Been Reading...

[AnimalFarm2006]

I've been reading up on being all natural, and with the help of this forum i've been cleaning with baking soda water, using recycled pellets for litter, and starting off my kids on a natural diet. I even have tried getting the twins of pandoras box to try fish oil. Tek loves it, but clyde is stuborn as usual.

So, I was wondering if there is any other natural things i could do for the brats. I have a hair ball remedy, but are there any natural kinds?

I'm reusing lots of fabrics, and making my own bedding to bed of my ability.

I did make the new paper bedding, but it is not worth it. It still hasn't dried in nearly a week. :bleck:

Also, Are there any other human vitamins i could use to give to the ferts? I have calciam tablets from my guineas.

etc etc. I just want to make sure i am doing everything in my power to care for my kids.

[Heather]

You're off to a fantastic start It's a huge study believe me, but it's lots of fun. The unfortunate thing is that when studying natural remedies and such you have to not only remember that what works for one doesn't work for another. That is the most difficult concept for people to understand. There is rarely a blanket solution. There are a number of books out that have been written by renown herbologists, vets and nutritionists but a lot generalise. Ferrets are really difficult because they have and can use both cat and dog remedies, but not necessarily all the time. Meaning that you can't say because it works for a dog but doesn't a cat that a ferret can't use it...they may well be able to or vice versa.
I use butter for a laxative for the ferts, but mice fur works better and truth if you've got a blockage problem or suspect one use the ferretlax or some non-vaceline type base product. Herbals are great but you have to know interactions, dosages and even the strength of the plant that your using (this varies on time of year, humidity etc). There are plants out there where the root is the strength...the leaf is toxic...the stem for external use only. You have to know your stuff
Calcium tablets are not a good thing for ferrets but you can feed them to your guinea pigs ok...(i'm guessing here because I really don't know , I'm trusting you on this one I know about ferrets but nothing about guinea pigs) Bone is much better for the ferrets. The same as you shouldn't feed vit c to a carnivore...they manufacture vit c themselves from the foods that they eat. The more you supplement the less of the ability they retain until they can no longer produce the vitamin
If you're feeding a good raw diet with plenty of variety you shouldn't have to supplement at all. Everything is covered. Multi's and all those supplements, most have petroleum products in them and are like kibbles, if you eat right you don't need them. We're bombarded with information about eating all these supplements but most of them you don't need.
There's a little information to chew on I'm sure there are others out there who will jump in later.
ciao

[weloveourweasels]

I am not sure if fish oil is interchangable with olive oil (like if you can give 1 teaspoon a day of fish oil like you can with olive oil) But I do know that if you give olive oil once a day it eliminates the need for a laxative.

If you do give fish oil there is no need to give ferretone and I hate that stuff.

There are 2 brands of natural laxative in the tube that would probably help push things out better (thicker consistancy) oil if you had a suspected blockage.

This one you do NOT want to use if your ferret has insulinoma because it has maple syrup in it.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com-product-prod_display (this one I bought and my ferrets loved it...however I would have preferred the next brand but they were sold out of chicken flavor. Keep any all natural lax in the frige so it is not so runny and shake well before using)

This one is sugar free and safe for ferrets with insulinoma.
www.onlynaturalpet.com/products/Vetbasis-Hairball-Gel/130000.aspx
(the chicken flavor is on backorder again since it is so popular)


OK so for clyde since he doesn't like the fish oil here is what I would do. Take one teaspoon baby food with one teaspoon of the fish oil add a tiny bit of hot water if you need to make it a little thinner and serve that to him and see if he will eat it. If not add more baby food and water.

[AnimalFarm2006]

Sorry i havn't came on here in a bit,

There is a update on the fish oil...I mixed it with veg, and olive and wala! Both of them climb up my legs when i tell them it's oil time.

A bad thing thats happining is that Jac )( i finaly got there names settled: Jac Jac, and Lelou )( has fleas still and now acualy has almost like flea bites. :crys: I am going to use the rest of my dogs flea stuff that my mom saved and treat both of them.

[suds]

mean dog flea shampoo? if so please dont use it . unless ou check with a vet and he says its ok alot of flea treaments can be very toxic, dawn dish soap will kill the fleas just as easy then you can use apple vinager in there water to help deter the flea from biting. there are few threads on here that have ideal how to get rid of flea's you can check them out for some ideals.

[nwheather]

Nov 26, 2008 18:05:13 GMT -5 AnimalFarm2006 said:

Sorry i havn't came on here in a bit,

There is a update on the fish oil...I mixed it with veg, and olive and wala! Both of them climb up my legs when i tell them it's oil time.

A bad thing thats happining is that Jac )( i finaly got there names settled: Jac Jac, and Lelou )( has fleas still and now acualy has almost like flea bites. :crys: I am going to use the rest of my dogs flea stuff that my mom saved and treat both of them.

I agree with suds, do not use flea treatment that is meant for dogs on ferrets. The dawn dishsoap is supposed to be pretty effective, from what I have heard. (I haven't had a problem with fleas so far-knock on wood). I have a shampoo that is supposed to be safe for ferrets that is more natural, that is supposed to help with fleas.
It's called "Ark Naturals-Neem Protect Shampoo". It's supposed to help with dry & itchy skin too.
It sounds like you are off to a great start with everything else! That's great! =)