Question

[ferretfreke]

What do those of you that feed raw or whole prey feed when you have a ferret that isn't eating due to an illness?

One of my boys wouldn't eat anything on his own for a couple of days so I had to resort to syringe feedings. Which is frustrating because we're still in the process of switching and he was doing so well. It's also been frustrating that everyone is blaming it on his new raw diet (which isn't that new anymore, he's been on it for about 6 weeks now). I even offered him kibble cus I was desperate to get him eating. He wouldn't eat that either. So anyways, I made him some soup out of a whole cornish game hen that I chopped and blended and cooked and added some organ meats as well.

They didn't find anything obviously wrong with him when I took him to the vets. He wasn't vomiting or having diarrhea. Just lethargic and not eating. He wasn't acting like a ferret with insulinoma either. So I don't know. He's eating on his own again, but not back on the raw.

So I'm just interested in what you guys do/have done with an anorexic ferret.

[Heather]

I do a couple of things. Depending on wether the ferret is taking any feeding or none at all.
For total refusal, I know this isn't raw, but your not going to get any of that up a syringe and if you feed meat, or meat offal mix without bone (egg shell doesn't work either) your going to get loose poopies. You don't need that either. I use chicken, beef or veal baby food and carnivore care...watered enough to go easily into the syringe. This mixture is usually well tolerated and can be eaten for quite some time without serious side effects.
If I have one that is on the brink but will still feed from a spoon then I mix and egg or water with their normal mixture until I've got a soupy (starter soupy). I also add certain other things to it depending on the ferrets needs. Pumkin or slippery elm for loose poopies or upset stomach. Extra vit b is stressed .... you get the picture .
Just how I do it
Your little guy have to touch of the flu? That would be enough to upset his tummy and send him off his raw. He hasn't been on long enough to be firmly into that as a diet. You will now have to convince him to switch back. He probably will switch easier than he did the first time but sounds like he needs convincing. How's he doing now?
ciao

[ferretfreke]

My cornish game hen soup I made him was similar to your mix, I think. It's very easy on their tummy's and very nutritious. I have carnivore care, but mine have never liked it and my soup usually gets them eating well again.

I don't think he had influenza because he didn't have any respiratory signs either. He's doing better now. His blood work came back pretty normal. His fasting blood glucose was very normal, which is a relief. We're basically starting from square one with the raw diet tho. I hope your right that it will be easier to convince him this time. I've had him seperated from my other three so that I could monitor him and because I was offering him kibble because I just wanted to get him to eat again. I didn't want my others to get started back on kibble. ?They are so far ahead of him now. I can put a half of a cornish game hen in their cage and they eat it all up! So until he gets back on track I'm going to have to keep him seperate I guess.

Thanks Heather for responding and for asking how he's doing.

[sherrylynne]

It shouldn't be too hard to get him on track again. Every time I try a new meat on my guys, I have to start Boris from scratch with it. Meaning soup consistency, on up to regular chunks, otherwise he thinks I'm poisoning him again