Post by novemberkris on Jan 25, 2009 21:36:02 GMT -5
Well, Paulie basically told me that he is ready to make the switch (stubborness is leaving him fast all the sudden here) even if I am not ready. In his soupy today I put in almost 1 oz of Primal Duck Canine. Once he decided it was food, he hissed almost all of it up. I had to make a makeshift feeding den with his carrier to keep him from hoarding (he liked that).
Basically, my little Soprano's ferret demands meat now.
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)?
I have one ferret, Paulie. He is one year and two months old. He was hospitalized with entiritis that manifested as a blockage (nothing was getting out of his stomach) and underwent exploratory surgery to find that out (He was just under a year old). Since switching to EVO he looks better, but he still has bloating some days and funny poops to go with it. I fear he has a chicken allergy, though it is not diagnosed.
2. What are your ferrets currently eating? Include their main diet, plus any treats or supplements (such as duk soup).
He eats EVO ferret dry. I also make a soup out of it since his surgery in October 2008. Lately, I've been adding little pieces of Primal Canine Duck and because of this put a bit of his imprint food (Marshall's) and some Nutrical (which I plan on hiding far away when he gets on raw) so that the smell is of his favorite food. I used the Marshall's/Nutrical trick when he came home from surgery to keep from force feeding.
3. What kind of diet do you want to switch to?
I want to step up to commercial raw until I move out of my parents house. Then I would like to do a mix of commercial raw, raw, and whole prey (frozen, not live).
4. Why do you want to switch to this more natural diet?
Honestly, since Paulie was rushed to the emergency room with a GI disorder so young, I have to do it. Before that, I wanted to get him on a raw diet to extend his life and prevent insulinoma and other diseases. Since EVO is even affecting him negatively some days, it is imperative I get him onto something more natural for his health. He is too young to be gassy and yucky feeling when he should be playing.
5. Where/what/who got you interested in natural diets?
Honestly, reading about how bad carbs and sugars are for ferrets. I also thought, would I like to eat fortified cereal everyday? NO! Why am I feeding it to my buddy.
6. Please list the current weight for your ferret(s). Do they appear overweight? Underweight? How is there muscle tone?
He was 2.7lbs when he was at the vet for surgery. He may have gained some on EVO but not as much as I'd like. He just has so little muscle tone for as much as he climbs and plays.
7. What is the condition of your ferret's teeth/gums? (can you get a picture?)
I can't get a picture. His gums are pink and his teeth are nice and white.
8. Describe the texture/color of your ferrets coat.
It is silky and winter long/dark, but not as thick as a typical winter coat. You can tell it needs some thickness when you look at his tail.
9. How often does your ferret go to the bathroom?
He goes about once every 4 hours or so. It depends on how lazy he is when napping. He's waited at least 6 hours between potty breaks some days.
10. Does your ferret's feces and/or urine smell?
His urine has high levels of ammonia smell. His feces smell much better since the switch to EVO.
11. Smell your ferret. How strong is their odor?
Okay, my sinuses are always stuffed. Unless it is really strong, I do not notice. He smells lightly musky to me. I love his smell, to be honest. It reminds me of being around horses (my nose is strange.)
12. On a scale of 1-10, 1 being completely lethargic and 10 being "through the roof!" what is your ferret's energy level?
He is a 7-8 most days, but some days he drops to a 3-4 for no reason other than gas or something like that.
13. How excited is your ferret about meal time (when fed kibble)?
He loves to rob the canister of kibble if I let him. He will open the canister if I leave it in reach and just eat from it. Kibble junky.
14. Have you attempted to switch from kibble to a natural diet in the past? If so, what methods have you tried. Be specific.
Yes. In September, I tried mixing kibble and raw. I tried dosing the meat in ferretone. I tried chicken baby food as a step in between. I tried kibble soups. I stopped after he went in for surgery (late October) and upgraded his kibble to EVO. Then, I tried a soup on his birthday post surgery after he decided he liked soup (just to test). All of the sudden, he is all about meat in his kibble. I think the EVO keeps a chunky quality when wet, so maybe the texture is closer? I still have to REALLY trick him with smell.
15. What other information about your ferret(s) would you like to share?
Paulie thinks gerbils are weird looking ferrets (another reason I'll save whole prey for later). He's afraid of the outside, is irritated by baths (and checks to be sure I still love him after them), loves loves loves ICECUBES
--he begs for them from my glass and hides them away or licks them up. He has bobbed for them in a tupperware container. He may think meatcicles are the best treat every once he's switched.
16. If you can, please post a clear photograph of EACH of your ferrets directly below:
This is from August. He is too speedy to catch with my own camera now (my neighbor took that picture in CT). I'll try to get the pictures from Christmas off my mom's camera.
17.
a.) Do you understand that by starting this thread you commit to posting updates on the progress of your ferret(s) diet switch atleast 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 saftey during the switch?
Yes, wouldn't have it any other way.
c.) Do you understand that any threads that have not been updated in for more then a week (with no explaination as to why you are absent) will result in the deletion of the thread?***
Yep.
Basically, my little Soprano's ferret demands meat now.
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)?
I have one ferret, Paulie. He is one year and two months old. He was hospitalized with entiritis that manifested as a blockage (nothing was getting out of his stomach) and underwent exploratory surgery to find that out (He was just under a year old). Since switching to EVO he looks better, but he still has bloating some days and funny poops to go with it. I fear he has a chicken allergy, though it is not diagnosed.
2. What are your ferrets currently eating? Include their main diet, plus any treats or supplements (such as duk soup).
He eats EVO ferret dry. I also make a soup out of it since his surgery in October 2008. Lately, I've been adding little pieces of Primal Canine Duck and because of this put a bit of his imprint food (Marshall's) and some Nutrical (which I plan on hiding far away when he gets on raw) so that the smell is of his favorite food. I used the Marshall's/Nutrical trick when he came home from surgery to keep from force feeding.
3. What kind of diet do you want to switch to?
I want to step up to commercial raw until I move out of my parents house. Then I would like to do a mix of commercial raw, raw, and whole prey (frozen, not live).
4. Why do you want to switch to this more natural diet?
Honestly, since Paulie was rushed to the emergency room with a GI disorder so young, I have to do it. Before that, I wanted to get him on a raw diet to extend his life and prevent insulinoma and other diseases. Since EVO is even affecting him negatively some days, it is imperative I get him onto something more natural for his health. He is too young to be gassy and yucky feeling when he should be playing.
5. Where/what/who got you interested in natural diets?
Honestly, reading about how bad carbs and sugars are for ferrets. I also thought, would I like to eat fortified cereal everyday? NO! Why am I feeding it to my buddy.
6. Please list the current weight for your ferret(s). Do they appear overweight? Underweight? How is there muscle tone?
He was 2.7lbs when he was at the vet for surgery. He may have gained some on EVO but not as much as I'd like. He just has so little muscle tone for as much as he climbs and plays.
7. What is the condition of your ferret's teeth/gums? (can you get a picture?)
I can't get a picture. His gums are pink and his teeth are nice and white.
8. Describe the texture/color of your ferrets coat.
It is silky and winter long/dark, but not as thick as a typical winter coat. You can tell it needs some thickness when you look at his tail.
9. How often does your ferret go to the bathroom?
He goes about once every 4 hours or so. It depends on how lazy he is when napping. He's waited at least 6 hours between potty breaks some days.
10. Does your ferret's feces and/or urine smell?
His urine has high levels of ammonia smell. His feces smell much better since the switch to EVO.
11. Smell your ferret. How strong is their odor?
Okay, my sinuses are always stuffed. Unless it is really strong, I do not notice. He smells lightly musky to me. I love his smell, to be honest. It reminds me of being around horses (my nose is strange.)
12. On a scale of 1-10, 1 being completely lethargic and 10 being "through the roof!" what is your ferret's energy level?
He is a 7-8 most days, but some days he drops to a 3-4 for no reason other than gas or something like that.
13. How excited is your ferret about meal time (when fed kibble)?
He loves to rob the canister of kibble if I let him. He will open the canister if I leave it in reach and just eat from it. Kibble junky.
14. Have you attempted to switch from kibble to a natural diet in the past? If so, what methods have you tried. Be specific.
Yes. In September, I tried mixing kibble and raw. I tried dosing the meat in ferretone. I tried chicken baby food as a step in between. I tried kibble soups. I stopped after he went in for surgery (late October) and upgraded his kibble to EVO. Then, I tried a soup on his birthday post surgery after he decided he liked soup (just to test). All of the sudden, he is all about meat in his kibble. I think the EVO keeps a chunky quality when wet, so maybe the texture is closer? I still have to REALLY trick him with smell.
15. What other information about your ferret(s) would you like to share?
Paulie thinks gerbils are weird looking ferrets (another reason I'll save whole prey for later). He's afraid of the outside, is irritated by baths (and checks to be sure I still love him after them), loves loves loves ICECUBES
--he begs for them from my glass and hides them away or licks them up. He has bobbed for them in a tupperware container. He may think meatcicles are the best treat every once he's switched.16. If you can, please post a clear photograph of EACH of your ferrets directly below:
This is from August. He is too speedy to catch with my own camera now (my neighbor took that picture in CT). I'll try to get the pictures from Christmas off my mom's camera.
17.
a.) Do you understand that by starting this thread you commit to posting updates on the progress of your ferret(s) diet switch atleast 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 saftey during the switch?
Yes, wouldn't have it any other way.
c.) Do you understand that any threads that have not been updated in for more then a week (with no explaination as to why you are absent) will result in the deletion of the thread?***
Yep.
)
I'll have to keep it warmed slightly until he gets used to it. Of course, that makes sense when you think of them as hunters. Hah, he's done in the den and came back to clean off the spoon before using the bathmath as a napkin. He hasn't gone for a kibble stash that I'm sure he has around yet, so I don't think he is missing too much.
. I think I'd start increasing the amount of raw pieces in the soup, and decreasing the kibbles!