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Post by aleronferrets on Jun 28, 2008 20:41:23 GMT -5
I am guessing Momo is still nursing? If so I would not suggest switching foods while she is nursing unless she is willing to eat a good deal of each meal. I would however, wean the kits onto raw and switch her once they are eating well on their own. The main concern with nursing mothers and young kits is calcium levels. If you are not feeding adult whole prey animals, this can get tricky. You want to feed raw meaty bones with bones small enhough that all or almost all of it can be eaten. Kits may need ground meat and bone, finely chopped meat and bone or additional calcium added.
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Post by sassygirl on Jun 28, 2008 21:21:19 GMT -5
I change different kind of brand before marshall's,because we don't have much choice here,we even doesn't import EVo,such a tragedy! the babies noly 20 days old. Now I feed momo some kind of special duck soup ,I have a ferret breeder friend who told me that soup can make momo become more health quickly!in deed,momo is very fat and look healthy now, and the babies still nursing.
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Post by aleronferrets on Jun 29, 2008 10:28:53 GMT -5
the babies noly 20 days old. Now I feed momo some kind of special duck soup ,I have a ferret breeder friend who told me that soup can make momo become more health quickly!in deed,momo is very fat and look healthy now, and the babies still nursing. That is great! Any chance you could make Bob Church's Chicken Gravy? This would be an excellent addition to your nursing mom's diet. You can (and I would) supplement fish oil or cod liver oil for the Ferretone. I'd also leave out the grains. This will make it easier to switch Momo to raw food: www.texasferret.org/gravy.shtml
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Post by sassygirl on Jun 30, 2008 14:27:34 GMT -5
yes,sometime I give her fish oil ,I will go check the web.
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Post by sassygirl on Jul 2, 2008 20:51:04 GMT -5
hi~I have a question from my friend! I try to introduce the raw-meat diet to my ferret friend,they have a question for you, Does ferret become fierce after they eat raw meat? some dog might become more violent after they eat the meat,could it happened to ferret? thanks!
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Post by Jaycee on Jul 2, 2008 21:02:37 GMT -5
NO, the ferret won't become more agressive. In fact, I hear it will actually calm them down. They have to work harder for their food now, than they did with the kibble. They will become more energetic once completely switched to a raw diet, but not more agressive. My baby ferret (10 weeks old) was very nippy when we got her two weeks ago. We started her immediately on a raw diet, and now she is completely docile! A wonderful transformation! You should have nothing to worry about!
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Post by Forum Administrator on Jul 2, 2008 22:16:55 GMT -5
Feeding a natural diet helps a ferret to release natural behavior. If you give a cat something to scratch and claw at this keeps them from clawing up your furniture. If you give a ferret something to rip, tear, and chew this keeps them from biting YOU. A natural diet can help a ferret to become LESS agressive. Many people think that it will make a ferret bloodthirsty, but this is simply untrue. Feeding raw meat or even live animals (like mice) WILL NOT cause a ferret to become vicious, it will simply provide them with a way to release their natural behavior.
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Post by Heather on Jul 3, 2008 13:28:58 GMT -5
I have found that switching to raw creates a calmer healthier ferret. Ferrets that I've had turned in who were very aggressive become much mellower and bite much less once fed their natural diet (free roam also helps in this factor). I have also found that they're less likely to become hugely fat, and seem to have a greater tendency to observe seasonal changes. The large weight loss in the spring and the weight gain in the winter. Beautiful light coloured winter coats with thick undercoats and dark luxurious summer coats (my guys subtly change their marking too, masked ferrets during the winter become full capped ferrets during the summer). Some of my friends who feed kibble don't see as dramatic a change in their furchildren. They also have better recouperation after being ill. My vet is so totally impressed with the general health and recouperation factors of my furkids that she has asked for my assistance in getting some of her other ferret clients to switch from kibbles to a more natural diet. I'm not saying that a natural diet will cure all the ills and you will never see the problems that kibble fed ferrets have but you can make a difference in their longevity and their total outlook on life. Just my opinion, of course ciao
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Post by sassygirl on Jul 15, 2008 8:44:08 GMT -5
I started feed momo with raw meat yesterday ,but she refuse I felt a little disappoint,so I try again today,and I use few chicken broth with the meat,I think she love the chicken broth because she try to hide the meat into a small corner back of my closet in my room,and I stop her.Because momo likes collect tiny things,such as socks,newspaper,toilet paper..if she take the meat there I can't reach it,after few days the meat will perishable.Does anyone's ferret act the same with momo?? good news! momo's newborn baby who I called him "Hero". the first time I took a raw meat for Hero,I think he like the meat ,perhaps.I am not sure.,after I put the meat in front of him,he bite the meat immediately, he ate for a while and he stooped,than walk away...I don't know why??? because he still a kit?the meat is too big for him? anyway,wish me luck. I will keep trying!!
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Post by Forum Administrator on Jul 15, 2008 12:08:35 GMT -5
Is MoMo still nursing her babies? If so, hold off on changing her diet until she stops nursing. As for the babies, how old are they again? Is there one baby or three babies? Im confused, I thought you said she had three babies.
Anyway, if he eats the meat for a bit and then walks away thats good. He might not eat ALL the meat, but its good that he is eating some. If he has trouble you can cut up the meat into smaller pieces.
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Post by josiesmom on Jul 15, 2008 18:14:16 GMT -5
Sassygirl/ Jaycee,
Regarding the "broth" - do NOT use the canned broth from supermarkets - it has way too much salt in it for ferrets. UNless you can find sodium free broth.
You can make your own broth by simply bringing to a boil any meat or poultry ( bones and all) in plain water then letting it simmer until the meat falls off the bones and the bones practically fall apart.
You can draw off the broth and freeze in ice cube trays to later melt over kibble if you are doing a slow switch method.
Then put the bones and meat in a blender and puree it. Pour into ice cube trays and freeze for individual servings of "soup"!
Cheers, Kim
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Post by sassygirl on Jul 17, 2008 6:53:19 GMT -5
Giuliana : momo is not nusring her babies now,I think she doesn't want nursing anymore. momo born 5 kits,but only two kits survive. one for kits father,one for me. Hero is 40 days old,sometime he would eat momo's kibble slyly. sometime I fed hero PetLac Powder .because he is so tiny. and I use gerber chicken gravy mix the meat,Is that okay? momo seems love the meat with gravy very much ,but not much interesting only meat~ josiesmom : I get it,I will make the broth my own.thanks!!
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Post by Forum Administrator on Jul 17, 2008 13:50:17 GMT -5
If she will eat the meat when you put it in the broth, then that is very good! And you said Hero will eat the meat too? Just a little bit? If so, good!
Work with little Hero (and MoMo) so that they start eating bone-in meat. Chicken wings are good. Do you have access to these where you live? If so, cut them into 3 pieces (at the joints) and offer these to little Hero (and to MoMo). You can put some gravy or broth on them to make them look tasty.
Let me know if this works. If they dont start eating bones right away, you can take an eggshell and crush it up very fine into a powder. Mix one eggshell in with their meat. This will provide them both with calcium until they start eating bone. Calcium is very important for healthy bones.
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