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Post by carnivorouszoo on May 19, 2010 0:13:55 GMT -5
Hi, I am Katherine, I have ahd my two rescues for about a week. They came to me supposedly having only been cage bound for 4 months, then found out it is more like 2 YEARS!  Also no vet for the last 2 YEARS  The former owners could not agree what their names were either, which came off as very odd to me. We have dubbed them Jack and Dianne. When we met with the guy whose girlfriend was the technical former owner I knew we would love them. They looked just like the pair we used to have before a really bad summer about 2 years ago.   This is Jack:  This is Dianne:  Here is the cage that came with them (very nasty and I had to scrub it to get it clean):  They came with very bad quality kibble. I have them on better kibble, but want to look into feeding a more natural diet. Since I have corn snakes I have mice on hand, getting rat pups, quail and day old chicks would not be a problem. While Jack has very nice coat quality I think the softness maybe due to dirt and oil build up, he will get a bath tomorrow. Dianne however shows real signs of both lack of exercise and a bad diet. Poor coat, thin, was lethargic. Got them on better kibble with out of cage time and now I see he is more laid back than her or may be ill. They are roughly 3.5 years old (4 next Jan). They are improving as time goes by but I want to give them the very best. I hope that a natural diet is what they need. |
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Post by 1 on May 19, 2010 9:15:40 GMT -5
Welcome to the best most loving forum I've ever seen! And your ferrets too! Would you like a welcome gift?  |
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Post by carnivorouszoo on May 19, 2010 12:09:10 GMT -5
Welcome to the best most loving forum I've ever seen! And your ferrets too! Would you like a welcome gift? A welcome gift? I don't know what you have in mind but sure ;D |
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Post by 1 on May 19, 2010 17:56:44 GMT -5
Wheal their isn't much by email, My tolerance for the primitive technology of this age being a insult to my art work is virtually expired! But, name anything and I can look for it online! All I can really do is find a link, a pic (however they make theirs good and useful!) or just do my best to help and be kind. But if its a recipe, lately I've got a attitude that if I haven't taste tested a recipe I don't know what I'm showing that its good. So pretty much what ever your heart desires with in my power and forum rules. |
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Post by sherrylynne on May 19, 2010 20:30:21 GMT -5
Hi, glad to see you made it over here! Please, feel free to browse around, ask questions, check out the nutritional section. Lots of info there. As I believe I mentioned to you before, our mentoring program is at present full, but people are graduating all the time! You might want to take a look through the switch archives, to give you a better idea of which method you think might work better for your guys!
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Post by Heather on May 19, 2010 22:42:51 GMT -5
Hi and welcome to the forum and a special welcome to Jack and Dianne. Unfortunately, you've found out one of the things that many of us have discovered about our little rescues. Neglect can be just as harmful as any type of brutality Please feel free to prowl around, check out the various threads, ask questions and as Sherrylynne has mentioned check out our mentoring program as well. It is full at the moment but there's a lot of really good information in there. Ask questions and make use of the combined knowledge of this forum. I hope that I will be seeing you and reading about your little ones adventures and they continue to reap the benefits of having a new and caring home ciao |
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Post by carnivorouszoo on May 21, 2010 9:02:21 GMT -5
Thank you all for the warm welcome! Today is the third day I have given the pair soup that I made. So far Dianne is the only one who really wants it. I put it down and wait about half an hour before making Jack try it. Poor dear. I am thinking of thawing a couple extra mice on Monday which is snakey feeding day and seeing what they think of those. Not sure what size to try first though. I have pinks, peach fuzzies, fussies, hoppers, weanlings, and large adults. I'm going to a swap first weekend of June and will be looking for a better cage for them too. In my mind the one they are in is too crowded. I really love the ferret nation cages and if all works out when we get the tax return in 2011 we will get them one with the third level expansion, ramp covers, and the ramp so they can go in and out on their own.
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Post by Heather on May 21, 2010 15:19:04 GMT -5
It takes time for them to recognise the change as food. Some take longer than others  Being more stubborn than the ferret is the key   Mice....hmmm. A lot of people start with the smaller sizes, my guys actually started with rat but they were hunting and they'd already been hunting the few idotic mice who thought a house with 17 ferrets was a warm safe place to hang out for the winter Now, any newbie fuzz is introduced to mice by the rest of the business. There are all sorts of tricks that people try, most involve the ferret in a game of chase to get them started at tearing at prey. There are a few who have resorted to using a blender  and mixing the poor rodents with the soupy but I'd try playing with them first I love the ferret nation. I have two that were turned in with 2 separate rescues. Though I don't use cages in any serious manner, I will probably replace the rest of the cageing with that type of cage, eventually. ciao |
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Post by carnivorouszoo on May 21, 2010 20:45:27 GMT -5
I am going to stick with mice in the soup. Dianne licked a fuzzy mouse and started chewing then suddenly started puking green bubbly stuff. I have seen her eat and use the bathroom today and she does not chew the bedding so I am at a loss. Stress perhaps of being rushed? Jack also licked the fuzzy but had no reaction?
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Post by Heather on May 21, 2010 23:21:55 GMT -5
You've got me  Hold off a bit, see if she's got into something, I've seen them throw up because of stress but green?? Let her try again in a couple of days. Keep with the soupy and watch her closely. I don't think it had anything to do with the mouse off hand but ciao |
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Post by carnivorouszoo on May 22, 2010 11:29:50 GMT -5
I found out the batteries in mt thermometer in their room were dying. It was 81 degrees in there! I immediately put the AC on. I think that was why she threw up and I found a half eaten packing peanut in her cage. They are the kind that disolve but if she had just eaten it maybe that is why she threw up green? She is still eating and drinking and pottying good. After 20 minutes of the AC they were both more active. I replaced the batteries in the thermometer and have the AC set to auto to keep the house about 75, is that an ok temp? I can not remember  |
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Post by sherrylynne on May 22, 2010 13:05:07 GMT -5
Poor baby girl! I hope she's feeling better soon. If I remember correctly, a good temp is between 60-70 degrees. I know 80 is borderline dangerous.
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Post by Heather on May 22, 2010 20:25:31 GMT -5
My guys get very lethagic in the upper 70's and stop eating. 80's your starting to push the envelope for heat problems
ciao
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Post by carnivorouszoo on May 23, 2010 7:54:12 GMT -5
Wow, ok ac gets set to 68. Thanks guys. I'll just have to turn the heat back on for the snakes with their thermostats.
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Post by Heather on May 23, 2010 17:49:33 GMT -5
I set mine for about 72 to 74. They get warm but they're comfortable. Their activity level drops out a bit but they're still eating and aren't flattened all over the floor ciao |
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