Post by murphysmom on Jul 28, 2009 13:24:11 GMT -5
1. How many ferrets do you currently have? What are their names, ages, genders, and do they have any health problems (this is VERY important)?
I have 7 total.
Murphy- 2 years apprx. Male. (2.5 lbs) Murphy does have health issues. He has been under a vet care for about two months and I believe we have finally got him in the right direction. He was on oral and topical antibiotics for about 6 weeks due to a wet dermatitis. He has been shaved and scrubbed raw. I just had blood work done and it came back normal. My vet wanted me try Revolution, just in case it was mites and it(the Revolution) has seemed to have done the deed. The remaining scabs have disappeared. I believe that he has a weaker immune system and might not be able to fight off what a normal ferret can.
Hammy- 9 months, Male (2.5 lbs) Normal , healthy ferret
Koda- 6 months, Male (2-3 lbs) Normal, healthy ferret
Athena- 9 months, Female (2 lbs) Nomal, Healthy ferret
Ollie- 4-6+ years, Male ( about 2 lbs, maybe less), No known health problems, seems more sluggish, bit could be due to age.
Noah- 2-3 +years, Male (2-3 lbs) Normal, Healthy ferret
Princess- 1 +, Female (1-1.5 lbs) Small, but seems healthy.
* the last 3 are fosters that I may or may not keep. I am fostering them for their original owner (she had to leave the states for a few months). We will discuss when she gets back if I will keep them. I am pretty sure I will be, though.
2. What are your ferrets currently eating? Include their main diet, plus any treats or supplements (such as duk soup).
Main diet- EVO ferret, Orijen Cat, TF Lamb (this is what I have been feeding)
The fosters came with 8-1 crunchy and Wilderness Blue cat. They also are fed as treats the yogurt drops made for ferrets. I am slowly weaning them off those.
All get Nbones about once or twice a week. They get a soup of EVO cat/kitten also. I was given a mix by a friend that gave me Athena, that has all kinds of meat and eggs in it. Everybody gets Ferretone on the kibble mix. Just a few drops mixed in daily.
3. What kind of diet do you want to switch to? I would like to go raw, but was wondering if commercial raw would be ok? Like Wysong and Stella and Chewie?s. I want to learn more about live prey too and also, what about bugs, like meal worms.
4. Why do you want to switch to this more natural diet? I know it is healthier and I also feel that it is more stimulating for them.
5. Where/what/who got you interested in natural diets? A couple of members off my Florida Ferrets web site.
6. Please list the current weight for your ferret(s). Do they appear overweight? Underweight? How is there muscle tone?
(See #1 for weights)
Murphy- Normal weight, has actually gained since I have owned him( started out 1.5 lbs, now up to 2.5 lbs). Muscle tone is getting better daily, but he still needs to work at it.
Hammy- Normal weight- since I have gotten the other ferrets, he has really toned up a lot by playing crazy all the time!
Koda- A little flabby, but very active. Normal weight.
Athena- Normal weight, appears fine.
Ollie- A little under IMO, I would like to see more tone on him, but he is my oldest.
Noah- Fit and lean!
Princess- Small, but not underweight for her size.
7. What is the condition of your ferret's teeth/gums? (can you get a picture?) Hmmmm, I can try to get pic?s later (they are all sleeping right now). I will say that Murphy, Hammy, Koda, and Athena have all be seen by my vet and have had their teeth checked out. My three fosters while have been seen by a vet ( have their papers), have not been seen by my vet yet. I have looked at everyone?s teeth (usually when I do toes, I scruff and am able to see in their months) and everyone appears to have health teeth and gums.
8. Describe the texture/color of your ferrets coat.
Murphy-Sable, soft and full (is missing hair from where he was shaved and from the mites on his toes, but it has started growing back)
Hammy- Champagne point blaze, medium texture
Koda- Chocolate standard , medium texture
Athena- Sable Point, soft and full
Ollie- Black roan (?)- soft and full
Noah - Albino- Medium texture
Princess - Sable- soft and full
9. How often does your ferret go to the bathroom?
I clean 6 litters boxes 1-2 times a day, I have no clue how often they go- other than the fact when they first are let out- they all go!
10. Does your ferret's feces and/or urine smell? Poo smells, urine-no smell
11. Smell your ferret. How strong is their odor? All my ferret smell about the same, no huge odor. One of them does smell a little more than the other?s and I for the life of me can?t remember which?..
12. On a scale of 1-10, 1 being completely lethargic and 10 being "through the roof!" what is your ferret's energy level?
Murphy- when I first got him he was a 1 ( have had him since January), he now is around a 4-5
Hammy 5-6
Koda 7-8
Athena 7-8
Ollie 4-5
Noah 8-9
Princess 5-6
13. How excited is your ferret about meal time (when fed kibble)? They are pretty happy to be fed. I free feed with Kibble and about once a day I have to refill.
14. Have you attempted to switch from kibble to a natural diet in the past? If so, what methods have you tried. Be specific. No. I just have introduced simple soups (EVO cat/kitten in warm water)
15. What other information about your ferret(s) would you like to share? I would like to help Murphy?s immune system. Ollie and Princess need some extra something to help them over all. Noah, Hammy, Koda, and Athena need something that is going to stimulate them.
16. If you can, please post a clear photograph of EACH of your ferrets directly below:
See post in picture section. I will also try to get clear shots of them and post here as well.
holisticferret.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=ferretpic&action=display&thread=3296
a.) Do you understand that by starting this thread you commit to posting updates on the progress of your ferret(s) diet switch atleast every other day?** Yes, though I do work 12 hours a day on Wed?s and Sundays.
b.) Do you understand that if you will be away from your computer for an extended period of time you will need to exchange phone numbers (or email addresses if you don't feel comfortable exchanging numbers)via private message with your assigned mentor, so that we can monitor your progress and ensure your ferret's saftey during the switch? Yes
c.) Do you understand that any threads that have not been updated in for more then a week (with no explaination as to why you are absent) will result in the deletion of the thread?*** Yes
I have 7 total.
Murphy- 2 years apprx. Male. (2.5 lbs) Murphy does have health issues. He has been under a vet care for about two months and I believe we have finally got him in the right direction. He was on oral and topical antibiotics for about 6 weeks due to a wet dermatitis. He has been shaved and scrubbed raw. I just had blood work done and it came back normal. My vet wanted me try Revolution, just in case it was mites and it(the Revolution) has seemed to have done the deed. The remaining scabs have disappeared. I believe that he has a weaker immune system and might not be able to fight off what a normal ferret can.
Hammy- 9 months, Male (2.5 lbs) Normal , healthy ferret
Koda- 6 months, Male (2-3 lbs) Normal, healthy ferret
Athena- 9 months, Female (2 lbs) Nomal, Healthy ferret
Ollie- 4-6+ years, Male ( about 2 lbs, maybe less), No known health problems, seems more sluggish, bit could be due to age.
Noah- 2-3 +years, Male (2-3 lbs) Normal, Healthy ferret
Princess- 1 +, Female (1-1.5 lbs) Small, but seems healthy.
* the last 3 are fosters that I may or may not keep. I am fostering them for their original owner (she had to leave the states for a few months). We will discuss when she gets back if I will keep them. I am pretty sure I will be, though.
2. What are your ferrets currently eating? Include their main diet, plus any treats or supplements (such as duk soup).
Main diet- EVO ferret, Orijen Cat, TF Lamb (this is what I have been feeding)
The fosters came with 8-1 crunchy and Wilderness Blue cat. They also are fed as treats the yogurt drops made for ferrets. I am slowly weaning them off those.
All get Nbones about once or twice a week. They get a soup of EVO cat/kitten also. I was given a mix by a friend that gave me Athena, that has all kinds of meat and eggs in it. Everybody gets Ferretone on the kibble mix. Just a few drops mixed in daily.
3. What kind of diet do you want to switch to? I would like to go raw, but was wondering if commercial raw would be ok? Like Wysong and Stella and Chewie?s. I want to learn more about live prey too and also, what about bugs, like meal worms.
4. Why do you want to switch to this more natural diet? I know it is healthier and I also feel that it is more stimulating for them.
5. Where/what/who got you interested in natural diets? A couple of members off my Florida Ferrets web site.
6. Please list the current weight for your ferret(s). Do they appear overweight? Underweight? How is there muscle tone?
(See #1 for weights)
Murphy- Normal weight, has actually gained since I have owned him( started out 1.5 lbs, now up to 2.5 lbs). Muscle tone is getting better daily, but he still needs to work at it.
Hammy- Normal weight- since I have gotten the other ferrets, he has really toned up a lot by playing crazy all the time!
Koda- A little flabby, but very active. Normal weight.
Athena- Normal weight, appears fine.
Ollie- A little under IMO, I would like to see more tone on him, but he is my oldest.
Noah- Fit and lean!
Princess- Small, but not underweight for her size.
7. What is the condition of your ferret's teeth/gums? (can you get a picture?) Hmmmm, I can try to get pic?s later (they are all sleeping right now). I will say that Murphy, Hammy, Koda, and Athena have all be seen by my vet and have had their teeth checked out. My three fosters while have been seen by a vet ( have their papers), have not been seen by my vet yet. I have looked at everyone?s teeth (usually when I do toes, I scruff and am able to see in their months) and everyone appears to have health teeth and gums.
8. Describe the texture/color of your ferrets coat.
Murphy-Sable, soft and full (is missing hair from where he was shaved and from the mites on his toes, but it has started growing back)
Hammy- Champagne point blaze, medium texture
Koda- Chocolate standard , medium texture
Athena- Sable Point, soft and full
Ollie- Black roan (?)- soft and full
Noah - Albino- Medium texture
Princess - Sable- soft and full
9. How often does your ferret go to the bathroom?
I clean 6 litters boxes 1-2 times a day, I have no clue how often they go- other than the fact when they first are let out- they all go!
10. Does your ferret's feces and/or urine smell? Poo smells, urine-no smell
11. Smell your ferret. How strong is their odor? All my ferret smell about the same, no huge odor. One of them does smell a little more than the other?s and I for the life of me can?t remember which?..
12. On a scale of 1-10, 1 being completely lethargic and 10 being "through the roof!" what is your ferret's energy level?
Murphy- when I first got him he was a 1 ( have had him since January), he now is around a 4-5
Hammy 5-6
Koda 7-8
Athena 7-8
Ollie 4-5
Noah 8-9
Princess 5-6
13. How excited is your ferret about meal time (when fed kibble)? They are pretty happy to be fed. I free feed with Kibble and about once a day I have to refill.
14. Have you attempted to switch from kibble to a natural diet in the past? If so, what methods have you tried. Be specific. No. I just have introduced simple soups (EVO cat/kitten in warm water)
15. What other information about your ferret(s) would you like to share? I would like to help Murphy?s immune system. Ollie and Princess need some extra something to help them over all. Noah, Hammy, Koda, and Athena need something that is going to stimulate them.
16. If you can, please post a clear photograph of EACH of your ferrets directly below:
See post in picture section. I will also try to get clear shots of them and post here as well.
holisticferret.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=ferretpic&action=display&thread=3296
a.) Do you understand that by starting this thread you commit to posting updates on the progress of your ferret(s) diet switch atleast every other day?** Yes, though I do work 12 hours a day on Wed?s and Sundays.
b.) Do you understand that if you will be away from your computer for an extended period of time you will need to exchange phone numbers (or email addresses if you don't feel comfortable exchanging numbers)via private message with your assigned mentor, so that we can monitor your progress and ensure your ferret's saftey during the switch? Yes
c.) Do you understand that any threads that have not been updated in for more then a week (with no explaination as to why you are absent) will result in the deletion of the thread?*** Yes