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Post by lysergicgirl on Dec 22, 2009 15:40:03 GMT -5
I am just wondering how you guys started the raw diet with your guys? I've always given or better worded, *tried* to give my fuzzies treats of cooked turkey and chicken, but I can't say that they are fans. I have been making some soups recently for my sick guy, and the rejected ones have gone to the others, but only 2 of them really love it. Should I just start by giving them raw pieces or chicken randomly to see how they take? Or should I make a bunch of different soups with their kibble in it? Also, I have a concern about when they do move up to raw feeding and the bones. I know with dogs you have to be careful of giving them certain types because they can splinter inside of them and cause all sorts of issues. Does this apply to ferrets as well? I'm actually thawing out some chicken for our dinner tonite and I am now thinking that I might try to give a few pieces to the furrbits to see what they think.
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Post by ccretarolo on Dec 22, 2009 16:13:15 GMT -5
I switched both of my guys with raw soups. It took a while for Mogli to enjoy the soups but after about a week of being forced to at least taste it, he started taking it on his own from my hand. It's really just a matter of getting them to accept it as food...
When it comes to bones, raw bones don't splinter. It's cooked bones that cause problems with dogs but unfortunately, most people don't understand the difference. Raw bones still have a large amount of moisture intact so they break apart with more rounded edges that carnivores are designed to digest without any issues. Cooking takes out the moisture and changes the structure of the bone so it breaks apart into sharp pieces which are very dangerous for a carnivore.
As long as you feed small to medium sized fowl bones (anything from a chicken, duck, quail, squab, etc.) that are raw, you'll be just fine. Also, turkey necks are good for more experienced raw eaters. My rule is that if the bone can be cut with a sharp chef's knife, my boys can eat it.
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Post by sherrylynne on Dec 22, 2009 22:13:30 GMT -5
I actually had mine on a cooked soup initially, and just used that as a base for the raw. I started by blending some pureed raw into the first soup, just a teensy bit, and steadily increased the amount of raw, while decreasing the cooked. After they had an all raw soup, I thickened it till they were eating ground, and carried on from there.
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Post by vkoslin on Dec 23, 2009 2:18:03 GMT -5
You honestly have to try everything! With 6, I learned that each was different. It took a big effort in the beginning but after they started eating one raw type, it quickly led to more. So once you get them to eat that one kind of meat, a certain way, it will be easier from then. \ Here are somethings that people have tried/I have tried and has worked for some, not all: lukewarm baby food mixed with minced chicken, mushy chicken and ferretone, beef (some prefer beef over chicken), ground kibble-dusted chicken small bites (think breaded chicken), mixing mush with kibble, blending it in a food processor, trying it cooked, trying it raw, trying it cold-trying it lukewarm.
If they like a treat, grind it up and put it with the raw. If they like ferretone/ferretvite, add a tiny bit to flavor whatever you're giving them. It's just making it work for them.
My most stubborn was one I basically gave up on. I had 5 eating raw, but not all kinds of raw, and 1 that wouldnt eat anything raw, only kibble. So, I stopped worrying about her, left the bowl with half kibble (for her) and half raw for the rest and worked on getting my others to eat different raws. One night I came home and after 8 long months of never eating raw, my picky eater was eating the raw out of the bowl instead of the kibble.
Sometimes they just have to learn to associate it as food. The texture and taste is soooo different from kibble, they don't understand. By putting it IN their bowl with their kibble, is in my opinion, the best way for them to associate the raw as food because they know kibble is their food too. I feel that you will probably waste a good bit of food at first, so buy the cheapest meats to start out with, and chicken's always a good one to start with (though you may find yours prefering others), and always keep some form of minced raw in the bowl. I bet in a few weeks, you'll find that the raw does get eaten a little.
Once you find out that each of your ferrets has tried raw, take out the kibble. If you've seen the raw IN their mouths, and are sure all have done that, whether or not they ate a lot, take the kibble away completely. This tells you that they WILL put that raw gunk in their mouths before starving, and if they are hungry, they will eat it. You want to feed them this same raw mush/whatever you fed them to get them to eat raw and don't change it for a little bit until you know they're eating it. Then you can slowly mush in organs. Then, improve to ground meats/bones, then improve to new meats. This transition from one familiar meat to brand new meats may take as long as a couple of months. Keep an eye on their weights. They will lose weight at first, but be cautious to know that they are not underweight or looking ill. Keeping an eye on their bodies helps clue you in on if they're getting their nutrients.
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Post by lysergicgirl on Dec 23, 2009 22:16:44 GMT -5
Thanks for the info! I am going to go to the store on Tuesday and pick out a few different kinds of meats to try to start mixing in with soupies. I gave them some chunks of raw chicken the other night and Alice (who I figured would) ate quite a few pieces of it. She is very trusting that whatever I give her is food and has never snubbed anything. Our new guy Sora took a bite and then gagged and backed away from it. Guess he isnt' a fan of chicken, lol. The others just looked at me like I was crazy. They all are starting to love the soups I make for Casper, so hopefully it won't take too long till most their diet is raw. Except for Felix...he won't take anything but kibble. Never have I found a treat that he likes. He won't even take Ferratone or Ferravite from me and I certainly have tried since the day we got him.
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Post by sherrylynne on Dec 23, 2009 22:51:41 GMT -5
With Sora, it's likely that it's not so much he's not a fan of chicken(although it's possible!), as he's not a fan of the texture of the raw chicken chunks
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Post by vkoslin on Dec 24, 2009 13:51:11 GMT -5
Yes, it IS a big texture difference from crunchy dry kibble to slimy cold chicken. I think the best way to deal with texture is gradually adding MORE texture to a soup or mix...so I think soups are a great way to do it, and just make it less soupy as time goes on!
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Post by ferretrunner on Dec 28, 2009 22:16:24 GMT -5
With Sora, it's likely that it's not so much he's not a fan of chicken(although it's possible!), as he's not a fan of the texture of the raw chicken chunks Would you be? ;D
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Post by sherrylynne on Dec 28, 2009 23:17:42 GMT -5
With Sora, it's likely that it's not so much he's not a fan of chicken(although it's possible!), as he's not a fan of the texture of the raw chicken chunks Would you be? ;D You've definitely got a point there ;D
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Post by shirleyverde on Jan 4, 2010 19:56:01 GMT -5
and my two boys never liked the soupies or baby foods but they will eat the ground meats with some kibble (we just started a few weeks ago the switch) so maybe if they don't like one texture try another?
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Post by zoologist on Jan 5, 2010 10:27:09 GMT -5
i had it easy, i was able to switch chewey by grinding boneless chicken breast and mixing it with kibble and ferretone, gradually decreasing both till he was on just raw. took about a week or two now i'm trying him on different meats!
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Post by Heather on Jan 6, 2010 1:02:53 GMT -5
You do have bone in your mix now....yes??? That is the most difficult and imperative part of switching a ferret. ciao
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