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Post by amymelissa on Jan 7, 2009 3:03:34 GMT -5
New shot at the menu. Michael wasn't doing fast enough for me  I feel like something is off. We have to keep food in the cage at night or Damien chews up everything. RMB works best to curb this behavior. Wednesday ~ am - Liver/giblets pm - lamb chunks/ giblets Thursday ~ am - CGH pm - CGH (whatever is left over from am) Friday ~ am - 3 wings/giblets pm - 2 legs/giblets Saturday ~ am - beef stew chunks/liver pm- 2 thighs Sunday ~ am - pork chunks/liver pm - 2 wings/giblets Monday ~ am - chicken chunks pm - chicken backs/ giblets Tuesday ~ am - beef/chicken/lamb/pork chunks and giblets (whatever is left over from the week) pm - chicken necks/giblets |
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Post by tsslilsis on Jan 7, 2009 21:12:32 GMT -5
Gasp........................... Did they actually eat the two pounds of meat??? That is more than my 70lb coon hound is usually fed in a day.
-~Ketlin
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Post by amymelissa on Jan 7, 2009 22:32:04 GMT -5
I rechecked the weight on the package and it was a total of 1/2 lb of lamb chunks and 1/2 lb of giblets.. so actually it was 1 lb total. I told you they (the boys) eat a LOT! Although last night Taz was a piglet right along with the boys. My rottie can eat a LOT too. Course he's 100lbs so 2lbs of food to him is a snack Can they eat lamb bone, like ribs? We found rack of lamb for pretty cheap but I wasn't sure about the bone. On a side note we gave them CGH for dinner tonight and they haven't eaten very much. Taz really likes it. She was munching away on the bones without help from the boys, yeah! At the am feeding we give them very little and at the pm feeding is when we give them a lot. The pm feedings have to last all night because of Damien, although Bandit is getting as bad about chewing on things! |
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Post by tsslilsis on Jan 7, 2009 22:58:13 GMT -5
1/2 pound isn't as surprising, thats about what my ferrets eat in a day. But still a lot concidering their size.
Skip is 50 pounds and once stole three pounds of meat off the top of the freezer that was thawing for their breakfast.. The pig! Now, my Bo.... He is 38 pounds, supposed to be about 22 and would eat til he literally explodes or dies if you allow him.
You could try lamb ribs. The density is going to vary from rack to rack.. But I know I've fed the ferrets ribs from young deers without a problem. Worse comes to worse and you could just cut the meat off and give the bones to Bo as a treat (A little at a time or with some meaty meat).
This may seem like a stupid question.. But I'm terrible with abreviations.. What is CGH? I thought it was chicken gizzards and hearts... But then up there you said something about feeding CGH and Taz munching away at the bones.
-~Ketlin
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Post by amymelissa on Jan 7, 2009 23:36:22 GMT -5
cornish game hens = CGH
We're still trying to figure serving size. Most of the time the RMB's are still in the cage in the morning and that is there am serving. The night feedings is when they get the "new." If they happen to eat it all at night then we give them new instead of leftovers.
On a side note we've never had the kids fight over meat or the food we give them but last night they did. There was a lot of hissing and yelling over that lamb!
*updated to add*
At about 3am I heard this cracking and figured one of the boys was up eating the CGH. Then I heard hissing so I got up to check... it was TAZ! Damien was trying to eat too and Taz was not going to share, not even a bite!
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Post by tsslilsis on Jan 8, 2009 11:31:32 GMT -5
Oh! Okay! We learn something new every day, right?  You should probably just stick to the way you are feeding them now. Their appetites vary alot so what might be enough one day might not be the next. I guess they really love the lamb.. But the fighting is something we have to deal with with Ravi and Lily on the daily basis.. They always have to go for the SAME piece of meat, even if there are 20 others.. And last night, Ravi stole Weezers meat that he was eating, but Weezer's not one to complain. When you feed them do you just give one hunk of meat or multipul chunks? -~Ketlin |
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Post by amymelissa on Jan 8, 2009 12:53:10 GMT -5
We give them several chunks. The lamb was cut into about 15 small pieces.
The CGH we didn't but will next time we give it to them. Damien is such a piggie that he thinks if someone else is eating he needs to be too!
Taz is starting to be more fiesty. Damien is really bad about chasing her, pinning her down and playing really rough with her. I think she's finally had enough. Taz and Bandit get along much better. He does play with her but when she hisses or squeals and runs away he leaves her alone, Damien doesn't!
Right now their cage is on the small side but I'm getting a FN 142 when my income tax check gets here so it'll be much better, I hope! They do get out of the cage for at least 6 hours a day to play and explore. When the kids were off track they got out more but the kids are back in school. I know it's not much but it's the best we can do for now.
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Post by tsslilsis on Jan 9, 2009 9:55:38 GMT -5
I think they are probably trying to figure out who is dominant, or maybe they aren't use to each other yet. A dominant ferret doesn't play an as obvious role in the group as a dog would and its harder to tell who is dominate.. But in my group for example I think it is Ravi because he feels he has the right to take Weezer or Lily's food and even though there is hissing or screeching they usually let him have it.
They'll love the FN I'm sure. It is very roomy. My cage is also small but the ferrets usually get between 8 and 15 hours out per day. I am trying to get or create something bigger though.. Last night during feeding time Ravi stretched out and his big ol double wide self took up a lot of room in the cage. My cage is two and a half levels and its a good cage but Ravi is just soo big!!!!
-~Ketlin
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Post by amymelissa on Jan 10, 2009 6:19:05 GMT -5
I've been following the last menu I posted. Their poops have firmed up and they are all getting fat and sassy!
We have two cages that we combined but even that just doesn't seem large enough. We are going to be moving soon so until then I've gotten a large playpen for the brats and that is where they spend most of their time. The cage I use for feeding. I can't leave their food in the playpen because raw makes Bo's IBD so bad!
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Post by tsslilsis on Jan 12, 2009 18:36:25 GMT -5
If you don't mind my asking, when are you going to be getting the FN? If you aren't comfortable with the size of the current cage you could post of Freecycle and Craigslist and see if anyone has a free/cheap one, then afterwards you can save it as a quarintine/hospital cage or sell it.
Giuli asked that I tell you she is sorry it has taken you so long to graduate and also sorry that she's not reviewed your menu yet. She's had very limited internet access.
-~Ketlin
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Post by amymelissa on Jan 12, 2009 21:36:38 GMT -5
The time line for us moving has moved up so getting the FN cage now isn't going to work. The cage I have now will make a great hospital/quarantine cage.
Unless I'm missing something I think the last menu will work really well. The kids seem happy with it lol
I understand about not graduating yet.
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Post by amymelissa on Jan 17, 2009 2:12:53 GMT -5
I haven't been posting because until either I graduate or we tweak the menu there really isn't anything to post.
They are eating the menu I posted with no problems.
We can add pork kidney to the list of things they will eat!
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Post by amymelissa on Jan 18, 2009 11:18:25 GMT -5
Since I've added something new they will eat I'm tweaking with the menu. Since bone can stay in the cage for 24 hours I'll only feed them once, unless they eat it all.
Sunday ~
3 chicken thighs (one per ferret)
Monday ~
am - lamb chunks
pm - giblets (no organ)
Tuesday ~
CGH
Wednesday ~
am - pork kidney
pm - pork chunks
Thursday ~
3 chicken wings
Friday ~
am - giblets (no organ)/chicken necks
pm - beef stew meat chunks
Saturday ~
am - giblets with chicken livers/chicken legs
pm - left over meat chunks from the week
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Post by tsslilsis on Jan 19, 2009 11:24:03 GMT -5
Looks good to me! Giuli should be getting on here this evening or Tomorrow evening to review menu's. I personally see no flaws in the menu.
Sorry I haven't replied lately. Family is coming up this week and I've been busy.
-~Ketlin
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Post by amymelissa on Jan 20, 2009 2:06:55 GMT -5
Just wanted to say that when I can get my hands on rabbit, quail and other meats I'll be adding it. For now though we are stuck with what I can find local.
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