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Post by weloveourweasels on May 23, 2009 11:30:58 GMT -5
so i am almost out of kibble and I am picking up another Bag of EVO Ferret and not getting anything to mix with it. I want to switch them over to commercial raw and or freeze dried whichever is cheaper. I am curious how much you all spend a month on this. I am guessing that they each eat roughly 1 lb of food a month does this sound right? I know of a place thay sells nature's variety frozen rawand i know their freeze dried is not good but i don't know what other brands that store sells. I know of www.caseyshiddenpantry.com/food.html but I don't know what the best bang is for my buck. From whayt I remember AFS is the cheapest and most ferrets love it. Also would i just feed them twice a day on this? Also my four love soup with raw ground beef in it which i am hoping will make them more open to switching. Mr. Bean ate raw with bones for about a month when he was a kit he just would NOT eat any organs so i quit the switch because it was getting too stressful for me and his health was in jeopardy not getting the correct nutrients plus preparing the meat was just too time consuming and freezer space is pretty much zilch. I am going on vacation in september and will be needing to send them to a sitter and would like to have them switched by then and if switching completely won't work for them then i want to at least have them eating the stuff. Insight frin everyone is appreciated but I would LOVE insight from people who have 4 or more ferrets who can tell me what brands they feed and how much each ferret eats a month. Also how much you spend in a month. Thank you everyone  |
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Post by bigsis7 on May 23, 2009 17:16:39 GMT -5
I get Stella and Chewy's and ASF. For my 3 ferrets I pay about $40 a month including shipping from CHP. 2-3 bags of ASF and 2 bags of S&C. ASF fills them up more. I haven't tried Nature's Variety yet. Since I'm moving to Canada though, shipping may be too much.
You'd only have to feed them twice a day, but with my ferrets I have to feed them more than the label says, cause they think they're starving, lol! Ziwipeak is expensive, but that's also another food that's easy to feed. Maybe you could get the sample pack and see what they like?
Anyways over all I'm very impressed with freeze dried!! It's convient and the ferrets love it!
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Post by weloveourweasels on May 24, 2009 9:15:46 GMT -5
Do you rehydrate their freeze dried food? I know it can be given both ways but how do yours like it?
Also can anyone else chime in? I don't care if you just have one ferret I am just curious what brands everyone feeds, how much it costs, where you get it and so on. I am really excited that I am finnaly able to feed something other than kibble and I want all the insight I can get.
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Post by bigsis7 on May 24, 2009 9:54:00 GMT -5
My ferrets like it rehydrated. I let it soak for about 15 minutes and then cut it up in about 6 pieces for them. Hope that helps!
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Post by animalsgetrevenge on May 24, 2009 10:22:05 GMT -5
I have fed Nature's Variety raw and have really liked it. It is easy to feed: I defrost, mash with a fork, add a little warm water, stir, and serve.
With four ferrets, each of mine at very different amounts, these are approximates.
Pepina (6 months): 4.5 oz per day
Didjer (3.5 years): 3.5 oz per day
Ramona (5 years): 2 oz per day
Ernie (5.5 years): 2 oz per day
So that is approximately 12 oz per day, 360 oz per month or 22.5 pounds per month... WOW that would get spendy if I had only been feeding NV raw to my ferrets!
NV raw comes in sizes: 1 oz. "medallions", 8 oz. "patties", or 1 pound "chubs". The larger the portion you buy, the less you pay per ounce.
When I bought medallions, it was about $14 for 3 pounds, depending on which meat source I chose.
When I bought patties, it was about $22 for 6 pounds. It was more economical for me to buy patties and I would feed whatever was left over from the day to my dogs or cat.
Now that I only have my two older ferrets, if I only fed them NV raw, I would need about 4 oz per day, 120 oz per month or 7.5 pounds. So it would only cost me between $25-35 depending on if I bought patties or medallions and which flavor I chose.
I hope this helps!
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Post by weloveourweasels on May 24, 2009 14:54:38 GMT -5
Thats helps a TON thank you!! So the oldies eat less and the babies eat like machines. All mine are under 3 years old and Edgar is still a kit same age as Pepina so I will guesstimate he will easily eat 5-5.5 oz of food a day. The middle children are both 1 and Rolo will be 2 in September, Loki is 3 this summer in one of the J months supposedly but for all I know she could be older.
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Post by weloveourweasels on May 24, 2009 15:13:20 GMT -5
Woooohoooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I AM NOT LIMITED TO NATURES VARIETY!!!
lol
They also carry primal frozen raw and can order bravo.
The carry new addiction freeze dried and carry or can carry honest kitchen.
The other store that is farther away but still really close sells primal frozen raw and honest kitchen. I am sure those things will be cheaper there then at the other store because the other store their business comes from rich people but maybe they won't be cheaper. I'll e-mail both stores for price quotes because I don't want to bother them about it on the phone. Right now would be the perfect time for me to drive because I could just go window shopping with a pen and notepad.
I'm excited you guys!
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Post by animalsgetrevenge on May 24, 2009 22:29:10 GMT -5
YAY! I work at a dog grooming salon and day care, and we just started carrying Aunt Jeni's raw foods. I have no idea what their prices are, but they come in convenient sizes and have several different meat sources, including goat and turkey, which NV doesn't have. They do contain more veggies/fruit than NV, 15% or 25%, I don't remember, but my ferrets did like it. They are located in Maryland, I believe. I don't know where you are but maybe one of your stores could special order it if you are interested?
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Post by weloveourweasels on May 25, 2009 7:59:50 GMT -5
I have heard about it and LOVE that is actually says ferret on the package but I don't love the vegie content. Plus from what I remember it might be one of the more expensive brands. I think I'll just change flavors between the brands that are available.  Thanks though. |
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Post by animalsgetrevenge on May 25, 2009 16:56:29 GMT -5
Yes, the fact that is says "ferret" on it made me super happy... especially since it actually had MEAT in it! Haha.
Yeah, since we just started carrying their products a few days ago, my boss hasn't posted the price list. I only imagine its is expensive, since just about all commercial raw foods are. Luckily I get a little discount, wholesale price plus 20% of the cost, which really doesn't help much, but every dollar counts!
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Post by weloveourweasels on May 25, 2009 20:26:37 GMT -5
You know that gives me an idea. I would LOVE to be a pet food consultant at the place nearby but I don't know half as much about dog food as I do cat and ferret food. Maybe I could be the cat food specialist. *ponders*.... the discount would be so nice.
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Post by jojodancer on Jun 1, 2009 14:07:28 GMT -5
About a week late.... (grr - traveling too much for work!)
I have 6 ferrets at home and offer ziwipeak 24/7 and feed soupies twice a day. Soupies are either made with AFS or Stella and Chewy's or both (so they are rehydrated). On average, I go through 4 bags of ziwipeak and 50 patties a month. Broken down, that means about $15 per ferret per month.
The thing about Aunt Jenis is that it's 85% meat/bones/organs and 15% vegetables, fruits, and eggs. That's a pretty high percentage, imho.
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Post by weloveourweasels on Jun 2, 2009 10:46:30 GMT -5
Thanks for the reply That comes out to $60 for me and that is a lot seeing as how one small bag of EVO lasts me a months and that cost $14. If I had a job I would do it in a heartbeat. My boyfriend would kill me if I spent that much money on food for them a month. You feed mostly ZiwiPeak along with the freezedried meat patty soups right jojodancer? No kibble at all? If i were to buy frozen raw for daily soups and freeze dried to go on top of kibble that would be much more doable for me at the moment. I could have bought some freeze dried or frozen raw this month but I just bought a bunch of stuff for a rabbit I rescued. It is OK though I like the bunny. I should have checked the prices of Nature's Variety when I was at Agri feed yesterday. Argh! |
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Post by jojodancer on Jun 5, 2009 9:19:12 GMT -5
Yes, I feed mostly ziwipeak. It is in their food bowl 24/7. They get raw soupies every morning and night. Since I have 2 ferrets with insulinoma, the raw soupies makes sure that there is food in their stomachs before they get the pred. I add a little EVO every once in a while, just as an oral enrichment for some of my crew.
Some people sprinkle the dry patties over their kibble bowls. An easier way would be to buy the AFS Sprinkles, which are already in powder form, and it's easier to sprinkle on top.
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Post by weloveourweasels on Jun 7, 2009 19:55:55 GMT -5
How many ounces are in an 8 pack of AFS patties or how many ounces per patty? I don't mind breaking up the patties if I get more for my buxk that way.
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