My ferrets don't do as well on raw

[ferretfreke]

So as it is for many right now, times have been tough and I haven't been able to afford whole prey lately and so have been feeding mainly raw with some commercial raw. The mice breeding hasn't been going as well as one would hope either, but I finally have some babies. Anyways most of my ferrets bad habits that went away when on a mostly whole prey diet have returned. BillyBob is back to eating his bedding with a vengeance, and he is suckling like crazy. The suckling never went away, but was a lot less frequent. The blanket eating did, however, completely stop. After about a month of straight raw is when I noticed him doing it again.

Alitasha has been really sluggish on raw and is biting again. We went 5-6 months without a biting incident while on whole prey, which hadn't happened in the 3 years I've owned her. She isn't excited at all to eat anymore either, but is maintaining her weight. They all used to love these things I'm feeding too before I taught them they like whole prey. Unagi and Bezoar seem okay for the most part, but aren't as excited to eat.

I fed them some mice yesterday. Some from my breeders that weren't productive. Today Alitasha is running around more like her normal self. Even though I really couldn't afford to, I ordered them some food and it is supposed to arrive tomorrow. Hopefully by the time they go through that I will have some mice that are ready to feed.

I don't think it is because I've been feeding them wrong, but that they don't all eat what they're supposed to eat. They eat around a lot of the bones that are definitely small enough for them to eat, but they all seem to eat organs well now and I offer them at least twice a week.

I guess I'm looking for some answers for why this may be happening in case I have to go all raw for a period of time again. This is all why I've always been afraid to do raw and prefer whole prey.

I've been feeding ckn wings, CGH, ckn split breasts, ckn hearts and gizzards, beef heart, beef cuts, NV rabbit, turkey and ckn necks, ckn liver, beef kidneys, occasional lamb (not a favorite of theirs), Primal duck medallions, ckn and quail eggs, and that's pretty much all I can get in my area.

Any insights are greatly appreciated.

[sherrylynne]

You may have to chop the bones up quite a bit for them, to start them eating them again. They are used to the bones from the mice, which(I don't think), would be as hard as the chicken bones, or the turkey necks. Like with the wings- try segmenting them, then chop the middle two in half, and the drumette in half, and then along the larger end lengthwise. It might just make the difference.

[Heather]

I'm in agreement with sherrylynne. Mice are easier for them to eat and once they start eating them, their idea of food changes. I've got a couple of ferrets who are on hospice treatments....they have to be hand fed their ground meats and will not touch bone in meat at all and did so heartily before....that being said they will eat whole mice and rats More easily to digest? do they actually know what is the optimum foods for them to eat? they've all eaten kibble at some point in time but won't touch it now. All I know is that mice are an easy feed where other meats are not...but they have to eat a variety. Not only because of the varied ages needed to feed prey but because they need a variety of proteins to cover all their needs. Are they thrilled, no but they eat it. I think your guys are in a similar position. They would much rather eat mice but they will eat the other.
As far as the pika (eating the blankets) try adding some veggie matter (pumpkin or squash...even frozen crushed up lettuce). I've found that helped with my IBD guys, it may help with your little blankie sucker. There is a certain amount of biting and ripping that both your blankie sucker and your little biter need. It's covered by them eating mice. Is there a way for you to offer them mice say once a week? Use it as a treat instead of a meal. One mouse each. These are just ideas, as I have no proof that this will help.
ciao

[ferretfreke]

I just think it is weird that they wont eat the ckn bones now because even when they were on a mainly whole prey diet I fed several raw ckn meals a week and they would eat the bones then. Also part of their whole prey diets were medium sized rabbits and large guinea pigs. Which have larger bones and they ate them. I will try chopping them and see if that helps though. I really miss them being excited for their food.

They do get vegetable matter as well. The primal duck has spinach in it and I have been giving them the pumpkin once a week. I hope the blanket eating will stop again when they are back on more whole prey. It is such a frustrating thing and I feel like I'm doing something wrong when he does it. The other ferrets REALLY hope the suckling will stop, since it is them he suckles and it pisses them off.

Once my mice colony is going better the whole prey will be a lot more affordable. I will just need to order from rodentpro every once in awhile for the other animals.

Thank you for your input!

[sherrylynne]

Almost sounds like they are in a temper because they're not getting their favourite foods. I know with Athena, when I give meats she's not overly fond of to many times in a row, she'll bite me when I pick her up. Quite deliberately, too

[ferretfreke]

I think you are right Sherrylynne! The little brats. Their rodentpro order got here and they are all happy and satisfied. They just wanted to make me worry. Spoiled brats!

[Heather]

You have to love the little yahoos....they're just love to see how gray they can turn my hair...rotten little sods Be careful, you will be gray long before your time too
ciao

[ferretfreke]

It definitely appears that they were sulking. The brats are driving me crazy tonight! And it takes A LOT for me to get annoyed by ferrets, but they are being extra mischievous now. Perhaps I will withhold whole prey from them from time to time to keep me sane

And Heather the ferrets gave me grey hairs years ago My mom loves to point them out.

[weloveourweasels]

Be careful with the produce in commercial raw. The Primal duck has 27% produce which is way too much for ferrets. You really don't want more than 10% produce but 15% will be fine occasionally I do believe. The following Primal dog food formulas have 15%, the rest should be avoided.

Turkey and Sardine
Pheasant
Quail
Venison

[ferretfreke]

My mouse colony is going very well now and I've finally had enough big enough to feed. I was on the fence for awhile on how I was going to dispatch the mice. For a while I did dry ice on occasion and let the ferrets do it other times, but what I've discovered is Billy, my blanket eater, doesn't eat the blankets when he gets to hunt his dinner. Neither way has been easy on me so it doesn't matter in that aspect and the ferrets have become even more efficient in their kills. I do like to watch them use their natural instincts, however. If it helps my babies be less anxious, that is a good enough reason for me to let them kill their dinners. Billy still suckles the others, but I've noticed he does it more when its a raw meal day. My big, tough alpha male will probably always be a binky boy.

[Heather]

I too have noticed that certain traits, blanket sucking being a key one as it's a dangerous trait become almost non existant when ferrets are allowed to hunt. I've also found that my guys don't chew up soft plastic as much either. They're also less inclined to eating things like foam rubber as well. It may be coincidence but it seems that the more often they hunt and eat whole prey the less I see them trying to consume things that are inedible. I have no proof other than simple observation. It may be that after a time of eating whole meats and prey that they no longer crave the strange chewy sensation they get from eating rubber and other synthetic fibers .
ciao