My kids going Raw

[silverphoenix69]

Sorry! My mom busted up her knee, so other then checking my email, I haven't been on.

I really don't no what to do with them. Gloria is the only one that will touch any of the raw meat on her own. And Bandit is fine as long as I'm there...Drake wont unless I force him, and Laura like I said has the smallest licks of it...

I really don't no how to get them to switch They're still eating the kibble. And the girls have lost a bit of weight, as well as one of them has some soft runny poops. But they're all active and none have them while I'm with them.

Without making the soup all the time, is it possible to give them something else, and slowly add raw chicken to it? But then if I use something like baby food, how do I no if they're all eating it?. I'm so nervous I'm going to starve them

*Blah!* I'm sorry, I'm just so frustrated and confused :S . I know this is the best thing for them and I REALLY want to do it, but they are not cooperating with me. I just don't no where to start anymore

[Forum Administrator]

If they are losing too much weight and they are not taking to the raw soupie, then you could always get them used to moist kibble and then slowly slip in chunks of raw meat into the wet kibble. Forgive me if you've already tried this, but basically what you'd do is take their usual kibble and add some water to it. Gradually work them up to their regular kibble, mixed with enough water to get the kibble to a "canned cat food" consistancy. If they refuse to touch the kibble after you add water, then add less water, until they will eat it, then go from there, gradually adding more water.

Only put out enough wet kibble that they will eat in about 6-8 hours. After 6-8 hours remove any uneaten food and discard. Eventually you will get the hang of how much they eat in that 6-8 hour time frame, and you will waste little to no food.

[Jaycee]

I am sorry they are being so difficult for you. I know when I was starting the switch I felt like I was running backward in circles for the longest time. They will eventually get the hang of it, they just need a little encouragement.

I still have to feed one of my newest ferrets off of the spoon to get him started. Is your soup mix runny or more solid. If it is more solid, try making it more watery with more broth or water. Add a little of the baby food to it, or get some dried duk soup for flavor. Mine would only start to eat the mix if I put a bit of duk soup in it....or (don't get mad, Giuli) add a drizzle of vite or tone on the mix. Just a small amount, as these aren't really very healthy for a ferret (too much sugar). But a little bit on the food might encourage them to taste the soupie a bit more. Once they start eating it with all the additional stuff (vite, tone or duk) you can start to lessen the amount in the soup until it is just a broth/chicken mix. Then lessen the broth until it is just blended chicken.

Don't get too frustrated. I felt like throwing in the towel several times when I was switching, but I am glad now that I didn't. You will be amazed at the difference this diet change will make. They will get the hang of it. In a month you will look back and smile at the progress you have made. Hang in there. We are all here for you.

I hope your mom is feeling better!

[silverphoenix69]

I did try the wet kibble, and Drake gagged when trying to eat it...See he doesn't like my cooking either! He did not like his kibble wet at all. I could try it again, and just go slower with the wetness of it, I'll think about it and see how it goes.

Drake will only touch anything raw with tone on it...and as soon as its gone, he refuses to touch it.

The girls gained their weight back...I think they just loose some weight to get me freaking.

Should I just try the kibble, go every slow and hope for the best?

Thanks you two

And its almost been a month! *crys* and I'm at nowhere . I feel like quiting LOL I really do, but I wont, because I want to see those changes for myself. Sometimes I just want to bash their little heads together and tell them I'm trying to help! *arggh*

My mom is going to a specalist tomorrow (well today) so hopefully they find out whats wrong...She hasn't left her bed since Friday

[Jaycee]

Naw...you can't give up now. Ask Giuli. It took me quite a while (like 3 months) to get mine switched over. Once you get over this hurdle, the rest is easier.

Go back to the kibble and just slightly moisten with water. If they start eating the slightly moistened with water, add some more until they eat the mush. Then, if you want, start switching the water over to broth (to get them use to the flavor change), and once that goes well, begin adding the blended chicken to the mix.

You are doing fine! Keep up the good work, and don't worry. They will switch, and you will look back on all of this and laugh!

[silverphoenix69]

No worries in that, I can't but I can see how people would.

I'll start with the wet kibble tonight/in the morning. So to start off with do I just add some water on to their kibble? to make it soft, or just to add water?

Lol I can't wait for the laughing part *snort*

Also, I don't no when I'll be able to reply next. My computer is having problems. But I will as soon as possible, or use my brothers computer if I can.

[Jaycee]

Honestly, I find it easier to add warm water, or add water to the kibble and microwave for about 15 sec so it will get good and soft. If they take to this ok, try some of the broth.

Lol...you know, I looked back on my post after I graduated and laughed....you'll be there!

[silverphoenix69]

Just an update. Still not much. Eating the slightly wet kibble, will start to add a bit more tomorrow.

LOL Hopefully soon *wink*. Again, computer still messed up, dunno when I can post

[Forum Administrator]

Hang in there. When I switched De earlier this year (btw, she is 8 years old ) it was a REAL pain. She was so small it was rough because I couldnt let her go for long with out food. I gradually got her used to a wet kibble, and then I got her eating ground, raw meat. I literally had to hand feed(well, technically I "tweezer fed") her the chunks of ground raw meat. FINALLY she'd eat the ground, raw meat off the plate. She has never made it to raw, meaty bones so she eats a ground raw mix that contains meat/bone/organ (so she gets a proper balance of nutrients).

My point is, it takes time, and sometimes its teeny tiny steps you make, but they are still steps. De is doing SO much better now that she's eating raw. There were times where I was frustrated, I never though she'd switch, but I learned that if I made the changes SO gradual that barely *I* could notice, then she wouldnt notice either, and using that strategy I got her off the kibble and onto better food. We are still working to get onto bone, its a constant journey. In time you learn to not get frustrated when you cant see much progress day to day. You gotta look at the big picture. Hang in there, you can do it!

[silverphoenix69]

I never realized how bad kibble STUNK! Arrgh...more so when it's wet *blah!*

SO they all eat the wet kibble, but I'm doing it slow like I said...Gloria once again, I've seen her eat it the most (but that doesn't mean much). I don't understand how a little girl like her can eat so much, but be as small as she is..AND they're all trying to kill be my having their weights drop and come back up! Arrgh! Not by much, and there all acting normal but still!

Its just frusterating because I know I could switch Gloria so fast, and maybe even Bandit..But Laura and Drake *hits their heads together* And here I thought my kids wern't picky eaters HA.

[Jaycee]

Hold on, don't stress. You are doing fine! Mine were exactly like yours, and I survived till the end.

Keep going with Gloria and Bandit. If you think they can go on to the next step, try it. Sometimes a ferret (when seeing other ferrets eating something new) will try it themselves. My Mooch (Raider) switched himself that way....just by watching the others. So I say, go for it! Try adding a little blended chicken into a separate kibble mixture for them, and continue with the softened kibble for Laura and Drake.

..........and yes. Kibble reeks!!!

[Jaycee]

How is everything going?

[silverphoenix69]

So sorry its been so long since I've replyed. I've been going through a lot and haven't gone on the computer much lately. My cat was pretty sick for a few weeks, so he was taking up all my time. The Doctors thought he had lymphoma (they still do really), but he's back to his normal self.

I feel like the worst ferret mommy ever, as I haven't been keeping up with their switching. With nothing going as it should be for me lately, being stressed over my kids eating was just putting me under more. I know they'll eat kibble so it was the "easy" thing to do. It's funnly you asked how things were going 3 days ago, cuz I tried a wing again with my kids tonight.

No surprize that Gloria was the only one to chow down on it. But what was suprizing, after Gloria got it all bloody from the marow, Laura was licking it on her own! She even took it and hid to lick it.

Drake gave it a few licks and thats all, wouldn't even try some bits of chicken from it.

Bandit I think I ruined, he went to take off with it but I didn't want him to hid in on the floor (need to wash the floors, so its a bit "dirty"). He wouldn't take it after that.

I have a question though, Gloria seems to only like chewing on the bone. She doesn't really touch the meat. I think she likes the marrow. She will eat chunks I take off, but I don't think she's learned how to take it off her own.

Oh, also I saw at the store to day, freash water whole smelt (frozen). Is that ok to try to give to them? I doubt the boys will try it, but the girls have both eaten freeze dried smelt before. I no nothing about fish at all (worse then meat *sigh*).

And if chicken isn't working with them (the spoiled, picky ones) could I try a bit of beef, or pork or something? Where having a roast tomorrow, and I thought I could cut some pieces off of that (before being cooked) and give it to them.

I'm sorry once again You must think I'm horrible *sigh*

[Jaycee]

No, I don't think you are a horrible ferret mom! Silly you...you are doing a great thing for your ferrets and that makes you an excellent mom.

As for the chicken/bone problem. Try giving her the wing with slits cut in the chicken (not off the bone, just several slits) and see if that makes it easier for her to get the meat off. I had to do that for a little while (not long) before they figured out how to take the meat off the bone on their own.

As for the smelt, I don't feed mine fish, but I know others here have. I don't see why it would be a problem to give them some. And, if you are thinking of trying a different meat, I find that pork goes over very well! Keep up the good work!

[silverphoenix69]

Thanks Jaycee. I'm just feeling..Down.

Well the beef was a no go LMAO. Only one that I could get to try it was Bandit. He had a little piece (and I mean little) and that was it...But he did like smelling it *shrug*

Gonna give them another chicken wing tonight, see what happens. And I have a question. How bad is it if I give them a chicken wing, but still give them access to the kibble for the night? I wanted to leave them locked up for the night, through in a chicken wing or two and see what happens to it by morning. But I don't want them to get sick if they eat both. But then I don't want to take away their food for a whole 12 hours, if they don't touch the chicken...*sigh*

Haven't tried the fish yet.