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Post by sherrylynne on Jul 13, 2008 9:56:37 GMT -5
Wish me luck, people! I'm starting with the slightly moistened kibble, like what was suggested to Vicksie411. I tried some ground chicken mixed with oil on top of the kibble last night, with expected results-3 hungry ferrets this morning! I'm so glad I read other posts, I wouldn't have thought to gradually move them from dry to mushy kibble before starting them with the actual raw food  ! |
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Post by Forum Administrator on Jul 13, 2008 19:29:30 GMT -5
 Please keep us posted  Dont worry if you hit a "snag" or a "bump" and they refuse to eat. Just let us know and well sort things out. I cant wait for you to see the benefits of a natural diet! Keep us posted!
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Post by sherrylynne on Jul 16, 2008 9:24:29 GMT -5
Added a little more water to the kibble yesterday. They were a bit hestitant, but ate most of it by this morning.
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Post by Forum Administrator on Jul 16, 2008 16:11:08 GMT -5
Hooray! Progress, it feels good, doesnt it? Keep going and keep us posted!
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Post by sherrylynne on Jul 16, 2008 19:07:38 GMT -5
Well, they started off well this morning. Added a little more water, and they ate somewhat hesitantly, but this afternoon, all they will do is smell the kibble and walk away. I'm waiting until this evening, and if they haven't eaten by then, I guess I'll change back to a little less moisture. I think part of the problem is that I'm not giving the kibble enough time to soak up the liquid, so they are eating wet, but still crunchie food. Oh, well, trial and error ! |
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Post by Forum Administrator on Jul 16, 2008 19:09:05 GMT -5
Just be patient. You'll sort it out. The key is seeing how "far" they will go and then slowly taking them outside their comfort zone. If you have to take a step back, then you take a step back (no biggy) its not a race, its about finding a pace that is OK for YOUR ferrets. It can be frustrating and you feel like you are regressing, but switching the diet is a PROCESS and there will be ups and downs. Hang in there |
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Post by sherrylynne on Jul 18, 2008 20:21:54 GMT -5
A little more progress last night! I made a slop of raw ground turkey, ensure, and olive oil. At first they wouldn't touch it, so I warmed it slightly(about lukewarm). Sinnead tried it first, and then kept stealing small pieces, holding her head way up, and running off to eat them. All told, she had about 1/2 - 3/4 of a teaspoon before she lost interest. Vincent ate about 1/2 a teaspoon, and Boris acted like I was poisoning him when I rubbed some on his mouth/nose . It was even worse when I put some in his mouth! He started gagging and hacking, then ran and hid! Oh well, I'll just keep trying. He is so stubborn! |
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Post by mustelidmusk on Jul 19, 2008 0:24:24 GMT -5
Yes, ferrets can be so dramatic  It sounds like you're making progress, though. I've always found that ferrets are more likely to try a small bite/lick off of a small pat rather than a huge amount in a deeper bowl. Since ferrets are so sensitive to smells (which is how they recognize their "food" ) I this the open plate with a small amount is much less overwhemling to a ferret. You may want to ut some one your ferrets lips and nose to get him to lick it off, but also leave a small plate (it can even be a platic lid to a cottage cheese conainer) with about a 1/2 teaspon on it with your picky eaer. Give your other ferret's their fill. Hopefully the "eaters" will have had enough soup, and the picky eater may just try a lick on his own. The ensure is pretty sweet and has quite a bit of sugar in it, so be careful not to use to much of it for too long. You don't want to end up having to switch your kids from enure to raw!  Keep up the good work - this is good progress -jennifer |
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Post by sherrylynne on Jul 19, 2008 8:29:36 GMT -5
I hadn't even thought of that! I was trying to find a way to get them to at least try raw. Should I use kitten replacer milk, or something like that? I figure if they'll at least try something that resembles the duck soup they so love, I'll start getting it into them at least, even if I do have to trick them  |
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Post by Forum Administrator on Jul 19, 2008 16:19:45 GMT -5
If they love duck soup, then use duck soup to bribe them, puddin' head!  Good luck! |
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Post by sherrylynne on Jul 19, 2008 21:24:10 GMT -5
Problem-the duck soup I have made up is of a, shall we say, cooked variety! Or are you saying to put the raw in WITH the soup?(Yeah, sometimes I need to be led by the hand ) |
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Post by sherrylynne on Jul 19, 2008 22:44:19 GMT -5
What can you do when a ferret starts to choke on a piece of raw meat? I fed them raw ground beef mashed up in their soup, Vincent ran off and hid, choking. When we tracked him down, realized what was happening, then caged him while we got the emerg vet on the phone. Thank God he was finally able to throw it up, but he was so tired afterwards. And yes, he's fine now.
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Post by sherrylynne on Jul 19, 2008 23:21:49 GMT -5
Sorry about the last post, but I was still somewhat in panic mode. Which is silly, when you consider I'm trained not to panic when someone is choking! What happened was, Vincent was being a little piggy, as usual, with his soupies. I had mixed the raw ground beef in it, which by the way, they ate! When he ran off, I assumed he was hiding to eat the beef. My husband heard him choking under the sofa. And I should know, if you can hear someone choking, it means they are still getting air. Anyway, instant panic mode. But I still don't know-how would you treat a ferret who was choking? The Heimlich is somewhat impossible!
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Post by Forum Administrator on Jul 20, 2008 9:20:53 GMT -5
Honestly, Im not sure. Your best bet would probably be to call up the vet and ask NOW so you know what to do if it happens. Honestly, for future reference if they are "choking" on a piece of meat (Ie they gulped it too fast or they didnt see it in their soup and weren't prepared for it) they'll probably handle it on their own. Meat is soft and slimey and I dont think it would stay stuck in the throat like say, a piece of kibble. Plus if it was ground, then its really mushy and I'd think it would be pretty tough to choke on (although I can certainly understand getting nervous when you hear your baby coughing while he's eating). Oh, and you can put some duck soup on the meat (like a gravy) Sorry that you had this little scare. I am happy to hear they ate the beef though! See, they are so excited to go on raw they can't control themselves |
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Post by sherrylynne on Jul 20, 2008 10:56:10 GMT -5
I did talk to the vet, and YES, you can perform a type of modified Heimlich on them. If they reach the point of unconciousness, lay them on their back, locate the diaphram at the bottom of the rib cage, and push up firmly, but gently, increasing pressure if needed to force the obstruction out! You learn something new every day  ! And the beef was in their soup, by the way. It's the only way I can get them to eat it right now! |
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