Here are those answers for the new, required post:
a.) Do you understand that by starting this thread you commit to posting updates on the progress of your ferret(s) diet switch at least every other day?**Yes!
b.) Do you understand that if you will be away from your computer for an extended period of time you will need to exchange phone numbers (or email addresses if you don't feel comfortable exchanging numbers) via private message with your assigned mentor, so that we can monitor your progress and ensure your ferret's safety during the switch? (Please post below letting us know that you and your mentor have exchanged phone numbers or emails)[/b]
Yes!
c.) Do you understand that any threads that have not been updated in for more then a week (with no explanation as to why you are absent) will result in the deletion of the thread?***Yes!
I realized I never answered these questions when I started my thread... I'm sorry! How did I miss this? I figured this would be helpful to post, even though it is TWO months late.
1. How many ferrets do you currently have? What are their names, ages, genders, and do they have any health problems (this is VERY important)?Ernie: Male, many past owners. The person I got him from said he was 4 years old (December 2007) , the vet estimated he was 3-4 years old (June 2008). I would say he is about 4 ½ or 5 years old now. No health issues except that he is slightly underweight and needs a dental. Ernie is from Marshall Farms.
Didjeridu: Male, many past owners. The person I got him from told me he was 2 years old (December 2007), the vet estimated 1.5-2.5 years old (June 2008). I would say he is around 2.5 years old now. Didj hasn't had any health issues since I got him, except that he started loosing hair on the underside of his tail about a month and a half ago, starting at the tip. He rapidly lost hair for about a week, then stopped. Nothing has grown back. I took him to the vet right away and had urine work done. The vet said he had something in his urine that indicates adrenal but such a small, abnormal amount that he suggested waiting for more hair loss or other symptoms before ruling out seasonal hair loss. For the past month he has had no more shedding and no other symptoms. Didjeridu has no tattoos indicating where he came from.
Ramona: Female, she was found as a stray so we have no idea what her past was like. Our vet estimated she was 2-4 years old. Compared to Ernie is seems to be about a year younger I would guess, so maybe 3.5 or 4 years old. She came to us VERY starved and unhealthy and is now in perfect health. No health issues.
2. What are your ferrets currently eating? Include their main diet, plus any treats or supplements (such as duk soup).Chicken wings, chicken drumsticks, boneless beef and pork, Cornish game hen, beef and chicken liver, chicken hearts, and lamb kidney. They have also eaten ground chicken, ground quail, and ground lamb during the transition and Didj and Ramona have both taken a few nibbles of thawed jumbo mice. Everyone has tried pogo mice treats but didn't care for them. Ernie is currently eating heavy whipping cream.
When I got my boys in December their past owner fed them Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul kitten food. I switched them to Zupreem in January/February, then to Pretty Pets Natural Gold in June. I started the switch the raw within two weeks of July.
3. What kind of diet do you want to switch to?Raw and whole prey. I have already got the raw part down, I just need to get them eating larger pieces. I would like to add in whole prey as I can find it and as I can afford it, ideally once a week.
4. Why do you want to switch to this more natural diet? I can only imagine what the non-meat items in ferret kibble do to my ferrets' health. I want to feed my babies a diet that they would eat in the wild... if they could survive in the wild! I want to know there meals are free of hormones and antibiotics. Since I am vegan, it's important to know where the meat in my pets' meals has come from. With kibble I have no idea where or how the animals were raised and slaughtered. When buying the meat myself I can choose from free-range, cage-free, local farms.
5. Where/what/who got you interested in natural diets?A few years back I tried a HUMAN raw diet for myself (raw veganism) and it really influenced my thoughts about my diet. I still make unhealthy choices about what I eat, but I am responsible for providing my pets with a proper diet... they don't have the ability to open the fridge and choose their own meals! Well, raw veganism was the first thing that sparked the idea of a raw diet for my pets, but back then I didn't own ferrets. After joining forum.ferret.com I found that many people fed raw and was surprised. With Giuli's help and encouragement I was able to see past my vegan “meat-phobia” and keep my pet's health and wellbeing in mind
6. Please list the current weight for your ferret(s). Do they appear overweight? Underweight? How is there muscle tone? Ernie: Ernie is underweight. He has okay muscle other than that. He weighs about 2 lbs 3 oz.
Didjeridu: Since switching to raw Didj has BULKED up like crazy. He was fit before, but now he looks like the incredible hulk! He weighs about 2 lbs 11 oz.
Ramona: Ramona is petite but has a perfect proportion of goosh and muscle. She is a hottie! She weighs about 1 lb 9 oz.
7. What is the condition of your ferret's teeth/gums? (can you get a picture?)I can't get a picture but here is what I see:
Ernie: Ernie's teeth are icky
this left side is worse than the right. Tthe three last teeth on each side have a lot of rust colored plaque or tartar. (These are the fang like tooth, very back tooth, and the one between them on each side.) His left fang is barely chipped at the end and both fangs are translucent from ½ down.
Didjeridu: His teeth look nice. The very back tooth on his left side has a tiny bit of plaque or tartar (light gray in color).
Ramona: Left side: last ¼ of left fang is chipped off, very back tooth has dark gray/green tartar or plaque. Right side: teeth look perfectly fine and healthy! As far as I remember she has the same discoloration in her right back tooth but since switching the raw it has become clean! Now she needs to learn to chew on the other side! Haha!
8. Describe the texture/color of your ferrets coat.Ernie: Silver. Mostly white with gray and black guard hairs and a little grayish tan mask. His hair is pretty thin and wiry for the summer.
Didjeridu: Sable with darker arms, legs and tail. His coat is thick, wirey, healthy and very shiny. His tail has hair loss.
Ramona: Light sable, maybe champagne? She has darker arms, legs and tail. She still had her fluffy, winter coat when we got her in June, but her hair is set for summer now. It looks very healthy, not to thick, and her actual hairs are not wirey.
9. How often does your ferret go to the bathroom?I am not sure, but since switching to raw they poop a SHOCKINGLY smaller amount. They probably eat poop about 3 times a day and it is usually fairly firm, oppose to nearly liquid when eating Natural Gold. Since switching to raw they almost drink NO water but still urinate a ton.
10. Does your ferret's feces and/or urine smell? Their urine smells pretty strong, but their poo smell is pretty light compared to with kibble.
11. Smell your ferret. How strong is their odor?When I actually put my nose to them they don't smell much at all. They all small clean on their bodies, but a little stinky near their ears and privates! Haha. I bathe them once a month and it has been about two weeks since their last bath.
12. On a scale of 1-10, 1 being completely lethargic and 10 being "through the roof!" what is your ferret's energy level?Ernie: 4 Low energy. Plays a few hours a day but mostly sleeps.
Didjeridu: 8 High energy. Plays until the other two are tired, then terrorizes! He is usually very alert or dead asleep.
Ramona: 5 Medium-low energy. A little more than Ern, a lot less than Didj.
13. How excited is your ferret about meal time (when fed kibble)? Didj and Ramona run to the top level when I come in with the bowl, Ern couldn't care less.
14. Have you attempted to switch from kibble to a natural diet in the past? If so, what methods have you tried. Be specific.I didn't try until I came to this forum and it was successful! They have been kibble free since late July!
15. What other information about your ferret(s) would you like to share? Like most people on this forum, my ferrets are my babies. I want to do whatever I can to make them the happiest and healthiest they can be. I have a bad case of ferret-math going on in my head, so don't be shocked if I end up with one or two more in the next few months... or weeks!
Pinkies are pretty low in calcium, so I would add them as an EXTRA RMB meal, so feed 4 RMB meals per week, and then add in the pinkies for extra 
) every time he has to eat. I think he is self conscious about his weight so he is going anorexic! Is he a baby or a teenage girl???
If you have to choose between pork and turkey necks, go with turkey necks 