Post by Jen on Oct 9, 2008 21:38:15 GMT -5
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)?
- 1 ferret, named Weasel, about 9 months old, male, no known health problems
2. What are your ferrets currently eating? Include their main diet, plus any treats or supplements (such as duk soup).
- currently eating 8-in-1 Wild Harvest kibble, FerretVite supplemented daily, started introducing boiled chicken meat/fat/bones 3 days ago
3. What kind of diet do you want to switch to?
- natural ferret diet with a broad spectrum including meat/organs from fresh meat grocery section and/or whole (dead, alive or frozen) prey
4. Why do you want to switch to this more natural diet?
- limited healthy food choices locally and read that it’s much healthier to feed him meat/bones/organs since ferrets are natural meat-eaters
5. Where/what/who got you interested in natural diets?
- I first read something about natural diets in the book “Ferrets for Dummies”. It talked about options and good points. Also read online some articles written by vets recommending natural over processed food (makes sense). I want Weasel to live his life to the fullest and be the happiest/healthiest he can be.
6. Please list the current weight for your ferret(s). Do they appear overweight? Underweight? How is there muscle tone?
- 2.25 lbs (two months ago). He appears average, like a “teenage” (small/petite) ferret. I assume he’ll get a little bigger. He feels sturdy for his size, not too thin or fat. Sometimes skin on his inner thighs is slightly loose.
7. What is the condition of your ferret's teeth/gums? (can you get a picture?)
- looks healthy, white teeth, pink gums, no redness or sores. Couldn't get a picture in-focus, but here's a yawning video.
8. Describe the texture/color of your ferrets coat.
- coat is shiny and smooth. Guardhairs are longer and black. Undercoat is white/light brown and soft/fuzzy
9. How often does your ferret go to the bathroom?
- when he wakes up in morning and in-between naps (often, but isn't that normal?)
10. Does your ferret's feces and/or urine smell?
- not really. Sometimes. The box does.
11. Smell your ferret. How strong is their odor?
- depends. I take him outside throughout the week so if he doesn’t get a bath for a couple of weeks, there’s a strong ferret smell. People say he stinks. Guess it’s grown on me.
12. On a scale of 1-10, 1 being completely lethargic and 10 being "through the roof!" what is your ferret's energy level?
- I’ll say 5 because it’s one extreme or the other. He’s dead asleep and lazy for hours, but when he wakes up, he’s war-dancing away, attacking/getting into stuff. In spurts though. Like, hyperactive for 5-10 minutes then much slower (chill) like “ok, I’m tired now”
13. How excited is your ferret about meal time (when fed kibble)?
- meh (nonchalant, appathetic). He’s “meh” about it. Like a cat, just walks to the bowl when he wakes up. He loves that FerretVite though.
14. Have you attempted to switch from kibble to a natural diet in the past? If so, what methods have you tried. Be specific.
- we’re working on it. This Monday I boiled chicken thighs and gave him a bowl of chunky chicken meat, fat, bones and the broth from boiling. He readily laps up the broth now and will lick the FerretVite off of the meat. Starting today instead of having his kibble always out, I offered the bowl of chunky chicken meat/fat/bones and broth before I left for school. When I got back two hours later, he had drank all the broth. I put it away and he had only fresh water until he woke up again. Then, I mixed about equal parts kibble and chopped chicken meat/fat, added some broth and water, mixed, microwaved for a few seconds and he ate about a serving of it (about as much as a serving of Marshall's kibble; he goes through the 8-in-1 about twice as fast). Just now for supper, when he woke up again, I offered chicken meat, fat, bones, with some broth and water (as well as fresh water). He ate the meat eagerly this time, seems to like the fat (and prefers the broth), once drug a piece of meat out of the bowl to eat the fat off and also drug a bone out to eat the fat off of. Midway through this meal I sprinkled crushed kibble power on top and he ate at least half of what I gave him (see pic)
15. What other information about your ferret(s) would you like to share?
- he’s so cute and sweet (aren’t they all?). I’m considering getting him a ferret roommate, but wonder what would happen: would they get along? Would that make him feel less lonely or jealous? I wonder if another furkid would give him another companion or feel like he has to compete for love/attention? I just got Weasel this June, to my knowledge he's only had one other home and has always been a single ferret. Before I got him, they fed him 8-in-1 wild harvest and when I got him I put him on Marshall's. He's back on the 8-in-1 since Marshall's is no longer available where I live, so I REALLY wanna get him eating healthier food.
16. If you can, please post a clear photograph of EACH of your ferrets directly below:
- here's Weasel (an only ferret)
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?**
- ok (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?
- ok (PM me for e-mail plz)
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?***
- ok (yes)
**Note 1: If you are unable to make it to a computer (such as on weekends) please indicate below so we know whether you just dont have computer access or if you have gone MIA.
- I get on at least a few times during the week, more like a few times each day. I also like forums that are alive
***Note 2: If you would like to try the switch again and you are committed to making regular updates you ARE welcome to restart your thread. Failure to provide regular updates will result in the deletion of your thread.
-ok, got it
Thank you for reading and thanks for the help. I didn't know this forum would be that helpful (like with mentors). Coolness!
- 1 ferret, named Weasel, about 9 months old, male, no known health problems
2. What are your ferrets currently eating? Include their main diet, plus any treats or supplements (such as duk soup).
- currently eating 8-in-1 Wild Harvest kibble, FerretVite supplemented daily, started introducing boiled chicken meat/fat/bones 3 days ago
3. What kind of diet do you want to switch to?
- natural ferret diet with a broad spectrum including meat/organs from fresh meat grocery section and/or whole (dead, alive or frozen) prey
4. Why do you want to switch to this more natural diet?
- limited healthy food choices locally and read that it’s much healthier to feed him meat/bones/organs since ferrets are natural meat-eaters
5. Where/what/who got you interested in natural diets?
- I first read something about natural diets in the book “Ferrets for Dummies”. It talked about options and good points. Also read online some articles written by vets recommending natural over processed food (makes sense). I want Weasel to live his life to the fullest and be the happiest/healthiest he can be.
6. Please list the current weight for your ferret(s). Do they appear overweight? Underweight? How is there muscle tone?
- 2.25 lbs (two months ago). He appears average, like a “teenage” (small/petite) ferret. I assume he’ll get a little bigger. He feels sturdy for his size, not too thin or fat. Sometimes skin on his inner thighs is slightly loose.
7. What is the condition of your ferret's teeth/gums? (can you get a picture?)
- looks healthy, white teeth, pink gums, no redness or sores. Couldn't get a picture in-focus, but here's a yawning video.
8. Describe the texture/color of your ferrets coat.
- coat is shiny and smooth. Guardhairs are longer and black. Undercoat is white/light brown and soft/fuzzy
9. How often does your ferret go to the bathroom?
- when he wakes up in morning and in-between naps (often, but isn't that normal?)
10. Does your ferret's feces and/or urine smell?
- not really. Sometimes. The box does.
11. Smell your ferret. How strong is their odor?
- depends. I take him outside throughout the week so if he doesn’t get a bath for a couple of weeks, there’s a strong ferret smell. People say he stinks. Guess it’s grown on me.
12. On a scale of 1-10, 1 being completely lethargic and 10 being "through the roof!" what is your ferret's energy level?
- I’ll say 5 because it’s one extreme or the other. He’s dead asleep and lazy for hours, but when he wakes up, he’s war-dancing away, attacking/getting into stuff. In spurts though. Like, hyperactive for 5-10 minutes then much slower (chill) like “ok, I’m tired now”
13. How excited is your ferret about meal time (when fed kibble)?
- meh (nonchalant, appathetic). He’s “meh” about it. Like a cat, just walks to the bowl when he wakes up. He loves that FerretVite though.
14. Have you attempted to switch from kibble to a natural diet in the past? If so, what methods have you tried. Be specific.
- we’re working on it. This Monday I boiled chicken thighs and gave him a bowl of chunky chicken meat, fat, bones and the broth from boiling. He readily laps up the broth now and will lick the FerretVite off of the meat. Starting today instead of having his kibble always out, I offered the bowl of chunky chicken meat/fat/bones and broth before I left for school. When I got back two hours later, he had drank all the broth. I put it away and he had only fresh water until he woke up again. Then, I mixed about equal parts kibble and chopped chicken meat/fat, added some broth and water, mixed, microwaved for a few seconds and he ate about a serving of it (about as much as a serving of Marshall's kibble; he goes through the 8-in-1 about twice as fast). Just now for supper, when he woke up again, I offered chicken meat, fat, bones, with some broth and water (as well as fresh water). He ate the meat eagerly this time, seems to like the fat (and prefers the broth), once drug a piece of meat out of the bowl to eat the fat off and also drug a bone out to eat the fat off of. Midway through this meal I sprinkled crushed kibble power on top and he ate at least half of what I gave him (see pic)
15. What other information about your ferret(s) would you like to share?
- he’s so cute and sweet (aren’t they all?). I’m considering getting him a ferret roommate, but wonder what would happen: would they get along? Would that make him feel less lonely or jealous? I wonder if another furkid would give him another companion or feel like he has to compete for love/attention? I just got Weasel this June, to my knowledge he's only had one other home and has always been a single ferret. Before I got him, they fed him 8-in-1 wild harvest and when I got him I put him on Marshall's. He's back on the 8-in-1 since Marshall's is no longer available where I live, so I REALLY wanna get him eating healthier food.
16. If you can, please post a clear photograph of EACH of your ferrets directly below:
- here's Weasel (an only ferret)
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?**
- ok (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?
- ok (PM me for e-mail plz)
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?***
- ok (yes)
**Note 1: If you are unable to make it to a computer (such as on weekends) please indicate below so we know whether you just dont have computer access or if you have gone MIA.
- I get on at least a few times during the week, more like a few times each day. I also like forums that are alive
***Note 2: If you would like to try the switch again and you are committed to making regular updates you ARE welcome to restart your thread. Failure to provide regular updates will result in the deletion of your thread.
-ok, got it
Thank you for reading and thanks for the help. I didn't know this forum would be that helpful (like with mentors). Coolness!
What kind of raw meat should I get him next? Necks, gizzards? to add to the chicken...
I'm in class right now but tonight I will review your post and then we will assign you a Holistic Ferret Mentor 
Hang tight! and congratulations on deciding to make the switch to a better diet for your little man! 
