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Post by jojodancer on Aug 6, 2008 9:13:27 GMT -5
My raw fed ferrets have some pretty soft stools. I've heard that slippery elm bark powder works to firm the stools up a bit, so I asked our local natural pharmacist if she can order some for me. It's $40 for 100grams or so. OMG!
I've also heard that a little pumpkin in their food will firm up the stools, too. But isn't pumpkin also used as a natural laxative to help with blockages? How can something firm up stools, but also clean things out?
I may be totally befuddled though, because now I can't find/access the information I thought I had read about slippery elm bark and pumpkin. So can anyone help me?
(1) What are some natural remedies for firming up their stools (2) If I buy the slippery elm bark powder, how long will it last? Is it worth the cost? (3) Is pumpkin a laxative, or a stool firmer-upper?
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Post by tss on Aug 6, 2008 9:55:05 GMT -5
What are you feeding them? I wouldn't add any pumpkin or slippery elm right now. There got to be a under laying reason for it, not enough bone or maybe too much veggie (if your feeding premade).
Sorry, I can't keep up with all of the threads on here.
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Post by jojodancer on Aug 6, 2008 11:01:28 GMT -5
Due to my work schedule, I can only participate in spurts from time to time, which is why it's not common knowledge what I feed. No worries.
I currently feed a combination of Wildlife Whole Prey Laying Hen, and AFS carnivore diet. They have kibble available 24 hours a day, the current mix is Natural Gold hi-pro/low carb and ZiwiPeak Venison. The last mix was EVO ferret with ZiwiPeak Venison. The only veggies they are getting is the miniscule amount in the NG (when they eat it) and the trace amounts of Kelp in the ziwipeak. They had the loose stools with the EVO blend, too.
It's been a couple of months of loose stools. It looks like pudding.
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Post by tss on Aug 6, 2008 12:26:28 GMT -5
It could very well just be the kibble, can you try removing it for a week or so and see what happens? The Ziwipeak is great, I've fed plenty of it with no soft stools so just remove the NG. Ziwipeak is really raw... As for the NG from what I've read there aren't many ferrets who can keep a solid stool on it. It's quite possible that your ferrets can't tolerate a high protien diet, raw isn't high protien but grain free kibbles are.
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Post by jojodancer on Aug 6, 2008 12:53:37 GMT -5
The NG and ZP are mixed in a tupperware tub together, so removing the NG will be quite laborious. Now that they are picking out the ZiwiPeak first, and leaving the NG, I will probably just blend ZP flavors from now on - but that is a few weeks away.
What do you think about adding a dollop or two of Wellness canned cat food to their AFS Carnivore and Wildlife Whole Prey blend? We have trial size cans of Beef & Chicken, Chicken, and Turkey & Salmon.
link to Beef & Chicken: (http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/cat_wellness_can_beef_chicken.html)
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Post by mustelidmusk on Aug 6, 2008 14:02:36 GMT -5
Sounds like the classic "cow-pie poopies" that many ferrets seem to get on high-protein kibble. I've heard quite a few complaints with the EVO ferret. It's been my experience that EVO was the culprit rather than the Natural Gold. A friend who runs a shelter said that pumpkin helped with the EVO - I never tried the pumpkin with the EVO, but the Wysong Archetypal I helped my brats when they were eating EVO. I would try feeding more of the freeze-dried raw and less kibble.
If you plan to stick with 2 kibble types, you may want to try wellness Core for cats/kittens (It's high protien/lo carb as well.) I have no clue what the canned food may do - I've never fed canned food.
Another option might be to try some montmorillonite or bentonite clay. (A pinch per ferret per day). Clay is what's in kaopectate. Animals will eat clays to self-treat diarrhea.
-jennifer
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Post by animalsgetrevenge on Aug 6, 2008 18:49:46 GMT -5
I have no real answer for you, just my experience:
Before starting raw I fed my kids Natural Gold and they had very wet poopies. Now that they are completely off of kibble they are having BEAUTIFUL formed poop!
I know that doesn't help much, except to maybe take out the kibble if that works out with your schedule.
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Post by nwheather on Aug 6, 2008 19:20:59 GMT -5
Just my 2 cents from what I have read... First, you listed a current batch & a last batch, with different foods...that may have something to do with it. Any time you switch the kibble, it can cause runnier poop. Second, Evo is known to cause loose stools with some ferrets, because of the really high protein. I fixed that by adding Evo Canine, with a lower protein content, it has helped alot. Yes, pumpkin is used for BOTH constipation & runny poop. I have it on hand at all times. Primarily for my dogs, but then I learned you can use it for ferrets too. (I haven't yet, but I always have some on hand). I learned that from my vet & the place I board my dogs. Slippery Elm Bark powder, I believe, can be used for ulcers, & IBD type problems. I add a little to my soup mix sometimes, so they are used to the flavor & in the event one is sick & needs SEB for diarrhea, they are already aware of the flavor. I do not know how long it lasts. I understand keeping a kibble base for convenience due to schedules, that is a main reason I feed kibble as well. I would find a good blend & stick with it, do not mix new stuff in too much, if at all, because that can upset their system. See if you can find a co-op or holistic type store in your area. I have a co-op north of me that sells bulk SEB & that's where I get mine. You can buy as little or as much as you want. I treat my kibble mix as a recipe. I mix the same amount of each blend in each time. That way, you have a consistent blend.
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Post by weloveourweasels on Aug 7, 2008 0:16:35 GMT -5
The pumpkin helps as a laxative because it pushes things through the intestines. It helps to firm up stool because of the fiber.
I can agree with the soft poop thing. That is what is going on with Mr. Bean It is either Clostridium like Rolo had back in May or it is just food sensitivities. I switched him from Marshall's to the ferret store original choice food over a 2 week span 9 parts to 1 part. During that time he had some raw randomly. Then a money situation came up and I still have plenty kibble left and his poops have been really strange so I stopped with the raw just to monitor things. The Marshall's has the same amount of protein as the ferret store food but the ferret store food has 2% higher fat which could also have something to do with it. I hope its just food sensitivities. The more protein the food has the softer the stool.
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Post by pear2apple on Aug 14, 2008 9:34:20 GMT -5
I was also going to say that Vitamin stores carry slippery elm. I just found Taurine at a vitamin store and saw Slippery Elm there as well. Not to mention, it wasn't some outragous price. Keep looking for health food stores, or herbal stores, maybe a GNC carries it.
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Post by wienercat on Aug 15, 2008 17:34:58 GMT -5
Sarsippy has really runny poops. I know it's from the protein of the hen and chicken he eats. When i give ground beef, it's more solid.
My fuzzies love the EVO and actually, the poop has been a little better!
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Post by josiesmom on Aug 15, 2008 22:00:20 GMT -5
Something to keep in mind for those still utilizing kibbles- even though you may stick with specific brands and amounts in your mixes, there is no guarantee that the bag of Brand X kibble you used last week will have the same quantities of ingredients as a new bag of brand X this week. This is because unless the brand is made according to a specific recipe with exact quantities of each ingredient, the mix will be made according to "market cost". This will directly influence what is in the mix- if animal carcasses are cheaper, there will be more animal products; if wheat is cheaper, there will be more wheat as long as the percentages of protein, fat and fiber fall within the parameters for the mix, the mix will be deemed o.k. to ship. But these highs and lows and changes in mix can and will affect your ferret.
Cheers, Kim
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