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Post by Heather on Jun 15, 2010 23:27:30 GMT -5
I'm glad that things have worked out for both of you. ciao
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Post by brittany on Jun 15, 2010 23:32:02 GMT -5
As am I... An update on Biggy and Bella:
They are back to their old antics since Sassy left us. They are still coming around slowly with the playing. I haven't tried any raw or live food since the other day when Sassy was here. I have three rats now and hopefully one will pop out a few male pinkies for my brats to try =). I'll update when they encounter a pin kie.
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Post by Heather on Jun 16, 2010 23:44:16 GMT -5
Good stuff. Keep us posted as to your progress ciao
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Post by brittany on Jun 21, 2010 22:42:12 GMT -5
One of my rats had babies today, a total of 12.... I saw a tiny runt that she kept seperating from the rest of the babies so I tried feeding it to my brats... Bad decision. After seeing Sassy so quickly kill that mouse, then seeing the torture done by Bella, I don't think I can feed live any more. I always end up having to kill them because Bella will injure them but not kill them, after they are dead she takes a few nibbles then walks away. Having to put the little pinkie out of misery has left me scarred and I'm rethinking going through the switching process completely =/.
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Post by Heather on Jun 21, 2010 23:00:25 GMT -5
Don't feed live. It's simple. Feed frozen. Feed frankenprey. That's my guys primary diet. Most feed this way. Some feed frozen prey...very few feed live and I mean very few. I feed live occasionally, I never feed babies...they don't have enough action to keep the attention of a ferret and they have no nutritional value. Some use the babies to switch because their little ones don't have to deal with fur. My guys started on adult rats (live). It was a mistake on my part, I might add they successfully hunted for about 7 months before this incident finished it for me. The one rat that they hunted was too big for my alpha male to get a good strangle grip on. The blood bath that ensued was horrible (and I wasn't going to get between a business of 7 bloodthirsty ferrets and an injured rat). So now, they hunt mice occasionally. You don't have to abandon feeding raw just because you can't bear to kill the mice or rats...it's only a very small part of their diet and isn't a necessary component if you don't want it to be. Very few if any of us feed a totally prey diet, it's just not possible, nutritionally or financially. You are going to have to feed frankenprey just to cover their nutritional needs. So if you can't feed prey...don't Switch your little ones to raw ciao
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Post by brittany on Jun 21, 2010 23:10:41 GMT -5
Well I'm trying to feed them raw, but the only interest is meat at ALL is live prey. Other then that, they want nothing to do with meat, cooked or raw. And my work load has upped itself and I don't have the time to switch them while they are being so stubborn!
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Post by Heather on Jun 21, 2010 23:33:36 GMT -5
Prey is fun, it's not easier, especially if you're not into it. They're not into eating prey, they're into chasing prey. There's a difference. I know a lot of ferrets who will chase prey (that's fun), they won't necessarily eat it. You also have to leave them with their catch. You have to let them drag it around, hide it, rip at it. In the long run you're going to have to decide on the price you're willing to pay. You're going to have to decide if you are willing to put in the time and effort to switching these two little souls to a natural diet or if you're going to leave them on an a kibble diet and risk health issues later. I'm in the process of switching 2 ferrets right now, they're older ferts so it's going a bit of time. They're not happy about it but since they were turned in on Friday, these little kibble addicts who had to be scruffed to get them to taste their soupy are now eating ground raw from a spoon. It only takes a few minutes 4 or 5 times a day to eventually switch a ferret. Let us know what you're planning to do, we will answer your questions when you decide ciao
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