|
Post by mollywill17 on Jun 2, 2010 1:00:09 GMT -5
So I've searched this forum and found a lot of information on raw diets. But I'd like to ask a few of my own questions to get direct feed-back.
I'm interested in starting my 3 fuzzies on raw. First off.... Where do I even start? What to I introduce them to? I have 3 snakes and tried to feed my ferrets frozen/thawed pinkies but they wouldn't even look at it. I tried putting ferrettone on the mice and they just licked it off and left the mouse. I'm morning interested in 'soupies' What are they for and what are they made out of? I'd like to give my guys some raw chicken breasts. Help?
|
|
|
Post by Heather on Jun 2, 2010 1:14:58 GMT -5
For a really good start, try reading through the beginning threads in the mentor section. Almost every mentor gives a soupy recipe when they introduce themselves and how to use it. This is mine You can try to get him to eat a raw soup immediately. You will need a blender/food processor, and the following raw items: 8 oz raw chicken thigh meat (including skin and fat) 1 tsp of crushed eggshell powder (take a raw eggshell. Rinse it out. Let it dry. Crush to powder) 1 raw chicken heart 1/2 raw chicken liver Water (use more to make it soupier, less to make it thicker) you can use meat stock too if you don't want to use water. Blend ingredients together. Some prefer it at room temp. Try putting a dollop of "soup" onto your ferret's nose and they probably will lick it off. I use my finger. Sometimes this takes a little bit trying to convince them that you're not trying to poison them I find within a very short time they're licking this off my finger. When I see that they're willing to eat freely off my finger then I use a small spoon to try and get them to eat from that. Try to get them eating the soupy on their own. Most ferrets will willingly eat the food once they actually TASTE it, so the only struggle you *should* encounter is them not wanting to taste it. With your little one being not much more than a baby you shouldn't find it difficult to convince him to eat his food once he's started tasting it. Each time you make your soupy, use a little less water to make it thicker/chunkier. Replace soup with fresh soup every 4-6 hours. You can make a large batch if you like and freeze into ice cubes or cupcake trays. Then you just thaw a portion and serve. OR you can put a frozen "cube" into their bowl and let it slowly thaw. I use this method to switch all my furbabies and I've personally switched approximately 30 ferrets of my own in the last few years. There are other soupies and other methods, like I said check out the opening few pages of the various threads by the mentors, see if there's anything there that might suit you or your little ones. It can be a lot of work and frustrating but it's well worth it .....really ciao
|
|
|
Post by mollywill17 on Jun 2, 2010 1:24:00 GMT -5
Wow! 30 ferrets! Thats awesome! I'll definitely look through the recipes and give it a try with my next paycheck (Thursday) and let you know how it goes! I'm excited.
|
|
|
Post by halblingefrau on Jun 2, 2010 10:02:47 GMT -5
Definitely start out with a soupie of some sort. I used a modification of Heather's recipe (i put in a chicken thigh WITH the bone and used 2 livers instead of any heart b/c I didn't have any). I just made mine REALLY soupie. Loki took to it after a dab on the mouth. I had to shove some in Asher's mouth and get it on his tongue. There are some really great switching threads on this forum with a LOT of advice. Good luck on your switch!
|
|
|
Post by Heather on Jun 2, 2010 23:07:04 GMT -5
If you have a source of ground bone, go for it (I do) but made up this recipe because many want to get started and don't have the ability to grind bone (and I hate to feel responsible when someone blows up their blender or food processor when they jam some chicken wings in the poor machine ) If you cannot get heart, please find a source of taurine to replace the heart. The liver is a good source of blood and vit a but heart is the best source of taurine. There is a reason for everything that is in that soupy. It is a completely balanced recipe ciao
|
|
|
Post by sherrylynne on Jun 3, 2010 20:00:38 GMT -5
*IF* you can't get heart of any kind, you really do need to add at least a taurine supplement, although the fresh is def. the best.
|
|
|
Post by mollywill17 on Jun 5, 2010 14:02:11 GMT -5
Hi everyone. Quick question. I'm going to start my ferrets on the soup recipe listed above, and I was wondering... do they still need to eat their dry kibble that I give them? And if so, how much should they eat?
|
|
|
Post by Heather on Jun 5, 2010 14:54:54 GMT -5
Chances are your little ones won't just stick their faces in and eat. You will probably have to "entice" them. I usually just grab a fert and dab a bit on their nose. Some will lick it off and look, confused, other will gag, spit and look at you with a deep seated hatred because you just tried to poison them . Then, there's the fert that just digs in (those are the ones that we really like ). Usually, for the first day or so (this depends entirely on how willing they are to do this and how much time I have, my guys free roam and I"m at home, I'm an artist) I leave the kibble in their cage and while they're roaming around I have a bowl of soupy sitting on the counter or the table. Every time, one dashes by, I grab dab and release. This can be every few minutes or so. Usually, within 24 hrs or so, they're licking it off my fingers, then I move to a spoon and sit them on my lap and let them eat from a spoon. Once they're eating from the spoon and consuming a good amount, I lift the kibble and they only get it at night. Once they start eating the food on their own without any assistance from me and are willing to eat in their cage, then I remove the kibble altogether. I never remove the kibble if they're not eating well or willingly from a spoon or from their bowls of soupy. ciao
|
|
|
Post by mollywill17 on Jun 5, 2010 17:29:08 GMT -5
So I tried it. Lucy seemed okay with the stuff. Pip threw up a little bit of it. And Bones wouldn't even touch it. I froze the leftover mixture and I'll try again on Monday.
|
|
|
Post by Heather on Jun 5, 2010 18:53:55 GMT -5
Not a bad first try. The throw up might be stress induced, keep an eye on Pip. Bones' reaction was typical, no surprises there. Great stuff little Lucy...nothing like showing the boys how it's done . ciao
|
|