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Post by Heather on Nov 14, 2009 20:45:39 GMT -5
Dab a little on his nose, see if he will lick it off. Keep at him. I usually catch them when they fly by. Grab, dip and release. If he licks it off and doesn't fight to be released then dab him again. It's more getting him accustomed to the taste and texture than anything else. He doesn't view this as food. If he doesn't take to it within a couple of sessions then you may have to resort to the scruff and stuff, I don't like to do it but have resorted to it on occasion when I find one that is particularly stubborn about sampling food. Sherrylynne has one boy who despite being on raw for quite awhile still has to be sruffed and stuffed if she changes his proteins to something he's not had before. Some little ferts are just plain stubborn You can also try sitting him on your lap, his food in a bowl and you armed with a spoon All my guys like getting their soupy that way Extra special attention . ciao
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Post by willowwynd on Nov 18, 2009 10:40:15 GMT -5
Sorry, I didn't write sooner I know I should have. We have hit a little snag here. In the last 48 hours I believe Snowball has become a little depressed. He is showing no signs of sickness but he is eating less, bathrooming less, and sleeping more, so I am trying to spend alot more time playing with him. He will come out and play just fine showing nothing is wrong, but I am having trouble with him eating which in turn as you know means less bowel movements. He still is drinking and urinating just fine. This morning I woke him up and as long as I stayed by him he ate his kibble, but hasnt had anything else since then and that was about 4 hours ago and he is now sleeping again. I tried to get him to eat again before he went to sleep, but it didn't work. I have stopped trying to force him with the duck soup (because I thought it might make his depression worse) but I am not sure I am doing the correct thing for him. I am also looking into getting a couple more ferrets to introduce him too so he can have some friends. (Just haven't found the right ones yet)
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Post by Heather on Nov 19, 2009 1:21:42 GMT -5
I don't like the sound of that..... Depression in a ferret can have serious consequences. Is he still eating his kibbles at all? If you can't get him to eat you're going to have to syringe feed him his soupy:( Have you had him to the vet yet? I like that he's drinking that helps you a lot. I would continue to try the soupy but only as a fun thing...a dab on the nose and then let him go. Don't really push it (unless he's not eating at all). What brought on this depression or is it just happening? I've got a little one who has just lost her cage mate and has had a medication change so she's not a real happy camper. I''m working with her at the moment as out of 14 other ferrets she can't seem to find one that she wants to be friends with Keep me posted as to what you're doing and how your little one is doing. Good luck. ciao
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Post by willowwynd on Nov 19, 2009 9:30:33 GMT -5
What happened was.... I believe he is getting attached to my eldest son who was sick the last couple of days and wasn't playing with him. (We didn't know if Snowball could catch it) So yesterday we had him out before school and he played with my scaredy cats (2 - 24 pound cats that put scooby and shaggy to shame). That went very well. So I took him to school for my middle childs show and tell. Well snowball ate up the attention and checking things out. But later in the afternoon he came down the diarrhea (full water type) So I got nervous. I would wake him up a couple of time the rest of the day trying to get him to eat so about 4:30 yesterday he was eating again.
This morning all is looking much better. I let him get up on his own after I checked his toilet and saw that he was solid again (yippie). I have also had him out playing with my cats again this morning and for the first time he was dooking (I am taking that as a positive sign since he hasn't made any sounds until now). He was just having a blast with them. I supervised the whole time. I have had him out for about 45 minutes terrorizing my cats and just put him back in his cage so he can eat and do his duties. Which I can say he is happily eating like a pig and doing everything he needs too. I think he was just getting loney for my son but now he has the cats and loves it.
We are also getting a younger female ferret this weekend. She also has been alone too and is about 1 1/2 yrs old. I hope things work out well with that. I was told by his previous owners that he has been around other ferrets and did ok with them. I know he needs a friend.
So since he is eating so well this morning I will take him out this afternoon to play more with the cats and work up a good appitite (sp?) again and then try the duck soup on him. Hopefully with better results since I know he will be hungry then.
Oh I just got an email asking me to take in a bonded pair for someone in the military too. So depending on how things work out I just might have a house full. (yes I do know about quarentine and plan on following proper procedures too) safety first. As for cages Snowball has a Ferret Nation 142 all to himself. The female we are getting will go into another ferret cage I have upstairs (we don't have forced air heating, we have old fashioned water radiators). Then the bonded pair has their own Ferret Nation 142 that they will come with also.
Sorry to get off subject, but I think it helps knowing what is all going on to get the right advice. So we will be working with at least one more after this weekend, because I want to get her diet changed also.
Thanks again for helping us out.
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Post by willowwynd on Nov 19, 2009 20:14:44 GMT -5
Things are looking up Snowball is eating much better now. He was up a number of times today to eat and drink. Bowels are normal again. He has also become very attached to Thor one of my 23.5 pound 1 1/2 yr old cat. His brother 24 pound brother Loki just runs aways from Snowball. Anyways Thor and Snowball are so funny to watch Snowball chases him all over the house and jumps on his back and takes him down. Got to get some pics of that. So today I made another batch of duck soup, none the less he don't like it rubbed on his face. So after awhile I scruffed him and used a syringe that has a tip on it and put droplets in the side of his mouth. He fought me half heartedly on it. I think it is more protest because he don't want to try new things. So I will work with him daily on it, couple of times a day. And saturday I will be getting my new girl. I have a question do I give her a couple of days to get used to things before I try her on duck soup at all. The previous owner is giving her Walmart brand ferret kibble. I will know more when I get her Saturday as to which kind it is.
I am also renaming Snowball .... Odin seems much more appropriate considering how they all get along. (Hubby is really into Norse Mythology)
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Post by Heather on Nov 20, 2009 13:56:57 GMT -5
You could try the scruff and stuff method. I wouldn't do it perpetually but just try it a bit. You can use the syringe method of feeding (the same way you do for a sick ferret) to get him started but just make sure that you've got the soupy liquid enough to go into the syringe and that you feed from the side of the mouth rather than straight on. Let me know how it goes, keep at it, perserverance is the key when you're at this point. ciao
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Post by willowwynd on Nov 23, 2009 8:37:48 GMT -5
Well, things are not progressing very well with him. He just doesn't want any part of the duck soup yet. I have been taking him and rubbing it around his lips while playing with him. After the first time I do it thou he then avoids me for awhile. I do have one question. Can another ferret influence another to eat in any way.
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Post by Heather on Nov 24, 2009 0:34:26 GMT -5
I've found that it does. I've had a couple of ferts switch just by playing with my raw fed guys. I babysat 4 fuzzies over a period of a month, when they were returned to their people they all ate a completely raw diet. Unfortunately, their people had no intention of continuing the practice. It did work to my advantage 9 months later when the lady turned in 3 of the 4 fuzzies because she couldn't cope with them. They were switched back in less than a day. Houndini and Shazam (severely emaciated and neglected) switched by watching the others eat. So it can happen. Little Calypso wanted nothing to do with raw food and it took me close to 3 months to switch her despite her partner having switched within 2 weeks of being turned in. You can use the scruff and stuff method. I'm not overly fond of it but that's how I eventually had to treat Calypso, it happens to the best of us . I do it similar to medicating a ferret, I think I've got pics if you want to try it. Sherrylynne I think actually has a video of her working with one of her furbrats who despite being raw fed refuses to try any new meat and has to go through the whole switching thing every time she introduces a new protein source to him Keep trying, he will come around, he just may need more enticing ciao
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Post by willowwynd on Nov 25, 2009 13:49:35 GMT -5
When it comes to Odin (Snowball) I get really discouraged. He has no interest in trying other foods except his kibble, Furovite, or Hairball remedy. Unless it one of those three things... he wants nothing to do with it.
Now with my little girl (no name yet) she is 1 1/2 yr old. I have gotten her to eat duck soup and mealworms. She had never been introduced to them before. So I gave her a pinky but she is not showing any interest in it yet. I think it won't be long before she does. Oh, one thing I should mention about her is that she does not like the vitamins or hairball stuff at all.
When she is out of quarentine I am hoping they will get along so she can show him how to eat.
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Post by Heather on Nov 25, 2009 23:57:36 GMT -5
Keep pushing the soupy at him. The whole idea is to be more stubborn than he is. He's going to take some work. Your little girl is doing well. Pinkies don't seem to offer much stimulation. Some of my guys just won't have anything to do with them....no movement, no entertainment You could try teasing her a bit with the pinky getting her to grab on to it and play a bit of tug. Once she figures out it's food she might consider eating it. I never feed any of the ferret vitamins to my guys. Once you feed a well established diet with a good amount of variety to your furkids you shouldn't need to supplement. One of the furkids came with some ferretvit when he was turned in, other than him not one of my guys would eat the ferretvit. It's just a different taste thing. Ferrets get very fixated and it takes some convincing to get them to accept something different. When does your little one come out of quarantine? She might be able to convince Odin ( I have an albino who goes by that name ) that you're not trying to poison him ciao
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Post by willowwynd on Dec 1, 2009 14:20:22 GMT -5
I will keep it going with Odin and the soupy. I really don't like giving the supplements to him at all. I have been backing off of them completely because I believe he is addicted to it. I was wondering if he just might not like this version of the soup. Do I try another variation to see if he likes it any better?
As for Gynuara (Gwah-nah-ra) (celtic medieval variation of Guinevere) she loves her duck soup.. not too much at once for her but she is working on it. She also loves her meal worms as long as they are warm and wiggly. So I am sure if I work with her playing with it she will get the idea. Gynuara comes out of Quarentine on Saturday. One day early because I have two more coming home Saturday afternoon. A bonded pair about 4 hours away (one way), one male and one female. They are about 2 yrs old. I will be working with them to change their diet also. Gynuara is now playing with my cats (Loki and Thor) too and they get along beautifully. She is only about one pound at 1 1/2 yrs old. She is tiny but she definately has a larger then life attitude.
I am also looking at the best way to introduce Odin & Gynuara too.
Sorry about not being around this last weekend. My first grandbaby came to visit she is only 3 mo. old tomorrow.
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Post by Heather on Dec 2, 2009 1:32:15 GMT -5
I have a Loki and a Thor too....Odin as well only they're ferrets . You can try a different soupy if you like....but don't go bouncing all over the place trying to find something that he likes, especially if Gynuara, likes it. You don't want to be starting making up this soupy for one ferret and another soupy for the next, especially now that you're getting a couple more. Texture plays a huge part in ferrets and because he's a kibble addict, he figures that it should go crunch when he bites (want to know something....he probably won't like bones either , sometimes there's just no pleasing them ) Congratulations on your newest pair....do we get pictures We will get everyone switched over, you'll see . I have great confidence in you ciao
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Post by willowwynd on Dec 6, 2009 10:54:45 GMT -5
Hi De Ho,
Odin is still resisting. I was wondering if I should try some ground up kibble on top at all. Otherwise he is not trying the mealworms either. I do think your right about being addicted to kibble. Is there any hope of switching him if he is addicted to the kibble?
Gynuara is still eating mealworms but still not interested in the pinkys yet. I have also tried a cut up one, a whole one warm but not too warm.I am thinking about getting a couple of live mice and breeding them. Too see if a fresh live one would work. So I am not sure at this point as what to do next. She is still eating soup.
As for Willow and Rowan I have been told they like soup. I am waiting to find out the previous owners recipe. They show no interest in the mealworms thou.
Yes, I have posted pictures today too.
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Post by Heather on Dec 7, 2009 0:53:07 GMT -5
What are you doing with Odin? When I switch kibble addicts I hold them, give them some snuggles then I dip my finger in the soupy and then rub it on their noses. They usually lick it off, when they start licking it off then I make sure that I have some more and try and get them to lick it off my finger. If they're really fighting then I put them down and catch them again in a few minutes and try again. How liquid is your soupy? Liquid enough to be placed in a syringe? It's a slightly faster method but you have to be careful (aspiration problems). I've also found that they often respond to eating off a spoon, something all my guys do. When you first start to switch a kibble addict it is very labour intensive, requiring a lot of one on one time of hand feeding. You will succeed with Odin. I've not met a ferret that I've not been able to switch so if you work it and perservere you too will win this battle. It's only a matter of being more stubborn than they are. There are no ferrets eating kibble in my businesses. They range in ages from Boris and Natasha who are my youngest at 2 to Mad Max at 9 or 10 yrs of age (I did have Babushka who was 11, and she was turned in to me at 9 yrs of age. She had been eating poor quality kibble for that length of time and would eat no other type). All were rescues and most were addicted to their kibbles. Loki was fed on a diet of count chocula cereal ....do you have any idea how difficult he was to switch . He still steals chocolate every chance he gets the beastly little sod (that may be why he's in kidney failure too....a poor diet causes a lifetime of problems) Have you tried putting the pinkies in the soupy?? Just chop it up in small pieces (like they're not already small ) and them mush them around in the soupy. See if she will try them that way. Have you tried your new ones on your soupy? That might be worth a try too. I will have to go have a look at your pics Good luck, I will check in to see how your doing later ciao
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Post by willowwynd on Dec 8, 2009 10:36:02 GMT -5
Odin I believe will be much like your Loki because Odin was feed "Fruit Loops" regularly. I have not given him sweets like that with the exception of his vitamins to get him out of a corner I couldn't get into (fixed that). Otherwise I haven't been giving the vitamins or any other form of sugar to him.
What I have been doing is getting him out to play for awhile before I even try to give him any of the soup. Then when I bring out the soup he will come over and smell it and run away so when he comes back I grab him and pet him then I get some on my finger and rub it on the end of his mouth near his nose. Pet him a little more then let him go. Today he is starting to lick it off instead of rubbing his face on the floor now, but he won't eat it from a dish or off my finger yet. So I guess you can say we have taken a small step.
Gynuara eats the soup, and I tried Willow & Rowan. Willow just sniffed it and Rowan ate some of it down. As for the soup that they ate before, all I was told it was premade from Petco, and that was all the info I got. So I am happy that Rowan at least ate some of it. I will make sure Willow gets a taste this afternoon when I have her out again.
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