|
Post by lnsybean44 on Jun 21, 2010 22:06:24 GMT -5
So a little background. Newt has been with me since a 16 week old kit. He has only really ever known raw and loves it. Luxo came to me at 2 and a half as a retired breeder having been fed mostly kibble (EVO) with supplemented chicken, rabbit, mice and rats. He quickly came over to raw food and didnt ever look back at his kibble life.
Now here is the problem. Since we moved back home at the end of May he and Newt live in a playpen beside my mother's ferrets (who eat kibble). Well Luxo got a few pieces of their kibble that had fallen and went crazy. He acted as if he was starved and kept hunting for more fallen kibbles. He isnt really eating as much as I would like since that incident and I am worried. Since then I have given him a small amount of kibble and it is always gone by morning.
I dont really know what to do. Newt wont eat the kibble when it is in the cage, nor do I want him to. But I want Luxo to be happy and I am worried he isnt as happy on the raw now that he has had a taste of kibble. He acts like a drug addict when ever he gets his paws on EVO. Any advice?
|
|
|
Post by Heather on Jun 21, 2010 22:49:01 GMT -5
Ok, it makes sense, now I have a question If you were to eat chocolate chip cookies and you really liked them...should you be allowed to eat only chocolate chip cookies?? That's what it is with your little one. Carbohydrates are addictive to a ferret, they absolutely positively don't need them but they absolutely love them. It raises the chances of insulinoma, it's a horrible disease with no cure. I cannot tell you what to feed your ferret, but I strongly advice that you hold strong and don't allow your little one to have kibbles. Consider it, would you allow a baby to choose it's diet? That's what your ferret is Good luck ciao
|
|
|
Post by rarnold18 on Jun 21, 2010 23:45:15 GMT -5
I'm in the process of switching two kibble fed fuzz to raw and keeping the kibble out of the other fuzz's mouths is next to impossible, they do indeed act like drug addicts and will do what ever they can to get to it, Gabby and Slither were actually biting and chewing on the new fuzz's cage bars to try to get to it! I can't wait until Jasmine and Crumb are completely switched over!
|
|
|
Post by lnsybean44 on Jun 22, 2010 6:37:32 GMT -5
But what should I be doing when he turns his nose up at raw? Ive tried covering it in salmon oil (his favorite), switching up the meats to his favorites (rabbit) and putting it right in his mouth. I think I might have to resort to baby food for a while
|
|
|
Post by lnsybean44 on Jun 22, 2010 7:42:59 GMT -5
I will just have to be strong for my little kibble addict.
|
|
|
Post by mustelidmusk on Jun 22, 2010 8:06:58 GMT -5
This has been my experience.... when my brats eat mostly fresh raw, they crave the freeze-dried raw and always save a little room for "dessert". I leave a small bowl of snacks for them in the form of freeze-dried diet and/or dried meats. One day per week, they get only one small freeze-dried meal. This revitalizes their interest in the fresh raw the following day.
If I go on vacation and they get the dry food only, they crave the fresh raw. I seems that the brats like to with between wet and dry food - so it's not necessarily kibble per sa that they crave.Also, there's a new starchless kibble from Wysong I will be posting about in the raw section - you may want to look into this for your mom's brats. -jennifer
|
|
|
Post by lnsybean44 on Jun 22, 2010 12:02:16 GMT -5
I will certainly take a look at it. We are looking for a new food. I re-evaluated what we had them on and I am very disappointed with Totally Ferret. It seemed good when we looked at it two years ago but things have clearly changed since then. I am kicking myself for not reviewing it sooner.
|
|
|
Post by sherrylynne on Jun 22, 2010 19:35:56 GMT -5
Just to let you know, if Luxo decides he doesn't want his raw meal one night, it's not going to hurt him to wait til the next morning, as long as he's not insul. He's quite deliberately holding out because he KNOWS you won't let him get too hungry. Just make sure the raw is there for if he wants it, and if he doesn't get his kibble treat that day, he'll most likely eat the raw.
|
|
|
Post by mustelidmusk on Jun 29, 2010 0:04:27 GMT -5
SherryLynne is right. -years ago I discovered that 1 day of very light feeding revitalizes the "spoiled appetite" ...I can't remember if I got to the part about feeding a "light day" once a week when my job took over and I had to give you to Heather (but you needed her at that point since you were moving in a direction where her experience far exceeds mine. I do any of the following once a week and/or whenever one of then get piky for more than one feeding. 1. light portion of freeze-dried only - & no snacks 2. 1 light fresh raw meal in the morning and light freeze-dried in the evening 3. 24 -hour fast -My kids always have some stashd freeze-dried - so this is not a foodless day. I don't necessarily recommend this because my brats always have some stashed freeze-dried food to ea and i KNOW their health status becaue I do a LOT of bloodwork and vet checks - even when nothing is wong. The odd part is that the brats get reallly energetic after the 24-hour period - maybe the thrill of cleaning up their stashed food does it. ANd when they then get the fresh raw, they go NUTS for it. If I feed the same way everyday, they get picky. when they start to get picky - they get a "light day". when they get freeze-dried only for days beacuse I'm traveling, they get picky about the freeze-dried too. And DO NOT forget the jealousy factor..... ..... If somebody else gets kibble, it HAS to be better than raw. WHile the starch-free kibble has "fried nutrition", at least it's not likely to burn out the pancreas like starchy kibbles (grain-free is not starchless). Also, as SherryLynne noted, the starchless kibble is is a bit light on fat. I don't think a small offering of a little starch-free would be a terrible thing....use it like a TREAT. Treats are special, which is probably why your brats are interested in the kibble - they don't get ny bt the other ferrets do!!! -jennifer
|
|