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Post by lnsybean44 on Sept 27, 2009 18:26:03 GMT -5
I am home but not quite with my new boy yet. He is staying with my parents for the week while Newt and Luxo work out their issues. We are having people come into out apartment tomorrow and I didnt want to get caught with screaming ferts. He is a real doll and wants to know what you are doing at all times. He is a bit skittish but super friendly and will come around once he gets to know me and settles down from the upheaval of this weekend.
My mom is going to give him some chicken and see how he does. He had some interest in the freeze dried and he wont get raw meat until tomorrow. I dont foresee any problems but I think I may be finally ready to graduate so that someone new can enter the system. Thank you for all of your help.
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Post by Heather on Sept 29, 2009 0:57:47 GMT -5
Congratulations on your new furbaby....no I could see why you don't want a couple of furbrats doing the I'm bigger than you and it's time I shoved you in the tube and such with guests in the house. It would certainly dispel any idea that ferrets are quiet little creatures    Let's have a see how he does with the raw and if he goes for it then we can write up a weeks menu, get it approved and have you guys graduate I'm sure you will do fantastic. Sorry about not responding yesterday, I've been having terrible migraines and was only answering a couple of emails at a time and then hiding out away from the screen for awhile. Good luck, keep me posted as to how things go. ciao |
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Post by lnsybean44 on Sept 29, 2009 14:48:36 GMT -5
Well he is with the grandferrents until friday but he has already taken to the freeze dried. My mom said he takes it over his kibble. She doesnt want to give him raw meat until I am there on friday. I will keep you posted.
I am putting an order in to hare today on Monday. I am going to order their organ mix, one pound of chicken and one pound of beef since I am having increasing trouble finding organs. While I am at it I am going to order a few pounds of whole ground mice, ground rabbit, ground duck, ground turkey and maybe some goat or sheep. I have to order at least 15 pounds to make the order worthwhile (I have the space to keep it). Evening meals will be broiler chicken, cornish hen and occasionally lamb, veal or beef. The day time meals will be ground of some sort until it is gone. Organ will be half of the meal two (maybe three) times a week Since the ground and freeze dried have organs in them. Three morning meals a week have 500 mg taurine mixed in (usually I do freeze dried for these meals but it should mix well into the ground food). They also get salmon oil as a supplement three times a week.
Am I supplementing too much or too little? Does that sound balanced. I tried to work off of the one day organs four day bone in two days muscle meat model and incorporate in all the different types of raw I like to feed. They also get a rat and some mice one weekend night a week.
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Post by Heather on Sept 29, 2009 22:32:13 GMT -5
I like the sound of it but you could try and raise the amount of meats vs bone. It seems that Giuli likes 4 days of meats and 3 days of bone. My guys get quite a high amount of bone content but it's a matter of what works for your guys. I find that I get some really loose stools if I drop the amount of bone but most of my guys are older and have a harder time processing foods. I also feed quite a bit of prey too. I don't supplement with taurine but that's a comfort zone, or preferrance. I feed a really high amount of heart so, that's just me. My guys get a marine fish oil daily but just enough to make them think they're special No, I like your mix and I don't think you oversupplement. It works. How about...to make it simpler for Giuli to process, you make a chart of what you think you would feed your guys in a week, a model. Monday ....meat am.....bone pm.... Tues ....meat am .... organ and so on or however you feed. ciao |
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Post by mustelidmusk on Sept 30, 2009 14:22:33 GMT -5
YAY!!!! A new fuzzbutt - I checked out his pics - How C U T E!!!!!! He's a beauty, and he reminds me that my kids are a little on the chunky side. That short fur thing shows off his fit and trim build...a couple of my brats are getting "love handles" - even one of my girls is getting them!!!! I'm going to have to drag them out for more walks or they'll be blimps by mid winter. Looks like you're very close to graduation, which is very rewarding for everyone involved. Feeding raw requires a bit of knowledge and a lot of dedication. It's not an easy switch, and you'll always run into a question here and there. Even after you graduate, the forum is still great for asking questions and sharing knowledge/experiences.  -jennifer |
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Post by lnsybean44 on Sept 30, 2009 15:03:58 GMT -5
What would whole prey, whole prey ground and commercial raw fall under? I am assuming that they are in the right ratios for bone to organ to meat. I will add an extra day of meat in and drop a day of bone pending on what Newton's poop looks like. He wasnt eating all of the bone which was why i initially upped to amount. But now he handles it like a champ so you are right that I probably should bring the muscle meat back up.
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Post by Heather on Oct 1, 2009 0:44:54 GMT -5
I don't know what it's classified under but it's very similar to how I feed (minus the ground prey )....Try upping the meat and seeing what happens. One of the things about using commercial grinds is that they're usually designed to be totally balanced, is this the case with all the grinds from hare today, in which case you're basically done. So you may not have to adjust your diet at all. I found that adjustments are often necessary and what and how I feed may not work exactly right with your little ones. You will also probably have an adjustment period for your new one, even if he does take to raw right away. Keep me posted and draw up that weekly menu and we'll post it to Giuli ciao |
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Post by lnsybean44 on Oct 3, 2009 9:23:27 GMT -5
Im working on getting a menu together. Newt went into season yesterday and had been a holy terror with Luxo. I have been cleaning like mad after all of this "accidents" and looking for a vet to give him some Lupron. He wont be neutered until december  |
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Post by Heather on Oct 3, 2009 10:43:40 GMT -5
You have my utmost sympathies about Newt....yes they can be little holy terrors. It's a little late in the season for him isn't it or do they come into their first season whenever (I've never had a kit with it's all togethers just a 5 yr old adult) I hope some day to be able to get a ferret of my own and realize that I will have to deal with this too Odin came into season in around March/April according to his previous owner and was in full rutt by the time she turned him to me in in June. I tried to explain to her all she had to do was alter him and he would be a love (he was when he wasn't in season), actually he was a love in season too, just there was nothing that could survive his attentions Good luck ciao |
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Post by lnsybean44 on Oct 4, 2009 0:32:57 GMT -5
Kits tend to go through a pseudo season from what I have gathered. It can be a few weeks or it can last up until they hit their real season . He has calmed down alot since we got back home (we had been at my parents) and Luxo's ears arent red any more and his neck isnt hamburger thankfully. I am going to keep an eye on him before deciding what to do. I am thinking Lurpon, since that is what Julie suggested, but I called the vet and it will cost 60 for one shot. But if this only lasts a few weeks then it wont be so bad... if he keeps going then the shot may have to happen. Unless I can order it for cheaper through the clinic I work at... |
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Post by Heather on Oct 4, 2009 17:46:20 GMT -5
Hmmm. I hope that you don't have to put up with him that long, I would have turned Odin into a mink coat before then (not really, but he was so obnoxious...in a lovy sort of way )What about using deslorin to take him out of season all together? or is that too serious a medication (I'm showing my ignorance here ) I wish lupron was that cheap here, the last time I checked it was going to cost $250 for a shot of lupron  It was one of the reasons why I opted for surgery....and then lost my little Pandora anyway  I wonder if anyone would notice if I snuck a ferret or two across the border for lupron shots just kidding My Loki Bear is presently not doing well, I wish I could find something that would give me an idea as to where to point the vet to go. All his symptoms are vague. He won't eat on his own but will eat his normal diet if fed. He will eat all the heads off his mice but not the bums (can you see me telling my vet this as a symptom ), he sleeps all the time (he's older but Mad Max is 9 and much more active), he seems to be having some difficulty in walking but not really rear end weakness. I"m thinking lymphomas but I guess it's off to the vet for an xray to see if we can find something. Good luck with your little guy. How's the newbie doing with his diet and his new home? ciao |
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Post by lnsybean44 on Oct 4, 2009 19:54:21 GMT -5
Hmm those are really vague symptoms. That sounds like how Kenora started off, with the head eating only. She was still eating the rest of her meal fine though so I wasnt concerned about that. I know the symptoms could be really anything but I think lymphoma sounds like a good guess. Holy Cow, 250 per shot!! and I thought 60 we absurd! Luxo is doing spendidly with his raw. I offered him kibble and raw and he went right for the raw . He is crunching bones with the best of them and next weekend they get their first rat to share. He is refusing kibble all together when offered so I have just stopped giving it. I have Newt out for the first few minutes after I serve the meal so I can ensure Luxo is eating. I didnt do this the first night and lUxo just laid down right over top Newt and was chowing down his food on Newt's head. So Im sure I really dont have to worry but Luxo is so much smaller and isnt really fighting Newt when Newt is in one of his "moods". Once luxo gets some more weight on him then I will just turn it into a free for all |
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Post by lnsybean44 on Oct 4, 2009 22:08:00 GMT -5
Quick question, I just want to check this is normal. Brunch today was a section of chicken ribs with fat/skin still attached. Luxo had some nice watery diarrhea with white slimy goopy stuff in it. Im pretty certain it was fat from the chicken considering he is new tot he switch and probably scarfed it. Has this ever happened to you? He did it twice within about five mins but he had a normal poop earlier.
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Post by Heather on Oct 4, 2009 23:23:00 GMT -5
Sounds to me like his reaction to the chicken fat. Yes, I've had it happen and sometimes even later in the switch. It depends on what they've eaten with it. If they just scarf down the fat it comes out very similar as to how it went in  Has he had a normal poopy since? ciao |
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Post by lnsybean44 on Oct 4, 2009 23:56:56 GMT -5
Yes, I am pretty sure he just had one. I was beginning to get a bit worried but I think I am right in assuming it was fat.
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