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Post by Heather on Aug 1, 2009 18:26:56 GMT -5
Looks like you have some really good interest in the food. It's when they all run away from it you know you're going to have problems I resort to the scruff and taste too, those little heads can go in amazing directions when you're trying to do the old "dab the nose thing" My guys love salmon oil too, I'm presently using small marine fish oil which my guys all love. Either work, in fact you may want to try and find another to switch back and forth with, it also helps if you can't get your normal brand and they're familiar with something else. Sounds like it's working for you, I will check in with you later. ciao
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Post by murphysmom on Aug 1, 2009 21:47:53 GMT -5
Well, as promising as the picture looked- they decided that playing with the dish was way more fun, then eating what was in it! So, Sophie got to eat left overs and let me tell you! she loves this . I put some dried S&C in their food dish tonight, so we will see what they do with it. Maybe they will like it dry better?. I will look into the oil you mentioned. I have also stopped completely with the yogurt ferret treats too, that the fosters came with. I just don't think they need them when they are getting S&C treats! Once again I have a 12 tomorrow, but hopefully I will be off the Monday and Tuesday to work some more with them all and get a little more foods to show them. I have a holistic pet store that I can go to, to get some S&C items, so I may do that. I am curious though, What would be a balanced diet if I went with commercial raw? Is there a thread on here about that?
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Post by Heather on Aug 1, 2009 22:45:09 GMT -5
Most commercial raw diets are balanced, which is why it's a little more expensive. Just read the ingredients well. You should find meat, bone, offal and possibly a low amount of veggies. Some commercial mixes try and cut corners by using too much veggies, those are the ones to beware of. Haretoday and rodentpro are two reputable online sellers, I believe that they use the whole animal but you would have to read and see (we can't get them up here). You can also find some local distributors who probably have some good products too. I use some commercial grinds to allow my guys to have a greater variety, but a couple of my students use them to feed their guys all the time. There's nothing wrong with it. It's a hundred times better than kibbles anc will give you all the benefits except it won't clean their teeth and work jaw and neck muscles. If you want, then, you can supplement with whole meats to do just that. No one, least of all me would fault you if you with to do that. ciao
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Post by murphysmom on Aug 2, 2009 20:17:54 GMT -5
Thanks for the info. I am still looking into what I want to do at this point. I figured since I am going slow, I can take my time.
Well nothing really different today. I put some of the S&C (dry) in there kibble dish and someone/s in my cage ate some during the day. The other cage holding the fosters, honestly I am not sure! I didn't count how many I put in there, but it looks like someone/s had a snack! So it is moving forward, one day at a time.
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Post by murphysmom on Aug 3, 2009 17:33:16 GMT -5
Today, I decided to make a mix of some of the kibble and some of the S&C and Wysong. I let it soak and get all mushy. Well at this point only Hammy was interested has beeninterested in it and even then just licking the water mix out of it. I let their food dishes get empty too, hoping that hunger may help them try something new.
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Post by murphysmom on Aug 3, 2009 21:35:19 GMT -5
So, I just Mada a order with Casey's Hidden Pantry. I ordered : www.caseyshiddenpantry.com/stellachewytrkykiss.htmlwww.caseyshiddenpantry.com/wysongI.htmlCasey's Hidden Pantry Sample Pack Nothing more than plastic sandwich bags with Stella and Chewy's, AFS, and ZiwiPeak products. These are not from the manufacturer, but put together at our store. ( I got the 10 sample pack on this one) They seem to like the S&C better than the Wysong, but I have really been wanting to try the Wysong for ferrets. So here it goes! I should be getting them in 2/3 days. They really did not seem to be interested in the thick soup I made. They seem to like it dry or just slightly wet. Sophie is soooo happy when they don't eat it! BTW- I lost Princess tonight. I went to put the kids to bed and I could not find her. The ferrets have their own room in my apartment( I have a ferret playpen acting as a gate to keep them from my computer). I searched and searched! Finally found her in the cat climber! The silly girl was sound asleep while I am going crazy and waking the other kids up with my sounds and flinging blankets!
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Post by murphysmom on Aug 4, 2009 15:20:50 GMT -5
So, I finally went to the store today! I bought a blender (moving up in the world!) and I got chicken gizzards and hearts and chicken wings (What I didn't realize was it is the WHOLE wing!). I made a mix as soon as I got home of the gizzards and hearts, salmon oil and water. I got Noah, Athena, Hammy to actually eat some on their own. I got Ollie, Koda, Princess, and Murphy to lick some off my fingers. So I was able to introduce it to all the kids. Of course Athena and Princess are playing and Athena just landed in the dish . Goofy ferrets, thank goodness I still have yet to clean the carpet. As for the chicken wings, should I cut them up? They are not the little wings, but large. Or can I give it to them the way they are?
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Post by murphysmom on Aug 4, 2009 21:25:36 GMT -5
So, the kiddo's are eating the dry S&C. I have been leaving a few in the kibble bowl and they are mostly, in not all, gone when I get home or go to feed them. I also put some dry kibble on the soup that I made them, since I have some that are a little hesitant about the soup and they ate the kibble off it, so they are getting used to the smell and that taste.
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Post by Heather on Aug 5, 2009 0:25:30 GMT -5
Yipes, you gave me a heart attack when you said you had "lost" Princess...I thought when I first glanced through your messages you meant as in passes away...most of my little charges on this list are sick ferrets, I've said so many goodbyes . That's my specialty....switching the little sicky ones. Thank goodness you found her. I think I age years every time one of the furbrats pulls a disappearing act on me. I think the worst one I ever had was little Calypso. She was a tiny wee thing weighing in at just under 1 lbs. She had loved her people and took being turned into rescue really badly. She would crawl off and disappear (she just slept, she was very depressed). This time she crawled off into the bedding that I had thrown on the floor to take down to the laundry room. I tossed all the brats who were playing in the blankies out and dumped the laundry into the hamper and took it downstairs. A few hours later, I discovered that Calypso was missing. No problem, she had always shown up before. No Calypso by bed time.....starting to get worried but she had crawled into bed with us before. Next morning, still no Calypso. All out search, inside outside, in the outdoor play area, no Calypso. It's now noon and I've still not found her. I'm feeling sick. I know approx how long something that small can go without food and she's running at the end of her rope. I go downstairs and start the laundry, if I don't do something I will go crazy. Let's just say it's a good thing that I shake out everything that goes into the washer. There she was wrapped up in the corner piece of the bottom sheet. I had piled so much laundry on top of her that she couldn't get out by herself. I couldn't believe that she didn't suffocate or I hadn't crushed her when stuffing all the bedding in the hamper. I'm sorry I've been bopping in and out and I must have missed your post yesterday I have a satelite internet and we've been experiencing storms so I've been trying to get all the posting done between storms . I thought I had checked in with everyone. Take the chicken wings and break them at the joints. You will then have 2 or 3 pieces, depending on if they've given you the tips too, then score the meat to the bone. See if they will eat that, or at least taste it. You may have to play a bit of tug with them to get them to bite it. You can also put a bit of salmon oil on them or even dip some of their soupy on it. You can also take a hammer to them and smash them up so that there are bits of bone and meat readily available for them to chew on. Don't throw them in your blender...makes a horrible mess of the blade Don't put out more than one or two pieces. No point wasting the food. You can grind up some of the kibble and sprinkle it on top of their soupy, this might also get them tasting the soupy on their own. You can also bread (using the ground up kibbles) the pieces of meat or the wings. It looks like your guys are making progress. I'm going to stir up my mentors again and see if anyone's game. Summer holidays has made it difficult to roust them and they're all busy doing summer things. So hopefully, you don't mind putting up with me for a bit longer . I'm not really up on the kibbles and stuff but I can help a bit. ciao
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Post by murphysmom on Aug 5, 2009 20:09:09 GMT -5
Thanks for getting back to me. I was beginning to wonder why no one wanted me ! So, I gave the kids some of the soup that I mixed yesterday with some Orijen sprinkled in top. Athena likes it. The rest are so-so. They seem to like the dry stuff better, but probably because it reminds them of kibble. Sorry about the confusion with Princess missing! I went back and reread what I wrote and was, like, oops! But I did panic when I couldn't find her! I was so scared. But now i know to look there, so hopefully all is good.
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Post by cristina on Aug 6, 2009 11:05:46 GMT -5
Hi there, my name is Cristina and I will be your mentor. I am sorry it took me longer than expected to get back to you, I take one trip in the summer and I just got back from it...so there will (hopefully) be no more distrations! *A little about me and my crew* I have 3 ferrets, Penny-female sable 2 years old yesterday!, Boomer-male dark eyed white, 2 yrs old in about a month, and Mimi- my shelter baby who is around 2 yrs old as well and she is an albino. I have been feeding raw for over a year now. I noticed you said you werent sure whether or not you wanted to switch to commercial raw or just raw....so let me know which route you want to go or if you want to do both. Also if you have a method in mind you want to use for your switch let me know (there are some different ones if you want to look through others threads and see if there are any you like in particular) or I can suggest some as well, its all up to you! I am excited to start working with you and your group!
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Post by murphysmom on Aug 6, 2009 11:09:17 GMT -5
So last night when it was time to go back into the cages, I got the dry kibble and refilled the dishes. Everyone went for it. So that stinks a little. Some are eating the soups, but not a lot. I am going to try the chicken wings today and see how that goes.
Plus it was Ollie's turn to disappear on me. I found him under a blanket in a dead sleep. I have never had a ferret dead sleep on me- it is kinda scary and somewhat funny too!
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Post by murphysmom on Aug 6, 2009 11:18:08 GMT -5
Hi Cristina! Nice to meet you. About the route I would like to take. I am leaning toward feeding commercial (Stella's and Chewies, Wysong), but I want to supplement with raw (hearts, livers, gizzards and such). I have been trying a soup that I made of the raw stuff and right now it is so-so. I am going to try chicken wings tonight. I put in a order with Casey's hidden Pantry- so I am hoping by tomorrow or Sat, I will have the Wysong ferret, plus a few other goodies I ordered them.
I kinda would like to try live prey (just really super curious how my guys would do and if they would like it). But I rec'd such critique between my family and friends. So nothing like by being beaten down by the ones you love, right! So I am still on the fence about that.
Let me know what you think about all that I look forward to hearing back form you.
BTW- I do have some ferrets (Murphy, Ollie and Princess) That I feel need an extra boost. Can you think of anything that I can add to their diet for overall health?
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Post by murphysmom on Aug 6, 2009 19:28:27 GMT -5
Well, I forgot the chicken wings were in the freezer, so I have them defrosting right now . Though I am pleased to day that I caught Noah actually eating the soup mix (there are some bigger chucks in it). Athena grabbed one of the chucks and took off with it, I had to later retrieve it from under the cage, but hey she did nibble on it. I got my package for CHP in the mail today! It is at my folks home (I ship my stuff there, since I live in an apartment complex), so I am picking it tomorrow! I am going to make more soup tonight and try to blend it better and make it smoother.
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Post by cristina on Aug 7, 2009 14:44:00 GMT -5
I just wanted to comment on the "dead sleeps", I have a ferret who dead sleeps all the time, he is deaf though so thats probably why! I do know how scary they can be, but you'll get use to it eventually! Ok then commercial diet it is then, let me know how they do with the new order of food when you get it. If you want to try whole prey (i only feed mice for whole prey b/c I dont have the heart to do anything else such as chicks and whatnot) But if your worried about how your family reacts to live prey, maybe if you start out with mice (pinkies and such) it may be more "socially acceptable" for them? If you do want to try it I would suggest you start with frozen mice to get them aquainted with the "taste" of mice since they can be pretty rich! A little immune sys. boost you can use would be a soup...liver actually is like vitamin c for ferrets, so when my guys are coming down with a cold or need a little pick me upper heres what I make: 2-3 livers (raw, blended with some warm water) mix in a tsp or 2 of duk soup mix (just like the marshals or nupro) about a tsp or 2 of oil (either olive oil or vivify, vivify is better for them though since its animal based instead of plant based) Sometimes I put in a whole egg or just the shell and the yolk Also I add in a capsule of taurine (same supplemet for humans I get mine at a vitamin store, it helps with a healthy strong heart) *all the ingredients are up to you whether you want to use them or not, but make sure whatever you use that liver is the main component*
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