Need Advice--switching back to part kibble diet?

[bindiferret89]

Hi everyone,

I know I've been lurking a lot on this forum, but I am still here and my babies are still doing well on their raw diet. However--*super blush*--I am considering switching them to a half raw/half kibble diet. I know this is horrible and I feel so bad about it, but at this point it's easier for me due to stress I'm going through in my life.

Lucinda also had a partial stomach blockage recently and I'm having a tough time getting her to regain weight, even feeding her fatty things and using weight-gain recipes. She was such a little chunky girl when she was on kibble. I don't want to go entirely back to kibble because I 100% believe raw is better for them, but I think a little kibble might be better for both of us at this time. I feel really guilty about it though.

Anyway, what do you think? And if I am going to do half raw/ half kibble, I have a few questions:

1) I have a ton of kibble left from back in early July. It has been in a sealed container since then. Is it still going to be good or should I get new kibble? I have nooo idea what the shelf life on this stuff is.

2) Should I alternate days, i.e. kibble every other day alternated with raw?

3) Will this affect whether or not they eat raw foods? My baby Lucinda was soo picky and tough to switch that I'm worried about her reverting back to a little kibble hound.

4) Overall, what will this do to them nutritionally? I feel like I'm poisoning them or something, although I know that's a huge exaggeration and I always fed high quality kibbles before I switched to raw.

5) Will I be able to someday go back to an all-raw diet after they've been back on kibble? I know they will still eat kibble 'cause I gave them a small handful today and they loved it, I'm just worried about them eating raw if they get kibble again and decide it's tastier.

I'm open to any ideas or suggestions! Thanks everyone!

[sherrylynne]

Shame you have to switch them back. Yes, some ferrets will simply decide they no longer want the raw, because the kibble is so much easier to eat. Let's face it- they're lazy little beggars at heart
If they aren't getting funky poops from the kibble, it's still good. I believe the shelf life for that is about a year when sealed.
I would definitely alternate days for raw/kibble, just to be sure all goes through the digestive system at it's own pace.
Nutritionally? Keeping the kibble in does increase the odds of insulinoma. But less than a straight kibble fed ferret, just because of the carbs being translated to sugar inside the body.
And yes- you can go back to all raw later on, but you just might have some resisters

[Heather]

Hmmm. You do realize that your little one may not put on weight even though you add the kibbles. There is a little matter of the damage that is done by the partial blockage. When a blockage occurs a certain amount of the bowel around that area looses it's ability to absorb nutrients (it sort of dies off). To heal this takes time, sometimes it never heals properly. Hence the problems that occur when people have dealt with IBD and ulcer prone ferrets. Switching to a nutrient that is more difficult to absorb won't necessarily give you back your fat ferret and if she does become fat it may be the wrong type. Think about what people talk about when they switch their ferrets and their little fatties become lean mean eating machines I know that I've sometimes resorted to try and push the healing process to get my little fatties (who have become skinny do to illness) back, most times I get nowhere and my little fatties get fat again on their own time if they're meant to get fat again.
If you choose to go this method then yes, every other day would be better than say morning vs night switching.
This can affect if they eat raw foods. They will switch back to kibbles quickly enough but you may have to work just as hard as you did in the beginning to get them to eat raw meat again. I've never switched a ferret back but I've dealt with cats who have been switched to raw, then given kibbles (they eventually will eat only kibbles) and then having to switch them back again to raw. Kibbles are addictive to carnivores.
Nutritionally, you've upped the risks that you were trying to downplay, number one insulinoma but you're still playing a better hand than just feeding kibble.
Truthfully, I hope you rethink your decision but that being said, we all have to make decisions that don't always leave us with a "good taste in our mouth" but make the decision because it's the best we can offer at the time. I hope that you can resolve the problems that you are experiencing and that your little ones can once again start to feast on an optimum diet. Good luck
ciao

[spiritualtramp]

Honestly, I am with Heather here. The kibble won't help her put on weight because the problem is, like Heather mentioned, a part of the gut that is unable to process foods right now. It can heal; sometimes it doesn't. If it doesn't and the issue becomes IBD, raw would be much easier on her tummy anyway. So if that is your main motivation, I'd rethink it strongly.

Going back and forth will be difficult, and I foresee some strong resistence (especially from Lucinda! Remember how hard it was to switch her! Because I do!) If she knows she'll get kibble eventually, she may just quit eating the raw offerings completely. And that would just make her a kibble eater, but a spotty one at that.

I understand that you're wrestling some things in life right now and are trying to do the right thing by them, but I am not sure this will make things any easier on you, or on them.