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Post by nutbuni on Oct 17, 2008 11:15:43 GMT -5
Ok, tried D and D didn't take too well to the new duck soup. Once I put it on their lips they licked it off but weren't interested in taking it themselves. Will try again tomorrow! Can I mix in some of their current kibble?
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Post by Forum Administrator on Oct 17, 2008 14:59:08 GMT -5
Yes, you can mix it with their current kibble.  Hang in there, they'll get the hang of it. |
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Post by nutbuni on Oct 18, 2008 10:29:45 GMT -5
Ok, the crushed kibble worked. They didn't wolf down the soup or anything but thingy dragged the dish in to their mini den by the fridge and they both tried it. It's better than nothing! Are these www.ferretcouture.co.uk/Treats006%20-%20Chicken%20Chooks.asp ok to give as treats? I haven't really got anything for them as "treats" really. I was told raisins but after reading about them and ferrets I decided against it. |
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Post by Forum Administrator on Oct 18, 2008 20:18:53 GMT -5
Excellent! Progress is progress, no matter how "small" it may seem. Those treats are perfect, MUCH better than raisins  |
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Post by nutbuni on Oct 20, 2008 2:56:34 GMT -5
Last night was great! They ended up having duck soup with no kibble. They had a portion with kibble and then wanted more and had no kibble on it! I'll try no kibble again tonight. They also ate bits of chicken skin that hadn't blended properly with no problem. |
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Post by Forum Administrator on Oct 20, 2008 3:18:49 GMT -5
Excellent! This is wonderful news. Well if they ate the bits of chicken skin that werent blended with no issues, then I think it might be okay to go ahead and slowly start adding some small chunks of raw chicken to the soup. Start out with chunks about this big: [--]. and then gradually increase the size. If they won't touch the soup with a few chunks it it, then go back to the chunkless soup for a while. Slow and steady |
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Post by nutbuni on Oct 20, 2008 15:17:08 GMT -5
How much duck soup should I give them? I've frozen it in to ice cubes and tonight I gave them 5 ice cubes between them (the cubes are about 1.5cm across). I think they'd probably eat more too...
Also, I'm planning on feeding them mice eventually, among other things, how many should they eat and how many times a day?
Thanks!
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Post by Forum Administrator on Oct 20, 2008 15:24:31 GMT -5
Give them as much soupy as they will eat in one sitting. As for when you start feeding mice, the amount you feed will depend on the age, weight, gender, and activity level of your ferret (plus what time of year it is....summer means less food, winter means more food). For my 3.5 pound, semi-active, adult, male ferrets they usually eat about 3-5 adult mice per day (or they split one large rat or one medium guinea pig).
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Post by nutbuni on Oct 20, 2008 15:48:59 GMT -5
Excellent, thanks! I'm going to have to make more duck soup then! |
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Post by nutbuni on Oct 21, 2008 6:10:51 GMT -5
I might be rescuing 5 two month old ferrets, unless I can sort something else suitable out for them. Would they be ok to start feeding pinkies/mice to pretty much straight away as they are only young?
If not, what would you suggest? I heard they need lots of calcium so should I add some calcium tablets to my duck soup?
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Post by Forum Administrator on Oct 21, 2008 23:05:54 GMT -5
I would advise starting them onto whatever food you want them to be eating, straight away (raw, whole prey, whatever you like). I would advise starting them on pinky mice, but quickly working them up to adult mice. No need to give calcium tablets, just provide plenty of OLDER whole prey (adult animals, with a few babies here and there) and with raw food, provide plenty of raw meaty bones: chicken wings, chicken legs, chicken thighs, etc. Let me know if you wind up getting them are not. The plus is that they will switch so fast it will be like a joke. On the downside, they WILL eat like little garbage disposals. You'll probably have a hard time feeding them JUST whole prey (they will be eating ALOT) so if you wind up getting them well work with you to develop and appropriate raw/whole prey feeding schedule so that they get all the nutrients they need to grow big and strong. |
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Post by nutbuni on Oct 22, 2008 6:39:24 GMT -5
I should be seeing them tonight so hopefully will know then.
With chicken wings/thighs etc, I don't need to strip the meat from the bones, do I?
Also, how long can the duck soup be in the fridge for? I don't want to freeze it all...I guess a couple of days? I'm getting some meat tomorrow so I can make more duck soup and will also be able to add the chunks of chicken for my current boys. I haven't had a chance to add the chunks yet but they are happy with the soup!
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Post by nutbuni on Oct 22, 2008 15:14:06 GMT -5
Well, I don't have the five extra but I do have one! A giant 4/5 month old hob who's name is Flump. He's happy on the soup too!
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Post by Forum Administrator on Oct 23, 2008 5:10:46 GMT -5
No, no need to strip the meat off the thighs and wings, just cut some gashes into the meat so they can learn how to grab on. Once they get the hang of it, you wont need to keep cutting gashes into the meat, btw. I am happy to hear that everyone is happy on the soup. and congratulations on Flump, what a cute name!   |
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Post by nutbuni on Oct 24, 2008 13:37:47 GMT -5
So, thingy and Dom don't like chicken chunks. Flump seems happy with whatever!
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