Sound ok for a start? With Qs...

[justahannah]

Attempting to switch 6 animals (4 ferrets, 2 cats) all at the same time...picked up an old hand-crank meat grinder from Goodwill for a few bucks and seems to do great with chicken-sized bones. Right now I've made a few different combos of meat. I've used bone-in chicken, pork and turkey (with eggshells) as the bases, and added (in moderation) beef heart, liver, pork kidney and enough smelt to make it fishy enough the cats will (kind of) go for it. It comes out about the consistency of hamburger. I've made some soup by adding eggs, olive oil, and water to the other mixes, blending well and freezing in an ice-cube tray (I have a gallon ziploc full of 'soup cubes'). So far they'll eat the ground raw and the soup as long as I mix in some kibble but get really irate with me for not free-feeding all the time now (especially the cats...Sasuke will only eat now if the mix is in the ferret cage where he got in the habit of sneaking kibble when his dish ran out.) It's been about a week and we're at a stand-off on the kibble. If I add less, they won't touch it. Ferretone sort of works as a bribe for the ferrets but they won't eat it in a decent quantity once they're past the 'tone and realize it's not crunchy enough and the cats I can't seem to bribe at all. Any recommendations?

I do have a couple other questions...since the animals seem kind of reluctant, should I have started off introducing them to one kind of meat at a time instead of using 3-4 in each mix? I was thinking since meat's a foreign concept to them anyway, having it mixed would be an easier way to get them to eat their organs and a variety right off the bat but now I'm not so sure. Also, what's the best temperature to serve it at and what's the best way to bring it up to temp? Don't want to nuke or cook it, but right now it's frozen and I don't think it being chilly from thawing in the fridge overnight is making it more appetizing for the kids.

Thanks!

[Heather]

Sounds like you're off to a good start. If your meat has bone ground into it, you don't have to add the egg shell. Mixed meat is as good as single protein sources, the only problem with mixing your proteins is if there is an allergy to a protein, you won't know which one. The chances are slim, so unless you see a problem (not eating it isn't an allergy ), I wouldn't worry.
You've done really well. All this in one week, that's a great success. Let them get comfortable with what you're feeding them. Let them eat that level of kibble in their food for say...a week. Then remove some of the kibble from your mix, say 1/4 of it and see if you can still get them to eat it. You may have to do a little hand feeding again to get them started but by this time they will be starting to recognise this mixture as food. My guys prefer their food at room temp, the cats prefer it a little fresher but room temp is the preferance. I just leave it out for them and they help themselves when it gets to be the way they like it . If my ground mix is frozen, I just leave it out on the counter for them...they like it that way.
ciao

[justahannah]

Thank you! I should have been clearer...for one mix I used bone-in chicken for the base meat and the other two bases (pork rib and turkey thigh) have eggshells since they're boneless. Then with each base I added heart, organ, and whole smelt. We've been at maybe 50/50 on the kibble/meat ratio about a week now and they'll eat it as long as the kibble's still crunchy in the meat...they don't like their cereal soggy! I'm glad to hear room temp is fine. I'll be patient, the kids are totally worth it

[Heather]

Ok, now I've got it
They are worth it aren't they
ciao

[sherrylynne]

The only difference I've found with mine is my one cat prefers his meat slightly warmed(baggie in tap hot water). Ferrets won't eat it cold from the fridge. I just take it out of the fridge a couple hours before feeding.