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Post by michiskip on Apr 8, 2009 9:14:06 GMT -5
Thank You-
Okay here goes
Monday-chicken chunks a.m. (5 oz min.)
chicken wing and thigh p.m. (one each)
Tuesday-pork chunks (5 oz min)
pork chop with bones both will eat the bones except the largest parts cut into at least 2 pieces so that each has one
Wednsday Beef chunks a.m. (5 oz min)
Chicken wings or beef ribs p.m.
Thursday Variety day ex. Turkey, rabbit meat chunks a.m.
meaty bones from a.m. or chicken wing/thigh p.m.
Friday (left over day) chicken, pork, beef chunks (min 5 oz)
turkey neck cut up in chunks, or chicken neck and back
Saturday Organ Day chunks of chicken liver, gizzard and heart (added because it comes in the gizzard package and I would just as soon not have to sort it out.) am
Alternative beef blend of liver, kidney chunks pureed at this point.
small beef or pork ribs or cornish hen pm
Sunday Organs ( same as saturday) am
"special" pm I will try to add new meats here...this week there was a special on rabbit and frogs legs...picked them up..not sure what they will do with it but they have not refused to try anything so far...
I give no supplements at this point. Fresh water daily. Some kind of bone everynight otherwise they have a fit about midnight looking for their stashes that get cleaned away before dinner. I still have to make Paco give Penny more time with her food. Takes her longer to eat. Paco will hide his then try to steal hers.
Let me know if you need anymore info for this..and if there is anything else I should add. Generally this will be the schedule. Basically a pork day, a beef day, a chicken day, a left over day, a new food day organs 2 feedings, and bone every night.
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Post by sherrylynne on Apr 8, 2009 20:07:49 GMT -5
The idea of your schedule sounds basically good. Only thing I'm at all concerned about with it is are they actually able to eat enough of either the pork chop bone, or the beef rib, and the amount of organs. Yours might not have a problem with it. I don't know. To be honest, I'd be more inclined to give something like duck or cornish hen instead of the porkchop bone especially.
With organs(and I def. admit, I'm not sure how much liver/other organ they are getting at each sitting), they shouldn't have more than one chicken liver sized piece of liver per ferret per week. The same goes for any other organs(ie: kidney, lung, spleen, etc.).
The main concern about the bone is if they aren't eating enough of it, they'll have not only a calcium deficiency, but can actually develop a prolapse due to diarrhea. Which in turn can cause dehydration.
So- are their jaws/teeth strong enough for the bone they are getting?
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Post by michiskip on Apr 9, 2009 11:28:28 GMT -5
They eat all of the bone except the largest part at the bend of the bone. The organs are cut up and weigh out about 5 oz a meal before adding the hearts or extra meat given. So maybe I should back down the organs to just saturday and not both weekend days. I can give more of the chicken bone and less of the beef and pork although I have to say that there is very little of the bones left from the pork and almost none of the ribs as long as they start as "baby" ribs.
There has been almost no loose stools since I added the other meat bones-beef and pork-but I will keep a better eye out and start looking for smaller boney meats. I did discuss with my husband adding whole prey and he is okay with it as long as I don't rush into breeding the little buggers.
So here is the new plan--replace some of the larger bone choices with smaller options, especially for Penny and back organ meats down to one meal instead of two.
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Post by sherrylynne on Apr 10, 2009 20:04:57 GMT -5
That sounds really good. Another worry I have with the larger bone is them chipping/breaking a tooth. Yes, I know I'm paranoid  . If you find their poopies are getting too runny again, try adding the rib bones again, but I really would stay away from the pork bones if you can! |
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Post by michiskip on Apr 11, 2009 12:44:37 GMT -5
Not a problem..Chicken is cheaper anyway and they enjoy it more. So mainly its adding the meats not the meat and bone of the other choices, beef, pork, turkey, deer for the meat. Chicken, small turkey bones, small rabbit, and quail and the like for the bones.
Are there any other supplements that are needed?
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Post by sherrylynne on Apr 11, 2009 22:07:27 GMT -5
I usually give mine some salmon oil for their fur, but it is by no means necessary! What you're doing sounds great. Just give me a modified schedule, and I'll pm Guili about your graduation  |
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Post by michiskip on Apr 12, 2009 9:58:18 GMT -5
Cool
So after some thought and adjustment this is the plan.
mon Chicken chunks am chicken wing/thigh pm
tue pork chunks am chicken drumsticks pm
wed beef chunks am chicken back or wings pm
thurs mixed chunks beef, chicken, pork am cornish hen pm
fri rabbit, turkey or deer am rabbit or chicken with bones pm
sat organ mix (gizzard, kidneys, liver) with a whole egg am chicken drumsticks or wings pm
sun whole prey or mixed meats am chicken or turkey with bones pm
I shop on sunday normally so this will be the day I add any special meats.
I will add some oil to their mix at least once a week for fur. I also have started a first aid kit and will continue to search for things to put in to it.
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Post by sherrylynne on Apr 12, 2009 10:07:49 GMT -5
Actually looks pretty good to me! I'll have Heather/Guili look it over.
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Post by Forum Administrator on Apr 17, 2009 11:18:56 GMT -5
Well this feeding schedule looks a-okay.  I think you are ready to graduate! Congrats! Now there is one last thing I want you to do (and then I am moving this thread to the "newbie switch archive": If you havent already, it might be a good idea to start popping in toNaturalFerrets. I know forum is small right now, but that is because they are switching to the new forum from a yahoo! group. There are many many senior raw feeders on there and it would be wise to make use of their knowledge. I try and advise all my "completed switchers" to get on there and post a bit. I still want you to say on HF, but I want you to "broaden your horizons" by getting a bit of NaturalFerret's info as well. Sound good? www.NaturalFerrets.comYou'll probably run in to the Holistic Ferret Mentors on there. This is where THEY go to ask THEIR questions on natural diet (I do too). Let me know if you get any good info out of here. and....... Now that you've completed the switch, have had your feeding schedule reviewd, and been advised to check out NaturalFerrets, its time to retire this thread to the "newbie switch archive"!  No one (yourself included) will be able to post in this thread anymore once its been moved to the archive. Please begin posting your diet-related questions in the "whole prey" "raw" or "general feeding questions and discussion" area. We encourage EVERYONE that is archived to continue posting. Feeding a natural diet is a learning PROCESS, there is much to learn after making the switch. There is always lots to learn, and lots to share with the newbies on the site. If you feel comfortable offering the newbies advice, then by all means go ahead. The more help we can get, the better. If you'd rather lurk and not post, thats cool too, its just always nice to have our graduates stick around. We (your mentor and I) will run a detailed "check up" with you (via PM or email) at the 3 month, 6 month, 9 month, and 1 year anniversary since "going natural" just to make sure all is going well and that you arent having any issues. |
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Post by sherrylynne on Apr 17, 2009 20:43:53 GMT -5
Congratulations!!! I knew you could do it . I'm looking forward to hearing from you elsewhere on the forum, so don't be shy, and don't be a stranger! |
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Post by michiskip on Apr 19, 2009 3:04:41 GMT -5
Cool  Thanks for all your help. The kids are great this week and the extra chicken bones have helped. |
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Post by sherrylynne on Apr 19, 2009 10:59:52 GMT -5
I am glad! And I meant it- stick around and help answer questions for the newbies!
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Post by michiskip on Apr 28, 2009 13:16:40 GMT -5
The kids are great...both are florishing on the whole diet..tried a left over hopper from the lizards and they both thought it was a new toy. Played with it until I thought they were going to help it escape the tub. We ended up letting the lizards have the poor, scared thing.
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Post by sherrylynne on Apr 29, 2009 14:24:06 GMT -5
Poor mousie! Maybe give them a frozen/thawed one first so they know it's food |
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