Nilla and Mocha's Switch

[horseyliz]

they have access to kibble as that is what my friend feeds her fuzzy. i am going to try to provide them with their wet kibble and ground meat. now i try to only offer them kibble at night and they leave most of it. they do eat the meat i've hidden in the wet kibble as well as the wet kibble. they love wet kibble and meat and eat it all day. increasing ground meat is working out really well. My mix is beef steak, chicken thigh, and pork liver that has been all ground up.

I am able to post at my friends if i have a question. but most of the time when i am their i'm ussually gone at work or sleeping.

seems like you havea full house. i think its cool that the ferrets u have all roam free. mine do not live in a cage except when i'm gone or they come with me which they do as much as possible. actully their cage is my bed room closet. w2hen i'm home they are alowed out when ever they want.

what is franken prey?

[Heather]

Hi, sounds like an equitable set up As far as I can tell, just keep adding more and more meat to the equation and less and less kibbles. Looks like things are working, slow and steady at the game
"Frankenprey" is a term that was created years ago when raw/natural feeding started to become more of a way of life rather than a passing fad We were then referred to as "Raw Feeders". When this first started people were just through some raw bones and meat at their furkids and calling it food. It was then realized that when done improperly this could be just as bad as kibbles. So as raw feedin progressed people realized that they needed to feed more like the prey that their furbabies were supposed to eat but lacked the ability to do so (you couldn't exactly go bring home a side of beef for your dog, same as some here don't have the ability to raise mice or the where with all to afford to feed prey). So, you might find yourself feeding a couple of slices of beef heart, some pork liver, some beef kidneys (for the offal) chicken carcass (for the bone) and maybe ground pork for the meat. You would then offer a portion of veggie (prefrozen to break down the cell walls as carnivores cannot process veggies very well or as the case of ferrets at all) This was originally supposed to simulate the stomach of the animal the carnivore was eating...we now know and understand that this isn't the case at all it's to simulate the roughage (fur and other undigestible parts) that are required to clean out the carnivores system to prevent blockages and other tummy upsets (which is why you will see some feeding some veggie matter in their mix, usually pumpkin). As this is a whole corporation of various parts (like frankenstein) it was commonly referred to as "Frankenprey" I guess I'm dating myself as I've been there from the time that this movement was first created as marketable (some people never did do this kibbles stuff) but as far as when this first started, I"ve been there
I usually check in daily, sometimes more so I will be around when you post next. Good luck and keep in touch
ciao

[horseyliz]

nilla ate some egg /meat that i gave them tonight as well as some of the kibble. Hopefully they will eat more of it by morning.

[Heather]

My guys love egg, so it should go over well Good luck and I will check in on you later:)
ciao

[horseyliz]

my kids hated egg. but they do still love their meat/wet kibble. i have been able to get them up to eating 3 or 4 tbs of meat per day in 3 0r 4 0z of wet kibble being fed at least twice a day.

Last night my poor little nilla almost died. she started gaging and coughing and choking. her toungue turned blue and she was very limp. i was scared half to death that i was going to lose my sweet little baby. i was able to save her by some miricle!

today she is still very weak. I am feeding her every ew hours to mak sure she is still ating.

Iam now giving nilla the heaey cream that people said another post would help her gain weight.

[Heather]

Do you know what caused her choking fit? Did she aspirate? Watch her closely as aspirationg can cause respiratory distress or pneumonia. How scary, please check out the health series on this forum, there is a section on the heimlick manuveur on our furbabies. I hope that she makes a quick recovery.
I"m sorry that your guys didn't enjoy the egg, unfortunately, as I mentioned earlier, switching is very much a trial and error indeavour. I"m glad to hear that they are eating some of the raw meat for you. The one thing that once switched it is certain that it will help your furbabies in the long run.
Please let me know how your furbaby is doing. Give her a hug for me. Take care. I will check in on you tomorrow.
ciao

[horseyliz]

i actully think nilla eats too fast because she is so hungrey and that causes her to choke/cough ect. i am keeping a close eye on her. and i will take a look at the section you mentioned.

[Heather]

Did she choke on the kibbles or the raw?? Does she have access to food 24/7?? or is she fed on a schedule? Can she get access to more food so that she's not as hungry?
Let me know and we'll see if we can get it so that she's not so hungry and then would be less likely to gorge herself and choke on her food.
ciao

[horseyliz]

Both ferrets have access to food 24/7. i do not know if she was choking on kibbles or wet kibble meat. She is still not doing well but is doing oh k. Nilla is laying in her poop or at least is getting covered in it some how. Should i give her a bath when i find her covered in poop or just clean her up weekly till she is better? if i put food near her she will eat it.

Mocha is doing well other than freaking mommy out and geting stuck in the couch. I'm sorry i have not posted very much this week, but i have had my own medical issues to deal with.

[horseyliz]

i'm going to take nilla to work with me tomarrow as she seems to be getting dehydrated. I work at a vet clinic. i will post after work on what the vet says.

[Forum Administrator]

Please do. I am sure Heather is just as anxious as I am to know how she is doing. I hope she feels better soon and is okay.

[Heather]

It's good to see you're back....I'm sorry that Nilla is still not up to par. I would bathe her or at least spot clean her. I don't like the idea that a furbaby would allow herself to get mucked up. It's not like a ferret to lay in her own poopies, they're usually fairly clean animals unless ill. I'm glad that you've decided to take Nilla with you to work. I'm rather concerned for her. Something isn't right. Please let me know what is going on. Give her a hug for me and good luck.
What's this about a misadventure about getting stuck in a sofa. I really hate those things they're horrible ferret traps. I just can't figure out how to do without the da**things . Please drop a line or two to let me know how things are going.
ciao

[horseyliz]

Nilla is oh k just weak. she just needs to eat more and she will be all right. Mocha made a hole in the bottom of my couch. it has only wood and a little fabric under neith it. Nilla is doing better about not laying in her poop. she can not walk upright and more she draggs her self aroundon her side. but she does move around fairly well.

[Heather]

Could Nilla have suffered some damage due to oxygen deprevation when she was choking? Perhaps, this is why she's having some difficulties? It's just an idea, I'm no vet but it would be reasonable considering the description your giving. It would also account for the steady progress that she's making, along with making movement allowances. Rather like a stroke victim...?? Like I said I'm just putting out a guess.
As far as the sofa you could get some canvas or plywood and staple or nail it to the frame making it more difficult for your little B & E artist to get inside the sofa. This was an idea put to me by a lady who has been living with ferrets for years. Seemingly, she used to do this to all her chairs, sofa and her bed too. They can be such wee little beasties when it comes to getting into places they're not supposed to be in.
How are you're guys getting along with their new foods?
Give little Nilla a hug and your little B & E brat, Mocha
ciao

[horseyliz]

they seem to like their meat and will eat it insstead of kibble. This morning i gave my cats wet food and nilla stole their food off the plate. this was after she made her way out to the living room. is it all right to give ferrets purina wet cat food?? It is actully something nilla is eating. they are now eating half meat / half kibble/wet kibble. What is a B&E? u mentedit in your last post heather. Mocha likes to be attaclked by me andf chased..