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Post by animalsgetrevenge on Oct 4, 2008 19:25:11 GMT -5
I'm going to call my vet on Monday to get Ernie in for his teeth cleaning... Poor baby!
Ernie is eating his NV really well, even when i mix in organ, pork, beef, or chicken juice into it (from the big kids meals). This week I am going to pick up another kind of NV!
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Post by mustelidmusk on Oct 5, 2008 13:07:16 GMT -5
I'm so happy for Ernie and his new diet!!!! It's so wonderful to see the stubborn little guys start digging in. It won't be too much longer before you can start offering some larger bits of meat/organs. Before you know it, all your kids will be eating the same stuff! That will really simplify your life!
t's great that you're getting Ernie's teeth cleaned- I will be posting some tips on keeping teeth lean if your ferret does not at bone. S if Ernie stays on the ground diet for a while, this may help him out! I'll let you know when/where I post this .
-jennifer
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Post by animalsgetrevenge on Oct 7, 2008 19:02:14 GMT -5
Sounds great! He has his appointment scheduled for next Thursday (Oct. 16th?)
Today I bought NV frozen beef and frozen lamb, and I will let Ernie try one out tomorrow. The 48 count bag of medallions cost me $12.99 each, which isn't too high compared to the $17 I heard about!
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Post by mustelidmusk on Oct 7, 2008 23:43:26 GMT -5
Wow - I'm sure I pay more like 17.00 - Colorado is too expensive Sounds like you're doig well with the feeding...I'll be postng some info on Didj's sad little bum - poor little guy probably wo't get to this til tomorrow. -jennifer -
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Post by animalsgetrevenge on Oct 9, 2008 2:17:27 GMT -5
Well today I offered Ernie NV lamb. I fed it 1/2 lamb and 1/2 chicken for breakfast. by 7pm he had only eaten about 1/3 of the dish.
You didn't warn me that the lamb variety smell like sh*t!!!!! It's HORRIBLE! Haha, no wonder why he didn't want to eat it! Even if he ends up liking it I don't know if I can put myself through the stink!
Tonight I fed him 2/3 chicken and 1/3 lamb and added extra water. He is chowing down right now.
Tomorrow I am going to have him try the beef... wish us luck!
Oh, also... Ernie is now a nice, happy weight! I weighed him today and he was about 2 pounds 4 ounces. I weighed him a few weeks back when he was looking really thin and he was 2 pounds 3 ounces... it funny how 1 ounce makes such a huge difference.
As for the other two, they are both the exact same weight. For some reason Didj looks like he has gained a ton of weight but he is the same! He stomach is suddenly all rollie pullie like he was when I got him. Winter must be coming!
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Post by mustelidmusk on Oct 9, 2008 14:43:44 GMT -5
Oh my - I didn't know you you're vegan - the lamb would be very intense smelling for you . I hope the beef works better for you...lamb does have a strong, diferent smell to it The rabbit is more like chicken, so that might work for you as well. Since you're needinng to mix the lamb in with the chicken, may sure the meats are really well-thawed so they mix together faster - and breathe through your mouth when you mix the meats together. This will expose you yo minimum "stink" exposure Also, what whould simplfy this for you??? Are Ramona and Didj on a complete feeding schedule yet?? I'm thinking that there are 2 possibilities that may help with the frustration: 1. Get Ramona and Didj on a regular approved feeding schedule so you know what you need and can just give thenm their food and conceentrate on Ernie 2. OR.. push Ernier to catch up with Romona and Digj so you don't have to dealt with multiple schedules. Please let me know if you think that would help! I know it stinks when money gets tight! But between the butcher store (from my post on your "Help" thread" and the grocery store, you'll probably it quite a bit cheaper. Perfect? No - but nothing ever is Please let me know what your "pain points" are with feeding, we can make some changes to make your lifer easier -jennifer
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Post by animalsgetrevenge on Oct 9, 2008 17:43:11 GMT -5
Thank you so much for your help Jennifer. I've if I was able to give this diet up despite my ferrets and myself, I couldn't do it because I know I would let your and Giuli down! Haha! Thank you so much for your support, motivation, and knowledge.
I have been vegan for 3 1/2 years and vegetarian for 5 1/2 years so switching to a raw diet was REALLY hard at first. Now I don't squirm or squeal at anything it seems like, be it chopping up a whole cornish game hen, a mouse, or organs. Nothing has smelt as bad as these lamb medallions... even as I am typing I got a whiff of it (I'm having flashbacks!!!). They have had ground lamb before but it had no smell. I just think it is funny since I can dangle a dead mouse in front of Didj but I can't stand the smell of something that isn't even shaped like meat!!! Hahaha how goofy!
Didj and Ramona are on a nice schedule as far as their meals, but that is changing each week. Right now I am trying to use up what I have in my freezer because I bagged everything up in different proportions. For just two ferrets, most baggies will last two meals (1 day) but others will last 3 meals. Once I am closer to seeing the bottom of my freezer I will buy meat and bag it up for one meal at a time and make sure they all weigh the same too. I am not on an "approved" feeding schedule for them at this point.
This is close to what their past week has looked like: Thursday: Chicken neck chunks Friday: beef and pork chunks Saturday: Chicken drumstick chunks Sunday: beef and pork chunks Monday: Cornish game hen (1/4) Tuesday: Organs: lamb kidney and beef heart Wednesday: Chicken drumstick chunks
Any suggestions?
I have frozen rabbit pinkies, that are bigger than an adult rat, 2 juvenile rabbits and a 6 pound adult rabbit waiting to be eaten from my freezer. I plan on trying the pinkies within the week.
I have tried jumbo adult mice twice but have had no luck! I have tried many techniques and Didjer will definitely KILL the thawed mouse, but no one will eat it, even when mushed with other meats.
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Post by mustelidmusk on Oct 10, 2008 9:38:16 GMT -5
WOW, good for you (actually good for your kids ) for having enough fortitude to feed your kids what they're meat to eat! I could probably become vegetarian, but there's no way could become vegan - that is not an easy achievement! Anyway, your schedule for Didj and Ramona looks pretty good! At least they don't require the "hand-holding!!! As far as eating whole prey goes, a lot of times ferrets don't understand that what's inside is "yummy" (at least to them)!!!! Some people sit the belly of the mouse and open it up to expose the "food". Other's will cut the mouse into pieces and possibly mix it with chunks of other meats. If you can deal with it, one approach that would be quick would be to chop the mouse in half lengthwise with a mat cleaver - this is quick and not as bad (IMO) as uisng a regular knife where you need to hold the thing while you deal with it You can start advancing Ernie by adding slightly larger chunks of chicken to his NV and you can also continue adding different type of meat to his diet. SO when you feed the other kids, put a tiny bt of what they're having into the NV. This will help move him closer to what the other kids are getting. I know this take so much patience, but once they're all eating the same stuff, life will become easier. All your kids ARE on a raw diet...I feed mostly the NV with some RMB. I do not feed whole prey. SO, it's not a necessary requirement. I feel the most significant benefit from raw is o get them away from the carbs, which correlate with the high rate of insulinoma. SO, it's completely up to you on where you want to go with the raw - whatever you decide, we're help to help -jennifer
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Post by animalsgetrevenge on Oct 11, 2008 12:31:31 GMT -5
Thanks Jennifer. I think I will try giving my "big kids" thawed pinkies before I try adult mice again, but first I have to get my hands on some.
As for Ernie, yesterday he ate all of his 50/50 chicken/lamb with no problems. Last night I gave him little slivers of pork in his mush, about 1/6 teaspoon total, and he ate it all. He probably didn't even know it was in there but OH WELL haha.
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Post by mustelidmusk on Oct 11, 2008 12:46:48 GMT -5
That's the way to do it...just start sneaking things in on him a little at a time. when you first get ready to offer him his food either offer him one larger chuks of something he already likes before he gets his food. Or offer him a smaller bit of something new. If he doesn't eat it, then mix it in with his dinner (but any bigger pieces so they're a little chuckier than the rest os the grind - but not huge. Have fun!! You're doing GREAT -jennifer
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Post by animalsgetrevenge on Oct 11, 2008 20:46:34 GMT -5
Great news about Didjeridu and Ramona! I picked up ten pinkie mice and ten hoppers today... I offered both... Didjer immediately took and chomped down one pinkie then ate the head off another. I offered a hopper and he chewed in in half and ate about 1/3 of it. Ramona licked the second headless pinkie after I put a drop of ferretone on it, then ate the rest of the hopper (2/3) with a drop of ferretone! This is their first time willingly eating whole prey! They had also eaten chicken about 2.5 hours before and had extra chicken in their cage so they probably weren't even hungry, just interested! The only problem is that I spent over $20 on 10 pinkies and 10 hoppers! RIP OFF! Oh well, at least now I know that they will eat them! I'm so proud! Ernie licked the pinkie twice with the ferretone but had NO interest besides that, but I didn't expect him to try it.
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Post by Forum Administrator on Oct 11, 2008 22:07:21 GMT -5
I know its a rip off for the prey. Rodentpro.com is a great resource to order from, but I'd wait until they are eating adult mice before you place an order (if you do). The key is to get them eating the hoppers and then work them up to slightly bigger mice until they are eating adults. Dont worry about Ernie, he'll catch up You are doing great! I am so proud of you for sticking with this!
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Post by animalsgetrevenge on Oct 12, 2008 11:44:40 GMT -5
Thank you Giuli. Today I am going to try to feed them one of the rabbit pinkies I bought about two months ago... I wonder what they will do!? I also found a woman through Craigslist.com that breeds her own feeder mice and is willing to sell me some for slightly cheaper than the store I went to yesterday.
Her prices: Pinkies: $0.75 Hoppers: $1.00 Adult: $1.50
The Reptile store prices: (10% discounts for 10 or more of the same size) Pinkies: $1.09 for less than 10 Hoppers: $1.29 for less than 10 Adults: $1.49 for less than 10
Do you think I should ask for lower prices or ask around to find another breeder? I got the rabbit pinkies for $1 each and they are bigger than an adult mouse. I also got young 2lb. rabbits for $4 each. I asked her if I could see her mice and set up and she gladly said yes, which made me feed better.
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Post by animalsgetrevenge on Oct 12, 2008 14:27:18 GMT -5
Great news! I fed the big kids a rabbit pinkie for breakfast and Didjeridu thought it was ferret crack! He FREAK OUT, wouldn't let Ramona near it, and ate the bottom half in about a minutes and a half! Ramona ate an ear and a paw but not much else. The second half is still in there cage (probably in the litter box by now) so I will make sure Ramona eats some by when I get home this evening.
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Post by Forum Administrator on Oct 13, 2008 13:31:41 GMT -5
Yay Didj!!! For some reason ferrets seem to love the baby animals. My guys LOVE young quail and young chicks. They would only eat these if they could lol. Problem is they need to eat the adults too because they have the calcium that the young pinkies lack (they do have calcium, just not enough). Using young prey is an excellent way to get ferrets started onto bigger prey. And its a "yummy" treat. As for the feeder prices, it can't hurt to try and barter and ask for a deal. Worst case scenario she'll just say no, ya know?
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