Switching over thread

[jules]

They are now eating a little less kibble, it is about 2/3 ground turkey now and I can tell they aren't liking it without the ferravite as much but they are still eating it. They both will not eat the chicken breast without the ferravite though, but at least Lucy is now up to about 3-4 very small bite size pieces now, Stitch will eat slightly bigger pieces. Still not without the ferravite, I need to figure out something else to dip it in.

I also have a question, i may need to look around or post this elsewhere but Lucy has been bald on top of her head since I have had her. (previous owners said it was from Stitch picking on her) but it still hasn't grown back in yet and he rarely picks on her like that anymore. Is there something I can rub on there to help it out? Or feed her something to help or do you think she will be bald forever? It has been a month maybe a little longer.

[Heather]

You might try putting less ferretvite on each piece? They will get away from it, but it depends on how persistent you are Ferrets are notorious for dragging their heels about switching and they're the master con artists in making it look like they won't eat something.
The pattern baldness might be adrenal (odd place but ??) You may have to wait until fall for when the big shed and fur grow happens. I've found a few of the guys don't seem to be in any hurry to put on lost fur in between sheds or in the summer.
ciao

[jules]

I will try less ferravite, I'm about out so they might just have to see how stubborn I can be. So I don't have to buy anymore. If I don't use the ferravite should I put some kind of organ meat in the mix in place of it?

I was also wondering if fleas might be part of the problem, maybe she can't handle them well, they had them when they got here and I ordered some frontline for them, just got it today and split one tube between the two of them to get rid of them. (cat and kitten) The shampoo that came with them didn't get rid of them. From what it sounds like it has happened to her before, (baldness) previous owner said it grows back in no time.

[Heather]

Your fuzzies should be getting the equivalent of 1 chicken liver per week. Definitely start adding it....don't necessarily expect them to like it though. I don't know if it's the taste, more likely the texture but it's usually not one of the most favourite meats of some ferrets. Don't be surprised if at first it gets rejected. I've created a mixture that hides the texture and thus allows everybody to eat and enjoy their dinners.
Fleas might indeed cause hair loss, it's definitely not uncommon.
ciao

[jules]

My bf is bringing by some liver for them, I thought I had some but it turns out it was heart and gizzard. I chopped up some gizzard for both of them at lunch with the soupie, they ate ALL of it.
They have been eating all of their food lately

Stitch is such a ham. He slept on my lap last night while watching tv and Lucy is coming up to me more and more, almost kissed me last night

I know what everyone is talking about when they have something happen! Stitch ate 4 pieces of chicken heart and same of chicken breast, about 1/4 inch cubes with one drop of ferravite on it! Oh he wouldn't eat the piece Lucy spit out and refused to eat.

Lucy wasn't going for that at all! I will try again with much smaller pieces for her, I can tell she wants to eat it but just won't do it.

I'm sooo excited!

Thanks for the replies it helps so much.

[sherrylynne]

I remember the first time Boris actually ate a piece of whole meat. I was afraid to move in case he stopped So, yeah, we ALL know where you're coming from!
Congratulations- isn't it an amazing feeling when these little ones actually eat what we KNOW is good for them?
And just as an aside? I found mine became much more....affectionate...once they were on raw

[jules]

That is too funny sherrylynne! I find myself doing the same thing, I peek around the corner to see if they are done eating or not, afraid of the same thing that I will disturb them and they won't finish.

Stitch is definitely the affectionate one, she is a bit high strung but I think she will come around as well eventually

[sherrylynne]

Just think- it won't be too long before you'll have a difficult time wrestling a piece of old jerkified meat away from them . And that will be the ONLY way you could disturb them once they've decided they like this new stuff!

[jules]

Okay lets see if I have this right, eventually what I want is to get them eating at least 3 types of meat throughout the week (dark and white)
Liver or heart, 1 egg +1/4 tsp powder egg shell at least once a week.
Will that give them all the nutrition that they need?

Not quite to 100% ground turkey yet but very close. I can put the chicken pieces in the food now for Stitch and he will eat them no problem, Lucy eats everything except the pieces if I put them in the food I think I will make them smaller for her and try that. She will eat the same about 3 pieces if I am holding her with a drop of ferravite on it.

Since they have been eating all of their soupie I took the dry kibble away completely, they were barely touching it.

[Heather]

Don't forget you should be feeding boned meat at least 3 usually 4 times a week. Otherwise, you're going to have to supplement egg shell or bonemeal for those days. We prefer that you feed bone (it's better for them). Ferrets use a very high bone to meat ratio, much higher than my dogs and cats. They can develop a number of health issues if this isn't met.
ciao

[jules]

Oh yeah the bone, almost forgot about the bone. I am writing down a rough draft menu. It's going to be interesting getting them to eat bone, they give me the look when I let them sniff a chicken wing.

When you say boned meat you mean like take the meat off of a chicken leg and give that to them? Or do you mean bone-in meat? Like a whole chicken wing with the bone?

[Heather]

Boned meats....bones that a ferret can actually eat or consume. Chicken wings, they can eat chicken legs but it usually is only the knobs at either end. Quail, rabbit, pork ribblets, chicken backs or rib pieces these are all bones that can be eaten by ferrets. Think about what bones would be small enough to be eaten by a ferret. Ferrets are notoriously lazy eaters, so if the bone is too large they won't eat it. As many people have discovered, the ferrets are notorious for getting their pets to work for them (cutting their bones up for them, grinding them up for them). Ferrets have very strong jaws and teeth for their size (ask anyone who has ever been bitten ) and more than capable of destroying bone but they will weasel out of eating bone if they can. You have to be the one that makes sure they get what they need
ciao

[sherrylynne]

Good general menu:
Bone in meats 3-4 days a week
Muscle meats 2 days a week
Liver and other organs(if you can get them) 1 meal a week(liver size is = to one chicken liver, or about 2oz)
And heart and chicken gizzards are muscle meats, not organs. Some ferrets can't/won't eat enough liver in one sitting, so you can also give a bit daily, mix it in soup, whatever works!

[jules]

Ahhh okay got it. Thank you Heather and Sherrylnne, I have read all of that over and over maybe it will stick this time.

[sherrylynne]

It takes a while, but it does become second nature. What I found really helped me at the start was writing up a menu plan for them for the week. That way I knew what they were eating, and when.