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Post by vkoslin on Nov 19, 2009 16:52:10 GMT -5
I've been feeding raw now for like....almost a year. No problems. But last night, I heard CRAZY sounds from the cage. It was Mickey with a piece of chicken quarter in his mouth and Jack trying to have some of the bone. There were other pieces in the bowl. There was major hissing, also screaming! I swear they would have killed each other had I let them. So I took Mickey and put him on my bed with his bone and let him finish and then returned him to the cage, and he was fine. But it happened again today! There are more pieces in there! And it was worse just now, between Mickey and Rascal
They aren't physically fighting, although Mickey will butt him out of the way. I guess it only happens with bones (split leg quarters). Please help me, I don't know if this has happened to yall, but I'm really worried.
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horseyliz
Going Natural
Raw and Whole Prey Feeder
Posts: 144
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Post by horseyliz on Nov 19, 2009 18:14:54 GMT -5
mine fight over their food all the time. I have three ferrets. one is 6months, one is a year old and one is four years old. I just make sure the oldest one gets to eat her food. i watch them or i put her in a seperate cage, and let the younger ones fight amoungst their selfs.
If you aare woried you could feed them apart when you feed the bones. like one in the cage and the otheir in a carrier. Or you could try if your cage has lots of levels to place them apart with their own food.
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Post by vkoslin on Nov 19, 2009 19:56:41 GMT -5
Okay, so it's normal for them to fight? I don't know why it started now, of all times. Over a year into it. It scared me a lot because I was afraid if I broke it up, I'd get attacked. I don't think it's physical, more of just whining, hissing, and screaming.
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Post by ferretdroogies on Nov 19, 2009 20:07:39 GMT -5
As long as there's no blood or poop, they are just being brats  My guys fight over treats. One thing you can try is getting the one that is fighting for something someone else has, separate that one with another piece of food, and that should work ok. All it means is that they really like their diet! I've never heard of ferrets fighting over kibble  Also, do you have feeding dens? That can help as well. I'll try to find the thread on feeding dens to help you learn how to make some and how to get them to eat/stash food in them. |
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Post by ferretdroogies on Nov 19, 2009 20:53:51 GMT -5
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Post by vkoslin on Nov 19, 2009 21:19:08 GMT -5
Thanks for all your help! A whole different one is crying now. It sounds like mini shrieks but when I go over, its just some other ferret trying to take it. Nothing physical. Whine-Artists, they are. I guess I'l leave it like this for now. I like the ideas of a feeding den. In our next home, hopefully in 7 or so months, we are buying a place that has a room to turn into a ferret room for sure. Then, I could use one of those better.
Right now, they're squeezed into a FN 142 and when I let them out, they have control of my living room. I don't have a room to put them in without worrying about food being stashed in places and finding it months from now. But I have SOOOO many ideas for when I do get a ferret room!
Thanks again for all your help! I was really freaking out!
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Post by sherrylynne on Nov 19, 2009 23:37:58 GMT -5
Mine cry, hiss, bark, scream, and whatever other noise they think they can make without actually opening their mouths enough to lose their prize piece of meat  Don't worry about it, it's perfectly normal. |
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Post by Forum Administrator on Nov 21, 2009 3:33:53 GMT -5
I agree my ferrets squabble over food all the time. Not actual fighting as in drawing blood, but screaming, chattering, etc. I can give them each a chicken thigh and they will squabble over the same one. They are just like children sometimes. The suggestions about seperating at feeding time and feeding dens are a great idea.
You really don't NEED to seperate them though, but you can if their squabbling upsets you. The only real reason to seperate them is if one of the ferrets is monopolizing the food and keeping a ferret from eating enough.
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Post by Forum Administrator on Nov 21, 2009 3:35:23 GMT -5
Oh wanted to add, that in the winter time competition over food heats up, so if this is your first fall/winter feeding raw, you will definitly notice your ferrets squabbling over food more then when they were on kibble. Ferrets appetites increase as the temp drops and this can lead to squabbling over food. Don't hesitate to offer more food. you should be feeding them as much as they will eat. If you are constantly having food left over and its spoiling, cut back on the amount you feed each meal, and try more frequent, smaller meals instead. This can help with the squabbling.
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Post by vkoslin on Nov 22, 2009 11:33:46 GMT -5
I'm really glad you mentioned that. I thought Mickey was coming down with something because he has been eating twice as much as before and still stays normal sized. I've noticed a major increase in appetite, and I think I can attribute Munchkin's finally eating raw to the fact her appetite has grown and she had to eat what was there.
I don't want to separate them. I haven't noticed it since then and I want them to eat together. Separating starts a tradition that I can't always live up to with time constraints. Besides, over Thanksgiving and Christmas, our local petstore guy (who loves ferrets and actually plays with them) is taking our six and I'm afraid if things get too complicated, they won't get what they need.
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Post by sherrylynne on Nov 22, 2009 21:15:00 GMT -5
Winter appetite has attacked! Don't worry- you'll soon notice a size difference When combined with the fact that most ferrets first on raw tend to eat a LOT until they're bodies become accustomed to what they need, you've got huge appetites going on. |
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horseyliz
Going Natural
Raw and Whole Prey Feeder
Posts: 144
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Post by horseyliz on Nov 27, 2009 18:33:02 GMT -5
so is that why they are cranky? i have to seperate my old est one because she won't eat other wise, or i stand by the cage and do not let my one year olsd and six month old ferret to steal poor 4 year old mocha's food. But not everyone has to do that. Some times i let them work it out amung them selves.
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Post by sherrylynne on Nov 27, 2009 19:57:18 GMT -5
That's funny, because my oldest one has no trouble stealing the meat from the youngsters |
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