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Post by inzekesmemory on Jun 25, 2009 8:36:03 GMT -5
i am interested in raw feeding, rocky will be, i'm thinking easy to "convert"...lily? hmmmmm...she's my toughy. has no interest in anything new. example...when i brought in snow for them to play, rocky dove in, lily thought it was someones idea of a bad joke!!! after the snow incident, she started pooping at the bottom of the ramp in the cage...took me 2 days to figure out, i was keeping the litter on the cold porch and as far as she was concerned, some one had filled her litter box with snow!!! that's how lily feels about change.she also has never even tried any soups i've offered, rocky, i did find one mix he loved!!! i can see her going on a hunger strike, and eating the kibble because obviously i can't just switch "cold turkey" so she, i'm thinking will eat the kibble and not be hungry enough to try anything else. anyone up for a challenge??
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Post by Heather on Jun 25, 2009 23:28:39 GMT -5
Hi and welcome to the mentoring programme I will see about getting you a mentor. In the mean time I or any of the mentors will pop in and answer any of your questions. Please feel free to check out the various mentoring threads and see if any of the switching methods might appeal to you and your little furkids I will pop in and see how things are doing a little later ciao
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Post by Heather on Jun 25, 2009 23:43:56 GMT -5
Can I please get you to fill out our information and request for a mentor sheet, this will start up your contract with your mentor. It will explain to you what is expected of you in the program and what you can expect from your mentor. The questions will help your mentor understand where your furbabies are at, their ages and their health and condition. holisticferret.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=newbie&action=display&thread=822Thank you ciao
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Post by inzekesmemory on Jun 27, 2009 7:53:15 GMT -5
yep..today i am off, haven't had time to fill it out completely ...filled out part of it and saved to my word program, now it won't give it back!!! got some running to do and will get to it this afternoon. might not get pics to post though...tried yesterday and there was a operator malfunction of some type!!! LOL i am not very puter literate!!!!
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Post by inzekesmemory on Jun 27, 2009 15:34:22 GMT -5
I hope this is in the right spot...
1. How many ferrets do you currently have? What are their names, ages, genders, and do they have any health problems (this is VERY important)? Rocky, neutered male, born Oct 2007? Lily, spayed female born Oct 2007? bought at Petco Dec. 2007 by a friend. Paperwork says 6 weeks at that time. No known health problems, last vet check Apr 2009. Rabies given at that time. Titer done, both need distemper booster.
2. What are your ferrets currently eating? Include their main diet, plus any treats or supplements (such as duk soup).
Marshells/zupreem mix. meow mix cat food in small quanitys as a treat, n bones . rocky eats them lily doesn't
3. What kind of diet do you want to switch to?
Raw not prey
4. Why do you want to switch to this more natural diet?
because from what i read, it is better for them and the cancers etc that ferrets are prone to has been linked to poor diet.
5. Where/what/who got you interested in natural diets?
reading the forums
6. Please list the current weight for your ferret(s). Do they appear overweight? Underweight? How is there muscle tone?
Rocky was 2lbs 10oz on 4/14/09 Lily was 1lb 13oz the same day muscle tone is good. Rocky has lost some weight from losing winter fat. Going back to the vet for distemper shots and weight check in two weeks.
7. What is the condition of your ferret's teeth/gums? (can you get a picture?)
Good..appear to be healthy, no cavities as i can see..minimal tarter buildup
8. Describe the texture/color of your ferrets coat.
Rocky is creme with black top hairs...Lily is sable with a black mask
9. How often does your ferret go to the bathroom?
every 3-4 hours
10. Does your ferret's feces and/or urine smell?
very smelly from the zupreem i've been told
11. Smell your ferret. How strong is their odor?
they smell stronger since i switched to zupreem. they were no where near as strong on just marshells, but i've read it's not healthy for them so we just deal with it, i love them anyway and they think i smell like a people so we tolerate each other!!!
12. On a scale of 1-10, 1 being completely lethargic and 10 being "through the roof!" what is your ferret's energy level? about a 7 most days, however after about an hour of play their tired and speed bump and find a sleepy spot
13. How excited is your ferret about meal time (when fed kibble)?
they love it when i put a few pieces on the floor as a treat...when i fill the dish they come running but only eat if they are hungry. the dish has never been empty so they aren’t real excited.
14. Have you attempted to switch from kibble to a natural diet in the past? If so, what methods have you tried. Be specific.
i have tried to give them raw chicken, cooked egg, raw egg, raw pork and they wouldn't eat it. rocky did eat a mix of chicken baby food, wet kibble, and heavy cream, lily wouldn't touch it.
15. What other information about your ferret(s) would you like to share? i am a little concerned about rockys weight loss, he is starting to look skinny to me, i will take them to the vet in 2 weeks. though i'm thinking it's just his winter fat is gone. sooner to the vet if he shows any signs of being sick, but he doesn't act sick right now. lily is my sneezy little girl..right down to i have to buy unscented laundry soap for her or she wheezes and sneezes!!!! i think she's allergic to ferrets!!!LOL
16. If you can, please post a clear photograph of EACH of your ferrets directly below: I will try to edit this post with pics..my camera is not the greatest neither are my computer skills!!!
17.
a.) Do you understand that by starting this thread you commit to posting updates on the progress of your ferret(s) diet switch atleast every other day?**
yes, I will be looking for my mentor to assure my fuzzys are getting the right mix of nutrition. That is the part that makes me nervous, how do I know their getting what they need?
b.) Do you understand that if you will be away from your computer for an extended period of time you will need to exchange phone numbers (or email addresses if you don't feel comfortable exchanging numbers)via private message with your assigned mentor, so that we can monitor your progress and ensure your ferret's safety during the switch?
Yes. I will exchange my phone number and email just in case my computer is down, I can always go to the library to get my emails.
c.) Do you understand that any threads that have not been updated in for more then a week (with no explanation as to why you are absent) will result in the deletion of the thread?***
yes
**Note 1: If you are unable to make it to a computer (such as on weekends) please indicate below so we know whether you just don’t have computer access or if you have gone MIA.
Might go MIA on some evenings as I just started back to work and my body is still adjusting to losing it’s afternoon nap!! LOL
***Note 2: If you would like to try the switch again and you are committed to making regular updates you ARE welcome to restart your thread. Failure to provide regular updates will result in the deletion of your thread.
« Last Edit: Sept 15, 2008, 3:46pm by Giu
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Post by inzekesmemory on Jun 27, 2009 15:39:37 GMT -5
so i made a mix of moistened kibble, turkey baby food, whipping creme and chopped chicken livers...of course rocky loves it...lily thought i put battery acid on her nose!!!! she's gonna be my tough one!!! i was just experimenting, he only had about a teaspoon full, still has a dish of kibble always. just finished filling out the questionnaire, i'm gonna try her again on the soupies this evening..i feel bad putting it on her nose, cause she does flip!!! one little dot on the tip and she's mad!!!
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Post by Heather on Jun 27, 2009 15:51:49 GMT -5
Poor Lily, she's got so much to learn but she will probably give you a bit of grief..but that's ok, we'll get there I've had some of my guys gag, spit and otherwise accuse me of poisoning them when I dabbed their noses:D They were all very happily chowing down on some mice last night so through patience, percerverance and a little bit of luck we'll have Lily eating raw meats like a pro Be careful with the chicken livers (or liver of any kind) it's rather rich and it can and does create a loose poopy problem for the little newbies. Try some ground up chicken meat or very tiny sliced meats, it's easier on the stomach for the newbies. Now that I have your application, I will go find me a mentor for you Off hunting mentors , meanwhile if you think of any questions please feel free to ask away, either myself or one of the mentors will get you answers until you have your fultime mentor. ciao
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Post by inzekesmemory on Jun 27, 2009 17:11:14 GMT -5
k..thanks..also bought pork liver, i've already got boneless chicken thighs frozen and pork chops, it's only me here, so sharing my food isn't an issue.....just giving little bits of the soupies right now. i will try lily again tonight..though she wasn't very happy!!!!! she had the same reaction to ferrotone..ran like i put acid on her!!! they are goofy critters!!! i can go buy whatever else i need, my concern is making sure they are getting the right mix...i think there's a meat grinder at ma's...will check later, that would help with grinding bones. i'm a little afraid of the bones..won't they choke? i have that "ingrained don't give animals bones," but i know for ferrets it's not necessarily true?? looking forward to giving them a healthier diet, but a little afraid i won't do it right!!!!
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Post by Heather on Jun 27, 2009 20:18:45 GMT -5
I can certainly understand and sympathize with your concerns with bone. I've been there but believe me when I tell you that raw bone is a very necessary component of these little carnivores diet. I've been feeding raw for over 11 yrs now, and have converted over 30 ferrets in my own house (not counting ferrets that I've helped switch through the mentoring program) 3 cats (one finicky old siamese who has now reached the ripe old age of 21) and 3 dogs (well really only two the wolfhound puppy came to me already eating raw ) Bone (raw) is the part that gets the calcium and many of the trace minerals that they need to help them build strong bones and create a good immune system. I know I was raised on the horror stories of somebody's dog that got into the garbage ate the bones and died. Those bones were cooked, it changes the component of the bones making them nutritionally lacking and causing them to shatter, splinter and become a lethal weapon on your furkids digestive tract. As far a choking, the worst choking incident I've ever had was with kibbles (mind you it was a dog but still, it scared me terribly) I find that the worst I've had to deal with the ferrets is them occasionally getting a bone shard stuck in their teeth. Once they've got the hang of it, most times they will just flick it out, but when they first start it scares them a bit and they gag and spit and claw at their mouth. All you have to do is flick the offending piece of bone out of their teeth with your fingernail and everything is fine and the incident is forgotten. Here is a balanced recipe you can try if you like, I've used a similar recipe to switch all my furbabies. You can try to get them to eat a raw soupy immediately. You will need a blender/food processor (please don't add bone to your food processor or blender it makes an awful mess of the blades ), and the following raw items: 8 oz raw chicken thigh meat (including skin and fat) 1 tsp of crushed eggshell powder (take a raw eggshell. Rinse it out. Let it dry. Crush to powder)** 1 raw chicken heart 1/2 raw chicken liver Water (use more to make it soupier, less to make it thicker) **If you are using a ground commercial mix or you're making your own mix of raw meat and bones, don't add the egg shell** Blend ingredients together. Some prefer it at room temp. Try putting a dollop of "soup" onto your ferret's nose and they probably will lick it off. I use my finger. Sometimes this takes a little bit trying to convince them that you're not trying to poison them I find within a very short time they're licking this off my finger. When I see that they're willing to eat freely off my finger then I use a small spoon to try and get them to eat from that. Try to get them eating the soupy on their own. It might pique their interest. If they absolutely refuse to try the soupy, suck some of it up into the syringe. Use the guide below to get them eating the soup from the syringe: forum.ferret.com/tm.asp?m=27179I'm not a big fan of syringe feeding and don't use it, but I feel that you should be aware of all your options. My biggest fear when feeding through a syringe is aspiration. Most ferrets will willingly eat the food once they actually TASTE it, so the only struggle you *should* encounter is them not wanting to taste it. Don't be surprised if your furbabies' initial reaction is to gag, spit and look at you like, what are you trying to poison me with But don't let them get away with it The hardest part is to insist and be consistent. Please also be aware that after years of kibbles they aren't aware that what you're offering them is indeed food. Once they willingly eat from the syringe, or your finger and spoon, work to try and get them eating this out of a dish or plate. Each time you make your soupy, use a little less water to make it thicker/chunkier. Replace soup with fresh soup every 4-6 hours. You can make a large batch if you like and freeze into ice cubes or cupcake trays. Then you just thaw a portion and serve. OR you can put a frozen "cube" into their bowl and let it slowly thaw. Please understand most of us have been in your shoes about fearing about not doing it correctly and most of us found ourselves leaning on someone who had the patience to walk us through our fears. I had a wonderful mentor those many years ago, who listened to my fears and helped me understand that I wasn't an idiot, that I was very capable of looking after my furbabies nutritional needs. That's why this program was created. I and a couple of others helped Giuli when she was switching her ferrets, this forum was her brainchild to create a safe place that would help others who were scared and felt alone in taking this big step. This is my gift to my mentor to help others feel more comfortable in making this leap and taking responsibility for our furbabies health and nutritional needs. I'm now going to get out of here before I can write a flipping book and put you to sleep ciao
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Post by inzekesmemory on Jun 28, 2009 5:36:23 GMT -5
okay..got everything but chicken hearts, will go to wegmans (they are the king of variety meats here) and get them...not until 11 though, i have been dying for a big mac!!! just cause the ferrets are eating better, doesn't mean i have too!!! LOL i ate their liver i had thawed for my supper last night, any other types of meat i should grab while i'm there? let me know if you see this before 10:30...i'll check it before i go. thanks for the input
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Post by inzekesmemory on Jun 28, 2009 9:22:24 GMT -5
well..gave them some more of the soupies i made yesterday..(no funky poops, but there was very little of the liver in it anyway) rocky of course chowed, put some on lily's nose and she wore it for fifteen minutes!!!! i think she rubbed it off on the bedding!!! going to get the rest of the ingredients and try again, will keep you posted.
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Post by tss on Jun 28, 2009 19:29:26 GMT -5
Hi!! My name is Maria and I will be your mentor. I started feeding a raw diet in October of '05, to my beagle mix Tessa.. From then on I started feeding it to my other dogs and then my first ferret Weezer (who is no longer living ), I got him in October '07 and started feeding him raw right away. Then I acquired Lillian in November '07, Ravi in September '08 and Lakota in April of this year.. Weezer was harder to switch, it took him a long time to get onto a complete raw diet.. All of my other ferrets (Including Jill who has also passed away) switched without issue.. I have been mentoring here since May of last year. There are different ways of switching ferrets, we will need to find what works best for Lilly.. Since she loves her kibble I would fast her for about 4 hours and mix a pinch of ground beef, turkey or chicken in with a bit of kibble.. Don't use very much meat at all, and only use as much kibble as you think she can eat in one sitting. Let me know how this works
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Post by inzekesmemory on Jun 30, 2009 7:19:33 GMT -5
didn't drop off the face of the earth..just been busy. i am a little afraid of the fasting with her...isn't it dangerous to fast a ferret because of their sensitive sugar levels? i am going to try the mix that was posted earlier in this thread today. i know rocky will eat it. lily i'm gonna try the nose thing again, i just did the one dab the other day, i was rushed for time and was just experimenting..will let you know back later thunder and lightening gotta shut my puter off
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Post by tss on Jul 1, 2009 10:10:52 GMT -5
Provided the ferret doesn't have insulinoma fasting is fine.. 4 hours isn't long either, mine normally go about 12 hours a day without food.. Something to keep in mind is that in the wild ferrets aren't going to have food 24 hours a day.
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Post by inzekesmemory on Jul 3, 2009 7:26:19 GMT -5
today is the day!!!! got everything i need for the first recipe you gave me. got up this am and the full dish is almost empty..somebody got a case of the hungarys in the night i guess!!! so now i'm gonna put the new mix in for a couple hours and see how it goes..will let you know!!!
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