a blockage scare when she was 1, but she thankfully passed on it her own. Pixie follows me everywhere, licking my toes, ankles and socks. I <3 her. Trixie: One day, Pixie had escaped. She had somehow gotten out of the house. I searched for her for all day and into the night. No luck. I made posters and prayed that she would be found alive and okay. I was so heartbroken I cannot even explain it. I thought she was gone forever. To help me overcome the grief I was feeling, my boyfriend brought me to the pet store to pick out a ferret. I didn't really want to even look at another ferret, but he told me that when we DO find Pixie, she needed a friend so she doesn't want to escape so much. So I picked out a beautiful little champagne girl, who I named Trixie. Pixie was found the next day and even since then, they've been the best of buddies. Trixie is now almost 3 and is spunky and hilarious. She is beautiful, fluffy, and such a character. She is extremely docile and enjoys being held and petted. Trixie was not the easiest switch, but definitely easier than Pixie Dixie: She is my latest addition. I saw her at the store and she was the most adorable thing ever with her dark little nose and endearing personality. She is CRAZY! She is about 1 year old and is just as insane as the first day I brought her home. She acts like she is on crack or something [img src="http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h352/JW_2012/Emoticons/ .gif" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h352/JW_2012/Emoticons/.gif"].gif[/IMG] She is constantly moving, moving, moving! She was the easiest to switch to raw and took to it instantly. She has no manners, climbs all over people and their face [img src="http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h352/JW_2012/Emoticons/ .gif" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h352/JW_2012/Emoticons/.gif"].gif[/IMG] She is the instigator of the group. While Pixie would prefer to play with me and Trixie would prefer to stash socks and eggs, Dixie gets the party started and I love her for that. About My Natural Feeding Experience: I started feeding raw over 2 years ago. I first started with freeze dried raw. My girls took to it instantly. I saw SO much improvement in my two (Pixie and Trixie at the time) that I never looked back. After feeding that for approx. 6 months, I realized that it was killing my pocketbook. I decided I wanted to try to incorporate whole meats from the grocery store to cut costs. Pixie was very stubborn to accept chunks because she absolutely LOVES soup. But it seemed like one day she just started eating chunks, and we were switched! Type of mentor: Freeze-dried Raw, Commercial Raw, & Frankenprey Specialty: Younger fuzzies and stubborn fuzz butts
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Post by Deleted on Apr 4, 2012 12:14:00 GMT -5
Hey there! I'm excited to start with process with you First off, you mention that one of your fuzz has insulinoma, correct? This will add a complication to the switch because you cannot withhold food to entice him. I just want you to be aware that he cannot go without meals or food (sorry if you already know that). Anyway, onto the switch! You want to feed mainly freeze dried with Epigen 90 as a supplement/snack? What freeze dried do you have already? Brands and protein? Do you have a scale to weight your fuzz? Also, do you have a blender?
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Post by scoobydoo20 on Apr 4, 2012 13:26:42 GMT -5
You are so full of life and potential and I like that A little bit about myself. I go by Sam or Sammy, doesn't matter. I live in Northeast Ohio, I'm 22 and looking to go back to school to become a Vet Tech. Something I always dreamed about since I was a kid. My obsession with Veterinary had started when I was old enough to go with my mom to take our old dog in for her routine visits. I would always ask our veterinarian questions and he was always happy to answer them. I was supposed to tour his office and we were talking about a possible job for cleaning the kennels and keep an eye on the patients that were there. But he ended up retiring in 2008 before I had the chance to. I like to obedience train my dogs. I have one and my mom has one. Buddy (my dog) had been taught all kinds of tricks. But that has failed miserably due to the fact that my grannie has moved in. So no more training dogs. Since I can't teach them anything since they usually go right back to square one. Time to meet the fuzzies Weezy. She had come from the local pet store April 18 2009. She is my shadow, she's always up my butt and follows me everywhere. She is also the houdini. I don't think she ever sleeps because I catch her awake all the time lol. And she's a very good thief to. One time I had caught her eating a gold fish cracker and I have no idea where she had got it from. Ok one little cracker isn't going to hurt her so I'll let it slide. A few hours later, she comes out with another one. I take it from her and she hisses at me. So I called her a brat and she walked away. So a couple weeks go by and she still has these crackers. And I've been tearing my room apart looking for these stupid crackers. Well she screwed herself, she finally dragged out the bag of crackers. Half of the bag was gone. Where she got from? I'll never know. She can be a picky eater especially if it's new foods. But she has no problem what so ever with eating foods she's not supposed to have. I caught her eating dog food. She loves people, and has no problem meeting strangers. Which I rarely let people I don't know pet her. So this will be fun. Shock is more laid back than Weezy. He likes to be lazy and sometimes a good roughing up a bit will get him to play. He likes to check things out but that's about it. He loves to cuddle up to people. He ignores me sometimes because I'm the mean person that takes him to the mean doctors. So he's an ornery old grump He's not to difficult when it comes to new foods. Yes I do have a ferret that has insulinoma. Considering he's 4+ yrs of age I kinda already figured that he had it when he first crashed on Sunday 3/11/12. So we went to the vet the next morning and they did a b/g and it was 35. So as a precaution they got him started on the predisolone it was supposed to be for only 2 weeks but he had another crash within the same week. And his b/g was down to 19. So they had upped his dose and got him a prescription for it. His name is Shock as in the Nightmare Before Christmas with Oogie's boys. He had come from a hoarding situation a few counties away. I got him from a ferret rescue and they didn't know much of his past history other than his having fleas and ear mites and living with 75+ other animals. But at the time he had a clean bill of health. My plan is to wean them off of the Totally Ferret and Zupreem and fully switch them to the Epigen 90 as their main source of food along with soupies in between, along with some freeze dried just by itself for snacking. As for a blender and a scale (as long as I can find the scale in stores) I can get that over the weekend as I get paid this coming Friday. Shock's last vet visit was 3/28 and he weighed in at 2 lbs. For freeze dried I have Stella and Chewey's Duck Duck Goose patties. Protein is at 40%. I understand that it will be difficult. But he's somewhat easy to coax him into something. Considering he probably ate anything that his past owner had given him. Weezy will be somewhat difficult since she is such a drama queen especially when it some to trying something new. lol. Shock has been eating the DDG soup with really no problems. But I would like him to get him to eat the chunks of the duck that's left over in the soup. And I have a feeling that he prefers the soup more than the kibble. So I don't think he's eating any kibble what so ever. Since he had another crash this morning. Weezy will drink the broth of the DDG once in a while but that's about it for her. If I had missed anything feel free to ask. My dogs made me lose my thought of concentration because they are barking like wild banshees over something outside
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Post by Deleted on Apr 4, 2012 14:51:50 GMT -5
A little bit about myself. I go by Sam or Sammy, doesn't matter. I live in Northeast Ohio, I'm 22 and looking to go back to school to become a Vet Tech. Something I always dreamed about since I was a kid. My obsession with Veterinary had started when I was old enough to go with my mom to take our old dog in for her routine visits. I would always ask our veterinarian questions and he was always happy to answer them. I was supposed to tour his office and we were talking about a possible job for cleaning the kennels and keep an eye on the patients that were there. But he ended up retiring in 2008 before I had the chance to. I like to obedience train my dogs. I have one and my mom has one. Buddy (my dog) had been taught all kinds of tricks. But that has failed miserably due to the fact that my grannie has moved in. So no more training dogs. Since I can't teach them anything since they usually go right back to square one. Nice to meet you! We need more ferret-orientated people in the vetting world. My plan is to wean them off of the Totally Ferret and Zupreem and fully switch them to the Epigen 90 as their main source of food along with soupies in between, along with some freeze dried just by itself for snacking. Okay, sounds like a plan Have either of them eaten any of the Epigen dry? As for a blender and a scale (as long as I can find the scale in stores) I can get that over the weekend as I get paid this coming Friday. Shock's last vet visit was 3/28 and he weighed in at 2 lbs. Okay, sounds good The scale is really for us mentors to make sure your baby isn't losing weight too quickly. The blender will greatly help you make various soupies. I personally found my kids preferred their freeze dried blended up smooth (consistenty of chunky yogurt) instead of just soaking it in water. For freeze dried I have Stella and Chewey's Duck Duck Goose patties. Protein is at 40%. Great choice My kids love the stuff. I originally switched my crew with Stella & Chewys so I'm familiar with their stuff. Weezy will be somewhat difficult since she is such a drama queen especially when it some to trying something new. lol. I completely understand where you are coming from. My switch took approximately 4 months long, mainly because Pixie was SO stubborn. Which held up my progress with Trixie (because it's tricky having them at different points in the switch). Shock has been eating the DDG soup with really no problems. But I would like him to get him to eat the chunks of the duck that's left over in the soup. And I have a feeling that he prefers the soup more than the kibble. So I don't think he's eating any kibble what so ever. Since he had another crash this morning. I've found that most ferrets will pick soup over any other food. They are (by nature) lazy lazy critters. Soup is easy and requires no work ;D As for the crashing, I'm sorry How is he doing now? Weezy will drink the broth of the DDG once in a while but that's about it for her. Once you get the blender, I would try to blend up the DDG and see if that helps encourage her to eat it. You can then gradually make it less watery and smooth, increasing the water content. So for now, let's work on mixing the Epigen 90 into their current kibbles. What I would do is get a bag, 90% current kibble and 10% Epigen. Shake the bag so all the kibble kinda smells the same. Feed as normal and see if they eat whatever Epigen is in there. Hopefully they won't notice the new kibble present. If Shock is eating the DDG willingly, I would feed that to him. Keeping his BG stable is the most important thing right now, so he needs to have a steady supply of food. Can you feed him the DDG 2x a day, and leave the kibble for munching?
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Post by scoobydoo20 on Apr 4, 2012 18:16:57 GMT -5
The first day I got the Epigen I had mixed in a small amount. I have the food almost a week. Shock has picked around for the other stuff. I added in some more Epigen yesterday and Weezy was picking out the Epigen and was eating it. Then she went back for some more. So I think she is the one that is picking it out and eating it by itself.
I upped Shock's meds and he is doing much better now. He's still a crab so currently doesn't want anything to do with me at the moment.
As for the DDG soup I'm way a head on that. He gets a decent sized bowl for the morning and night before I test his bg levels. I also make enough to last 6-8 hours while I'm away at work. Since I have my camera back I'll be able to take pics of my routine if necessary.
As for blender and scale is there any special kind to get?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 4, 2012 19:35:50 GMT -5
The first day I got the Epigen I had mixed in a small amount. I have the food almost a week. Shock has picked around for the other stuff. I added in some more Epigen yesterday and Weezy was picking out the Epigen and was eating it. Then she went back for some more. So I think she is the one that is picking it out and eating it by itself. Okay, so we only need to convince Shock to eat the Epigen? I upped Shock's meds and he is doing much better now. He's still a crab so currently doesn't want anything to do with me at the moment. Aw poor baby. Just curious, are you feeding any food with his meds? Pred can make them nauseous, and can even cause ulcers. Pred should always be given on a full tummy and possibly with a tummy coater. If he's feeling nauseous, he'd be resistant to eat. As for the DDG soup I'm way a head on that. He gets a decent sized bowl for the morning and night before I test his bg levels. I also make enough to last 6-8 hours while I'm away at work. Since I have my camera back I'll be able to take pics of my routine if necessary. That's great! He might not be eating any kibble since he's got plenty of DDG to eat. As for blender and scale is there any special kind to get? I use a magic bullet, but before that I used a cheap walmart one for a long time. It died on me (I got it wet) and already had the Bullet. My first one was similar to this one: www.walmart.com/ip/GE-17-Piece-Single-Serve-Rocket-Blender/17780929I prefer the small containers with lids. Scale - anything that reads in oz or grams. I use a cheap food one.
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Post by scoobydoo20 on Apr 4, 2012 20:11:27 GMT -5
I take that back since you said Magic Bullet I think we have one of those some where, since my grannie likes to buy all those as seen on tv type things. I know she got one..just have to find it.
Yes I make him eat at least half a bowl or more before I give him his meds and I make him eat just a little more. I fill the syringe with some of the soup to help coat the icky flavor. And he takes it very well. I don't have to fight him at all.
Shock so far is the only one to convince to eat the Epigen.
As for the small containers is it for the food or soup?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 4, 2012 20:16:10 GMT -5
Yes I make him eat at least half a bowl or more before I give him his meds and I make him eat just a little more. I fill the syringe with some of the soup to help coat the icky flavor. And he takes it very well. I don't have to fight him at all. Aw that's good Shock so far is the only one to convince to eat the Epigen. Okay. So one thing you might try doing is powdering the new Epigen and sprinkling it over his current kibbles. Kinda like "salting" his kibble with Epigen ;D As for the small containers is it for the food or soup? Yeah, I find that the small-ish containers are perfect for smaller servings of soup (like 1-3 meals). I don't feed enough soup to need a big batch, and I hate reaching my hand inside the normal blender containers and getting meat mush all over my hand and arm. ;D
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Post by scoobydoo20 on Apr 4, 2012 20:29:46 GMT -5
I'll grind some up tomorrow since my mom is getting ready for bed and I have to find all the attachments for it anyhow. And I'll make a sample smoothie of the soup tomorrow see how that goes. Fun Fun lol
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Post by Deleted on Apr 4, 2012 20:31:29 GMT -5
Good luck! You can also try mixing in the Epigen into the "soup smoothie" which may help him start to recognize the taste of the Epigen
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Post by scoobydoo20 on Apr 5, 2012 11:52:40 GMT -5
I found everything for the Bullet I made enough soup to last the next few days or so. I used a half a patty of the DDG, water, Ferretone, chicken baby food, pumpkin, and some of the epigen. I blended it all together to make a smoothie form. I had to force feed it to Shock as he had another crash. From being 45 dropped down to 29 or so. When he recovers in the next couple of hours I'll try to feed some of it to him and get back to you on the update. As for Weezy I'll see if she'll take some smoothie from me. Here is a pic of the smoothie.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 5, 2012 12:31:17 GMT -5
I found everything for the Bullet I made enough soup to last the next few days or so. Awesome! Glad you were able to find everything. I had to force feed it to Shock as he had another crash. From being 45 dropped down to 29 or so. Oh no! Has he been eating regularly? Does he need his meds upped? When he recovers in the next couple of hours I'll try to feed some of it to him and get back to you on the update. Okay, definitely let me know how he's doing. As for Weezy I'll see if she'll take some smoothie from me. Here is a pic of the smoothie. Looks good (for a ferret ). Hopefully she takes to it well.
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Post by scoobydoo20 on Apr 5, 2012 14:05:37 GMT -5
I know this morning at 10 am he was at 45 before I had fed him. So he was ok to leave alone for a couple of hours so I was able to do garbage. So as far as I know he only ate some soup before his meds. I upped it .2 last night and he got the same dose also today. I'll give him the same dose for the next few days and hopefully it'll work. But he recovered ok and he had some on his own, I think it's a thick since he wasn't thrilled while trying to eat it. As for Weezy she did try some give or take a few licks then walked away.
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Post by scoobydoo20 on Apr 5, 2012 17:43:26 GMT -5
Sweet now I have a scale that reads in grams and ounces. Got it from Walmart when we went.
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