questions about treats and supplements

[herbalmistress]

It's been a while since i've been here, so hey everyone!

I have a few questions about feeding my ferrets.

1. Is it okay for me to allow my ferrets to munch on my dog's food as a snack while they are out playing? It's a high quality kibble with no beef, corn, soy, or other ingrediants known to cause food intolerance in dogs and also has no preservatives, artificial colors or flavors, and they really seem to like it. They are eating a few pieces a day right now.

2. I bought my ferrets human supplement quality salmon oil capsules because i thought it would be better for them than ferretone, and they don't seem to like them as much. Does anyone know why? Should i keep trying with the salmon oil, or switch back?

3. If i was to give my ferrets canned pumpkin as a hairball preventative instead of ferretlax how often would i feed how much, and what could i try if they don't want to eat it? My ferrets are very picky, still kibble fed, and won't even eat baby food meat willingly.

Currently the only treats they get are the dog food and the salmon oil, and my youngest who just turned around 6 mths. doesn't even eat those.

Thanks for any advice.

Peace.

[tiggyeaj]

I don't believe even the best dog food is a good treat. I always have to race Muddy to get the dog food up before she gets to it.

Since I don't feed whole prey or whole ground, I give pumpkin in their organ soups, which they get about 3x/week. The only reason they get it that often is to spread the organs out to avoid runny poops.

[Heather]

I wouldn't be letting my ferrets eat the dogs kibbles, it's just high in uneeded carbs and isn't high enough in protein for an obligate carnivore.
Ferretone has BHT/BHA in it....this has been known to cause certain types of cancers. Considering the numbers of different health issues (lymphomas and other cancers too) I wouldn't care if my furbabies didn't like the taste as much, they would get what's good for them I've had a couple of little ones turn up their nose in the beginning but they all eat it in the end when nothing else is offered.
Most people feed their pumpkin in a meat soupy mix. How much depends on what is needed. My guys get it on a daily basis whenever they help themselves to the cats' food. If you're feeding to stop hairballs, maybe 2 or 3 x a week. I find between adding this to my cats' food and feeding prey I don't really have to worry too much about hairballs
A 6 month old ferret should be able to accomodate whatever you feed the little sod as they've not set their ideas on food at this age yet .
ciao

[sherrylynne]

1. Is it okay for me to allow my ferrets to munch on my dog's food as a snack while they are out playing? It's a high quality kibble with no beef, corn, soy, or other ingrediants known to cause food intolerance in dogs and also has no preservatives, artificial colors or flavors, and they really seem to like it. They are eating a few pieces a day right now.

What is the type of dog food? Some isn't too bad, like Evo red meat bites. The main concern is if they start to fill up on it. Dog food doesn't have taurine.

2. I bought my ferrets human supplement quality salmon oil capsules because i thought it would be better for them than ferretone, and they don't seem to like them as much. Does anyone know why? Should i keep trying with the salmon oil, or switch back?

Keep on with the salmon oil, they'll get to really like it. I still do use ferretone, but only for nail clipping. The salmon oil is more available to them dietarily, and is much healthier.

3. If i was to give my ferrets canned pumpkin as a hairball preventative instead of ferretlax how often would i feed how much, and what could i try if they don't want to eat it? My ferrets are very picky, still kibble fed, and won't even eat baby food meat willingly.

I give it weekly during shedding season, monthly otherwise, unless one of them is having a problem with something they shouldn't have eaten

Currently the only treats they get are the dog food and the salmon oil, and my youngest who just turned around 6 mths. doesn't even eat those.

[herbalmistress]

Thanks guys. I definitely won't switch back to the Ferretone considering Bandit had a pancreatic tumor removed about 2 months ago, and i'll start making sure to put the dogs' food up when they are out.

I just don't know what else to offer as treats. They won't eat baby food meat, canned tuna, canned ferret or cat food. If i mix the tiniest amount of any of these with their kibble they won't eat it and i'm afraid to let them go without eating.

The only things they will take off my finger are Ferretone, Ferretlax, and salmon oil. Actually they like all oils i've seemed to notice. They lick me like crazy if i put shea nut butter or olive oil on my hands as a moisturizer, and they also try to eat my lip balm.

I haven't tried eggs yet. Doesn't it say in Ferrets for Dummies they can eat hard boiled egg as a treat?

I thought Rogue (my baby) would be easy to introduce foods to because i got her young, but she won't touch a thing besides the kibble.

Peace.

[tiggyeaj]

Treat wise, my guys get n-bones once in a while. I give them each a raw egg once a week (I've heard that too much will cause rat tail). I don't give these as treats, but (if you aren't feeding raw I guess they could be) gizzards are well loved.

[odin]

I also use nbones every once in a while, but the i don't much like the ingredients. I'm using them as sort of a temporary solution to her need to chew on something while i have her on raw soupy. I don't think chewing will be a problem once i get her to chomp on a wing or other RMB.

I'm using human grade salmon oil also and she doesn't like it. I'm actually going to switch to grizzly salmon oil, which i have seen in pet stores (decent ones). I know that's what sherrylynne uses, and i've seen other brands in pet stores. I'm thinking she'll like it better.

Luckily for me (or not really lucky) i had a stint with an obstruction that was misdiagnosed as ulcers, so i had to force feed the little one chicken babyfood. She promptly threw it all up, leading to the eventual discovery of an earplug in her tummy. But, the experience did get her to understand that the baby food was yummy. so that's what i used to get her to eat the raw, mixed it less and less until she was eating only raw puree. Sometimes you just have to stick it in their mouths a few times to get them to understand that you are, as heather puts it, NOT poisoning them.

I also heard that egg whites can lead to alopecia.

[sherrylynne]

The problem with eggs is when they have to much whole raw egg. The avidin in the white binds to the biotin in the yolk, and can cause a biotin deficiency, which can result in alopecia. But a couple a week certainly won't hurt.