glynus
Going Natural
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Posts: 143
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Post by glynus on Jan 15, 2009 18:17:06 GMT -5
Not much has changed. Haven't wanted to push anything while Bastien was still not up to par. Melinda has been pigging out but I have been having to finger feed Bastien to get anything in him. He's still not 100% but getting there.
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glynus
Going Natural
RAW FEEDER
Posts: 143
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Post by glynus on Jan 18, 2009 18:38:04 GMT -5
Bastien actually ate on his own this morning First time in two weeks that I haven't had to chase him down to finger feed him!! He still isn't back to normal but hopefully we can get back on track. One step forward, three back - at least that's how it seems
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Post by tsslilsis on Jan 19, 2009 11:20:14 GMT -5
That is wonderful. I'm sorry I haven't replied lately, I've been preparing for visitors.
Have you tried switching up the diet any or are you just feeding them the NV?
You can give Bastien a kiss for me and tell him I'm glad he's feeling better, hehe.
-~Ketlin
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glynus
Going Natural
RAW FEEDER
Posts: 143
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Post by glynus on Jan 22, 2009 21:07:49 GMT -5
Basically, I have been staying with the same diet - cornish game hen or pork in the morning and beef NV at night. I did try giving them some rabbit (aunt Jeni's) tonight - Melinda wasn't thrilled but she ate some. Bastien would lick some off my finger and then spit it out I ended up being a nice mommy and getting them some NV (Riley of course thought this was great - she had not qualms about eating rabbit!) I also cut up some CGH neck tonight just to see what they would do. Bastien picked up a piece and took it to the corner. He sniffed and licked it but that was all. Melinda didn't even look at them Melinda has been eating like a pig (she kind of sounds like one too when she is at the bowl!). I don't think she is eating more than usual - she just wants to inhale it as fast as she can. Bastien is still not eating a lot but he is eating on his own for the most part. I think I am going to order some more NV. They don't seem to like the Aunt Jeni's very much... of course, it may be just that they don't like rabbit or turkey. I will keep trying to give them little bits now and then to see if they will develop a taste for it. So far, all they are eating is chicken (or CGH), pork, and beef NV. I have been cutting down on the amount of baby food they get with each meal. They are getting better about eating the meat but it's very slow going. Hope you have fun with your visitors. No worries about not responding quickly enough - I know you are there and that in itself is a big relief! I don't feel like I'm all alone in alien territory
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glynus
Going Natural
RAW FEEDER
Posts: 143
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Post by glynus on Jan 22, 2009 21:41:55 GMT -5
I'm so excited!!! Bastien just ate a piece of CGH neck and is working on another one Ok, so I know I am a dork!!! Both of the kids had curled up in their cage and I decided to harrass them into playing a little more. Melinda came out to play but Bastien was just laying there looking bored. I don't know why but I picked up a piece of the neck and offered it to him. He licked it and then took it and started chowing down!!!! (tried giving a piece to Melinda - she stashed it )
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Post by tsslilsis on Jan 22, 2009 22:23:39 GMT -5
They are eating four varieties of meat in their diet now and the minumum is 3 so that in itself is an accomplishment. If they had to stay on that in rotation that would be fine, of course if you can get them to eat other things that is great but there is no need to be concerned about it. Go Bastien, Go Bastien, Gooooo!! *Cheers* You are certainly not a dork. I've been through what your going through with Weezer and there was a victory dance in store when he decided that RMBs were not poisonis. Hopefully Melinda will pick up on it.. It seems that sometimes it is inticing enough to other ferrets when they see their siblings eating on some RMBs or when one of them leaves a drooled on, chewed on piece laying there.. They decide they want to try it, and they end up loving it. Things always end up working themselves out one way or another. He may take to other bone in bits of CGH now.. Be sure not to go too long between bone in CGH meals or he might loose the liking for bone.. Then you can move on to other bone in meats. You are doing a great job. With the trial and error you have had I think if you are willing you yourself will become a great mentor one day. -~Ketlin
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glynus
Going Natural
RAW FEEDER
Posts: 143
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Post by glynus on Jan 27, 2009 9:41:38 GMT -5
High praise - Thank you!!! Bastien has eaten a few more bone bits... not consistent at this point, though. Sometimes he looks at me like "what are you giving me THAT for" and other times he takes it. I've tried just putting pieces in their food to see if he will pick them out himself. No luck - although Melinda will steal and stash them Actually, a little progress on Melinda. She has actually gone back and eaten some of her stashed food a couple of times. (I will take whatever progress I can get at this point ) I have been putting less and less baby food in their meats. We are down to about 1/2 a tablespoon with each meal as long as I add enough water to make soup. Neither one is real excited about the plain meat but they will eat it after drinking up the "juice". If I don't put enough water in the meat, they sniff and walk away
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Post by tsslilsis on Jan 29, 2009 19:54:36 GMT -5
How long do you generally give Melinda before you take away her stashes? She is probably always intending to eat them but doesn't get the chance.
All ferrets apparently prefer the meat juices.. Its yummy and requires less work than meat itself. When my ferrets ate their food soupie they would end up having so much broth they would be full before they got to the meat.. Along with the slowly reducing of the baby food you can try slowly reducing the "broth" if you want, but it doesn't really matter. Its just that broth won't be practical when they are started on whole things like wings and legs.
Have you tried anymore to see about getting chicken legs?
-~Ketlin
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glynus
Going Natural
RAW FEEDER
Posts: 143
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Post by glynus on Jan 31, 2009 19:37:09 GMT -5
Usually, I leave her stashes alone until I put the kids back in the cage... unless it requires crawling under or moving furniture - then they stay for a day or two I've been leaving some meat and bone in their cage during the day but it hasn't looked like they've been too interested. Melinda did steal a drumstick the other night and I heard a little crunching from under the desk! Keep meaning to ask, how long can the meat and bones sit safely?
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Post by tsslilsis on Jan 31, 2009 19:52:18 GMT -5
The general rule is 24 hours.. But most or all ferrets manage to hide meat good enough until no one finds it and they let it turn to jerky before they eat it and it doesn't cause them to get sick or anything.. The meat just dries out and has no smell and they eat it up. But they won't eat it if it is rotten, and while you should stay at the 24 hour mark where possible there is absolutely no need to panick if you find some old dried up meat.
I read about someone finding a stashed chicken wing that was about two weeks old!
-`Ketlin
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glynus
Going Natural
RAW FEEDER
Posts: 143
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Post by glynus on Feb 4, 2009 16:40:33 GMT -5
Thanks Ketlin. That makes me feel better. Don't think I have to worry about finding much 2 weeks later - Riley has figured out where most of the stashes are and cleans them out if she gets the chance (I'm trying to remember to keep the door closed even when Melinda and Bastien are caged) Sorry I haven't posted in the last couple of days - kept getting distracted. I think I am taking after the ferts - very short attention span I have been giving less baby food and the fuzzies are getting better at eating the meat. I crushed some chicken thigh bone and they both ate some of it in with their regular meal. (Love the sound of bone being crunched!) I've been putting larger pieces of bone on their plate too so that maybe they will start to associate it with food. Every now and then they will nibble a little piece of meat off but it just takes too much work (brats) I have noticed that they seem to be more eager for meal time now than they were before. They never finish all that I give them and they seldom eat anything I leave in the cage during the day or overnight so I think they are getting enough (although by the way they run when they see their bowl, you would think they were being starved!)
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Post by tsslilsis on Feb 5, 2009 0:25:48 GMT -5
What meats have you tried with them now?
The bone eating is good progress.
If have some chicken wings I would suggest trying the split chicken wing plan again, since they are eating some bone now.
You don't have to be sorry that you haven't been on much.. I go through those spurts as well. Basically nothing in my life is planned so things pop up all the time.
I know its not quite graduation time yet but could you give me a rough idea of what they've been eating?
-~Ketlin
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glynus
Going Natural
RAW FEEDER
Posts: 143
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Post by glynus on Feb 9, 2009 13:45:12 GMT -5
This weekend the furrbutts weren't really into eating anything - just enough not to starve. (Riley thinks that's just fine! Spoiled mutt ) Overall, they have eaten chicken, CGH, pork, rabbit (Aunt Jeni's), turkey (plain and Aunt Jeni's) and NV beef. Most days they get chicken, CGH or pork in the morning and NV or Aunt Jeni's at night. We've had limited success with chicken necks and backs. I did manage to crush up some chicken thigh bones and they ate them as long as they were mixed up with other stuff. Slowly getting used to the idea of fat/skin in their food. At first they just spit it out but they are getting better about it - as long as the chunks aren't too big. They will not touch organs. I've tried chicken and turkey hearts, liver, giblets (whatever they are) and some other unidentified things that have been inside the carcass. Doesn't matter how small I chop them, they get spit out. If I try mixing them in with their soup or mush, even with lots of baby food, the whole lot goes to the dog. I will try the chicken wings again tonight or tomorrow (not sure I have any thawed right now). Maybe some more tug of war play time...
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Post by tsslilsis on Feb 11, 2009 8:39:48 GMT -5
How did the chicken wings go?
I really wonder why they don't like the organ.. I know I use to have to chop my babies beef liver into small paper thin slices before they would eat it, but they never refused.
How are they doing health wise? How are their teeth and coats? Is Bastien doing good?
I'm going to try and get Giuli in here again to try and help you, with getting them to eat organ as well as getting them to eat uncrushed bone in meat.
-~Ketlin
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glynus
Going Natural
RAW FEEDER
Posts: 143
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Post by glynus on Feb 12, 2009 14:44:53 GMT -5
Going to have to keep working on the chicken wings. Last night I cut the meat but left it attached to the bone so they could figure out that it was food. Bastien pulled off a piece of meat about an inch long and ran to the corner and ate it. After that he wasn't interested anymore and looked a little annoyed when I kept trying to get him to play with it. Melinda tore off a couple of TINY pieces and ran away to eat them. Then she stole the whole wing, stashed it and was done. I tried to get them interested again this morning and it almost worked... both of them decided they wanted the wing at the same time. They played tug of war together for about 2 seconds (really funny to watch ). Melinda won, stashed it and they both lost interest. Both of them seem to be doing well as far as health. Their coats are thicker and softer. Bastien has NO bald spots and seem to be a bit heftier. I tried to get pictures of their teeth again - I don't think you could tell much from what I got. I will try again next time I have some help (I left the camera out so maybe I will remember). Anyway, their teeth do seem to be yellower than when we started but the gums still look healthy.
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