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Post by mustelidmusk on Jul 24, 2008 23:01:29 GMT -5
OK, sounds like a good plan.
Have fun and let me know if you hav any questions or concerns.
-jennifer
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Post by mdcichy on Jul 27, 2008 14:06:23 GMT -5
I mixed chicken baby food with their kibble (just enough to make the pieces stick together) and they are both eating it. It took them awhile to touch it but so long as they are eating it I am good with that. I will be adding more today to both of their food bowls. I have one outside of the cage and one inside so they always have food. And as for the treats and the freeze-dried chicken Mr B is eating a little bit each day. Sam still won't eat it. I am going to stay with the baby food for a while longer and the treats and see what happens. Hopefully in a couple of weeks we can work on adding more stuff to it. I am going to try the sprinkles today and see how they feel about that.
Talk to you again in a week or two.
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Post by mustelidmusk on Jul 27, 2008 19:16:16 GMT -5
Cool!!! They're both eating the babyfood /kibble!!! If you increase the baby food and Sam stats complaining (noy eating it!), back off a bit on the baby food. You can offer a "dry bowl with crumbled freee-dried meats and kibble, and a moist bowl (babyfood and kibble. As always keep an eye on their weights/rib cages. Have fun experimenting  -jennifer |
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Post by mdcichy on Jul 28, 2008 13:17:07 GMT -5
I am getting two more ferts on the 7th or 8th of August. I am going to start with them right away. They are both almost a year old so all the smells will be new to them and hopefully it will work out. These guys could be more than a blessing in disguise. While I have them quarentined (however you spell that), I will be giving them chicken. I so can't wait to get them!! One is a dew ;D and one is a sable.  They are both males. I don't know how they are with ferretone or if they have ever had it but I will put some on, I am also going to cut them into kibble sized pieces. I am not going to let them have kibble. So they will be on the chicken for about a week before I start socializing them with Sam and Mr B. These poor guys have never even had names. |
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Post by mustelidmusk on Jul 28, 2008 23:12:40 GMT -5
Now that's excting news!!!
Let the new kids settle in with the kibble they're used to eatng. You can always offer new things, but I'd refrean from removing the kibble until they're settled in. These new ferts willl have enough to stress out about.
Have fun and kep introducing new smalls and tastes - it's enrichment - and that' what ferrets thrive on!
-jennifer
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Post by mdcichy on Jul 30, 2008 9:09:21 GMT -5
Thanks. I didn't think about the stress they would be under.
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Post by Forum Administrator on Jul 30, 2008 18:52:59 GMT -5
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Post by mdcichy on Jul 31, 2008 10:15:57 GMT -5
Have you ever heard of Holistic Ferret kibble? The values look really good.
Yesterday Mr B went missing (for 6 or 7 hours) and the woman that had him said he ate her food. But if he eats this and it is closer to get them to convert I would try it.
I have just never heard of it and am curious as to what you think.
With the two new boys would it also be okay to add the chicken with their kibble?
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Post by mustelidmusk on Aug 1, 2008 0:28:22 GMT -5
OH POOPIES!!! The computer just dumped my entire LONG messgae BEFORE I got to post it    Let's try this again... The food you're talking about is most likely Eagle Pack Holistic Select. I feel there are better kibbles available on the market. I look for the following in a kibble for ferrets... high protien - 40% or more high fat - 18 - 22% No grains No non-meat items in the first couple of ingredients on the list Meats are better than meals (turkey vs. turkey meal) No generic meats such as "poultry" (what kind of poultry) Variety is good. Below is comparison of Holistic Select ferret to EVO ferret: Holistic Select EVO ============ ============ Chicken Meal Turkey Ground Brown Rice Chicken Meal Chicken Fat Chicken Oatmeal Herring Meal Dried Egg Product Potato Flaxseed Chicken Fat Anchovy & Sardine Meals Egg Tomato Pomace Turkey Meal Holistic Select EVO ============ ============ Crude Protein 34% 50% Crude Fat 21% 21% Crude Fiber 3.0% 1.5% Moisture 10% 10% Carbs Not Listed 8% Based upon what I look for in a food, I feel the EVO offers a better nutrition that the Holistic Select. Here's a list of some of the better Kibbles I'm aware of: EVO Ferret EVO Cat & Kitten Wellness Core Cat Natures Variety Instinct - Chicken Pretty Pets Natural Gold Hi Protien/LoCarb For Variety: ------------- Nature's Variety Instinct - Rabbt Evo Red Bites for small dogs When you get your new kids, you can offer them small amounts new foods right away as long as they have access to some of they're normal kibble as well. You'll want to evaluate how they they're reacting to their new home before you start making a lot of change. BUT... you can still offer soup, tidbits of raw meat, etc. Hand feeding will be a good way to bond with your new babies too. I introduced my second boy (unneutered) into my tribe of 3 ), and all 4 of my brats ended up with the "screamin' runs" from stress. All four were runnig aound poofing non-stop - the entire room was "skunky" It's extremely unlikely you'll get this kind of adventure unless you're dealing wth ferrets that have not been fixed. Just keep in mind that all of your frrets will be a little stressed out by the change. So start slow and don't force change on them until you feel they're settling in pretty well. A small bowl of kibble with some ckicken will be fine as long as there's another bowl without the chicken too. You'll be the best jdge on how well they adjust. Some ferrets are fine in a week's tme, others take longer. -jennifer |
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Post by mdcichy on Aug 1, 2008 19:21:43 GMT -5
Thanks. I am not going to get it. They are eating a little of their kitten food and more Wellness Core. It has been almost two weeks now and they are eating a full bottle of chicken baby food mixed in with their kibble. It takes them a day or two to eat it, but it is going faster than it did in the beginning. The next step is stage three baby food. I will try that next week.
Mr B is starting to get a little thinner, is that normal when changing over? I have not been seeing him eat but I am assuming that he is.
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Post by mustelidmusk on Aug 2, 2008 12:01:21 GMT -5
It's not terribly uncommon for ferrets to drop a little weight during the transition. Heavy cream has a very small amount of lactose in it. It puts weight on ferrets, and most ferrets really like it. A table spoon of heavy cream mixed in with the bab food before its put on the kibble may help with palatability as well.
Straight baby food can be rather sicky, so the addition of a little water and/or cream can help.
Once they accpt thi mixture,, you can begin to add small amounts of mince raw cichn. I suspct the addition of the mince shicken will go smoothly aslong as the pieces are small and you start out slowly. If they like the cream, you can even offer mall taste of minced raw chicken with a little bit of cream on it. They might like it!!!
-jennfer
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Post by mdcichy on Aug 7, 2008 12:56:26 GMT -5
Jennifer, I am so dumb!! I had this whole thing written out to you about how I was going to put everything on hold for a while because they quit eating altogether then I saw one of your posts about putting them back onto just a little bit of baby food. I am going to do that again. But I have also been reading alot on the forum.ferret.com site and they keep talking about cooked chicken as treats. I am going to cook some up and set it on his treat tray. He loves the chicken treats that I give him, so why wouldn't he eat this too? I am soooo trying for the positive attitude. (They are making it difficult.) I am not giving up, just feeling very frustrated. Why do I feel like I am doing something not right? When I get the two new boys  (now it is hopefully this Sunday, she has a flat now and may not be able to make it  ) I will let them have a couple of days on the dry and then start adding in some meat. I also think it will be the cooked meat, as soon as that starts working, which I have a very strong feeling it will, I will start on the raw with them and maybe Sam and Mr B will see that it is okay and take the hint.  |
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Post by mustelidmusk on Aug 8, 2008 23:51:52 GMT -5
Hi! No need to feel dumb about all this - it's really all trial and error. If your kids like the cooked meat, them stay with that,and gues what, over time, you can cook it less ansnd less!!! This gives you a good way to"sneak up on them" with raw . have fun with the new babis, and let me know if you have any questions! -jennifer |
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Post by mustelidmusk on Aug 12, 2008 22:43:50 GMT -5
I hope all is going well... I think you were working on 2 new little boys. Last we chatted, you were planning to offer your coked recipe and start cooking it less and less over time. I hope this is going well, and hopefully, the new boys will lead the way as youngster!!! When you have time, please let us know how things are going.
Thanks!
-jennifer
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Post by mdcichy on Aug 13, 2008 1:18:25 GMT -5
I don't have the new boys yet. She couldn't make it here last weekend. Mr B will start getting the chicken tomorrow morning. Sam is Sam and the only thing she will eat is the egg. I am going to try the chicken with her also. Her I have to figure out a different way to give it. She does not eat treats or anything out of hand.
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