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Post by luvfuzzies20 on Aug 14, 2009 12:33:42 GMT -5
Still working on tiny pieces of chicken in everyone's daily chicken gravy. Most of them are eating it.
I plan to go to the St Paul Farmers Market tomorrow. Any pointers you want to pass along? Hopefully can find some good meat deals. Mainly for the dogs, for now.
How is Ghia doing?
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Post by luci on Aug 14, 2009 18:04:15 GMT -5
What time are you going? I could meet you there and maybe we could wrangle some deals. Or just come and park over here and meet the kids and we could walk over. You have my number, yes? I pretty much buy stuff from Bar 5 every weekend. They usually have 2-6 lbs worth of pork, beef and/or lamb set aside for me. Otis Family farms used to always give me stuff for super cheap and sometimes free, but he's not bringing as much undesirable stuff like hearts and tongue and such like he used to. He usually has chicken or turkey backs to give away. I got a case from him that will last me the year probably. I still check him out and see what he has. Callister Farms has lots of chicken parts all nice and packaged up like feet, hearts, gizzards, etc. $1.50 a pound for most of that. Big Woods (I think that's it) Bison sometimes has heart or liver for me, but I usually have to ask him for it and then he might bring it a month later. There are a few other meat vendors I try here and there. Most of the time I go later in the day, like noon or so and they're willing to make some deals. Less for them to pack up. Ghia is taking it easy, but she gets up to eat and is mostly excited about mealtimes. She gets sick of the mush, so I have to alternate with the mush, watered down mush soup and cooked bits of meat. She was running around today following after me up and down the stairs and stashing a few of her favorite little tennis balls. She's been very good about using the litter box. I have an appointment Monday at noon to do an ultrasound and a biopsy. She's so fluffy... she'll look funny with her belly shaved, but I think she's like it. She seems to be picking cool places to put her tummy on. Give me a call or leave me a message here about tomorrow. I'll be home all day today.
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Post by luvfuzzies20 on Aug 15, 2009 4:48:33 GMT -5
Saw your message too late to call you, sorry.
We are getting a load of hay tomorrow, so I won't be able to get to the farmers market. Maybe next weekend? It will be great to have you show me all the good spots. And be able to visit 'the girls'.
I'll call you.
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Post by luvfuzzies20 on Aug 19, 2009 10:36:39 GMT -5
Just a quick update:
Everyone still getting small bits of chicken in their chicken gravy every morning. Still have 4 hold-outs --- Maverick, Rusty, Buddy & Franklin.
I have also put in a random piece of liver &/or chicken heart. They are being eaten. YAY!!
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Post by luci on Aug 21, 2009 7:21:40 GMT -5
That's wonderful! Keep on being sneaky.
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Post by luvfuzzies20 on Aug 23, 2009 11:03:44 GMT -5
Sad news to report. Franklin passed away early this morning (2:20am) by my side. He had been getting thinner and not eating as well lately. He was adrenal and had insulinoma. He had been on Pred for over a year, so I'm sure those things were catching up with him.
I had him on chicken gravy &/or his watered down kibble during the last days. And since he wasn't eating much, the seizures took over.
He will be missed by Eleanor. I will have to see if she can fit into another group. It will be hard because she is an alpha female.
Franklin & Eleanor were surrendered to me back in January 2005 and they are now 6 yrs old.
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Post by Heather on Aug 26, 2009 1:47:10 GMT -5
I"m so sorry to hear about Franklin. Your little furbaby is now running free and healthy once more. I will light a candle for your sweet little boy. How is Eleanor doing? Are you having any luck getting her integrated? Please keep us posted. ciao
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Post by luci on Aug 26, 2009 23:39:05 GMT -5
Oh Liz, I'm so sorry. I hope Eleanor will find a new buddy. Right now Fierra seems to be doing okay without Ghia, but I would like to find her a friend some day. Dave and I will have to have that conversation eventually. We're not quite ready yet. I think we'll have to let Fierra pick her friend. She's kind of alpha too.
Take care. We'll talk soon.
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Post by luvfuzzies20 on Aug 27, 2009 10:41:25 GMT -5
Sorry to hear about Ghia. I hadn't been following your other post, so I didn't know. (But I did go back and read it now.) Sorry to hear about the passing of your grandpa, too. So much loss in one week, let me know if you need anything. I put Eleanor in with my 'rag-tag' group of others that had lost their mates in the past (Sahara, Chip, Willie, Anna), plus the new guy from Anoka impound. It seems to be going pretty well. She hasn't all out attacked anyone yet, which I thought she would. She must be mellowing in her old age. When the time comes when all of you are ready to welcome a new one into your family, let me know. I always have ones on my list that are looking for a new home. And these people don't want any money for their ferrets, just a great home to become a part of. You can usually set up play dates to see if they are compatable, which is nice. You are always welcome to come over with Fierra for a social visit, too. Maybe she would like to hook-up with her old buddies, Bear & Tiberon? That could be easily arranged, they live in Coon Rapids.
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Post by Heather on Aug 31, 2009 23:50:40 GMT -5
I've noticed that this thread has been quiet for a bit, how are things going? ciao
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Post by luvfuzzies20 on Sept 1, 2009 1:01:22 GMT -5
It's going pretty well. I have only 3 (out of 19) that are refusing to eat the chicken bits in the gravy. What would be my next trick to get them to eat raw? And with the 16 that are eating bits out of the gravy.... Do I just keep getting the chunks larger and reduce the gravy?
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Post by luci on Sept 1, 2009 12:52:00 GMT -5
For the three holdouts... Have you tried cooking their meat a little? It might entice them if you can make the meat more aromatic. I used to cut the meat into about 1" cubes, get some water up to a rolling boil and drop the meat in for a few seconds. Then I cut the meat into wee little pieces that they might accidentally eat.
For the raw eaters... Yes, start increasing the size. Do you have anyone eating bone?
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Post by luvfuzzies20 on Sept 3, 2009 11:11:57 GMT -5
The only ones eating bones are the ones that eat the mice in our house. Katrina catches them live and then her sister, Gracie, and another ferret, Chloe, fight over who gets to eat it.
What type of bone do you suggest? I have tried putting pieces of cornish game hen on the plate. Tips of wings, cut up sections of bone-in breast. But I have usually found them later hiden in a box.
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Post by luci on Sept 3, 2009 12:47:57 GMT -5
Those are good. Even if they're not chomping through the bones yet at least they're putting the bones in their mouth to carry them off so that's a start. I had good luck with quail. Another thing to try is actually smashing the bone with a mallet or something so they can see all the delicious marrow.
You may want to get a supply of crushed egg shells going in case you need to sneak calcium into their diet. You can add a tiny pinch to a serving of gravy.
Any luck with the holdouts?
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Post by luvfuzzies20 on Sept 4, 2009 15:27:23 GMT -5
Yes.... my holdouts ate raw today. I ground up a chicken thigh (with bone & skin) with a heart, some liver and a little water. It made a paste like blob. I mixed about 1/3 paste to 2/3 chicken gravy and they ate it. Maverick was still a little leary.... he mangaged to eat some off my finger. It always seems a little more special when it comes off my finger. But, Buddy & Rusty ate their gravy willingly. Funny story: Last night while feeding the dogs their raw dinner in the kitchen, my little Katrina kept stealing the chicken feet from their bowls. It was so funny to see her run across the floor dragging this chicken foot. She has stolen whole chicken legs in the past, too. She's also my mouse hunter.
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