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Post by Heather on Feb 26, 2010 13:45:04 GMT -5
A the litter box stash....I really wish that wasn't the fert's refridgerator of choice That must have been quite the sight, one pup in the fert cage. Desperation knows no bounds I find that this time of year my guys are starting to slack off their food. They're still wearing their beautiful winter coats but already the scales are telling me they think spring is just around the corner. Everyone's weight is down an ounce or two. The food stays in the bowl a little longer or the rat takes a couple of trips around the house instead of just once (of course he's never alone ) Food fights are fewer and Odin smells a little worse as he's the older of the two poofters and was intact longer. Sounds to me that your guys are doing very well, even if they're stashing some of their food in the litter box ciao
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Post by tiggyeaj on Feb 26, 2010 23:09:32 GMT -5
I think you must be right about them eating less because the seasons are changing (hah! Not here in N Ohio). Neither of them is eating as much, but both are still bright-eyed and full of trouble. Tomorrow is liver. Since they've been getting their bone from the chicken and turkey, I didn't add any eggshell last week--bad idea! So I'm going to add a little powdered eggshell and see if that helps. It will be the first time Noodle has had eggshell, so we'll see how it goes.
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Post by Heather on Feb 27, 2010 1:00:32 GMT -5
Yah....I find that my few that will actually eat liver give me some really gross poops which is why I've resorted to adding a bone meal with the liver. It all works out in the end. Make sure that the egg shell is powdered and it shouldn't bother him at all. Good luck ciao
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Post by tiggyeaj on Mar 1, 2010 6:15:16 GMT -5
Well, they weren't too thrilled with the powdered eggshell in their liver, but they eventually ate it. I'm concerned though, because both of them have very loose poops. How often should they be getting bone? Most of the whole meat I give them has bone in it. Should I give the pieces that have more bone and less meat (like backs)?
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Post by Heather on Mar 2, 2010 0:48:45 GMT -5
I"m not overly surprised at your liver results. It's difficult to get the amounts just right which is one of the reasons why I feed little bits every day instead of a meal. You're going to have to work this by a bit of trial and error, sorry. You can try feeding backs on the day before you feed liver (this upping the amount of bone) and possibly firming up the poops. The amount of bone required by your ferrets is going to be chosen by them. Generally, you feed between 4 and 5 days out of the week. One of my students actually found that her guys do best with meat in the morning and bone at night. Now that you've got your little ones basically switched it now becomes a matter of tweeking it so that your guys thrive eating their new diet . One of the things you might take a look at, especially if you're feeding meat and bone most of the time is that you feed meats with less meat alternating with more meat the next meal or the next day. This is one of the banes and bonuses of feeding raw. It can be adjusted for each ferret's needs. The tweeking takes a little time. You may want to keep a journal of what you feed and the results so that you can figure this out. You're doing great, so are your little ones. ciao
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Post by tiggyeaj on Mar 4, 2010 22:58:23 GMT -5
Noodle just amazes me. He's a bone munching machine! He adores his necks and backs. I think the increased eggshell helped with the loose poops, so now to figure out how much works.
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Post by Heather on Mar 5, 2010 1:07:49 GMT -5
Good luck ciao
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Post by tiggyeaj on Mar 8, 2010 7:49:46 GMT -5
Good news, bad news. I went out of town this weekend for my father's birthday, and one of my roommates said that he would feed the babies for me. Good news: he did. Bad news: he didn't feed them the prepared meals I left. Good news: apparently they much prefer their raw food. Bad news: it means my babies didn't eat much, because my dingbat roommie gave them 8-in-1 (left-overs that I never pitched). Arrgh! My poor babies! Last time I do that. I know he meant well, but ARGHHH!!!! So now I'm worried about who can babysit them when I volunteer at the World Equestrian Games in October (yeah, I worry about these things really far in advance). I won't be able to take them with me. I wonder if a rescue might be able to sit for them, for a really nice donation of course Or maybe the vet . . . My parents and family are out of the question--they only like the babies from a safe distance! LOL
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Post by Heather on Mar 8, 2010 14:51:38 GMT -5
Don't you just love it First, dump the 8 in 1. Donate it to the shelter anything. I never keep the stuff in the house. I had a 10 lbs bag that came in with 2 little ferts....I took it to the humane society and told them their cats could have it. Second, use your roomie.....just this time leave absolute explicit information. What I do is I set up little baggies with their food in them. This is to be fed day 1 in the am, day 1 pm, Day 2 am, Day 2 pm.....and so on. Write out when they're to be let out for play, when the litter boxes need to be changed and so on. Each time you go out it's a learning experience. You learn things that work and don't work. Shelters and your vet may or may not feed the raw food to your babies and I'm always concerned with what virus' and such are there. Don't be too ticked with your roomie ciao
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Post by tiggyeaj on Mar 10, 2010 15:04:23 GMT -5
Sorry for the delay--my computer cord shorted out (a very YIKES moment!). We're doing well, I'm going to start adding some powdered taurine supplement to the soups, just because I worry about these things. We're experimenting with hearts now, but the monsters aren't showing much interest.
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Post by Heather on Mar 11, 2010 0:31:09 GMT -5
I used to worry about the taurine too. I do a lot less now but I think some of that comes with time and getting comfortable with what you're feeding. Every now and then I will buy a bottle and feed for a bit, especially if I know that the meat has been frozen, and then refrozen. Ouch....that could have been a "shocking" loss of information No one hurt, I hope? ciao
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Post by tiggyeaj on Mar 12, 2010 12:52:44 GMT -5
I was mostly shocked (lol), no damage to myself. I'm trying to get the furbrats to eat more organs, but it's an uphill battle. Today we are trying gizzards again. Noodle, who has been so laid-back about his transition, is balking the most. He also isn't a huge fan of the ground turkey like Muddy is, so the normal soup doesn't seem to appeal to him. He mostly wants his turkey or chicken necks and tails. I've heard darker meats have more taurine? I'm going to go buy some chicken thighs and pork chops tonight.
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Post by Heather on Mar 13, 2010 0:30:50 GMT -5
You're correct. If he's really giving you grief, buy some taurine supplement and sprinkle it on his chicken necks (it's tasteless) ...just a thought. I don't like "artificial" supplements but they've got their place. He may eventually work his way around it all. ciao
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Post by tiggyeaj on Mar 15, 2010 21:13:14 GMT -5
I conintue to be amazed at the change in Muddy since she has gone all raw. Her coat is smooth and no longer brittle and she's filled-out so much. How many gizzards are OK a week? Muddy adores them (one second she was snubbing them, then she realized she liked them--like a toddler!)
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Post by Heather on Mar 15, 2010 23:08:16 GMT -5
You'll know when you've fed too many....she will get runny black poopies ....it's not bad, just messy. I use them as muscle meat, so go with it under that premise. You can use them just like hearts I'm glad that you're starting to see positive changes in Muddy. It's amazing isn't it ciao
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