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Post by murphysmom on Aug 4, 2009 10:08:17 GMT -5
I know this isn't my post, but I wanted to tell you Saphire, that you are doing great! I read your post along with my own to gather information! Keep at it and Good Luck!
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Post by saphire2815 on Aug 4, 2009 20:34:32 GMT -5
Thanks murphysmom I've also been watching your thread, its fun to watch a person who started out at the same time and the different methods we are using. Isn't it funny how some take to it easy and some are like what are you trying to feed me?! LOL Today went well, I've noticed a reduction in kibble consumption. When I started this my group of 8 were eating approximatly 2 to 2 1/2 cups of kibble a day. And last night with 10, over the last 24 hours have eaten less than 1 cup of kibble! Woo Hoo, they're filling up and the energy is crazy! So today when I got home from work I changed up my routine just a little, instead of trying to get them to eat raw the minute I let them out of the cage, then I would do chores, I decided to let them run around while I did my chores, then I would give them raw. When I finally got the plate of raw with chunks added this is what happened Bon Bon, Biscuit and Blaze just dove in! Then shortly after Barlee joined in. (Yes thats Barlee he's already looking better, will give another comparison shot on Sunday) As you can see Blaze was done by the time Barlee joined, but these 4 will eat it without my dabbing their noses! Bon Bon after a while noticed the chunks and started searching them out! Baylee eats it easy too, but I had to dab her nose. The rest of the crew ate readily, it seems I have to hold Butterscotch and feed him by the spoon otherwise he just takes a few licks then tries to run away. Bacon, Bandit and Thyme just needed a dab then went to town, and Briar needed a few scruff and dabs for him to finally decide he was going to eat from the plate. So it looks like everyone is starting to like it. I'm going to have to make another batch of soup tomorrow 'cause it seems to be working, and this weekend I'll start going to the next stage Bon Bon, Blaze and Biscuit, and see if anyone else is receptive to raw. Tomorrow's another day, and each day we progress just a little bit more.
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Post by sherrylynne on Aug 5, 2009 8:35:05 GMT -5
Barlee is looking a lot better, isn't he! I'm glad they are all finally taking to it(great pics, by the way!). Good idea letting them play a while first. And even though Butterscotch still wants it from a spoon, that just makes for more bonding time. I try to give soupies at least weekly still, and although Boris will take it from the plate, he truly prefers eating it on my lap Let me know how the ones trying the chunkier version do!
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Post by saphire2815 on Aug 5, 2009 21:22:23 GMT -5
I've been giving everyone soup in the morning and when I get home, but usually in the morning I would leave the left overs for the kitties to eat, but this morning being there was only a little more than a tablespoon left, I just halved it and put it in the cages. When I got home, every single bit of it was gone! Bowls licked clean, one group attempted to overturn a kibble container! And the Kibble is still there! So I did the same tonight, as I did last night let everyone play before I brought out the soup mix with chunks added, this time I didn't mix it in though. I did make myself Hamburger Helper for dinner (Look at me feeding my ferrets better than me) and I added a pinch of raw ground beef to this batch too. I can't tell if they liked it, but I figured get them use to the flavor and start adding something different. I still haven't found a place that sells chicken hearts by themselves and it will get mighty expensive if I have to buy enough giblets every week to get enough hearts. I'll have to do a more extensive search this weekend with the Internet and my phone, it's too expensive to keep driving to different places. I have one more place right down the road from my work I'll try on Friday. OK, so I put the chunks next to the soup, and Bon Bon, Biscuit and Baylee loved them. Bon Bon and Biscuit would eat it right there at the plate, but Baylee, would grab a bunch and go run under the couch, come back get more, and over and over again. The little girl learned to hoard, I hope she realizes soon she doesn't have to. Well I just went to see where she was stashing it, and well I only found 2 pieces and she came to check out what I was doing, and she took them back from me! LOL Well I'll put some more in their cages tonight to see if they eat more overnight. Nothing real new as to who liked what, I did grab a thigh bone and Barlee played a little tug-o-war with me, but no one was real interested. I'll keep pulling one out and just see what I get. And the kitties just helped themselves with it. Right now it's just a treat for them, but the look on the ferrets faces when they come to eat and find a cat it great! What are you doing in my food bowl! So everyone knows I'm just a big softy when it comes to animals, and about the same time Butterscotch and Bon Bon came to me, a stray cat wormed his way into my heart and I started putting kibble out for him. Sometimes he's here everyday, and sometimes I don't see him for a week or more. He's not fixed, thats another mission I have, but Butterscotch to the Vet is my first priority. But I know he's eating toads (he's left me a few) and lizards and probably ducklings, we get lots of them here in my complex, so I hadn't seen him the last couple of weeks much, but he showed up today, and I put out my obligatory kibble with two meaty thigh bones for him. He cleaned those bones, well cleaned one and ate the other! And didn't touch the kibble, now that was easy! LOL
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Post by sherrylynne on Aug 5, 2009 23:09:17 GMT -5
The soupies sound like it's a major hit, now! That's wonderful. Now, start trying to thicken it up a little bit. Just so the ones who were a bit reluctant before start to get a wee bit of texture in their mouths. If you like, for the ones who are going for the chunks, try offering them chunks with just a bit of soup on top, sort of like gravy on fries And do the same for the kitty who takes to the soup well. With a business your size, I don't see a way around some pulling ahead of the others. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. Ferrets are sometimes kind of like "monkey see, monkey do" And that stashing is why I started feeding in the cage once my business hit 8 . Wings, rabbit parts, and mice from that many is something I didn't want under my sofa Although, with your cats, the stash may not be there for very long! I do know what you mean about them eating better than we do! I clean houses, and when the clients empty their freezers of freezer burned meats, I take it all home! So they get filet, wild salmon, pheasant, prime rib, etc. Little rats eat far better than me! I certainly can't afford beef tenderloin for me, let alone for them!
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Post by saphire2815 on Aug 6, 2009 11:41:45 GMT -5
Just popping in during my lunch break to say one of the resistance had a breakthrough this morning. While I was feeding Butterscotch via the spoon I looked down and there was Thyme scarfing away at the soup! Yay! I'll let you know how tonight goes. See it it was a one time deal or if she is starting to like the stuff
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Post by sherrylynne on Aug 6, 2009 13:18:54 GMT -5
Oh, that is most excellent! Yay for Thyme!!! Such a good girl.
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Post by saphire2815 on Aug 6, 2009 18:56:35 GMT -5
Thyme did it again! No prompting. Briar is the last of the resistance. I thinks he thinks I'm trying to kill him! Tonight wasn't much different everyone ate some, Briar only a few licks. I did let Baylee run off with the thigh bone after a brief game of tug'o'war with it. I'll hunt it down before I got to bed. I know the thigh bones are too big for them, but I figured it's a start to teach them to get meat off of them. Well I'm tired tonight, so I'm not going to get long winded, and nothing much different, this weekend I'll have the $$ to get them a little more variety and get Bon Bon, Biscuit and Baylee moving up the next step. I think Blaze, Bandit, Butterscotch, Barlee, and Bacon will not be too far Behind. Thyme is so anti social I'm having a hard time reading her. Time will tell where Thyme is at . Briar is probably going end up having to loose kibble before I can get him to start showing more interest, I just don't like the idea of keeping food away. He was a starving ferret when I got him, and he gets this look like "why you not feeding me mom?" Then I cave! Goodnight for now, more updates tomorrow. ;D
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Post by sherrylynne on Aug 7, 2009 9:15:20 GMT -5
They really do know how to manipulate us, don't they . You're doing really well. And so are the fuzzies!
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Post by saphire2815 on Aug 7, 2009 20:30:30 GMT -5
10 Ferrets is exhausting! Phew! But their cute little faces and the licks of love Makes it so worth the time. Well the crew is the same, it seem Bon Bon is back sliding, but I changed her to the cage with Briar, Bandit, Blaze and Bacon because of the addition of Baylee and Barlee I didn't was Bacon and Blaze picking on them and she is the only one from the rest that can hold her own against Bacon and Blaze when they start to pick on the other guys. I think they are my schoolyard bullies. Especially to Biscuit. I'm going to have to think of the cage set up. Maybe the bullies should go in the smaller cage Well after all my stops at various grocery stores and butchers, looking for different types of meat. I even found chicken hearts! Funny thing is they were at my regular grocery store, I just think they don't stock them all the time Here's the list of items I can find Gizzards Chicken Hearts Pork Heart (Would this be an ok replacement if chicken hearts can't be found?) Chicken/Pork Liver Cow Tongue Chicken/Duck Feet (Bone in and Boneless) Intestines (Animal unknown I didn't get too close to look, probably pork) Goat With Skin Chicken/Turkey Necks (would Turkey necks be ok with as many as I have, I can get more for less I found a place that sells them for .79/lb) Chicken/Turkey Wings All the standard Chicken/Steak/pork cuts Tripe Rabbit Ox Tail So I did buy Ch Hearts, Ch Liver and Thighs/Drums (they were on sale, I got lots I can freeze for later) Ch Wings and Gizzards. I figured that would be a good way to start. I think I read somewhere that you shouldn't freeze the hearts, but I don't know if I could get away with it. One package had like 40 hearts in it! From what I remember isn't it suppose to be 1 heart per week per ferret? I can't remember. I guess it's time to start figuring out how much of what. Can you refresh my memory on what a proper frankenprey diet would be? Thanks. What should my shopping list have on it, with the must haves? Shoot I just realized, I only got chicken.
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Post by sherrylynne on Aug 7, 2009 21:53:01 GMT -5
. That is one heck of a list! Ok, main idea for frankenprey is 4 days meaty bones, 2 days muscle meats, 1 liver/organ meal(half liver, half other organ). The other meal that day, feed either bone or muscle, whichever you like. Gizzards- muscle meat Chicken Hearts- muscle meat Pork Heart (Would this be an ok replacement if chicken hearts can't be found?)- muscle meat Chicken/Pork Liver- liver/organ Cow Tongue- muscle meat Chicken/Duck Feet (Bone in and Boneless)- bone in for bone, mixed with muscle meats, boneless( ), skin/fat. I understand some ferrets and cats really like them. Might be worth a shot. Intestines (Animal unknown I didn't get too close to look, probably pork)- organ meat Goat With Skin- muscle meat Chicken/Turkey Necks (would Turkey necks be ok with as many as I have, I can get more for less I found a place that sells them for .79/lb)- both bone meals. I mainly use turkey necks due to the cost! Sometimes they get chicken necks Chicken/Turkey Wings- bone meal All the standard Chicken/Steak/pork cuts- bone or boneless, depending. Try to stay away from pork and steak bones(unless pork rib ends). They can actually crack their teeth if the bone is too hard. Tripe- green only. White has no nutrition. I was also once told green tripe smells like a cow vomited it's own feces Rabbit- bone meal Ox Tail- bone meal As you can see, they can eat all of these and more! With the turkey necks, and the ox tail, you will probably have to segment them, as these can be difficult for a ferret to tear apart. The idea of freezing and hearts is that some taurine is lost with freezing. Myself, I think it's negligible, unless your refreezing several times, or leaving it in the freezer for several months. One other thing you may want to pick up is a small kitchen scale. I couldn't figure out why mine were leaving so much food behind, until I actually started to weigh it. I was trying to feed them at least twice what they could eat My females eat anywhere from 2-4 ounces a day each. My males anywhere from 3-5 ounces each. Depending, of course, on activity level, and season(they eat more coming up to winter).
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Post by saphire2815 on Aug 8, 2009 11:04:22 GMT -5
Boneless Chicken/Duck feet? I think I looked just like that Icon when I was looking at it. They were frozen I couldn't really get a good look but my thoughts were, I would hate to have to be the person having to debone those! And they had A LOT. I'll try those when I get an interest in chewing on something more. It seems everyone likes the little bite size chunky bits and just lick around the bigger pieces. Also I let Bon Bon stay in her normal cage, and she is eating raw again. I let Barlee stay in the big cage with the big guys 'cause I found he asleep in it, and he seemed no worse for wear and being he hasn't gotten himself accustom to either cage, I'll see how this arrangement works. Thyme has had a complete break through, I figured out she is the one cleaning the bowls of raw I have been leaving, she noms down on the bitty chunks and since she started eating it without prompting. Everyone is doing pretty well, I can get everyone but Briar to eat at least a spoonful. Bon Bon, Baylee, Bacon, Bandit, Biscuit, and Thyme are really getting into the chunky bits, but not real interested in big ones, but hey we are getting there. Butterscotch just like the soupy stuff, so I'll have to mix more stuff into it now that I have it. Blaze sometimes likes the raw sometimes he doesn't. Barlee doesn't want much to do with it, but will lick a little off the spoon if I hold him, and Briar thinks I'm trying to kill him. Now that I have some Ch Wings, I'll try that tonight. I think i'm going to leave a wing tip in the cage overnight to see what happens. I went to buy a kitchen scale yesterday at Walmart, and they moved them! I hate it when they re-arrange! I know it's to get people like me to meander into different parts of the store! But it doesn't work, I still don't buy what I didn't come for LOL But yes, I do have plan to get one. They can more accurately weight the ferts also! Well got a wedding reception to get ready for, let you know how things go later.
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Post by sherrylynne on Aug 8, 2009 12:37:03 GMT -5
You will find that they can all be lazy when it comes to the bigger chunks. I know mine are . Try cutting them just a smidge larger than what you have been doing. Or, you could do longer, but very thin, spaghetti like strips. That way, they still get the feel of small, but have to chew a bit. I'm glad they all seem to be doing so well! And have fun at the reception
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Post by saphire2815 on Aug 8, 2009 19:29:55 GMT -5
Well the wedding reception was fun, it was a co-workers and she is a character, she actually went to Vegas and got married at the Chapel of Love with Elvis presiding But it was a casual affair with a punk rock band! Was Awesome! Well got home, my A/C froze over and the apartment is HOT, have to let it defrost and me, ferrets and cats are just lazing around taking it easy and burning as little energy as possible. The ferrets keep coming into the middle of the living room, plop down and look at me like, why so hot mom? So I'm not pushing eating, it's too hot burn energy. But I'll still put a wing in the cage with my good group and see happens. Oh here is Barlee now. As you can see, he has really improved. Baylee is so fuzzy you can't see how skinny she was, but I can feel she has been adding some weight. And the face that start this
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Post by sherrylynne on Aug 9, 2009 10:44:44 GMT -5
When it gets really hot here, I've got some frozen water bottles that I wrap in towels, and place in the cage, and around the house. They'll lay next to them to cool off. One thing to keep in mind is that if, gods forbid, they get heat stroke DO NOT put them in cool water. They'll go into shock. Instead, wipe them with a cool cloth, especially faces, heads, and feet. Run some tepid water in the tub, just enough to be ankle height on them, and let them wander in it. Hope the a/c is repaired soon, and yeah, don't push with the food right now. If possible, feed them at dawn and dusk. It's cooler then, and that's their natural cycle anyway. By the way- they are looking good!
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