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Post by kilasxxrattery on Aug 13, 2008 18:00:19 GMT -5
I have a question about this... Would I have to switch them from kibble to raw and then whole live prey or can I just switch them from kibble to whole live prey?
I'm interested in learning all I can before I try it out because I actually can't start the switch until the 1st when we have no bills or rent sucking up all our cash, but I wanna know what I would have to do in order to switch them. I should also probably mention that my ferrets get daily play time out of the cage with my 3 male rats that I have right now too.
I want to start with mice until I can get to Chandler and pick up my foundation lines of African Soft Furred Rats to feed my little fuzzies.
So any information you guys feel like sharing with be greatly appreciated.
Thanks~
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Post by Forum Administrator on Aug 13, 2008 21:47:05 GMT -5
Honestly it just depends on the individual ferret. Some can make the switch just fine, while others need raw as a "stepping stone". I've drawn josiesmom attention to this post. She can probably offer some good insight on this
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Post by josiesmom on Aug 14, 2008 3:53:41 GMT -5
AS long as your ferret is receptive to whole prey - go for it! They don't NEED to switch from one to the other, but usually what will happen is that the ferret owner ends up feeding both because unless you raise your own whole prey - it can get costly feeding them whole prey from commercial sources.
Each region will vary of course and each person may have routes to various sources but as a generality buying whole prey either on line or at local stores will very quickly empty your pocket book as fast as it fills your ferret's belly!
While rodents should be the large part of the diet they need to be of various ages and ideally of different types. Chicks can be acquired fairly inexpensively but shouldn't constitute a large part of their diet because they don't have the proper ratio of calcium that ferrets need.
Frogs, super worms, crickets, nightcrawlers too are part of a whole prey diet. But often things people are squeamish about feeding. If you offer frogs you HAVE to know which ones are safe and which ones are not - some are toxic.
Usually ferrets that eat whole prey will also eat raw meaty bones but not always. If you have introduced your ferret to raw first it opens up many avenues of meaty bone sources and then if you run into a situation where whole prey isn't available your ferrets will never go hungry!
A lot of what you offer your ferrets as their staple diet will depend upon your finances and individual situation. If you can afford it and you can guarantee a steady supply of whole prey from a variety of prey, then a whole prey diet is great. I still would encourage you to get the ferrets used to regular raw meaty bone sources as well as dehydrated and freeze dried meaty items.
The more bases you cover in natural feeding the healthier your ferret will be!
Hope this helps! Cheers, Kim
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Post by kilasxxrattery on Aug 14, 2008 15:27:23 GMT -5
So what I should do is go out and buy a couple feeder mice and give it to them and see if they are interested? And if not then I do a gradual step from kibble to RMB then from RMB to whole prey?
I suppose what I could do is, just go ahead and get started on breeding my own mice and give them raw meat first, that way we will have mice available for when it's time for that switch.
I think Lotus would take to it quickly since he eats what ever I put in his bowl, same with Johnny kinda but I've only had him for a week.
I put an egg in a bowl last night, shell and all, to see if they would eat and the 2 boys did, D just looked at it and then looked me like I was trying to poison her or something, then walked away.
I think D will be harder to switch because I was told she was older that the other 2 and they're ages 8 months (Lotus) and 2 years (Johnny) and I've heard the older the ferret the harder switch.
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Post by Forum Administrator on Aug 14, 2008 21:01:06 GMT -5
Older ferrets *can* be harder to switch, but every ferret is different. FYI when you are ready to switch, start a thread in the "natural diet newbies" section (be sure to fill out one of the forms sticked at the top of the section and copy/paste it into your first post )
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