Newbie! :)

[vierireamourferret]

Hi All! I have 5 ferrets. 2 of them are just over a year, 1 is about 10 months, and 2 are almost 5. They all get along really well except for my 3lb boy who plays super rough, but we still love him.

I'm the assistant manager at a speciality pet supply store so I'm pretty picky about what I feed them. I'd been feeding the Eagle Pack Holistic Select Ferret kibble and everyone was doing great on it, but my manager (who has 2 ferrets) and I have been discussing feeding raw for quite some time. Plus they've just discontinued the Holistic Select Ferret (gr!) and the only other one out there that I like is the Innova Evo Ferret, which I've had my guys on before and their stool was much too loose.

We sell Red Dog Blue Kat raw food at our store but I'm just not sure how to go about switching my guys, or if I can make it work with 5 ferrets who have all only eaten kibble all their life. Also, would I have to feed whole prey as well, or can it work with just the ground up raw and bones?

Obviously I have lot's of research to do and I'm excited to learn from everyone on this website. Thanks all!!

-Karen, Percy, Pyatt, Mitchell, Myra, Farris (and the cats: Precious & Coco Chanel)

[Heather]

Hi and welcome to the forum
Please feel free to check out the various threads, ask questions and generally prowl around and have fun. There's an unlimited amount of information here and if you can't find the question you need answered....ask it You may want to pay particular attention to the nutritional section, where you may find some particular sections that just may appeal to you. Think you might need help, on a one on one basis...sign up for a mentor (the program is scheduled to start up again on Oct 1st)
Switching ferrets, can be challenging but can be done no matter the age of the ferret. All you need is patience and to be a little more stubborn than your little furfriends . I've successfully switched over 30 of my own furkids and countless others here through the mentoring program. Age, even health problems can be worked around. The oldest furbaby switched is my little Babushka who was turned into my sanctuary at 9 yrs of age. She now eats ground raw, frankenprey and prey. To answer your question regarding : do they have to eat prey, ....no. It's the best you can feed but anything including commercial ground is better than any kibble you can feed
Good luck on your research, I hope that I will be seeing you around
ciao

[saphire2815]

Welcome, and I also wanted to let you know it is possible to switch 5 I am in the process of switching my 10. I have three that are miles ahead of the rest so I am focusing on them, and letting the rest just mozy on through it. I tried all at once and found it wore me out. Like Heather said you have to be more stubborn than your fuzz butts and I have one who is REAL stubborn.

[sherrylynne]

Hi, and welcome to the forum! Kudos on checking into a raw diet for your fuzzums. Blue Kat's not to bad a one. If you can get them eating whole raw, even better!

[vierireamourferret]

Thanks everyone! I plan to start switching them in a couple weeks, after a work related trip I have to go on. I'll definitely remember to just be more stubborn than them!

And thanks sherrylynne, I'll put them onto the RDD and then see if I can switch them to eating whole raw after that. thanks so much!!

[Darlene]

This is a great group!

[spiritualtramp]

Hello and welcome! I am sure that you will find all that you want to know about raw and natural diets here, and enjoy the group, too. I know I do